Finger carefully looked at Louis. Based on his experience, Louis was not lying, and indeed, Louis had not lied. After thinking for a moment, Finger didn't want to offend Louis over this matter and said, "Since you're interested, I won't say anything. Just be careful not to let her escape!"
Louis chuckled, "Do you think I'm that careless?"
Finger nodded and said, "I trust your abilities. Take the girl with you. I won't detain you any longer today. I plan to deliver the goods in a few days. What do you think?"
Louis pleased that Finger agreed to give him the girl, said, "No problem, I'll be waiting for your delivery. You wait to get paid!"
Finger paused for a moment, then exchanged a hearty laugh with Louis. The girl had gotten out of bed as soon as Louis left the room and had been eavesdropping on their conversation through the door crack. She finally learned that Finger was going to give her to Louis. She had mixed feelings; she was glad because she felt Louis wasn't a complete scoundrel, although not a good guy either, but still better than Finger. However, she was worried about not knowing where she would be taken. It might be further from home, and she might even be sold.
Louis and Finger continued to talk for a while. By noon, they said their goodbyes. Finger didn't keep him either and had a car take Louis and the girl back to H County. He repeatedly urged Louis to be cautious and not let the girl escape.
Once in H County, Louis didn't linger. He told the driver to take him to Spring KTV. The driver, knowing he was a friend of Finger's, didn't dare delay and drove the car near Spring KTV. Louis got out of the car with the girl and sent the driver back. Louis didn't want Finger's guy to know about their meeting point.
Louis held the girl's hand and arrived at Spring KTV, where dozens of people were discussing something with worried expressions. "Why are there so many people? Something happened?" Louis felt uneasy and pushed the door open, shouting, "What are you all doing here? What's going on?"
As soon as the guys saw Louis, they immediately crowded around, and one guy urgently said, "Louis, it's bad news, something big has happened!"
Louis looked at him and asked, "What happened?"
Everyone started talking all at once, and it became a chaotic mess. Louis shouted, "Stop! You, tell me what happened." Louis pointed at the guy who had spoken earlier, and the guy said, "Louis! Jack was attacked... stabbed 17 times in the hospital, and Eric got arrested by the police!"
Louis was in shock, and he asked, "What about Steven?"
The guy replied, "He's at Ghost KTV!"
Louis let go of him, turned around, and was about to leave when he suddenly saw the girl standing nearby, looking at him. Louis released her hand to someone else and said, "Lock her in the back room. No one can touch her, but don't let her escape!" The crowd looked at the girl, then back at Louis, and nodded in agreement.
Louis took a car to Ghost KTV. When he arrived at the entrance, he saw a crowd of people outside, not knowing what they were arguing about. Louis was both anxious and angry, as all of this had happened in less than a day, and the gang was in chaos. He shouted, "What are you all doing standing here?"
Upon hearing his voice, the guys turned around and saw Louis, rushing towards him as if they had seen a savior. Anxious to find Steven, Louis shouted, "Where's Steven?" One guy loudly replied, "Steven is inside!"
Louis pushed through the crowd and entered. There were no customers in the KTV, and the lights were on. There were nearly two hundred people gathered in the space. Steven, Alan, and Henry were discussing something. Louis shouted, "Everyone, calm down!" Instantly, the noisy chatter in the disco room ceased, and everyone's faces lit up with relief. Steven and the others rushed over when they saw Louis.
Steven approached Louis, gave himself a couple of slaps on the face, and said, "Louis, it's all my fault! If I hadn't acted recklessly, Jack and Eric wouldn't be in trouble. Punish me!" After saying that, Steven knelt on the ground, lowered his head, and tears streamed down his face.
Louis's mind was in turmoil. He pulled Steven up and led him to a private room, with Alan and Henry following behind.
Once inside the private room, Louis closed the door and asked, "Tell me everything. What happened?"
Originally, after Steven and a few others sent Louis away, Steven saw that everyone was in a bad mood and suggested going to Ghost KTV to have some fun. Jack and the others were feeling down, but they reluctantly agreed. Little did they know that as soon as they entered Ghost KTV, it was in utter chaos. Many people were injured and lying on the ground, and Viv was busy tending to them. Steven and the others asked what had happened, and one of the guys said that an organization called Slash had come here and caused trouble, beating up the people at the club. Before leaving, they warned Louis to quit Ghost KTV within three days, or else they would beat him up every time they saw him.
Jack was already in a bad mood, and upon hearing this, he couldn't control himself. He grabbed a knife and wanted to confront Slash. Steven initially wanted to stop him, but he was also furious – when had Nightmare ever been bullied by anyone else? He asked Viv if she knew anything about Slash. Viv told him that a KTV not far from there was run by Slash. Upon hearing this, Steven immediately called Spring KTV to gather people. In less than half an hour, fifty people from Spring KTV arrived. Steven led them out, prepared to confront Slash. Alan had a bad feeling about it and stopped Steven, suggesting they wait for Louis to return before making a decision. Steven ignored Alan and led the group out. Jack and Eric followed Steven.
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Alan, unable to stop them, reluctantly followed. Little did they know that as soon as they entered the KTV, there was no one there. Both Alan and Steven realized almost simultaneously that it was a trap, but they couldn't get out in time. Dozens of people with knives came from the private rooms and the entrance, attacking anyone they saw. Louis's guys were caught off guard and several of them were quickly injured. Steven and his group fought desperately and managed to escape, but Jack and Steven were trapped inside. Just as Steven was considering going back to fight, police sirens could be heard in the distance. Alan forcibly pulled Steven and the others away. Inside, Jack blocked Eric in a private room, using his body to keep the attackers at bay.
