Ryan knew something was off.
He wasn’t an idiot, and it was clear this wasn’t Kevin’s doing. But Echo had to be badly hurt now. The blood on the sheets and that bullet were undeniable. He didn’t care about anything else at that moment, not about blaming Kevin or figuring out what happened.
All he cared about was finding Echo-getting to her was his only focus. The thought of that bullet piercing through her made his heart tighten. He didn’t have time to think about anything else, and frankly, he didn’t want to. His only thought was to find her as fast as possible.
“I’m asking you one more time: where is she?” Ryan’s voice, cold at first, now turned into pure rage.
The killing intent that had been brewing turned into a storm, rising higher and higher. If Ryan had been ice before, now he was fire-a raging inferno that could burn everything in its path, and it was about to get out of control.
Tiger saw the change in Ryan and knew he was beyond angry. Stepping forward quickly, he said, “Mr. Kevin, where is she? We’re all smart here. Her blood type is rare, and if she doesn’t get treated soon, she’s in serious trouble. Neither of our families wants that.”
The words were careful, but the meaning was clear to everyone. If the situation got worse because of this, it would only add fuel to the fire, and it wouldn’t help either family. It would just give more power to the people pulling the strings behind the scenes. This was a matter of honor for both the Dark family and the Street family.
Kevin sneered and replied coldly, “I’ll answer you again: where did you last see your eyes?”
Aaron, who had been quiet, glanced at Kevin. He didn’t say anything, but he was certain the person was here with Kevin. If someone was being framed, they’d make sure it looked convincing. If the person wasn’t here, no matter how many witnesses or pieces of evidence they had, it wouldn’t make sense to push things further, especially with the current fragile situation.
Kevin hadn’t denied anything outright; he just hadn’t admitted it. That said something. Aaron cleared his throat slightly and remained standing by, watching.
As Ryan heard Kevin’s response, his pent-up anger exploded. In a flash, he lunged at Kevin, knowing the situation wasn’t ideal. He understood that reacting with anger wouldn’t help, but with everything on the line and Echo’s life uncertain, he couldn’t control himself. It wasn’t just rage or panic clouding his mind-it was the need to act, even though he knew the risks.
Kevin saw Ryan charge at him with no weapon, and in a flash, he stepped forward to intercept, pushing Aaron aside.
“Fine,” Kevin muttered, his eyes gleaming with a mix of bloodlust and excitement. His body moved swiftly as he met Ryan’s attack head-on.
The sound of wind howling filled the room as Ryan and Kevin moved with incredible speed. Their punches and kicks created shockwaves in the air, each strike carrying the force of a deadly blow. The murderous energy between them quickly spread, enveloping the entire room, and those outside could feel the intense, violent atmosphere building up.
Ryan was fierce-his movements were straightforward, with no flashy techniques, just the precision and brutality of someone who aimed to kill. Every strike was aimed at Kevin’s vital points, and none of them held back.
On the other hand, Kevin, with his slightly smaller and thinner frame compared to Ryan, seemed to be hiding endless strength. When he faced off against Ryan, he didn’t give an inch. His moves were even more ruthless, faster and simpler, but with perfect execution, maximizing his power. The two of them went back and forth, the air thick with bloodlust.
“This is bad. Bosses, stop, stop! Let’s talk this out. There’s gotta be something we can work out, please don’t get angry, please don’t…” King George and the others stood helplessly on the sidelines, seeing the conflict between Ryan and Kevin escalate. They were frustrated and at a loss for words.
Count Owen and Prince William had been trying to mediate, but now seeing that the two weren’t listening to them and had started fighting for real, they exchanged looks, unsure of what to say. Worry flashed across their faces as they furrowed their brows tightly.
Hawk, Cobra, and the others stood off to the side. Tiger and Bill exchanged a glance, silently stepping back and quietly withdrawing. The situation had unfolded so suddenly that they had rushed in without thinking. Now, it was clear that what needed to be done was to stay back. They understood the situation-it was beyond their control, and sometimes you couldn’t solve things head-on. It had clearly gone further than they expected.
Ryan and Kevin moved faster than anyone could follow. One relied on brute strength, the other on agility, but both were deadly. Each blow was fierce, each one powerful, and neither could gain the upper hand. The only thing that filled the room was the bloodthirsty atmosphere, so thick with killing intent that even people outside the castle might feel it.
“Well, well.” Kevin barely managed to dodge as Ryan’s fist landed square on his face.
But it didn’t seem to faze him. Instead, Kevin used the momentum from the punch to flip, landing on Ryan’s arm. He pushed off and flipped over Ryan’s head, aiming for Ryan’s critical point at the top of his head with his arm, while his foot targeted the seventh vertebra in Ryan’s back, delivering a brutal kick.
Ryan didn’t even look back, giving a cold grunt as he shifted his body like lightning. With a quick movement of his sleeve, he aimed a devastating strike at Kevin’s waist. If it landed, it would either kill or seriously injure him.
The speed was unbelievable, and the ruthless precision of their moves made everyone in the room widen their eyes. True masters didn’t need fancy tricks-every move was a killing blow, direct and without hesitation. No room for mercy, no playing games, just pure, unrelenting death.
“Bosses, please stop, please stop!” Prince William, seeing this rare clash between two top-tier fighters, couldn’t find any enjoyment in it.
If they kept going, they’d tear the room apart, and even worse, they couldn’t control the gang members outside.
The Dark family and Street family were two of the most powerful criminal syndicates, with deep connections to everyone outside. If those people found out about the fight inside, things would spiral out of control. Most people inside had connections to these families, and if chaos broke out, who would they support? How would they even manage it?
“Give me Echo!” Ryan shouted as he swung his hand down, his voice full of fury.
There was no doubt in his mind that Echo was with Kevin. He didn’t trust what the witnesses had to say; he had a special connection with Echo, and this place was where she was. He believed in that, even though it was so small and obvious, and yet they couldn’t find her. There was no way Kevin wasn’t involved.
Kevin sidestepped, sneering as he said, “Why should I listen to you?” and kicked out as he spoke.
“Give her up? Not a chance.” Kevin wasn’t about to hand over Echo right now. Doing so would just give Ryan the leverage he needed. Even though both sides knew someone was trying to frame them, the fact was Echo was with him.
No matter how the witnesses tried to spin it, the blame would fall on him. He wasn’t stupid enough to give Ryan that opportunity, and honestly, he was more interested in finding out who was behind this. He wanted to see who had the guts to mess with him and Ryan.
Neither of them pulled their guns, nor did they order their men to draw theirs. Everyone knew that going full-on into a battle wasn’t the solution, but sitting down calmly to talk wasn’t something Ryan was going to do right now. Echo was in Kevin’s hands, and if he didn’t get her back today, he might never have another chance. Who knew what kind of shape she was in? Kevin wasn’t going to give her up, not now, not ever. If Ryan thought he could just negotiate, he was dead wrong.