Chapter 190 Loyalty is Only for The Dog (II) [Revisied]
"Hey, little shit," Izzy sneered. "Do you really think you can escape from us?"
Zee tightened her hood, attempting to conceal her anxiety as dozens of gangsters closed in on her. She wasn't afraid of them at all, but it was the Arcanas in their hands that unnerved her. For some reason, their weapons seemed designed to counter her.
Izzy walked slowly, her gauntlet-clad hands clanging with each step, creating a menacing sound as she closed in on the girl in the gray hoodie. Her eyes burned with anger, a gaze shared by Dax and the other gang members. They held an unbearable grudge.
The scent of desperation thickened in the air. Instinctively, Zee crawled backward like a cornered prey. However, the gangsters were all around her, blocking any escape route. Hope dwindled with each breath.
Zee came to a halt as her back hit something. Turning around, she found a green-haired man standing behind her.
"What are you looking at, bitch?" Dax growled.
Bam!
"Arrgh!"
He struck her in the face, and red blood sprayed from her mouth as she fell to the ground. Just as Zee felt the pain in her cheek, her neck was jerked backward. Dax pulled her hood down, revealing a face covered in bruises and wounds. But the green-haired man wasn't satisfied yet. He yanked her hair.
"Argh!"
Zee couldn't help but groan in pain.
Izzy knelt down, bringing her face close to Zee's. A mocking smile spread across her face. However, the longer she looked at her face, the more her pent-up frustration grew. Memories of a terrible past resurfaced.
"Why? Angry? Think our actions are cruel? Remember how you killed our comrades. You killed my friends," Izzy said, smirking.
Instead of fear or regret, Zee grinned. "Yeah, I hope they're rotting in hell." She then spat at Izzy. The short-haired woman was surprised, as saliva mixed with blood clung to her cheek.
Naturally, Izzy was furious.
Seeing the recent events, Dax quickly yanked Zee again. A scream of pain escaped from the girl in the gray hoodie.
"You bitch," Izzy growled. "I'm going to crush your head."
Izzy raised her hand, covered with iron gauntlets, and Zee clenched her teeth, prepared to receive a hard blow to her face.
Just as Izzy was about to strike, someone restrained her hand.
"Hey, hey, wait a minute. What are you doing? You might kill her."
Izzy squinted as she looked at Klaus behind him. Their eyes locked, as if they were communicating silently through their gaze. Then, Izzy sighed.
"Fine," she said.
She lowered her hand, albeit reluctantly. Meanwhile, Klaus grinned broadly.
"Release this girl. You pulled her hair too hard," Klaus said.
Grumbling in frustration, Dax let go of her hair. Zee gasped in pain as she winced. Not long after, Sheila arrived, out of breath. Seeing Zee in such a battered state, she felt sympathy on her.
Klaus crouched down. "I think running might clear your mind. How about it? Do you still have the same decision?"
There was no answer from Zee. The girl simply clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on him. Her eyes conveyed a strong determination.
Bam!
Dax struck her head. "Answer him, little bitch!" he yelled.
"Tell me. Do you want to die faster or slower? The choice is yours," Klaus said.
Once again, Zee didn't provide an answer. She simply lowered her head. The same tactics wouldn't work on them anymore. In other words, there was no way left for her to save herself. Only death awaited her.
But at least, she could choose how she would die.
"Hey, I asked," Klaus said.
In her despair, Zee tightly gripped her hands. Then, she raised her head, looking into his eyes.
"Absorb my memories. I don't care anymore."
Naturally, Klaus raised an eyebrow. At the same time, Izzy and her henchmen grinned evilly.
"Quite a surprising choice," he said. "Sheila, did you hear that? Get the job done."
Upon hearing the command, the secretary hesitated before reluctantly stepping forward. Sheila looked at the girl with pity before taking her hand. There were many wounds on those small hands. Sheila couldn't even imagine what would be revealed if she were to roll up the girl's sleeves.
"What is it?" Zee asked, narrowing her eyes. "Stop staring at me like that. I don't like it."
"But I can't help it," Sheila replied.
Zee huffed.
Closing her eyes, Sheila began to dive into the girl's mind.
The gangsters furrowed their brows as she performed her task. Until now, they had only relied on torture and interrogation for extracting information. It was the first time they had encountered someone with the [Memory Absorption] talent. Only Izzy and Dax seemed unfazed.
