Teamwork (4)
...Bang!
The moment Red Skull and Rector succeeded in snatching Ellen, fire spewed from Kang Hyuk's revolver.
"Ugh!"
"I-I'm hit!"
"Sniper!"
The guards, who were about to pursue the kidnappers, fell into utter chaos at the sudden barrage of bullets.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"T-Take cover!"
Whoosh—Thwack!
"Gah! A-Arrows too?!"
"What on earth is...!"
The guards' faces paled in sheer terror at the sudden onslaught. Not only had Ellen been kidnapped in broad daylight, but a perfectly timed sniper cover had pinned them down the exact moment she was taken! Just who on earth were these kidnappers?!
"...O-Over there! The sniper is over there!"
After a while, one of the guards finally pointed toward Kang Hyuk's position.
However, by then, Kang Hyuk had already long vacated the spot. His role from the very beginning was to provide cover fire from the rear so the guards couldn't immediately give chase. In other words, all he had to do now was regroup with Red Skull and Rector and head back to the abandoned factory.
Red Skull's voice crackled over the radio. Kang Hyuk decided to pick up his pace.
His stats, including the bonuses from his magic ring, were [Stamina +2, Strength +2, Agility +2]. Perhaps because of this, he was still perfectly fine even after sprinting at full speed for over three minutes.
"...Whew!"
Sliding into the vehicle, Kang Hyuk let out a sigh of relief. Red Skull was in the driver's seat, just as before, with Rector in the passenger seat. In the back lay the unconscious Ellen.
"Where's Fox?"
"Not here yet."
"Unbelievable. She was closer to the car than I was. What is she doing?"
Kang Hyuk furrowed his brows and keyed his radio to Fox. A response came back immediately.
"Where are you?"
Fox's ragged breathing filled the channel. Kang Hyuk clicked his tongue and mocked her.
"My, my. And here you were, telling me not to drag you down."
"...Over there!"
Right then, the shouting of the guards echoed from behind the vehicle. Red Skull clicked his tongue and slammed his foot on the accelerator. Instantly, the SUV roared to life and surged forward. Vroooom!
As the vehicle sped down the road, Fox's desperate cries echoed through the radio. But there was nothing Kang Hyuk could do for her now. If they waited any longer, the guards would catch up to them.
Sigh, slowpoke! I knew she'd be trouble the moment she started whining about money before the mission was even complete.
Kang Hyuk let out a heavy sigh. He was genuinely disappointed that Fox had been abandoned. She was supposed to be a delicious chunk of experience points for him. But now that things had turned out like this, he wouldn't be able to kill her.
Tsk...! I guess I'll have to settle for Red Skull and Rector. Well, at least the chance to get that 500 million won is still on the table...!
Though he felt a bitter sting of regret, Kang Hyuk forced himself to look on the bright side. Just as he thought, the opportunity to make 500 million won still remained.
Kang Hyuk planned to kill Rector the moment they returned to the factory. After that, he would threaten Red Skull to get a connection to the "big-shot client." If Red Skull's words were true, the client had offered a 500 million won reward for kidnapping Ellen. Thus, if Kang Hyuk bypassed Red Skull and handed Ellen over directly, he could pocket the entire 500 million won himself.
Of course, I feel a bit bad for this woman. But even if I hadn't been here, she would have been kidnapped today anyway.
Kang Hyuk's reasoning wasn't wrong. Ellen's security today had been laughably lax. Even if another villain had taken his place, Ellen would have inevitably been captured. Therefore, Kang Hyuk didn't feel the need to beat himself up over handing her to the client. Still, that didn't mean he was entirely devoid of sympathy for her.
"*Kzzzt...* You mother... fuckers...!"
As they drove toward the factory, Fox's voice suddenly crackled through the radio again. What? She hasn't been caught yet? Kang Hyuk shook his head and switched off his receiver. Glancing forward, he saw Red Skull and Rector smashing their own radios to pieces. True to their nature as villains, they were utterly ruthless.
"...Ugh."
Right then, Ellen, who had been unconscious, let out a soft groan. Kang Hyuk immediately held her down. He knew she had zero combat capabilities, but he still couldn't let her thrash around inside the moving vehicle.
