There was a lot of talking, with everyone offering their own opinions.
Seeing this, Count Owen chuckled and said, “Well, that’s good. It means we’re not completely disliked yet. Alright, alright, everyone just go back to what you were doing. Today is a big day for our three families, and it’s rare we all get together like this. So, do us all a favor and enjoy yourselves. I promise our arrangements will make everyone happy.”
King George picked up where he left off, “Exactly, and Mr. Ryan and Mr. Kevin are busy handling things right now, so it’s not something we should interrupt, right?”
His voice trailed off at the end, but everyone still heard it loud and clear.
After hearing Cobra and Kevin’s men, and then King George’s mix of reassurance and veiled threat, the crowd quickly understood that this was a situation they couldn’t meddle with. The bosses made a few light-hearted comments, and soon enough, everyone started heading back the way they came.
Just as King George and the others thought they could catch their breath, Cobra and Kevin’s men sprang into action, ushering the three of them into the room.
The three of them immediately knew something was wrong.
Ryan seemed to be okay, but Kevin’s gunshot wound was serious. This was their turf, and they had invited Kevin here-if something went wrong on their watch, it would reflect badly on them. As Kevin’s men led them to a side room without saying a word, the three exchanged a glance: they were being detained.
Bill rushed back as fast as he could. Seeing the situation, his face immediately changed. He quickly checked on Ryan, who was unconscious. His neck was broken, and part of his skin had caved in. Ryan’s face looked terrible-this was a serious injury. But the area where the bone was broken didn’t seem life-threatening.
Bill wondered if Kevin had been precise with his strike, or if Ryan had just managed to dodge in time.
After finishing his quick check, Bill furrowed his brow and glanced over at Kevin, who was also getting medical attention. The gunshot wound near his heart made Bill raise an eyebrow.
Without wasting any time, Bill scooped Ryan up and told Adolph and the others, “We’ll talk later.” He headed toward the room the castle had set aside for them.
Though Ryan and Kevin were on opposite sides at the moment, the castle only had two of the most prestigious rooms, and they were right next to each other. Choosing who went where was tricky, but it was impossible to avoid the conflict.
In the end, it worked out, and almost unnoticed, everyone from the Dark family moved into the room next door.
After Ryan and the others left, Kevin opened his eyes, still lying down. He glanced at Aaron, who nodded to confirm that no one else was around.
Kevin’s voice was low and serious when he asked, “How bad is it?”
He knew he hadn’t moved far enough to fully avoid the shot. If he had given himself any more space, it might’ve been enough to save him. Any less, and he’d be dead. He’d had to time it just right. It turned out that if you didn’t look closely, the bullet seemed like it had hit right at his heart with no margin for error.
Aaron looked at the bullet wound on Kevin’s chest, clenched his teeth, and said, “You can’t tell just by looking at it. It’s probably not more than two centimeters off.”
Meanwhile, Aaron and one of Kevin’s other trusted men moved quickly to sedate Kevin and extract the bullet. In the underworld, a leader’s entourage had to be skilled in all sorts of things, just like how Bill stuck by Ryan-Kevin had his own expert too.
Kevin slowly curled the corner of his mouth into a wicked, yet bloodthirsty smile that was as ruthless as a demon.
“I’ll make them pay,” Kevin said coldly, closing his eyes as he waited for the bullet to be removed.
Aaron frowned and spoke in a stern voice, “Boss, this is too dangerous. You can’t keep risking yourself like this.” If he hadn’t dodged today, the legendary Kevin could have easily ended up dead right here.
Kevin didn’t respond, his smile still intact. He seemed almost like he’d passed out, but those who had been with him for years, like Aaron, knew that wasn’t the case. Kevin was dangerous-ruthless enough to sacrifice himself to pull strings behind the scenes.
The night was still deep and solemn, with the moon hanging high in the sky. The cold light from the moon cast an eerie chill over the summer night, and the shadows of the ancient castle, over three hundred years old, stretched out long, adding to the mysterious and desolate atmosphere.
“Did you die?” Kevin asked, looking at Echo, whose face was as pale as death. He smiled wickedly.
Echo lay on what could hardly be called a bed, more like a makeshift chair, and glanced at Kevin before silently replying, “What do you think?”
Kevin raised an eyebrow and smirked, “You sure have a long life.”
Echo, feeling weak from blood loss, didn’t have the energy for Kevin’s teasing. The bullet had been removed quickly, and her wounds had been bandaged, but the pain was unbearable. She was doing her best to stay conscious, but she wasn’t in the mood to joke with him.
“You got shot? By Ryan?” Echo, barely holding on, looked at Kevin and, through her blurred vision, noticed the bruises on his face. Her eyes flickered with a trace of a smile, and she asked him, “Did Ryan do this?”
Kevin sat back casually on the couch across from her, not hiding the wounds, and licked the cut at the corner of his mouth. His smile was both seductive and bloody. “I really underestimated you,” he said.
Echo felt a little sweeter at his admission and found herself feeling more alert.
Kevin, seeing her reaction, leaned forward slightly, resting his head in his hand with a calculating smile. “So, does that mean you’ll tell me that if something’s useful, it should be used?”
Echo gave him a long look and replied slowly, “That depends on whether you have the time.”
She wasn’t stupid-if he was already going after her and trying to pin things on Kevin, that meant a lot. But she knew he probably didn’t have the time to deal with her right now.
Kevin burst out laughing, a hint of arrogance in his eyes. He nodded. “Smart. I like smart people. Haha… cough, cough.” His laugh made him wince in pain, and he coughed a couple of times.
Echo’s eyes widened in surprise as she watched him, frowning slightly. “That wasn’t Ryan, was it?”
She had always seen Kevin as strong, and she couldn’t imagine him being beaten this badly by Ryan.
Kevin sneered. “With his skills? He can handle others, but me? It’s not that easy.” He pressed on his chest, where the wound was.
Echo, noticing his movements, was taken aback. “Gunshot wound?” she asked, surprised.
Kevin glanced at her and didn’t deny it. “You’re quick. They set me up-someone fired a clean shot while they had me tied up. They got through my men and Ryan’s guards. Whoever did this is skilled.”
Despite her injuries, Echo’s mind was clear. She furrowed her brows slightly.
Kevin noticed her reaction and sneered, “Ryan’s not easy to kill. But I gave him a knife-his neck didn’t break, but he’s going to suffer.” He mimicked a slashing motion with his hand in the air.
Echo’s face immediately changed. She had been worried about Ryan, and now it was clear that this was all directed at him and Kevin.
Kevin had already been injured, and Ryan was definitely in danger. But Kevin seemed to read her mind, and after a quick shift in his expression, she slowly regained her composure and looked at him, saying, “Thanks.”
Since both of them were targeted, if Kevin was hurt, Ryan would be in trouble too. But now, with Kevin injured, the plan against Ryan was likely postponed, so Ryan was safe for the time being.
Kevin gave her a surprised glance, then the smile on his face widened as he leaned closer to her and said, “Interesting. You know, I think you’d be better off with me than that stiff. What do you think?”
Echo forced a smile and replied, “I don’t think so.”
Kevin raised an eyebrow, but it didn’t seem like he cared much.