Inside, Sheila witnessed thousands of memories flowing before her like a rushing river. Time moved faster within the subconscious. It only took her five seconds to absorb all the memories.
Sheila opened her eyes. "Done." Then, she stood up and moved behind her boss. Her gaze couldn't help but linger on the girl as she bit her lip.
"Good job, Sheila," Izzy said, satisfied. "From here on out, let us take over." Her eyes flickered toward Klaus. "And our deal. These Arcanas are now ours, right?"
Klaus nodded. "Yeah. They're yours."
A grin spread across Izzy's face as she got confirmation. She then signaled to Dax to drag the girl away.
"Come here, little bitch. We're going to have some fun," Dax whispered, licking his lips.
"Argh!"
As they were about to take her away, Sheila suddenly yelled.
"Stop!"
Instantly, the gangsters froze. The leather-clad individuals furrowed their brows as they looked at Sheila, and the most prominent one was Izzy.
Klaus only glanced at Sheila with a sidelong look.
"What is it?" Dax asked.
"Let her go." Sheila clenched her fists.
Of course, her words stirred up a commotion among the gangsters. Izzy then stepped forward.
"Are you serious about what you just said?" She asked to make sure.
"Yeah, I am," Sheila replied firmly.
The gangsters grew agitated. For them, it was nonsense. There was no way they would comply with such a ridiculous request. Gangs had strong solidarity and loyalty. If one of their own was killed, they would seek revenge on the perpetrator.
Annoyed, Dax moved to approach Sheila, but Izzy held him back.
"Sheila, do you know how Roach died? This little bitch mutilated him alive. We couldn't even find his head until now. Don't be fooled by her appearance. Save your sympathy for someone else."
After saying this, Izzy turned and instructed her henchmen to leave. However, Sheila wasn't giving up.
"Wait! We're not done talking!"
Her shout reached the gangsters' ears. For the second time, they had to stop. Irritation was written all over their faces. As they all stared at Sheila with boiling anger, Izzy still had her back turned to her. She clenched her fists, trying to control the anger boiling in her chest.
Meanwhile, Zee winced in pain as Dax grabbed her hair.
"There's nothing more to talk about," Izzy said, her eyes shooting daggers. "We've reached an agreement. Isn't that right, Klaus?"
However, Klaus remained silent.
Klaus did not answer.
"Let the girl go! Right now, Zee!" Sheila raised her voice.
Getting an unwanted response, Izzy gritted her teeth. Her men also showed similar expressions. Some of them even cursed at Sheila.
"Cut the bullshit! Don't you understand the current situation, Sheila!? This bitch is a monster! She killed Roach and our friends. Why do you care so much about her!" Izzy snapped in frustration.
Sheila didn't answer. But her gaze gave determination.
Izzy turned her attention to Klaus. "Don't just shut up! Say something, Klaus! Your men are losing her mind."
Klaus sighed. "Like you said, our deal is over.? It's your business with her. I won't interfere."
"What the—"
Izzy was at a loss for words. What he had said was true. This was their business.
"Goddamn it, Sheila! Why do you care so much about her? She's a fucking monster!"
"So was Roach. He's the one who got those kids killed. If he had gotten rid of Miranda, they might not have had to die. But you know what, he sold the monster to her and let that crazy hag create monsters! It's insane!"
After hearing that answer, Izzy now understood why Sheila insisted on Zee being released. It turned out that this woman had not been able to forget the past. The death of the orphanage children still left a deep mark. Sheila still harbors guilt over their deaths. Since Zee was the same age as them, she felt compelled to save her no matter what.
Even if this girl was the hitman who had killed their friend.
"So, it's all about your guilt, huh?" Izzy laughed sarcastically.
Sheila squinted.
"Alright, I get it. I can't change your stubborn mind," Izzy continued. Then, her eyes flashed a sharp gaze. "In that case, I have no choice."
Izzy stepped forward, as did his men. They seemed to be holding their weapons tightly.
Naturally, Sheila stepped back.
"You forgot, Sheila. We have one rule, no member leaves unless they die. And you used to be a part of us, but you left in the end. Roach was magnanimous, tolerating your taboo decision, because he considered you family. We feel the same way. But..."
Suddenly, a strong killing aura emanated from her. The other gangsters did too.
"You let us down. I'm sure Roach did too. That's why, we should enforce the old rules. You must die!"