"...Ah! W-Who are you?"
Ellen gasped in surprise as she opened her eyes and saw Kang Hyuk. Kang Hyuk shrugged.
"Your kidnapper."
"K-Kidnapper...! I beg of you. Please let me go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Kang Hyuk replied coldly. He then added, "But I promise you, as long as you stay quiet, no harm will come to you."
Seeing her up close, Ellen truly looked worthy of her title as the "Saintess." Her long hair cascaded down to her waist, framing a face with large, deer-like eyes, a slender nose, cherry-red lips, and skin as pure and white as alabaster. She was the very picture of a saint.
"W-What do you plan to do with me?"
"Don't worry too much. It's not like we're going to eat you. Well... actually, maybe we will?"
At Kang Hyuk's teasing words, Ellen's face drained of color. She looked as pitiful as a drenched sparrow in the rain, consumed by sheer terror. This was the first time in her life she had ever been kidnapped.
What do I do...? What should I do...!
Ellen's heart hammered against her ribs, and cold sweat poured down her spine. How could she escape from them? What did they want with her? Were they really going to eat her? She had heard rumors that some villains actually consumed human flesh, and that they particularly favored young women. Unluckily for her, Ellen fit that description perfectly, having only recently reached adulthood.
"...Hey, calm down. I told you you'd be fine."
As Ellen trembled in fear, the man spoke again. Only then did she look up into his eyes. For a kidnapper, the masked man had remarkably clear and bright eyes. And now that she was paying attention, his voice was surprisingly pleasant to listen to.
"Why would we mistreat a B-class Hero? They probably ordered us to bring you because you have some great utility."
"W-Who ordered you to bring me?"
"Who knows?"
As he tilted his head, Ellen swallowed hard. She stared intently at the man. For some reason, she felt that if there was any way to escape this situation, this man held the key. He didn't seem particularly hostile toward her. In fact, she could sense a faint trace of apology in his eyes and voice.
"...That's enough."
At that moment, a cold voice cut in from the driver's seat. Ellen turned her gaze toward the front. A man wearing a red skull mask sat behind the wheel.
"Stop wasting your breath on that bitch. She'll be out of our hands soon enough anyway."
"W-Who are you? Why are you doing this to me...?"
"Shut up."
Ellen flinched as Red Skull spat out the curse. But in the next second, a large, broad hand gently rested on her head.
"I told you, don't be scared. Just stay quiet and you won't get hurt."
"..."
The man's words were warm. For some reason, he felt like an older brother to her. Of course, the only family she actually had was her mother.
"...We're here."
Before long, the SUV finally arrived at the entrance of the abandoned factory. Red Skull and Rector got out of the vehicle. Kang Hyuk prepared to follow them out with Ellen.
"...W-Wait a moment!"
Just then, Ellen urgently called out to him. Kang Hyuk tilted his head.
"What? Need the bathroom?"
"N-No, that's not it... I want to make you a proposal."
"Hmm...? A proposal to me?"
Kang Hyuk's curiosity was piqued. Had she undergone some sort of psychological shift during the ride? He decided to hear her out.
"What kind of proposal? Make it quick, before those guys get suspicious."
"W-Well, you see..."
Ellen stammered. In truth, she hadn't called him back with some grand, well-thought-out plan. She had simply reached out in desperation, grasping at straws. She knew that if she didn't speak to him now, she might never get another chance to talk to him alone.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything? I'm leaving."
"W-Wait! Just a second..."
Ellen racked her brain as hard as she could. How can I win this man over? Is there really no way? Ah...! If only I had studied negotiation or social skills even a little bit...!
"...I-I'll give you money!"
After a brief, agonizing silence, Ellen blurted out the only solution she could think of. But the moment the words left her mouth, she cursed her own stupidity. Even to her, it sounded incredibly foolish. Offering money! How could she possibly sway a kidnapper with mere cash?
"...Money?? How much can you give me?!"
But to her utter bewilderment, the man's face lit up instantly upon hearing her words. His eyes were shining brighter than they ever had before.