Chapter 26.1

Kiefer was the first to arrive. He hesitated by his car for a long time, but the thought of getting rid of Mo Zimu ultimately won out.

He carried a locked safe toward the place Jude had instructed. Yes, he had money. An entire case of it. And he believed no one could resist the allure of a fortune, least of all Jude, who had been Mo Zimu’s mortal enemy in prison.

Kiefer took a deep breath. He was still young, even good-looking, but compared to his father, Donald, he looked much worse. His complexion was pale, his cheeks sunken, and he lacked the noble grace expected of someone of his status. Instead, he exuded a certain harshness.

“Jude…” Kiefer raised the case high. “I brought your money!”

“Drop the case and open it!”

Hearing Jude’s voice nearby, Kiefer was relieved. He crouched down, unlocked the case, and flipped the lid open, revealing stacks of crisp euro bills. He picked up a bundle, fanned through it, and smirked. “See? All cash.”

Jude slowly stepped out of the shadows. Kiefer gestured at the money. “I brought everything you wanted. Now, where’s Seven?”

Jude glanced at him briefly before pulling open the door of a nearby shipping container. Inside, Kiefer saw Seven, bound with his hands behind his back. He exhaled in relief, his expression twisting into a mocking sneer. “Seven… oh, so it really is you.”

“It’s me,” Mo Zimu replied indifferently.

Kiefer noted how, despite being restrained, Mo Zimu didn’t seem the least bit flustered. He wasn’t trembling or pleading, just standing there, as if oblivious to the fact that he was about to die. That irritated Kiefer. He had imagined this moment as a grand feast, something he had long anticipated. Yet now, as he was about to take his first bite, he found it far less satisfying than expected.

Kiefer sneered. “Who would’ve thought a bastard like you had guts? Still, getting to personally send you off… this million pounds is well spent!”

Mo Zimu paused for a moment before replying, “I don’t think it’s worth it.”

Kiefer burst into laughter. “At least you know your own worth! Even a mutt like you understands that you aren’t worth much.”

“I wasn’t talking about me,” Mo Zimu replied flatly. “I meant you’re not worth the money.”

Kiefer’s smile vanished. “What do you mean by that?”

Mo Zimu glanced at Jude, then continued, “You weren’t the only buyer. He sold me to several others too. Unfortunately, you weren’t the last in line. If I were you, I wouldn’t trust a fugitive from Mammon Prison.”

Kiefer’s expression changed instantly. His hand tightened around the pistol hidden in his palm, but before he could fire, a shot rang out. Jude’s bullet struck him square in the chest..

Jude chuckled. “It wasn’t trust that killed him, it was his blind faith in money. But unlike him, I have standards. Money alone doesn’t buy my loyalty.”

Kiefer stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. He stayed upright for a long moment before finally collapsing to the ground with a dull thud.

Mo Zimu took a deep breath as Jude blew the smoke from the barrel of his gun.

“Seven, you might be repulsive, but compared to these people, you’re not quite as nauseating. So, I’ve decided to side with you!” Jude announced.

He grabbed Kiefer by the leg, dragging the body and tossing it onto the container. Mo Zimu quickly averted his gaze from Kiefer’s lifeless, wide-open eyes. But Jude wasn’t ready to let him off so easily. Smirking, he said, “Seven, I bet you’ve never experienced the bond of blood before, have you?”

Mo Zimu knew that no matter how he responded, Jude would twist his words. So, he chose silence. Jude dipped his fingers into the blood on Kiefer’s chest, then smeared it across Mo Zimu’s face. Leaning close to his ear, he whispered, “Then feel it. This is real.”

The sticky, metallic-smelling blood on his face made Mo Zimu feel an intense wave of nausea. He doubled over, retching violently until it felt like even his bile had been expelled.

Jude frowned, stepping back to avoid the mess. “Seven, I remember you weren’t this fragile. Back on Hunter Night, you even slapped me in a fit of outrage! Tsk, tsk. People change. Some grow stronger, like me. Others grow weaker, like you.”

Mo Zimu leaned his head weakly against the container, ignoring Jude’s words. Jude glanced at his watch and grinned. “The next million should be here soon.”

He pulled a handkerchief from Kiefer’s pocket and gagged Mo Zimu, then stripped him and swapped his clothes with Kiefer’s. After covering Kiefer’s head with a sack, he chuckled. “You and Kiefer may not look alike, but your builds are almost identical. You’re both Sutherlands, after all.”

Jude dragged Kiefer’s corpse out, shut the container door, and hoisted the body onto a crane hook. Muttering to himself, he said, “Seven, life is always about choices. Let’s hope you make the right one this time.” He chuckled darkly as he spoke.

Rong Qing arrived at the dock, dressed in his trench coat. Although the dock was dimly lit, his refined elegance stood out clearly as he walked forward, carrying a case in his hand.

Jude glanced at him with a hint of jealousy and said, “No wonder you’re the only one Seven ever liked. You truly have what it takes to sell him out.”

Jude, we can talk this out,” Rong Qing said calmly. “Release Seven, and I’ll guarantee your safety in the name of the Cruz family. I’ll double what Kiefer offered. Another million pounds! Whatever he gave you, I’ll match it and more.”

Jude chuckled, clapping his hands. “Tsk tsk, short and to the point, with just the right touch of sincerity. Anyone after money would be tempted. Were you this sincere when you tricked Seven into Kiefer and his father’s bed?”

Rong Qing ignored the jab and instead asked, “If money isn’t what you’re after, then what do you want?”

