Chapter 355 - Bury Him Alive

Hours later…

"Boss Zhou, I'm off~!" As usual, Melanie bid her farewell to Zoey, peeking her head through the gap of the door with a wide smile on her face.

Zoey stopped typing, turning her head towards the door as her lips hooked up. "Take care." She nodded, returning the smile that Melanie was beaming at her. 

It was only now that Zoey came to a realization that Melanie would have this habit even eight years later. There wouldn't be a single day that this employee of hers wouldn't bid her farewell before leaving work. She's like a kid doing an innocent gesture which meant a lot to Zoey. Now she wondered what would have happened to Mel when she died that day.

When Melanie closed the door, Ivan entered shortly. "Sis, everyone left." In a matter-of-fact tone, Ivan informed her. Melanie was the last person to leave the office, the rest had already left one hour ago. Thus, Ivan came back since Zoey told him to inform her when all Z Image employees had left.

Yet, by the looks of it, Zoey just found a reason so he wouldn't disturb her. Either way, that didn't matter anymore as Ivan had time to check the entire building — making sure no one was hiding for whatever silly reason.

"Hmm…" She hummed, returning her focus to her computer as she began typing once again. Ivan, who was seeing her laid back approach despite expecting guests, massaged his temples.

"Sis, what now?" His shoulders lowered as a frown on his lips resurfaced.

"What do you mean by 'what now'?" Without batting an eye at him, Zoey inquired.

"Sis, there are literally people coming tonight -- who knows how dangerous they are. I didn't ask if they're Inigo's men or whoever you offended because I trust you." Frustrated, Ivan expressed his feelings about this whole fiasco that was about to happen. "But, how can you stay so indifferent? We don't even know what they're capable of!" He exclaimed, his frown growing uglier every passing minute.

"What do you want me to do?" Since Ivan was complaining, Zoey raised her head, her brows creased as she cocked her head to the side.

"Uh, prepare??" Laced with sarcasm, he answered.

Zoey blinked, and then blinked many times innocently. "I am prepared." Her tone might be flat, but she was mentally prepared for what was about to happen. Whether they come to threaten her or kill her, Zoey was already prepared.

Although she doubted the latter to happen, Zoey was not afraid of death anymore. Perhaps death should fear her instead, as she had already experienced and cheated death. Thus, how could a minor threat give her anxiety?

"Sis, seriously. How is typing there all day called preparation?" Not a bit amused by Zoey's attitude regarding this, Ivan pinched the space between his brows in distress. Sure, Zoey might have the brawn, but it's been a long time since they were tasked to do a risky mission.

Even Ivan wasn't confident that his body could take too much effort now. Not to mention, he only didn't train for approximately three months. What's more in Zoey's case? She didn't train for years. 

She might be one of Nikolai's best men, but Zoey was also human. A skill that wasn't used for years would never grow better, instead, our body and mind would barely remember the basics. Hence, one should continuously train the body to get used to it.

"You think preparation means preparing weapons and traps?" Zoey cast him a mocking gaze, peering at him from head to toe as she clicked her tongue while shaking her head sideways. "How naïve." Zoey snapped her tongue louder this time.

"Do you think if I prepare a gun now, my marksmanship will be better?" Upon hearing Zoey's last remarks, Ivan's eyes twitched. "After years of not holding such a deadly item, how can you expect me to make use of that if my accuracy is lower than twenty percent?" As if Ivan was the foolish one, Zoey's gaze kept on staring at him in disdain.

Meanwhile, all emotions that were left on his face immediately vanished at this ridiculousness. Why does she sound like she didn't prepare because it's the same? Why does she sound that it was his fault for not figuring it out?

Zoey truly rendered him speechless this time. Ivan didn't even know what to feel!

"Don't worry. No one will harm me — they'll only come to threaten me for sure." To calm him down, Zoey reassured with a smile. However, Ivan's blank expression didn't change even a tiny bit.

