Chapter 170 Killed with One Strike
Alexander crossed his arms, smiling coldly with elegant composure. "I'll say it again—we're conducting peaceful negotiations here. You want money, I'll give it to you. Question is whether you dare take it."
Dietrich let out a cold laugh. "Peaceful negotiations? Besides negotiating peacefully with me, what other choice do you have?"
Alexander replied, "Should circumstances change, I have a second option."
Dietrich froze for a moment. "What circumstances?"
Alexander's lips curved slightly as he enunciated each word, "Negotiations break down."
Dietrich stared blankly for an instant.
In the next second, Alexander seized the moment, lunging forward as he yanked off his belt and pressed a hidden mechanism in the buckle.
The metal buckle instantly released a razor-sharp blade.
Alexander gripped it in reverse, vaulted over the coffee table with his long legs, and stomped down hard on Dietrich's thigh.
His movements were lightning quick!
Before Dietrich could react, as he was just rising from his seat, Alexander struck with a vicious backhand thrust. The sharp blade plunged deep into Dietrich's throat.
Blood gushed from his throat like a geyser.
Alexander coldly gripped the man's agonized, contorted face, twisted his wrist, and drove the blade deeper—a killing blow!
The surrounding bodyguards all failed to react in time.
The entire room contained only Dietrich, Alexander, and Dietrich's men—all elite bodyguards of the highest caliber. They couldn't believe that Alexander, alone and with Dietrich holding a hostage, would dare strike at their boss with lethal intent!
Before Alexander had entered this room, he'd been thoroughly searched and confirmed to be carrying no deadly weapons whatsoever.
He had no gun, yet with just a small blade, he'd assassinated Dietrich right before their eyes!
By the time they snapped back to reality, they all drew their weapons and aimed at Alexander.
But Dietrich was already dead. Momentarily leaderless and without orders, they hesitated for a crucial instant—
Alexander yanked out the blade and charged toward one of the armed bodyguards.
The bodyguard instinctively pulled the trigger. Alexander had already anticipated this, dodging with split-second timing. The bullet missed his neck by mere millimeters, striking the man standing opposite instead.
Alexander drove the blade into the shooter's eye, then wrenched the gun from his grip. He raised his hand, the metal cufflink reflecting the movement of the bodyguard behind him. In 0.5 seconds, he pinpointed the man's position, spun around, and fired three consecutive shots.
Every bullet found its mark!
In a blaze of gunfire—
Empty shell casings clattered to the floor as the men collapsed softly to the ground.
The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air.
In just ten seconds, he'd eliminated everyone.
From first strike to total victory, it had taken him barely ten seconds. His execution was ruthless!
Dietrich had been overly confident, overestimating his armed forces while underestimating Alexander's deadly resolve.
How had Dietrich imagined that these few bodyguards could handle him?
Clearly, Dietrich knew little of his background. Before taking over Crest Corporation, Alexander had been special forces elite.
Alexander never feared negotiations—he only feared when the other party refused to negotiate.
Two billion dollars.
Offered with both hands, and Dietrich wouldn't take it.
Then Alexander would simply take his life instead.
Whether in business or on the battlefield, when money failed, firepower spoke.
Grace was still on this ship. He had no patience for prolonged games.
Alexander pressed the micro earpiece in his ear and issued his command, "Board the ship."
"Yes, sir!"
Alexander discarded the overheated pistol, stepped over the bodies sprawled on the floor, and walked to Dietrich's side. He gave the man a cold glance, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Dietrich's head lolled lifelessly to one side, his mouth slightly open, revealing something dark between his lips.
Alexander gripped the man's face and squeezed his jaw joint. Dietrich's mouth opened wider, and the dark object fell into Alexander's palm.
He could barely make out what appeared to be a tiny remote control device, no more than two centimeters in diameter. Dietrich had kept this thing clenched between his teeth, refusing to release it even in death.
What was this thing?
Could it be... some kind of control device?
Just then...
The entire ship suddenly lurched violently.
Alexander felt something massive explode beneath the deck below his feet. He instinctively braced against the wall, only to discover deep cracks spider-webbing across its surface from the blast's impact.
Alexander's face paled slightly.
Through his earpiece, Jeremy's frantic voice crackled, "Mr. Hayes! There are bombs on the ship—someone's detonated explosives!"
Alexander yanked open the door and stepped outside. From below deck came another series of continuous, thunderous explosions.
The force of tons of exploding ordnance crashed over them like a tidal wave, as if the ship's interior were being violently torn upward.
Alexander suddenly realized—cunning old Dietrich had kept the bomb's detonation device in his mouth the entire time. In his death throes, he'd bitten down and crushed the controller!
Jeremy's voice continued shouting through the earpiece, "Mr. Hayes! Retreat now—the ship's about to be blown apart!"
Throughout the cargo vessel, everyone fled in panic toward the deck as the ship's hull shook violently, sending people stumbling and falling.
Alexander ran into the corridor as the entire ship trembled. People poured out of their rooms in droves.
Jeremy sprinted toward him and grabbed his arm. "Mr. Hayes, we have to go!"
Alexander gripped Jeremy's hand in return. "Where's Grace? Have you found her?"
Jeremy shook his head. "No time yet! Mr. Hayes, you go first—I'll take the men and keep searching. It's too dangerous here. At this rate, this ship's going to be blown in half!"
The bombs seemed to be stacked together, detonating in chain reactions.
Though Jeremy initially assessed the individual explosive yields as relatively small, there were simply too many of them.
During his journey here, he'd already fallen twice. He had no idea how many more bombs would detonate throughout the ship, but the lower decks were already catching fire. If those flames reached the boiler room...
The consequences would be catastrophic.
Alexander said, "If you're retreating, go first. I'm not leaving until I find her."
Jeremy grew anxious. "This place is complete chaos—too many people, too much confusion..."
Alexander replied, "I don't care!"
He couldn't possibly abandon Grace alone on this ship.
He sent Grace's photo to every member of his team. This ship was breaking apart, and before it sank, everyone had to board other vessels. If Grace made it out, his men would surely spot her.
Until he confirmed her safety, he wouldn't leave alone.
Seeing Alexander's unwavering determination, Jeremy stopped trying to persuade him and simply said, "Mr. Hayes, I'm staying with you!"
As his subordinate, he would naturally share his commander's fate, life or death.