Chapter 343

Chapter 343

"You found someone who can remove the control?"

"Yes. Control subjects mainly exist in Southeast Asia and the southwest border regions. I sent people to make inquiries everywhere. Currently, there are no more than five people who can handle this kind of thing."

"So few!" I was shocked.

"This practice is dying out too. There really aren't many who have the actual ability."

Leopold pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to me.

Three names and addresses were written on it.

"The first two are at the border. The situation is unstable there, so they're hard to reach. The third is in Clouds District. He's in his seventies and semi-retired. But I pulled some strings, and he's willing to meet."

I stared at the paper, my fingers trembling slightly.

"Is this person reliable?"

Could a man in his seventies really have that kind of ability?

Leopold nodded. "Brady confirmed it. His name is Arlo. He has a huge reputation in the field. He's never had a failed case."

My heart settled a little, but I still needed to see it with my own eyes.

Still, the immediate problem was Ethan.

"The control object is on Ethan. If we get someone to interfere with the control, won't he hurt Orion again out of spite?"

"You don't need to worry about that." Leopold patiently explained. "If we can meet Arlo, he can assess the controlled subject's activity state in person. As long as the controlled subject enters a dormant period, the damage transmission from the control object weakens."

I couldn't help but be surprised. In the course of his investigation, he'd learned so much about this.

Worried I was still anxious, Leopold added, "Brady suggested we go as soon as possible. He's already on his way to the airport. We just need to meet up with him."

"Okay. Let's go."

I'd stayed here hoping for a chance to get the control object's antidote.

Now that Leopold had found someone who could remove it, there was no need for me to stay.

---

The car drove down the mountain road.

The sky had gone completely dark.

Like a mass of congealed ink spreading across the windshield.

"Don't worry." Seeing I wasn't speaking, Leopold freed one hand to pinch my cheek. "Even if Ethan realizes you're gone right now, he can't catch up."

"I've arranged for people to provide cover and buy us enough time."

Of course I trusted his arrangements. But plans couldn't keep up with changes.

I was afraid there'd be an accident.

The car left the mountains. The road became smooth.

The city lights gradually brightened.

Suddenly, Leopold's phone vibrated.

Ethan's name flashed on the screen.

I tensed immediately. He must have discovered I wasn't at the villa.

"Are you going to answer?"

"No."

Leopold shook his head, pulled back the hand that had been holding mine, and hung up directly.

As soon as he hung up, the phone rang again.

Leopold still didn't answer.

My heart rose into my throat.

"By the way, David escaped from prison. Gravenford Kingdom police are searching for him now."

"When did this happen?"

"This morning. But they still don't have his whereabouts."

My heart clenched involuntarily. "Will he come looking for you?"

"Probably." Leopold kept his eyes on the road ahead. "But he won't get the chance."

There was a Y-intersection ahead.

Left was a mountain road. Right led to the highway.

Leopold turned the wheel and merged onto the right-side highway.

"This is the express route to the airport. I'm going to speed up. Hold on tight."

I adjusted my posture and gripped the seatbelt.

This road had a lot of curves and poor visibility.

Fortunately, there weren't many cars at this hour.

"Call Brady and tell him we'll be there in ten minutes."

Hearing Leopold's words, I lowered my head to get my phone.

In that instant, my peripheral vision caught a dark shadow rushing toward us at high speed.

The other party deliberately had no lights on and was coming from the opposite lane—driving the wrong way.

This was no accident.

"Leopold!"

Leopold reacted instantly.

He jerked the steering wheel hard and hit the brakes.

The tires screeched violently against the pavement, dragging out a black streak.

The black SUV grazed past our right side, but its rear still clipped us.

The car lost balance and spun wildly, skidding sideways.

My body was jerked by the seatbelt. My head slammed into the side window.

All I could hear was the sound of metal colliding and glass shattering.

After a full rotation and a half, the car finally crashed into the guardrail beside us and was forced to a stop.

The windshield had shattered into a spiderweb.

Black smoke billowed from the hood.

"Leopold?"

Leopold was slumped over the steering wheel, pressing his forehead. Blood seeped through his fingers.

"I'm fine. Just a surface wound."

I unbuckled my seatbelt to check his injuries.

"My leg is stuck. You get out first."

I looked at Leopold's leg. "Can you move? Let me help you."

"No need. Give me a minute. I'll figure out how to get out myself. You get out now and see who it is."

I looked ahead. The black SUV had stopped about fifty yards away.

"Okay. I'll get out first."

If the other party got vicious again, at least I could distract them.

The door had been dented in the crash. I couldn't push it open, so I had to climb out through the shattered window.

After I got out, someone from the black SUV got out too.

He was thin, his features twisted, his eyes vicious as he stared at us.

It was David.

"You two are damn lucky! You survived that!"

Seeing him turn back, as if to start a second round of ramming.

I shouted, "Leopold! Get out now!"

Leopold quickly pushed himself up, his face flushed red, but the trapped leg seemed welded to the seat. No matter how hard he pulled, it wouldn't budge.

I rushed to the driver's side and yanked the door open.

"I'll help you!"

We both applied force at the same time.

He adjusted his position. I pulled with all my might.

But his calf remained stuck fast in the deformed steel plate.

The black SUV's outline rapidly enlarged in the rearview mirror, its engine roaring.

Death was closing in.

Leopold grabbed my shoulder, his knuckles digging into my flesh, his voice low and urgent.

"Don't worry about me. Go!"

"No! I'm not leaving!" I shook my head over and over.

Leopold gripped my shoulder harder. "David's target is me. If you leave now, you can still bring help."

My emotions hit their limit. Tears instantly filled my eyes.

Leopold shoved me hard.

I stumbled backward.

Tears completely blurred my vision.

I couldn't see him clearly.

Just as the black SUV was about to crash into us, a silver sports car suddenly cut sideways in front of it.

"Crash!"

Another deafening impact echoed through the sky.

One side of the silver car's body caved in instantly, pushed by the black SUV as it slid forward.

Heading straight for Leopold's car.

"Leopold!"

My view was blocked. I couldn't tell if Leopold was okay. I ran over immediately.

Fortunately, the silver sports car stopped less than a foot from Leopold's car.

In that life-or-death moment, Leopold also found hidden strength.

He actually pulled his leg free.

Seeing me running toward him, he steadied himself against the car door and caught me firmly.

"Don't be scared. I'm fine."

My suspended heart finally settled.

Just then, a weak voice called my name.

"Cindy..."