"And you'll refuse to stay silent." In a matter-of-fact tone, Ivan rebutted which made her purse her lips into a thin line. He knew Zoey well, and Ivan knew what kind of person she was. If one needed to threaten her, never threaten her with her life because that was not enough to terrify her.

"Sis…"

"Ivan," Before Ivan could continue his nagging, Zoey's eyes sharpened, her tone grew firmer. "I haven't held a gun for years in this lifetime, but you have no idea what happened in the past year." Her statement might sound confusing to him, but Zoey couldn't bother to explain.

After all, the moment she died in her previous life, the time-traveling occurred. So technically, it was only a few days ago when she pulled the trigger. Her body could still remember the fatigue of one year's manhunt. Hence, she's more than prepared even without what Ivan expected.

"Sis, I don't know what you're talking about." Ivan conceded, sighing helplessly as he shook his head. In his perspective, Zoey might have a hidden plan or something to counter her incoming guests.

Also, he was around. Why was he so concerned? It's not that they would be facing some remarkable men that he knew he couldn't beat. "Since they know you're alone and lack resources, I don't think they can beat me with numbers." Still shaking his head, another sigh escaped from his lips once again.

"Anyway, continue whatever you're doing. I'll nap." With that being said, Ivan walked towards the small sofa inside her office and then collapsed on it.

Zoey watched him settle on the couch, shaking her head as she returned her focus to the screen. She stared at the document she was writing before she glared at innocent Ivan over the top of her computer. "Now I forgot what I was writing!" She complained, losing her focus on what happened in the love scene she was writing about her previous life.

*****

Meanwhile, in an obscure basement, a man's loud scream echoed, deafening everyone who was inside the room. Blood could be seen around; on the floor, walls, and on the lone wooden chair he was trying to reach. 

"Please… Bo — boss, aah!!" As the man crawled, crimson thick liquid clad his hands as he tried to reach for the shiny black shoes before him. However, just before he could do so, a foot stomped atop it causing him to squeal in pain. 

Slowly, the pitiful man on the floor mustered his femaining energy, looking up, showing his mangled face. "Please… believe me…" Through his bleeding teeth, the man pleaded. 

However, the pair of dark hazel eyes looking down at him bore no mercy. It's as if no matter how he cried blood, he wouldn't bat an eye nor feel sympathy to the man. 

"Pathetic." As soon as the man's words escaped from his lips, a chilling vibe enveloped the entire basement — beating the desperate cries of the beaten man below him. 

Shortly, the man bearing the pair of hazel eyes pulled out a pistol from his well-ironed suit. Without further ado, he pointed its muzzle on the man's forehead. 

"No, no, no — please…!" As soon as the man saw the gun pointing at him, he crawled back desperately. Yet, deep down, he knew it was futile. 

He was already beaten black and blue, it'll be impossible to struggle for survival. He couldn't even stand up anymore, they broke his legs. He was only moving by his strong will to live, but he knew it's all for naught. 

"On a second thought…" Just as the man holding the gun placed his finger on the trigger, he retrieved the gun away and used its muzzle to scratch his temple. "Putting a hole on your forehead is a bother. My clothes are quite expensive." As if his clothes were far more valuable than the man's life, he shrugged and slowly turned his back against the man. 

Seeing him retreat, the person that was put on mercy sighed in relief. 'I'm saved…' He subconsciously cheered. Tears formed on the corner of his eyes as he assumed a miracle happened. 

Unbeknownst to him, his relief wouldn't last that long as the retreating man halted in his steps. He stopped in front of his other guards standing near the way out. 

"Bury him alive." He ordered flatly, and then resumed in his tracks as he left the basement.

The instant he gave his orders, the man's heart, who was already tortured to the extent of dying, sunk. He watched the other men approach him, but this time, he didn't struggle anymore. He let them carry him by his arms like a withered plant. 

"Damn you, Iñigo… Zia will kill you…" While they carried him, the man murmured lifelessly, praying for the first time that his death would reach his allies to get the justice he deserved.