“I’ll send you the address. Just show it to the driver when the time comes.” Dakota said and hung up.
A few seconds later, Leo’s phone made two beeps.
He checked it and saw a Korean message. It was probably the address.
“He’s coming out! He’s coming out!”
Big Cat, who had been sitting in the minivan waiting for a whole day, finally heard those words.
Big Cat immediately sat up straight and yelled at his already wilted comrades in the car, “Perk up! The brat is about to come out.”
The drowsy underlings all sat up, and the one closest to the door even kept his hand on it, ready to pull Leo in as soon as he approached, while others outside would help push him in.
It was a small minivan, already packed with five people, including the driver.
Big Cat sat in the passenger seat, and three more people were in the back.
Their plan was to have a few companions outside threaten Leo with knives, forcing him into the car, then subdue him as soon as he got in, and drive him to a cold storage facility at the docks, where Reginald would be brought in to deal with him.
They often carried out such operations, and to them, it was a routine skill, as simple as shopping and dining at a mall.
Leo returned to his room and changed his clothes. The meat smell on his previous outfit, which was actually pajamas, made it unsuitable to wear outside.
As Leo was about to go out, his phone rang again.
He thought Dakoda was calling to urge him, and answered saying, “I’m coming out soon.”
“Leo, I’ve arranged for the Ewha Institute to send a minivan to pick you up. When you’re done at the Ewha Institute, you can directly get into the minivan,” Chloe’s voice came from the phone.
She remembered what happened the day before and was worried about Leo encountering any trouble, especially since he couldn’t speak Goryeo language, which could complicate things. Therefore, she specifically called Tyrese to arrange a car for Leo.
Leo was surprised by Chloe’s thorough preparation. Since someone would be picking him up, he didn’t need to take a taxi.
Leo left the Ewha Institute.
Sure enough, there was a minivan parked at the gate. Eager to meet up, he didn’t want to waste any more time, and with one step, he was right in front of the minivan, opening the door.
At that moment, he heard footsteps behind him. Curious, Leo turned around and saw a few people running over. Seeing him turn, they froze, staring at him in shock.
Leo thought they might be other passengers in a hurry, so he quickly got in and closed the door.
It was rush hour, and if the car was taken by someone else, he wouldn’t be able to explain in Goryeo language, which would indeed be troublesome.
After sitting down, Leo realized something was off. This small minivan was packed full.
Three people were sitting in the back row, leaving just one empty spot, which he had taken.
Leo smiled and greeted them, turning to the man in the front passenger seat wearing a floral shirt, who stared at him dumbfounded.
Leo had no idea what was going on.
Big Cat and his gang were utterly dazed.
Through the car window, they had seen Leo standing at the gate of Ewha Institute, then in the next second, he appeared at the car door, opening it.
Before the outsiders could reach him, Leo was already in the car.
In that moment, it seemed as if they had seen a ghost.
No wonder Master Frederick talked to him for so long; this guy must be a monster!
That’s what Big Cat and his gang thought.
Leo still didn’t understand what was happening.
He scratched his head and chuckled, “I’m Leo, nice to meet you.”
He believed this was how Goryeo people greeted each other, shaking hands one by one.
The three people in the back seat shook hands with Leo, each one trembling and avoiding eye contact.
They scrambled to hide their small knives, daggers, and steel pipes.
Big Cat felt the situation was slipping out of his control but still seemed to be within his grasp.
Should they consider the kidnapping a success or a failure if the target himself got into the car?
Everyone, including the driver, turned to Big Cat, waiting for his decision.
Recalling the boasts he made to Reginald, Big Cat could only push through, saying, “Drive.”
He had no idea how Leo had seen through them, but once in the car, he had no choice!
Big Cat put on a fierce expression, which was more for self-encouragement.
At the docks, there would be dozens more gang members. Even if Leo was strong, how could he fight against so many of them?
Big Cat’s nerves settled a bit.
But what put him most at ease was the Leo sitting obediently in the back seat, staring at the scenery outside the window like a country bumpkin who had just arrived in Seoul.
“Maybe I just saw things earlier,” Big Cat consoled himself.
Time passed, and Leo noticed the minivan was heading north, not turning once the whole way.
Gradually, the tall office buildings were left behind, and on both sides of the road, there were mostly short, dilapidated houses, the surroundings becoming increasingly desolate.
Leo began to feel something was amiss-wasn’t the restaurant supposed to be opposite Gyeongbokgung Palace?
Looking outside, Leo couldn’t find any sign of Gyeongbokgung.
Leo wanted to ask the driver but couldn’t because he didn’t speak Goryeo, so he gave up.
A while later, the minivan stopped. Upon getting out, Leo saw a river ahead.
They had stopped at what seemed to be a dock.
Eating at the dock?
Even the slowest person would realize something was wrong by now.
Leo thought there might be some misunderstanding and turned back, but someone pushed him from behind.
Leo had a solid stance, so the push didn’t move him. The person pushed him again, and Leo shrugged off the force, seeing it was one of the three men who had been in the back seat.
The others took out steel pipes, knives, and other weapons from the back, carefully surrounding him.
Leo was extremely familiar with this scene and sighed.
He didn’t feel much like a victim of a trap because he had gotten into the car voluntarily.
The man in the floral shirt got out of the car and said something in Goryeo. Although Leo couldn’t understand the words, he understood the gestures, which pointed him towards a warehouse by the river.
The warehouse buzzed at night, with motor and machinery operating outside, likely for storing fish and shrimp.
Leo shrugged and walked towards the warehouse on his own.
Although he had guessed that Reginald was probably behind this kidnapping, he still wanted to see it with his own eyes.
Leo stopped at the warehouse’s front gate, where a sliver of light still shone through the roller shutter.