Chapter 174 Mad Revenge

Chapter 174 Mad Revenge

 

"Kill me? You wouldn't dare."

Ichii suddenly erupted into hysterical laughter, blood streaming from the corners of his mouth, making his twisted face look even more grotesque:

"So what if you're the Reaper? No matter how strong you are, you're still just one man! Talia is in the Black Dragon Society's hands right now!"

"The second I die, she'll be strapped to an operating table! They'll inject her with those damned gene serums! And she'll suffer—slowly dissolving into a pool of blood, bit by agonizing bit!"

Madness and triumph gleamed in Ichii's eyes. He knew he'd found his only lifeline:

"You won't kill me! Marcel won't let you kill me! Because I'm the only one who can guarantee Talia stays alive!"

At those words, Marcel's face turned deathly pale.

He whipped around to face Leo, eyes filled with terror and desperation:

"Mr. Ashford! Please—please don't kill him! Talia's still in their hands!"

Marcel practically collapsed at Leo's feet, his voice shaking violently with fear. "I'm begging you... I know this bastard deserves to die a thousand deaths... but Talia is innocent... She's been imprisoned for twenty-five years... She doesn't know anything..."

"If he dies, those Japanese will take it out on her... Please..."

But Leo simply watched Marcel, his gaze disturbingly calm.

Unhurried, he pulled a fresh cigar from his coat pocket and lit it with his lighter.

The orange flame flickered in the dim study, casting shadows across Leo's cold, chiseled features.

"Mr. Dupont."

Leo took a deep drag from his cigar and exhaled a thick plume of smoke:

"You're wrong. It's exactly the opposite. Only if he dies will they hesitate to touch Talia."

"What?" Marcel froze.

Leo turned his head, his penetrating gaze falling on Ichii, who sat slumped on the floor with that smug expression. "You think I don't understand how you hostage-takers operate?"

"As long as Ichii's alive, they can threaten you—and me—with Talia's life whenever they want."

"But if he dies..."

A cold smile curved Leo's lips. "Without this messenger, without this conduit for threats, the Black Dragon Society will have to tread carefully."

"Because they won't know how much intelligence I've gathered. They won't know if I'll come straight for their headquarters."

"Under those circumstances, Talia becomes their only bargaining chip. They'll guard her closely—not dispose of her."

"Besides..."

Leo exhaled another stream of smoke, his voice low and resolute. "I can get her out."

Hearing Leo's analysis, Marcel stood completely stunned.

For twenty-five years, he'd lived under their threats, walking on eggshells, terrified of every step.

He'd thought that as long as he obeyed, Talia would survive.

But now Leo's words struck like lightning, splitting open the thick fog of fear that had clouded his mind.

Yes... Yes, that's right...

He couldn't spend his entire life under their control...

And Talia couldn't remain imprisoned forever...

These days of passive suffering, of being slaughtered like livestock—they had to end!

Marcel slowly rose to his feet. On his face, aged by years of suppression, his eyes became utterly resolute.

He drew a deep breath and bent down to pick up a blood-stained katana from the floor.

The blade reflected cold light under the lamps.

"Mr. Ashford."

Marcel's hand trembled violently as he gripped the handle, but his voice carried unprecedented determination:

"You're right. For twenty-five years, I've been like a dog on a leash, with Talia's life as the chain."

"Enough... It's truly enough..."

Marcel turned, staring hard at Ichii:

"This blade—let me do it."

Seeing Marcel approach with the katana, the triumph in Ichii's eyes instantly transformed into absolute terror.

"Wait—wait! Marcel!"

Ichii scrambled backward desperately, his blood leaving a vivid trail across the floor. "Have you lost your mind?! If you kill me, Talia's really finished!"

"I... I can release her! Really! I swear!"

As Marcel drew closer, Ichii completely broke down, screaming hysterically:

"Talia's in Belgium! In an abandoned monastery outside Brussels! It's one of the Black Dragon Society's secret European strongholds!"

"Just let me go! I'll call them right now! They'll release her! I swear!"

"You lying piece of filth..."

Murky tears streamed down Marcel's face. Twenty-five years of humiliation, rage, and guilt erupted like a bursting dam:

"Do you know... for twenty-five years, every single night, I've dreamed of Talia..."

