Chapter 215 This Woman, I Fancy Her
Emily led Elmer away, her familiarity with the terrain and sharp instincts helping them narrowly avoid the patrolling guards each time.
Hope seemed within reach.
Emily planned to get Elmer out first, then find a way to rescue the group of girls.
But she hadn't anticipated the mistake coming from Hayden's side.
He woke up.
Finding himself in an unfamiliar place, carried by a strange man, Hayden panicked. The man, nicknamed "Leopard," had a rugged appearance, which led Hayden to fear the worst and start struggling and shouting.
Although Leopard quickly knocked him out with a single blow, the commotion had already drawn attention.
Emily's face darkened.
"Take this path down, then turn at the corner. There's a small gate with only one guard. This powder will knock him out instantly, but it won't last long. You need to leave quickly," Emily instructed Elmer, handing him a packet of powder.
"You're not coming with me?" Elmer asked, worried.
Emily shook her head. "Two people won't make it. I'll distract the patrols to give you a chance. If you stay, it'll be a dead end for both of us."
She knew a fierce battle was inevitable. The people in this compound were ruthless, barely human. If Elmer couldn't escape, his fate as a valuable asset might be execution.
Elmer was reluctant to leave her. As a man and a skilled technician, he felt his fate couldn't be worse than hers. If Emily, a beautiful woman, fell into their hands, her fate would be much more horrific.
"No way, I'll distract them. You escape first!" he insisted.
Emily frowned. "I know this place better and I'm more skilled. Don't waste time, or neither of us will get out. Once you're out, head north. You might find help in half an hour or an hour. You must keep going!"
Without giving Elmer a chance to argue, Emily swiftly ran down a nearby path.
Her movements drew attention.
Seeing her figure flash by, the patrolling guards immediately chased after her. "Catch her! Someone's trying to escape!"
The alarms blared.
Tears welled in Elmer's eyes, but he knew he had to leave now, or Emily's sacrifice would be in vain.
Meanwhile, in a high-end office, Daniel was having a "friendly" conversation with the man across from him.
"Finnegan, we have all kinds of goods here. As long as the money is right, you can trust us. If we work well together, there'll be plenty of opportunities in the future!"
The speaker was a man with a somewhat twisted face, none other than Orville, whom Emily had mentioned.
Upon arriving, Daniel quickly made contact with Orville using his connections and a code name.
Daniel's men were positioned not far from the compound. He only brought a few with him, which made Orville comfortable enough to negotiate.
Daniel had a backup plan. If Emily was captured, a trade would be ideal. If not, he was prepared to risk his life to rescue her.
But midway through their conversation, the alarm suddenly went off.
"What’s happening?" Daniel frowned.
Orville, noting Daniel's demeanor and attire, and the box of money he had prepared, knew this was a significant client. Securing this deal could ensure future wealth.
But the alarm indicated trouble.
Confident in his security, Orville remained calm. "Finnegan, don't worry about it. It's probably some newcomers thinking they can escape. Our security is airtight; they'll never make it."
"Let's continue our discussion. Tell me what you need, and I'll make it happen."
To entice Daniel further, Orville even mentioned some disturbing examples, like women used for breeding and young girls...
Daniel's heart filled with cold rage.
These people deserved to die!
He kept his cool. "I need to see the goods to evaluate their quality, don’t I?"
Implying he wanted to inspect them.
Orville thought for a moment. "Finnegan, as a valued guest, your requests should be met. I'll arrange it!"
"No need for trouble. I prefer seeing things in their natural state. Let's go now. Or is there something wrong outside?" Daniel pointed to the alarm.
Given the chaos outside, Daniel knew there was no point in hiding his intentions. Orville was likely testing to see if they could quickly resolve the issue, ensuring stable, long-term cooperation.
"Since you're not worried, let's go check it out," Orville agreed, signaling his men to handle the situation outside.
Outside, things were more chaotic than Orville expected.
Leopard had someone less skilled carry Hayden away while he and his team engaged the patrol guards.
Emily soon joined Leopard's group.
But they were quickly surrounded.
In close combat, guns were less effective. The noise, along with Emily and another beautiful woman, caught the guards' attention. They aimed to capture them alive.
As Emily and Leopard retreated, she warned, "Careful!"
A young woman nearly got hurt. Emily shielded her, taking a knife wound herself. Blood stained her clothes instantly.
Her face paled, but she endured the pain. "Retreat to the back. There's a hidden door. Wait for rescue."
Emily whispered to Leopard, knowing the secret door from her past life. It had emergency supplies to last a few days and could only be opened from the inside.
"What about you?" Leopard was reluctant to leave her.
Emily was about to say she'd join them when she saw Daniel approaching with Orville.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Was Daniel one of them? Or was he here for her?
If the former, they were enemies. If the latter, she couldn't abandon him.
Daniel's eyes also widened upon seeing Emily, quickly turning to admiration.
Seeing her bleeding wound, he felt an unprecedented surge of anger.
This place would not hold.
"I want that one!" Daniel suddenly pointed at Emily.
Emily's mind raced. She raised a knife to her throat. "You want me? No way. Unless you release the people behind me!"
The hidden door was close. If Leopard's group could escape, they'd be safe for now. Once official rescue arrived, the problems would be solved.
Orville hesitated.
Daniel glanced at Emily's group, whispering to Orville, "I really like this woman. Pretend to let them go. You said no one could escape. Just capture them again later."