When the police arrived, Jack had suffered seventeen stab wounds, with some of them being very serious. He was unconscious when the police took him to the central hospital. Slash told the police that these guys had come in to rob the place, and he had been forced to defend himself. He had a connection with the leading officer, and that officer took Eric into custody. Eric took responsibility for everything at the police station. Despite the police using various methods, he says nothing.
In this battle, over twenty people from Louis's group were hospitalized, and ten were arrested by the police. Jack's condition was critical, and Eric was arrested. In their group, five key members were injured, and two of them were seriously hurt. It was a devastating defeat.
After hearing all of this, Louis took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sat on the couch without saying a word for a long time. Steven and the others stood by his side, not daring to make a sound. In his mind, Louis kept repeating to himself, "Stay calm! Stay calm!" He tried to control his emotions and slowly pondered Steven's words. After a long while, Louis opened his eyes, and his icy gaze swept over the three of them as he said, "There's a mole in the group."
Steven's body trembled, and he would have preferred Louis to punish him rather than hear those words. They were like a sharp knife piercing Steven's heart.
Louis continued, "Steven, you go get me $10,000, and find out the address of the police chief's house. I'm going to the hospital to visit Jack now! Nobody follows me!" After saying that, Louis glanced at the three of them, sighed, and walked to the door. He stopped and turned to Steven, saying, "You don't need to blame yourself. Even if I were there at the time, I would have made the same choice as you!" Steven, tears streaming down his face, knelt on the ground and shouted, "Louis!" Even someone as strong as Steven was overcome with grief. Alan and the others nearby were also in tears.
"We need to learn from our failures! But I will never let my enemies go! Be strong for me!" Louis shouted, then walked out of the room. Outside, his comrades saw that Louis didn't look well and automatically cleared a path, without saying a word. Louis let out a loud cry to vent the pent-up anger in his heart. Then he got into a car and headed straight for the central hospital.
Upon arrival, Louis asked the nurse about Jack's room. This room was the intensive care unit, and all the patients inside were still in critical condition. Seeing no one guarding the door, Louis pushed it open, but a nurse stopped him. "Don't you know you can't enter here?! Please step aside!"
Louis ignored her and walked in. The nurse grabbed his clothes and angrily said, "What's wrong with you? I told you that you can't enter here!"
When Louis opened the door, he saw Jack covered in bandages, lying pale on the hospital bed. It felt like someone had forcibly torn his heart apart, and Louis, with tears in his eyes, turned to the nurse who was still holding onto his clothes. The nurse was frozen in place, frightened by Louis's gaze, and her grip on his clothes loosened. Louis hurried to Jack's bedside, grabbed his hand, and softly called his name, "Jack! Jack!"
Jack felt someone there and slowly opened his eyes. "Is it Louis?"
Louis looked at Jack in astonishment, reaching out to wave his hand in front of his eyes. Jack blinked once, with no other reaction. "Is Jack blind?" Louis thought, unable to hold back his tears as they dripped onto the pristine white sheets.
Jack waved his hand weakly in the air and whispered, "Is it Louis? Is it you?"
Louis grabbed Jack's hand, placing it on his face, choking back tears as he said, "It's me! I've come to see you!"
"Louis, you're back! That's wonderful." Jack said.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Louis reassured him.
Jack mustered a faint smile and said, "Louis, I thought I'd never see you again. I'm so happy to see you here. Your face is wet, did you cry? I'm fine, don't be sad for me. Lying here, I can't help but think of the days we spent together. This has been the happiest time of my life, genuinely happy from the bottom of my heart. I miss Eric, though. I wonder why he hasn't come."
"Louis, has the world become quieter without me by your side?"
Louis remained silent, listening to every word Jack spoke. The pain in his heart couldn't be put into words. He wished it were himself lying in that bed instead of Jack. Memories of their time together flashed before his eyes. Could the cheerful Jack who was always by his side be leaving him? Louis couldn't accept it, and he wouldn't. Holding onto Jack's hand, Louis softly said, "You'll be fine, my friend. We're going to conquer the world together, just like you said. Men keep their promises, right? You used to say you listened to me the most. I command you not to leave me!"
Jack wanted to smile at Louis but had no strength left. He felt so tired and slowly closed his eyes, a tear escaping from the corner of his eye.
Louis didn't let go of Jack's hand; he just sat there quietly.
The nurse walked in and came quietly to Louis' side, saying, "Your friend has fallen asleep; please don't disturb him. Let him rest for a while. I believe he will get better!" The nurse, moved by the friendship between Louis and Jack, had an improved attitude toward Louis.
The nurse's voice snapped Louis out of his reverie, and he realized that his clothes were soaked with his tears. Louis gave the nurse a faint smile and stood up, saying, "I apologize for earlier. Can you tell me what happened to my friend's eyes?"
The nurse replied, "That's due to the after-effects of excessive blood loss. He'll be fine after a while."
Louis heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the nurse. After taking a look at Jack lying in the bed, he turned and walked out of the hospital. As he walked along the bustling streets, Jack's pale face kept appearing in Louis' mind, and for the first time, he began to doubt the path he had chosen. No matter how smooth his journey might seem, it was a dark path, one that would never see the light. Today it was Jack lying in the hospital bed, but tomorrow it could be Steven, Eric, or perhaps even himself. On this path, life was never guaranteed. Was it essential to risk one's life for one's ideals? Louis didn't know, and there was no one to teach him. He had to walk his own path.