With a soft explosion, the entire villa lit up.
Ivy’s heart raced as she excitedly watched Michael and the others burst from the crumbling building. “Here! Hurry up, get in!” she shouted.
When Michael saw Echo’s car idling in the dark, he and the others quickly ran toward her, only noticing her thanks to Ivy’s shout.
“Three seconds left,” Echo said, her expression unreadable as she checked her watch. She gripped the steering wheel firmly; this scene wasn’t enough to rattle her.
Michael and the others didn’t quite grasp what Echo meant. The fastest among them, Michael, leaped into the car, followed closely by Brook, while Frank lagged just a step behind.
Three seconds. Echo pressed the gas pedal down without hesitation. The car roared forward, and Frank, who hadn’t caught the edge of the car in time, was taken by surprise. Michael reacted quickly, turning back to grab Frank and pull him inside. Brook, catching on, yanked at Michael’s waist while reaching for Frank, and together they hoisted him into the car.
Gasping for breath, Frank lay back in the car and exclaimed, “Echo, what are you doing? You’re trying to kill me! You…” Before he could finish, a massive explosion erupted.
Frank turned to look just in time to see the villa collapse in a powerful blast. Fireballs, bricks, and stones scattered everywhere, hurtling outward with tremendous force.
Frank went silent, raising an eyebrow in shock.
Michael leaned back in his seat, focusing ahead and ignoring Frank. He noticed Echo had changed since their last encounter. If she had once radiated her energy boldly, she now seemed more reserved, keeping her brilliance under wraps. But this restraint only made her presence sharper and more dazzling.
Frank just smirked lazily and said, “Now you know that she wants to save your life, not take it.”
Brook glanced at Echo and remarked, “Nice calculation.” He recognized how precisely she had timed the explosion and determined the safest distance and the time needed to get there. Even he wouldn’t have been able to pull it off so perfectly.
Echo didn’t respond to anyone. She kept her face cold as she pushed ahead. Michael and Brook exchanged glances but didn’t say anything; each began issuing a flurry of orders to their crew in the car.
As dawn broke, Echo drove the car to a coastal area. She slammed on the brakes, flung the door open, and leaned against the car, coldly staring at the four people inside.
Michael, grinning, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry, I didn’t expect this to happen. Didn’t mean to scare you.” His last comment lacked sincerity since he hadn’t seen any signs of fear from Echo.
Echo glared at them with indifference and said, “You trying to get me into your trouble? What did I do to deserve this?” Remembering that she had faced danger twice in just one day, her head felt heavy.
Michael, still smiling, climbed out of the car and met her gaze. “I’ll take care of it. I promise there won’t be another mistake like this.”
“Another mistake? There won’t be a next time,” Echo shot back, ready to leave. She was focused on the entrance to the city ahead.
Before she could go, Michael quickly grabbed her wrist and said, “I promise, there won’t be a next time. You…”
Boom!
Before Michael could finish, a roaring engine grew louder as it approached at an alarming speed.
Echo frowned, and without a word, Michael quickly scrambled over to the driver’s side and said, “Echo, drive.”
Realizing the urgency in his tone, she immediately hopped inside and slammed on the gas, making the Ferrari shoot forward like a rocket.
As the Ferrari sped ahead, Echo’s driving skills came to the forefront. The car felt almost airborne, but the vehicles tailing them didn’t fall behind; they seemed to have some skilled drivers too.
Echo frowned slightly as she heard screeching tires ahead. Raising an eyebrow, she quickly swerved the steering wheel and darted onto another lane, maneuvering through the chaos like a fish swimming upstream.
In the midst of the confusion, she forced the oncoming cars to the sides of the road, carving a path for herself. The vehicles coming toward her could only watch as Echo’s car sped against the flow, unable to find a gap to follow.
Unaware that her reckless driving had caused panic, Brook tightened his brow. “Something’s off. This doesn’t seem like a little gang that Frank messed with. They wouldn’t go this far; they don’t have the capability.”
Frank nodded grimly. “I think you’re right. Chasing us from Japan to Korea and then to Hong Kong? A small group like the Kumagai-gumi wouldn’t have that kind of reach.”
As Echo focused on driving, she listened to the conversation around her. When she heard the mention of the Kumagai-gumi, she raised an eyebrow. She’d heard of that gang before, but in the context of the Western power dynamics, they didn’t seem like a major organization. She knew they had some influence in Asia, but hearing Frank talk made it sound like their power wasn’t all that impressive.
She didn’t realize that the Kumagai-gumi was actually a top player in Japan, but for Frank and Brook, being Westerners, likely didn’t see any group as formidable as the Dark Family, the Street Family, or the Mafia. They probably thought the Kumagai-gumi was minor because they themselves weren’t pushovers.
Michael nodded, saying, “It’s not them.”
Brook turned to him and asked, “Who is it? Did you find out?”
Leaning back in his seat, Michael’s expression turned unusually serious. “That series of explosives last night? If I’m right, they were products of the Street Family from four years ago. Outdated explosives.”
Frank was taken aback. “You’re saying it’s the Street Family?”
Echo was surprised too; how could the Street Family be involved with Frank?
Michael shook his head slightly. “I can’t be sure. The Kumagai-gumi is an affiliate of the Street Family. Without real strength, they couldn’t cross borders this quickly. Even I got caught off guard. But I think this is more about intimidation and warning than a hit.”
After a moment of silence, Brook added, “If it really is the Street Family, then this isn’t just about me and Frank. They’re likely targeting you.”
Michael raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I think so too.”
Ivy, alarmed, said, “And you’re acting like this doesn’t concern you? You need to be on guard! Don’t act like it’s nothing.”
Although Ivy didn’t know the specifics about the Street Family or the Kumagai-gumi, she felt that if they were after Michael, it meant danger was looming.
Michael smiled lightly. “If they dared to come after me, they wouldn’t need to send a warning. But I’m curious about what’s happening that they’d feel the need to warn us.” His tone was calm, and he wore that charming, cheeky smile.
Only Echo noticed the fleeting coldness and sharpness in Michael’s eyes through the rearview mirror. At that moment, she thought maybe this playboy was more than just a flirt.
Just then, Michael’s phone rang, breaking the tension. His smile faltered, and he sighed, “Looks like my dad knows what’s up.” He pulled out his phone and took a deep breath before answering.
As Echo drove aimlessly, she felt frustrated, glaring at Michael in the mirror. They were just in a hired relationship, so why did she feel like she was their driver?
Michael caught her gaze and gave her a slight smile, which only darkened her expression further.
“Echo, turn left.” After answering the call, Michael was still smiling, directing her.
Echo slammed on the brakes, pulled over, and coldly said, “I borrowed this car, and I’ll make sure you get paid back. Now, you all need to get out.” She didn’t want trouble, but these guys seemed like a big one.