Chapter 498 - Zoey's Training :O

Blood slowly dripped down to the ground. Zoey blinked her eyes many times, looking at the hand that caught the dagger. Slowly, she moved her eyes to see Owen looking at Ivan, his sharp eyes glinting as his hand continued to drip blood.

"Eh?" Zoey knitted her brows as she recapped what happened.

When Ivan threw the dagger in her direction, Zoey was thinking if she should dodge it or return it to him. However, a second before she could decide, Owen suddenly appeared by her side and caught the dagger's blade with his bare hand. Thus, he bled, but he didn't even react.

"Ohh… I knew you were interesting." Ivan smirked, pleased at Owen's reflexes. "However, I believe that that knife is not meant for you." He added, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"My apologies for that, but I don't think you were tasked to train Miss Z." Owen put down his hand and slowly gazed down while opening it. "If you want to confirm something, do it after our training session or outside this territory." He muttered, dropping the dagger from his hand as he took out the handkerchief he had from his pants back pocket.

"Unless, you want me to interfere every time." Owen raised his head. His eyes were sharper than before as they glinted menacingly. "But, you wouldn't do the same trick twice." He affirmed, his tone threatening Ivan that he would counterattack next time.

"Woah…" Under her breath, Zoey's eyes twinkled because in her eyes, Owen was quite cool. Unlike the other two squad captains, his sharpness and quick reflexes were top-notch! The reason it reassured Zoey that Matthew would be safe if he had Owen by his side.

Still, having more Owen with Matthew wouldn't hurt. The reason Zoey insisted on inviting Ivan in this place was to train everyone to at least catch up to their levels. After all, she couldn't be always with Matthew's side as she had to execute her plans to take down Inigo.

"Man…" Ivan chuckled, shaking his head as he detected the over protectiveness Owen had for Zoey. or rather, his facade to protect Zoey just because Owen was annoyed at how arrogant Ivan was and how he humiliated his friends by defeating them flawlessly.

"Why are you so mad? I'm just testing her skills." Ivan explained indifferently, his lips stretching wider as he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm telling you, you weren't heroic catching that dagger." In a matter-of-fact tone, Ivan vaguely uttered.

In his perspective, Zoey would surely dodge it or maybe return it to him. Who knows? It's been a while since Ivan saw her in action. It had been years and all this time, Ivan believed her skills had plummeted to the depths of the earth.

However, the time he had with Zoey from months ago confirmed that she wasn't the same. Neither her skills nor her perspective, she changed. He just wanted to estimate how she improved, just like what she claimed.

Owen didn't reply anymore as he turned to Zoey. "This way, Miss Zhou." He said, walking past her with his hand using the handkerchief to bandage his fresh wound.

"Bye, little brother. I have a better trainer." Zoey teased, winking at Ivan before skipping her steps and followed Owen's tracks.

"Better trainer, tsk." Ivan clicked his tongue, annoyed at Zoey's teasing before she left. Yet, he didn't dwell on it further, but Owen's image etched in his mind. "One interesting lad among these people…" He muttered, the side of his lips curled into a smirk as there's finally someone who would keep him out of boredom with his stay in this place.

****

"Hey, are you okay?" As Zoey hastened her steps until she was walking to Owen's side, she bent her body as she stared at his side profile.

However, Owen just remained silent while putting pressure on his wounded palm. Blood still dripped down, leaving a trace of them. 

"Hey, trainer, should we postpone it to next time?" Since he was ignoring her, Zoey suggested because he wouldn't be able to train her anyway if he was not in a good condition.

"I'm alright, Miss Z. You don't have to worry about things you shouldn't." Without glancing at her, Owen finally replied as his steps didn't falter as they headed to a certain part of the mansion.

Upon reaching the garden of the mansion, Zoey knitted her brows. Her eyes scanned the surrounding. Unlike the training grounds, the garden was just filled with flowers, a few sets of chairs and tables to unwind, and Dredd lazing around.

"Huh?" Zoey blinked her eyes to see clearly if she wasn't just seeing that this was not the training he expected. Although she didn't really plan on exerting much effort, Zoey didn't know that Owen's means of training was to relax, or so she thought.

"Miss Z, your training starts now." Just as she was wondering, Owen walked past her and then perched at one of the vacant seats.

"Starts now?" She furrowed her already creased brows, tilting her head to the side. Was she supposed to run around? So stretching, perhaps? Meditate? Owen didn't say anything and just announced that her training already started.

"Hmmm…" Zoey pinched the space between her brows, having a slight headache. "I give up. What am I supposed to do?" After a moment, Zoey gave up and asked as she didn't have the leisure to play his mind games.

Slowly, Owen turned his head to Dredd's direction. Just like what he did, Zoey followed the direction where he was looking at. "It's time for Dredd's snack. Feed him." He blankly said without casting Zoey a glance.

"What?" Immediately, Zoey's eyes widened in disbelief as her entire face squeezed together. "I'll feed him?" She repeated, dismay laced her voice.

"Miss Z, Dredd needs to eat. If you can't feed him on time, he would eat the flesh of those who are nearby." In a matter-of-fact tone, Owen shrugged his shoulders.

Zoey looked around, and her under eye twitched uncontrollably. There was no one around except for Owen and Zoey! Since Dredd already knew Owen, obviously, that just means Dredd would ravage her if he gets hungry.

Just what kind of training was he trying to give her?! Not that she was afraid it would eat her alive, but she was just lazy! Yet, he was testing her to a level she didn't expect.

"There's a snack for Dredd over there. Good luck, Miss Z." Owen cocked his head to the direction where a butler entered and left his food right outside the door before he went back in.

'Huh… I guess this is my darling's plan all along..' Inside her mind, Zoey lifeless uttered as she felt her knees weaken while walking to get the food.