Chapter 94: Interpersonal Relationships Are Also a Kind of Strength
I found it a bit strange that Lucas would be near the university district.
Lucas said he guessed we'd go there - after all, there weren't many places to hide in Dawnharbor if we wanted to avoid the Valeri family's eyes and ears.
Then Lucas said he'd seen people searching for us in the university district.
He asked where I was. I didn't reply, feeling a wave of fear wash over me.
Marcus watched us chatting and actually thought we were lucky. "Bella, you're amazing! Good thing you were willing to pay big money to buy Roger before!"
Lucas waited a while without getting a response, then stopped chatting with me, just saying "stay safe."
I wanted to ask him about the press conference, but after hesitating for a moment, I didn't ask anything.
Although Elias had given his word, I didn't truly relax until I saw armed mercenaries patrolling and guarding the dye workshop.
Elias's friend looked like an ordinary businessman, but I was sure he was anything but ordinary. I dealt with him politely and spent a peaceful night at the dye workshop.
The next day, we got the ordinary sedan and weapons as promised. The dye workshop owner even thoughtfully prepared a medical kit and a city map for us, with the territories of the major families marked on it. Marcus and I left the dye workshop with genuine gratitude.
After getting in the car, Adrian drove while Marcus, Cole, and I took turns napping.
On someone else's turf, we didn't dare let our guard down completely, so we just stayed in the same room and took turns keeping watch at night.
Because our destination had been guessed yesterday, we were much more careful today. Marcus and I decided that except for going to restaurants to eat, we'd spend the rest of the time in the car.
Although the city wasn't very safe right now, the searches weren't completely out of control. As long as we were careful, we could safely get through three days.
The real challenge was how to leave the city - Holden had definitely sent people to monitor Dawnharbor's exits.
However, to my surprise and delight, I got a call from Barry at noon.
My relationship with this high-ranking official was pretty average at best, and I really couldn't think of any reason he'd suddenly contact me except to buy medicine.
But because of Elias's help yesterday, I didn't reject the call, and when Barry asked to meet, I didn't refuse either.
Sure enough, Barry wanted to buy medicine again. He asked me to meet him at the Regal Gardens Hotel in the city center.
As we approached the hotel, our location was exposed and we ran into two groups of killers, but Barry sent people to help us, and we got through the crisis safely.
I looked over the people who came specifically to pick us up - a full twenty people, each equipped with two guns. I didn't believe they weren't specifically sent to rescue us.
Although the four of us could have broken through on our own, Barry saved us from a tough fight.
After arriving at the hotel, a middle-aged man in a suit who looked like a secretary received us. Barry hadn't come to Dawnharbor - he really did want to buy more medicine from me.
After the middle-aged man conveyed Barry's message and left, Marcus looked at me confused. "Didn't he already sign a long-term cooperation agreement with you? What medicine does he want to buy now? We don't have any - your big pharmacy is in Starstream City."
I smiled and said, "Barry probably heard the news and is using buying medicine as an excuse to help us."
"I see, he's pretty decent!"
"He's probably afraid that if I die, no one will make medicine for him." A thought struck me - whether it was Elias or Barry, they both seemed to be protecting me because of my medical skills.
I couldn't help thinking that they weren't the only ones who knew about my pharmaceutical abilities.
"Whatever his reasons are, with people helping us block the killers, all we need to do is eat and drink - this fugitive life is too good!" Marcus laughed heartily.
A waiter came in with a lavish lunch. After the waiter left, I said to Marcus, "Even with Barry's help, we'd better not stay here too long."
Marcus nodded. "Let's leave after we eat."
After eating our fill, we left the Regal Gardens Hotel. On the road, we encountered several more assassination attempts, but people helped block them all.
Some of these people belonged to a foreign real estate tycoon, some to an arms dealer, and even the Langford family sent help.
Although I'd crippled Mason, Mason's brother John genuinely wanted to partner with me to open a pharmaceutical factory.
That real estate tycoon and arms dealer had both bought my medicine at the trade show. Just as I'd guessed, many people couldn't afford to let me die!
The situation was so optimistic it felt like a dream. In the evening, I even got a message from Edgar - he'd found out about several ambush locations and specifically tipped me off.
We avoided most of the traps, but attacked one ambush point that had the fewest people, seized a batch of weapons, and even infiltrated the assassins' internal communication channel.
After leaving the ambush point, Marcus asked me, "Where are we staying tonight?"
I told Marcus to wait. Before long, I got a message from Jonas - he'd arranged our accommodation for the night.
Early on the third day, I looked at the rising sun outside the window and decided to stop hiding.
At noon, Marcus and I boldly appeared at the commercial plaza in the city center.
We ate, shopped, and bought souvenirs and local specialties, more relaxed than tourists, not at all like people on the run.
A man in a black trench coat with a sinister look found us and said coldly, "Mr. Valeri wants to see you. Please come with me."
He was the man who'd stopped us on the road that day. Now his face had several new scars, injured when the leaking car exploded.
I smiled and said, "I think this outdoor café is nice - good scenery, good food. Why don't you invite Mr. Valeri here instead?"
The man stared at Marcus and me darkly. Neither of us had any intention of going with him. He silently turned to leave. I stopped him, "Wait, we're only resting here for half an hour. After that, the offer's off."
The man clenched his fists, knuckles cracking, but said nothing and left.
Twenty minutes later, Holden sat down at the table next to us.
He flipped through the menu and ordered a coffee. He looked relaxed, but his expression was very grim. "Pretty arrogant. I underestimated you!"
I smiled slightly. "Strong personal connections are also a kind of power."
Holden narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you right now?"
"The four of us siblings don't have much to lose. If we die, we'll just reunite with our parents, but you'll probably offend quite a few people." I said calmly. Across from me, Marcus silently grinned at me.
"You're good at making medicine?" Holden asked suspiciously. "That Phoenix Blood Balm that's been so famous lately - you invented it?"
"I do have some medical talent." I asked Holden, "Want to make a deal?"
Having just taken a big loss on the bet, Holden was no longer overconfident. He asked me cautiously, "What deal?"
I'd already thought it through. "I'll promise you one free, jump-the-queue opportunity to seek medical help or medicine from me, and you give me Lucas's mother's belongings."