.....

Bruce looked at the surroundings. The deadline was only 20min away, but the kidnappers didn't show up until now.

Bruce was really annoyed by this bunch of criminals.

Stuff like this happens. It's just life.

But normally other criminals will negotiate or at least talk to him, but this one didn't.

In fact, Bruce didn't even know whether it was a woman or a man.

"Sigh, do you see anything, sir Theodore? ".

Theodore slapped a mosquito away and just smiled at Bruce. "well we're being watched, that I can tell for sure.

But sadly, I am unable to locate the watcher. It's either we're being viewed with technology or some spying talent or such. "

Theodore explained slowly. He was taking this entire ordeal as a picnic to stretch his limbs a little.

Still, it would've been favorable if he brought something for the mosquitoes. As a pet master, his body was quite weak and such things still annoys him.

Bruce and Jason were relieved seeing Theodore's attitude towards the matter.

Even though he didn't take the matter seriously, they weren't offended, because this only means he didn't view their enemy as a threat.

Jason looked at Bruce. " Did they give you anyway to contact them? Because I sure as hell didn't? "

Bruce just shook his head. "I thought they gave it to you."

The two looked at each other in confusion, and this time, even Theodore was baffled.

Were they just supposed to wait?.

However, they didn't wait for long as a thin layer of fog started covering the mountain, slowly getting denser.

Bruce and Jason didn't notice anything strange, but Theodore wasn't some unexperienced weakling. He immediately noticed that it was the work of a skill.

"this fog should be the so-called kidnappers doing. "

Theodore didn't worry much about the current scene. Even if it was a B-rank on the other side, it wouldn't matter much to him.

He already informed Bruce that if they were to confront someone weaker than himself, then he will just solve the matter for him.

However, if it was someone of the same level as himself, he will just stand as a deterrent and they will have to negotiate a peaceful agreement.

Anyway, 30 million was a big sum, but losing it won't destroy the foundation of the wood brothers.

But soon the fog became too thick to see through, but the trio just waited calmly, considering it an intimidation tactic from the other party.

But soon they started hearing a sharp whistling sound, and it was getting closer.

Wssssssssssssssssss.

"is it him?". Asked Bruce. He started considering that the other party also had a B-rank, and they were trying to make a flashy entrance.

Most probably to get a psychological advantage in the negotiation, he was very familiar with this kind of business tactics since he dealt with them every day.

But Bruce's two companions didn't respond because they weren't sure either.

Wssss.

Soon the sharp sound got close enough for them to judge the location it's coming from.

Upwards!.

Theodore looked up, thinking that the other party was flying down or something.

But his eyes suddenly widened in horror, as he saw a blood red hammer breaking through the fog, aiming at himself at a mind-boggling speed.

It was too late to react. The hammer was just too fast he couldn't even see it clearly.

His last thought was a flicker of hope, hoping the only piece of equipment he keeps on himself would give him a brief window to call his pet from the pet space.

Wooooosh!.

But it was just fantasy, as the hammer hit him right in the chest.

For a fraction of a second, it was blocked by something, but it didn't last as it connected.

The hammer dug inside his rib cage, breaking his bones in slow motion.

Crack!. Crack!.

His blood started rushing to his skin in an abnormal way as the blood repulsion effect was triggered.

with Lucy's Vitality in her Mountain form being tripled by Max's { Crimson brilliance}, it was inevitable.

Puff!!!!

A cloud of blood mist erupted from his body, covering a 10 m radius behind him under the astonished gaze of the Wood Brothers.

The blood repulsion effect was so intense, even flesh was ripped out.

As the hammer pushed his body to the ground or the skeleton left of it, making a huge impact, hitting the ground as bones scattered everywhere and the hammer made a deep pit.

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BOOM!.

Bruce looked in horror at the bloody skull rolling under his feet, while Jason was too sluggish to react.

"where's his pet?". Ask Jason in shock even though he knows the answer.

"since he didn't get to take it out of the pet space, then it's dead with him. " answered Bruce reflexively, not even sure what he was saying from the shock.

Suddenly Jason came to his sense and lifted his hands in the air as a gesture of surrender.

"I came with the money for my sons. I have no other intentions and that dead guy isn't with me. "

Bruce cursed his shameless brother under his mouth, but nevertheless, he lifted his hands in the air as he spoke.

"we just want the kids, we have the money on us. "

......

Max was smiling at the effect of this move.

He saw the figure being punched through in the fog and got the confirmation from Lucy of his death.

"that was superb, Lu."

'yeeeeee.'

Lucy was so excited she didn't know how to express herself for a moment.

"That was amazing Lu.

I get that you're excited, but can you lower the fog for me? I can't see well like this. "

'KK'.

As Lucy did her job, Max could see the wood Brothers' actions, although he couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could guess a thing or two.

"Lucy, help me pass a message. "

As he spoke, Max gave Lucy clear instructions.

