Chapter 40: Killing

Brian's tone grew increasingly stern as he stepped closer to the sleazy man with each word, backing him into a corner. Then, suddenly turning to the others, he declared, "It's not 10% anymore, it's 20%. You can be dissatisfied, but then I'll just keep raising it. Maybe I should end this negotiation and let the GIPN come in, then send you all to the gallows. Oh, I forgot, our great France no longer has the death penalty. So, how about you resist arrest and get killed instead?"

The people surrounding him were furious yet dared not speak. They wished they could kill this arrogant man on the spot, but sitting in that room, none were fools. They knew they had to endure.

They were well aware of what GIPN was—a state machinery of violence, a special forces unit within the police. Compared to them, they were just insignificant ants.

They had no doubt that Brian would actually do what he said. They were just gangsters, able to do dirty work in dark corners, but if they really fought against the GIPN, they would be annihilated within minutes.

"Alright, stop scaring people with that talk. Just tell us how much you really want?" After a brief silence, the bearded man who spoke first finally said.

Brian had noticed him from the beginning. Although the several people in the room seemed to have no clear leader, whenever Brian pressed them, they all looked to the bearded man first, indicating he must be Mark.

"On top of the original amount, increase it by 20%. Of course, I'm talking about the price for one year, after which we'll renegotiate."

"Give it to him."

The bearded man ordered grudgingly. The sleazy man fetched a box from a cabinet behind him and handed it to the bearded man, who then took out two stacks of bills and tossed them to Brian. Brian caught them, felt their thickness briefly, and then, with a smile, tucked them into his jacket.

"Good, I'm satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations. Next month, I'll send someone else to collect. Just have it ready in advance."

...

Finding Cynthia gave Owen hope but also made him more urgent. He searched all the nearby rooms as quickly as possible but found neither Amanda nor Kenm. He could almost be certain that the kidnapped girls were all being held in this area, which matched the criminal psychology of concentrating hostages in one location.

However, after searching the dozen or so rooms nearby, only a few were occupied, and the rest were empty. Could it be that Amanda and the other person were already taken to the auction? Owen's heart raced with urgency.

Just as he was about to continue searching nearby, a hidden door on the wall suddenly opened, and a man holding a tray walked out, coming face-to-face with Owen.

The man was startled upon seeing Owen and reached for his back waist.

Bang, bang.

The man hadn't even touched his gun when he slumped against the wall and fell, the tray clattering to the ground and its contents scattering.

Having fired his gun, Owen didn't hesitate further. Gunfire ensued, and the other two people inside the hidden door were also killed by Owen.

...

Back in the diner, Brian sipped his coffee again. Though he had collected the money, he wasn't in a hurry to leave but suddenly turned around, tilting his head, and said, "Oh, I just remembered something. I'm curious, after you kidnap those girls, where do you sell them?"

"It's none of your business."

"Okay, it's a trade secret. But your attitude is unfriendly, which makes me uncomfortable."

"You're not thinking of asking for more money, are you?"

Bang, bang. Gunshots came from outside.

Everyone was distracted by the gunshots, looking towards the source. Brian took this opportunity to approach the sleazy man, swiftly drawing the pistol from his belt.

Bang, bang... bang, bang... bang... bang... bang, bang.

Brian's shooting was quick and precise, hitting several people in the room, though none fatally. He intentionally left them alive, unsure if Owen had found what he was looking for. These people in the room were likely high-ranking figures, potentially useful for information.

Brian kicked over a bald man, then drew a gun from under the bearded man's armpit with his other hand. During the conversation, he had already noted who was armed and where they hid their weapons.

Now, with a gun in each hand, he held them to the heads of two men, stepping on the sleazy man, his gaze fixed on the remaining two. Hit in the shoulder or thigh, bleeding, they all glared at him resentfully.

Brian collected their weapons, tossing them aside, then gestured with his gun for one of the men to come closer. The man hesitated, earning a shot in the leg from Brian, who then complied more quickly despite the pain.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and several Albanians armed with guns charged in, only to be met with confusion.

Bang, bang.

Using the bearded man as cover, Brian fired from under his armpit, killing the men at the door before they could react. A man shot in the leg attempted to seize the chaos to his advantage but was shot in the other leg by Brian, collapsing in agony.

More attackers rushed in, including the bald giant previously seen at the entrance, but all were killed by Brian in the same manner. With these Albanian leaders as shields, those entering dared not shoot recklessly. Most didn't even locate Brian before being killed, effectively turning the situation into a one-sided slaughter by Brian.

...

In the corridor, Owen killed the men in front of him with two shots. As more approached from around the corner, he used one as a human shield, not hurrying to shoot him but instead killing another approaching from behind. Then, he executed the shielded man with two trigger pulls.

The gun clicked empty after a single shot. Owen discarded the empty gun, checking the ammunition in the dead man's weapon.

Footsteps echoed from the staircase. Owen hid behind the corner, then sprang out, shooting the approaching man in the legs before finishing him off without waiting for him to rise.

Owen collected several guns from the bodies, slotting them into his waistband for lack of spare magazines; he switched guns when they were empty. He inspected the previously encountered hidden door, finding a small space filled with white powder.

As a police officer, Owen was familiar with such substances. Recalling the syringes scattered by the man he had killed, it seemed the drugs used to control the girls were prepared here.

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Every time we add 100 power stones, I release 4 extra chapters.