Jude grinned, baring his teeth. “An answer. One you’ll want too.”

Their eyes locked for a moment before Jude pointed skyward.

“And that answer is… Seven’s choice.”

Rong Qing instinctively looked up and froze at the sight of someone hanging from the crane. Before he could react, the body was released, plummeting toward him. On instinct, he rushed forward to catch the falling figure, but the ground beneath him gave way, and he fell into Jude’s trap. Kiefer’s corpse landed heavily on top of him, nearly knocking him unconscious.

Jude clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. “You might look dashing, but your intelligence is… average. You fell for such a simple trap.”

Rong Qing, injured and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, coughed weakly and said, “This was my choice.”

Jude smirked sinisterly. “Then let’s watch together to see what Seven chooses.” He slammed the manhole cover shut, locking Rong Qing inside. “Three problems solved in one night. How will you thank me, Seven?”

When Ivan arrived, Jude seemed to have set aside his usual tricks. He pressed his gun against Mo Zimu’s head as he watched Ivan approach, empty-handed. “Boss Ivan, it looks like you really don’t care about your partner’s life. You didn’t even bring a penny. Don’t you enjoy hearing him moan?”

Ivan replied calmly, “Others might not know you, but I do, Jude. You’re not the kind of person who’s satisfied with something as vulgar as money. What you enjoy is the thrill of manipulating others like pawns in your game.”

“Well said, boss Ivan. You really do see through people,” Jude chuckled. “Since money doesn’t satisfy me, what will you offer to keep me entertained?”

“I’ll give you some advice,” Ivan said coldly. “Stepping on others’ heads might feel great, but you should also consider the consequences. I can tell you right now that the Geoffrey family has sealed off the entire dock. You can kill us, but you won’t escape. Seven and you don’t have any deep hatred. It was I who caused the damage to your eye. Why not take me hostage instead and use me to break through their blockade? What do you think?”

Jude chuckled again. “Boss Ivan, I don’t have the ability to take you hostage… How about this? Climb onto that crane and hang yourself from the hook below. And don’t try anything funny!”

Ivan glanced up at the crane towering overhead and said calmly, “What’s the benefit of hanging up there?”

Jude hadn’t expected such a question. He pointed his gun at Mo Zimu’s head and said, “I thought you came here to save your precious lover!”

“You’re absolutely right. I came to save him, not to throw my life away,” Ivan replied with a shrug.

Jude laughed and pulled the handkerchief from Mo Zimu’s mouth. “Looks like he doesn’t love you as much as I thought!”

“He’s always been like this. If he gives something, he’ll make sure to take something back in return. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be Ivan,” Mo Zimu said flatly.

Ivan laughed. “See? True love only happens when lovers understand each other.”

“Lovers?” Jude sneered. He shoved Mo Zimu onto the ground face-up, then stomped hard on his fingers. “If your lover loses his ability to play the violin, looking this pretty, what else do you think he can do?”

Mo Zimu trembled in pain but didn’t make a sound.

“Wait!” Ivan called out.

Jude’s single eye opened lazily, and he asked, “What? Changed your mind?”

Ivan smiled faintly. “It’s been a while since I exercised. I suddenly feel like climbing that thing.”

Jude grinned. “Then be my guest, Boss Ivan.”

Stretching briefly, Ivan leapt gracefully onto the crane. His movements were swift, and despite the crane’s height of over ten meters, he quickly reached the top and hung himself on the crane’s hook. Watching the giant man suspended in midair, Jude’s heart swelled with excitement.

He laughed. “Seven, I have to admit, you really are top-tier. These men go crazy for you, to the point where they’d throw away their lives. Truly, you’re one of a kind.”

Dragging Mo Zimu along, he pulled him into the crane’s cab, wrapped an arm around him, and started the machine. Muttering to himself, he said, “Boss Ivan, such a grand figure…. Do you hate him, Seven? Hmm? Did you think about killing him when he forced himself on you?”

“Unfortunately, he never forced himself on me,” Mo Zimu replied calmly. Back then, he had felt helpless, but it was the truth. Ivan never raped him. He simply made an offer Mo Zimu couldn’t refuse.

Jude’s face twisted in anger. “How could I forget? You’re nothing but a whore!” With a shove, he set the crane in motion. Ivan was thrown around violently, the scene looking dangerously chaotic. Jude laughed maniacally at the sight.

Suddenly, Mo Zimu drove his elbow into Jude’s ribcage. Jude had grown so used to Mo Zimu’s docility that he nearly forgot he was even there. The attack was fierce, nearly breaking his ribs. Jude let out a pained scream, and Mo Zimu followed up with another strike before kicking open the door and rolling out of the crane cab.

Jude’s vision blurred for a moment. Once he steadied himself, he grabbed his gun and leaped off the vehicle.

By now, the sky was beginning to lighten, the faint gray of dawn creeping over the horizon.

Jude chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Seven, what’s the rush? I was going to let you go eventually. After all, we share a deep connection. I’ll never forget how you stood up to Norton, pleaded for me to get medical treatment. You insisted that Tom wasn’t the leader and had no right to decide my fate. So righteous, so loyal… And yet, you don’t trust me at all!”

He kicked over a nearby oil drum and pulled out a long strip of cloth, thoroughly soaked in diesel. Dragging it behind him, he made his way to the crane, pried open a sewer grate, and tossed one end of the cloth inside. Then, he picked up the oil drum and emptied its contents down the opening.

Climbing onto the crane, he used a wrench to jam the steering mechanism in place. The crane began moving slowly, heading straight for the towering stacks of shipping containers.