Chapter 277

Chapter 277

Feeling the sharp pain from the side of her neck, fake Kathy's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

She could clearly feel the porcelain shard pressing right where her pulse throbbed most violently. Just a little deeper, or even just a slight tremor of Elaine's hand...

"I... I..."

Her voice shook uncontrollably, her eyes darting around frantically, still making one last desperate attempt.

"Those drugs... aren't with me... they were... taken away... I... I was just forced into this, Elaine, you have to believe me, I was being controlled, I had no choice..."

She babbled incoherently while looking at Elaine with pleading eyes.

But Elaine frowned, now completely out of patience.

"I don't want to hear the same thing twice."

Elaine cut her off, her voice terrifyingly calm. "You think stalling for time will bring someone to rescue you? Or do you think I have the patience to play along with your pathetic little game?"

Fake Kathy's mouth fell open. She seemed to catch a flash of killing intent in Elaine's eyes, and her body began to shake violently.

"Looks like you still haven't grasped the situation."

Elaine leaned in slightly, moving close to her ear, speaking word by word: "You should know how fragile the carotid artery is. This porcelain shard may be crude, but it's enough to cut through it. Blood will spray out like a fountain. In two or three minutes at most, you'll pass out from blood loss, and then... not even a miracle could save you."

Her tone was as flat as if stating a medical fact, yet every word sent chills down the spine.

"Tell me, will the organization behind you risk showing up at a time like this for a pawn who's already been exposed?"

Elaine continued applying pressure. "Or do you think your life is worth... less than the secrets you're protecting?"

Fake Kathy's pupils dilated to their limit with fear.

Every word from Elaine hammered away at her psychological defenses.

She was afraid of death. From the moment she accepted plastic surgery to impersonate Kathy, from the moment she started working for that organization, her whole purpose was to live better, to enjoy resources that didn't belong to her.

She could be ruthless to others, could watch coldly as Elaine fell into trouble, but when she herself faced death, that bone-deep cowardice was laid bare.

"I... I..."

Her teeth began to chatter, her psychological defenses crumbling instantly.

"Last chance."

Elaine's voice suddenly turned sharp, and the porcelain shard steadily pushed forward another millimeter.

Fake Kathy felt the stinging sensation of her skin being cut intensify dramatically, the warm feeling making her soul leave her body!

"No! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

The survival instinct finally overwhelmed everything else. She screamed, "East suburbs! The rundown warehouse with the red roof at the very back! That's where we usually make exchanges! Some of the drugs stolen a few days ago are still there! Someone will come to pick them up!"

She spoke at lightning speed, afraid that even a moment's delay would mean the shard would completely slice through her throat.

Elaine's heart clenched. She made note of this location, but the most important question hadn't been asked yet.

"What about my mother?"

Elaine's voice grew even tighter, and the hand holding the shard unconsciously pressed harder. "Where is the real Kathy?"

Fake Kathy was scared out of her wits by the sudden increase in pressure, shouting through tears: "I don't know! I really don't know! They just had me imitate her, but I never met her! Someone like Kathy - a small fry like me could never get close to her! Please, I really only know this much, don't kill me..."

She was crying and sobbing, her makeup smeared all over her face, looking both pathetic and frightening, no longer bearing any resemblance to when she was imitating Kathy.

Elaine stared hard into her eyes, trying to determine if she was telling the truth.

The bone-deep terror didn't seem fake.

Elaine frowned, a wave of disappointment washing over her.

The trail had gone cold again.

But at least there was a new lead.

She slowly withdrew the porcelain shard from fake Kathy's neck, though her eyes remained cold as a blade: "You'd better not be lying. Otherwise..."

Then she turned her gaze to Bradley nearby.

Their eyes met, and they nodded slightly.

"Let her go."

Elaine suddenly spoke, her voice calm.

The subordinate was stunned for a moment, but seeing Bradley also nod in agreement, he released his grip as instructed.

Fake Kathy lost her support and staggered, then realized she seemed to have regained her freedom.

The survival instinct instantly overwhelmed everything else. She didn't even have time to think - she just turned and bolted toward the dark stairwell without looking back!

She stumbled and scrambled, running downstairs with all her might.

Get away! Get away from that lunatic Elaine! Get away from this place!

But when she finally tumbled out of the building entrance, before she could even get her bearings, several blinding flashlight beams suddenly hit her from all directions!

"Freeze! Police!"

"Hands up!"

Several police officers had already surrounded the building exit, their guns trained steadily on the disheveled fake Kathy.

Fake Kathy froze as if paralyzed, instantly rooted to the spot, the last trace of color draining from her face.

She looked desperately at the fully armed police in front of her, then turned back to look at the dark entrance, finally understanding that from beginning to end, she had been caught in Elaine's trap.

There was no escape.

The police quickly moved forward, confirmed her identity, handcuffed her, and took her away from the scene.

Inside the building, Elaine and Bradley stood in the shadows by the window, quietly watching the scene below.

"I've already spoken with the police. She'll be held on multiple charges including theft of state secrets and identity fraud. She won't be getting out anytime soon."

Bradley said in a low voice.

Elaine nodded, but her gaze had already turned toward the darker distance: "She's just a small pawn. The real lead is in the east suburbs."

Without a moment's delay, the two quickly went downstairs, met up with the remaining subordinates, and drove inconspicuous vehicles, racing silently toward the city's eastern suburbs.

Before long, Bradley's convoy killed their engines and lay in wait at a distance.

He and Elaine, along with two of their most elite subordinates, crept quietly toward the target.

The warehouse was larger than imagined, its walls mottled, the red metal roof unremarkable in the night.

Using the weeds as cover, the group made their way to a broken ventilation window on the side of the warehouse.

Bradley signaled his subordinates to keep watch while he carefully peered inside through the window gap.

Elaine also moved close to another crack.

The warehouse interior was spacious, filled with some broken machinery and debris, but the central area had been cleared out.

What was even more alarming was that there were about six or seven figures moving around inside!

They wore matching dark combat uniforms, moved efficiently, walked steadily, patrolling the warehouse interior in pairs.

Though their full appearance wasn't clear, their well-trained bearing was unmistakable - these were definitely not ordinary guards.

Clearly an elite professional squad!