'ok.'

Bruce saw the fog disappearing. And soon after it came again, but this time it wasn't much and it gathered in the air in symbols as if writing.

Bruce and Jason went quiet and focused on the small amount of fog because this was obviously a message from the kidnapper.

"Do Not Mess With Chickens, they're Cute. "

Bruce and Jason could feel cold sweat running down their backs, their fear surpassing even the intensity they had experienced when Theodore was killed in an instant.

" Bruce, we aren't dealing with a criminal, but with a psychopath "

Dealing with a psychopath was much more terrifying than dealing with a criminal, because you can negotiate rationally with the criminal but not with the psychopath.

However, Bruce wanted to slap his idiot of a brother.

'I also know, but did you have to say it out loud?'

Bruce glared at Jason, and the other seem to understand his mistake and closed his mouth.

...

On the other side, Max was holding his face with both hands, trying his best to prevent his lips or eyebrows or any other part from twitching.

"Lucy, I gave you clear words, didn't I.

I even showed it to you on the laptop.

Just how did you turn?

Don't play games. I am not someone you can mess with.

Into chickens are cute? Just how? . "

Max was speechless.

.....

Lucy really didn't mean to. She lost focus while writing and wrote what came to her mind.

' sorry!. Remembering chicken soup so I made mistake. '

"well!!!. why won't you remove the text already? They're still looking at it!".

Max was honestly embarrassed.

'You didn't tell me to.'

Lucy felt wronged, but still she immediately stopped maintaining the floating words.

"Sigh! It's okay just pull the hammer back to the peak of the mountain, just in case.

And write it again, but this time just one word' money'. "

' okay. '

The words disappeared, but the Wood Brothers got a jump scare as the blood red hammer suddenly flew up.

Wooosh!.

But they didn't have the time to react as the previous fog formed into a new word 'money'.

Bruce immediately recollected himself and took out a space ring and used it, as 30 million credit was placed on the ground.

but Bruce didn't leave it there, and immediately put it back inside the space ring, and put the space ring on the ground.

In this process, he secretly took the chance to take out a single credit from the pile.

This one was different. It was marked and can be tracked.

But Bruce didn't want any more trouble with this kidnapper, a dangerous individual capable of taking down a B-rank powerhouse with a single strike from an unknown range.

Mist obscured the ring, then dissipated, leaving the space ring gone. To Bruce and Jason, it looked like it was teleported away. However, in reality, the ground beneath it silently opened, allowing the ring to slide down before closing seamlessly, concealing its disappearance.

The same process happened to Theodore's two rings, which survived the blow, mostly because they didn't receive a Direct Hit.

The wood brothers waited anxiously, but they didn't have to wait long as fog covered the mountain again, but this time leaving a clear, empty path.

It was obviously left for them to walk in that direction.

Bruce gritted his teeth and walked forward, and Jason followed.

....

Max intended to complete the handout, because of two considerations.

First, it was that slight chance that one of their relatives will go mad and want revenge, liquidizing all their assets and hiring an assassin, detective, or hunter to go after himself.

Although liquidizing such assets will take months if not years to accomplish but it was still possible.

Max wanted to avoid any trouble that can be avoided easily.

Secondly, he made some kind of deal with Charles. It was just an idea for now, but Charles took it seriously and, who knows, it might be fruitful.

....

Speaking of Charles, he and his brother and cousin were still locked up.

Amelia was alone in the corner, staring daggers at Charles.

Larry was next to Charles with a helpless expression on his face.

As for Charles, he was just waiting to be rescued, boredom evident on his face.

In the past three days, he lost count of how many times he fought with Amelia.

Thankfully, he was physically stronger than her, and with Larry helping to stop their fights; it wasn't a big a deal.

At the same time, he completely lost his feelings towards this idiot, or to be more accurate, he finally understood his feelings.

He had a crush on her, but it wasn't to this point in the past.

It wasn't about her, but about Kevin.

He was jealous of him. After all the time he spent pursuing her doing his best, this guy shows up and on the first day, she shows him more affection and kindness than she showed him for their entire life.

What did Kevin have, and he didn't?

Does he have two sets of arms or legs? Was he richer than himself?

How can he get what he worked so hard for by doing nothing?

But now that Kevin was dead, he completely lost interest in her.

He had a new goal anyway, his kidnapper made him an offer.

If he can gain control over the company, then the kidnapper will be his backing and they would go annex other businesses.

with his kidnapper being his backbone, taking care of threats and dealing with hot heads.

Business in this world was all about strength, and he had an inexplicable confidence in his kidnapper's power.

His thoughts were cut short as the massive rock sealing the cave entrance shifted, revealing a stream of sunlight.

Bruce and Jason came soon after.

........

Max ignored the bunch as they left, choosing to focus on the three rings in front of him, and they didn't take long.

Bruce and Jason were too terrified for a warm reunion. They got the trio into the car and left immediately.