"Dreamed of her locked in a lightless dungeon, crying alone, desperately calling my name..."

"And I—this damned coward—could only grovel before you like a dog, begging for scraps!"

Marcel raised the katana high, his eyes burning with the fire of vengeance:

"Today! All of this ends!"

"No! Don't—"

Ichii's piercing scream cut off.

Squelch.

The sharp blade drove deep into his chest.

"This one's for Talia's twenty-five years of imprisonment!"

Marcel yanked the blade free and plunged it down again.

Squelch.

"This one's for my brother-in-law Etienne!"

Squelch.

"And this one's for twenty-five years of living like a dog!"

Marcel descended into complete madness, the blade stabbing into Ichii's body again and again.

Blood fountained out, splashing across Marcel's face and clothes.

Ichii's eyes bulged wide. Even in death, he couldn't believe that this coward he'd treated like a dog for twenty-five years had actually dared to kill him.

After countless stabs, Marcel finally stopped.

He released the handle and collapsed into the pool of blood, his entire body shaking violently.

His hands were drenched in crimson.

But in his eyes shone something unprecedented—release.

Twenty-five years.

Twenty-five years of nightmares had finally ended.

Leo stood quietly to the side, watching without intervening or offering comfort.

He understood Marcel's feelings all too well.

Some hatreds can only be truly laid to rest when settled with your own hands.

A long moment passed.

Marcel slowly stood, turning toward Leo.

On his blood-stained face, he managed a bitter smile:

"Mr. Ashford... thank you..."

"Thank you for giving me the courage to end this twenty-five-year nightmare..."

Leo stepped forward and placed a hand on Marcel's shoulder:

"I'll do everything in my power to protect you and your family."

"The Shadow team will guard you from the shadows until this is completely over."

Marcel's eyes reddened as he nodded solemnly:

"I believe you."

"And..."

Marcel drew a deep breath. "These years, even though I was forced to work for the Japanese, I secretly kept a lot of evidence."

"Experimental data on 'Project Genesis,' personnel rosters of the Black Dragon Society, classified documents about the Evernight Order's cooperation with the Japanese..."

"Whenever you need them, I'll hand everything over to you."

A flash of approval crossed Leo's eyes:

"Good. But there's no rush now. Leave here first."

"I'll handle the scene."

Marcel glanced at the bodies littering the floor and nodded. "Then... Talia..."

"Don't worry."

Leo's voice rang with absolute certainty. "I promise you—I'll bring her back safely."

Marcel studied Leo for a long moment, then turned and walked heavily out of the study.

Once Marcel's footsteps had completely faded, Leo pulled an encrypted satellite phone from inside his coat and dialed a top-secret number.

Two rings, then someone picked up.

"Reaper?"

A gravelly but commanding voice came through.

It was Three-Star General Dominic MacArthur, head of the Pentagon's Special Operations Command.

"General."

Leo's voice was low. "I need you to immediately mobilize all intelligence assets in Europe. Search the outskirts of Brussels, Belgium, for an abandoned monastery."

"Inside that monastery is a French woman named Talia Martineau, thirty-five years old. She's been held prisoner by the Japanese Black Dragon Society for twenty-five years."

"I want her alive."

Silence on the other end.

Then Dominic's iron-blooded military voice came through:

"Understood. I'll mobilize special forces and intelligence networks stationed in Europe immediately."

"However, Reaper... there are quite a few abandoned monasteries in Belgium. It may take some time to check them all..."

"Three hours."

Leo cut him off, his voice ice-cold:

"How big is Belgium? Three hours. I want results."

On the other end, Dominic's entire body stiffened.

He knew Leo's personality too well.

Once this man issued an order, failure was not an option.

"Yes, sir! Mission will be accomplished!"

Dominic's voice was iron-clad. "I'll personally oversee it! Within three hours, we'll have her out safely!"

"Good."

Leo hung up and slipped the satellite phone back into his coat.

He turned, surveying the bodies and blood covering the floor.

Orange firelight danced across his face, illuminating those cold features in flickering shadows.

"Japan... Black Dragon Society..."

Leo exhaled a heavy stream of smoke, his eyes blazing with lethal intent. "Once I finish cleaning up Europe, it's your turn."

Outside the study, Paris's cold rain continued to fall.