Chapter 698 - Auction XVIII

When Ivan woke up, he opened and closed his eyes weakly. His head felt like it was spinning, literally. He was hearing voices, albeit faintly.

"Let's not kill them, just yet. We still don't know what's happening on the lower deck. We have to make sure that the boss is safe." 

"Have you sent out men to the lower deck?"

"Yes. But…" The man trailed off reluctantly. 

"But?"

"They're being held back."

"By who?" 

"Haha." Ivan chuckled as the men's conversation grew clearer. 

Slowly, Ivan raised his head just to see some of his former colleagues talking. He moved his eyes to see Zion on his side, tied up but conscious. Zion seemed fine, no added bruise or anything of the sort on his surface.

From the other side, there were a few men who were under Ivan's command. Unlike Zion, these men were beaten pretty badly. All their weapons were confiscated as they were surrounded by the Silva Family.

"This motherf*cker is laughing." One man said, perking his chin towards Ivan. 

"You can't go on the lowest deck?" Ivan asked, raising his brow as he wondered why. "How incompetent."

As soon as Ivan said that, a kick immediately landed straight to his face. It didn't stop there as it was followed by a series of kicks on his abdomen.

Zion gritted his teeth, watching Ivan receive all blows thrown at him. Unlike everybody else, Ivan was securely restrained here. Both his hands and feet were tied. Zion only had his hands tied as these men didn't even think he could do anything.

"Don't get so worked up on him."  One man uttered which made the person beating Ivan to stop. "He's just trying to divert your attention to him. You can't listen to everything this man says if you want to last long."

There were three commanding officers and numerous elite soldiers of the Silva Family standing on the upper deck. One was  who had beaten Ivan, the other one was who stopped his colleague, while the third one remained silent after giving his report.

"What's going on in the middle part of this yacht?" Asked the person who had remained composed. "Who are the people holding them back?"

"Just one person." The man who received the report solemnly replied. "It was the person who killed Boss' right hand man."

There was a total silence upon dropping his last remarks. They were all capable men. However, Nikolai's right-hand man was in a different caliber -- same as the three.

In their mind, it was either their compadre underestimated his enemy and fought cockily, or the person he went head to head just had skills as them.

The cool headed man turned to Ivan. Ivan was the first person that came to his mind upon hearing the news.  In this yacht, there were only a few people who were as skilled as them -- Ivan was one of them.

After all, Ivan was a former underboss. Ivan was Nikolai's former left hand man. But that was until Ivan broke ties with them.

"Hah," Ivan scoffed weakly, thinking clearer than ever despite all the beatings and blood oozing from his mouth and face.

Ivan was also unaware regarding who it could be. There were a few outstanding pupils he had trained personally: Owen and Carter. It was either of the two. Regardless, that just worked for their advantage if the middle part was still not occupied with the Silva Family's men.

"The level of standard in the Silva Family really hit the drain, huh? Even Marco is dead now. I wonder what you three could --" Before Ivan could finish his blunder, another powerful kick landed on his abdomen.

"Sh*t the f*ck up, traitor!"

"Who is the person that killed Marco?" The man asked, glancing at Ivan without emotion. "And did he kill Zia as ordered?"

As soon as Ivan heard that amidst the ringing in his ear, he coughed out blood. "What…"

Ivan trailed off as he coughed. Did he hear what he just heard? An order to kill Zoey? Nikolai wouldn't order such a thing. So how…?

"I'll f*cking kill you all…" Through his gritted, bleeding teeth, Ivan threatened under his breath.

If he heard that Zoey died right here and now, Ivan would lose it. But deep down, he prayed -- for the first time in his life -- Ivan prayed for her to be alive.

The three men glanced at Ivan before the man resumed his report. "Marco failed."

Ivan heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that. Gracious… Thank God, he praised internally.

"Zia killed Marco and now, she's single-handedly holding our men back." There was a bit of shame in the man's voice, as he couldn't also believe Zoey could accomplish such a feat.

They had heard about her. But, everyone knew Zoey was merely a foot-soldier. A messenger who passed messages from the Silva Family to other powerful family allies.

What they failed to consider was that Zoey's job in the past might have sounded easy. However, with someone who knew secrets more than anyone, she had to be far more competent than anyone.

Ivan could not let out his loud chuckles upon hearing who the person was holding everyone from advancing. It was neither Carter nor Owen. How could Ivan not consider the person who was more skilled than him?

Zoey.

"Ah… My ribs hurt!" Ivan exclaimed as he felt a striking pain along with his laughs. "You guys surely underestimated the legend in the silva family."

"Can I kill him?" Triggered by Ivan's constant nonsense, the man who had been sending blows to him inquired in annoyance.

The other man remained silent, pondering about their next move. "Don't. Bring him and that person with us. We'll use them as shields against that woman."

"Tch." The other man clicked his tongue in annoyance. But well, if they could use them to their advantage, he could postpone Ivan's death for now.

With that being said, the man who kept beating Ivan dragged him up and the other dragged Zion. 

"Where are you taking us?" Zion inquired in panic. They'd been talking but he couldn't understand them. He would if they were speaking in English, but they were speaking in their mother tongue.

Therefore, Zion didn't know what they were planning. Zion cast Ivan a gaze as the latter was beaten pretty badly, they were literally just dragging him.

"Zion," Ivan murmured, breathing heavily knowing they'd be used as Zoey's achilles heel. "Would you rather die than be used to sentence our sister?"

Ivan asked. Zion's eyes widened, struggling but to no avail. Ivan's question might have sounded vague, but Zion got the idea of what was going on.

"Stop struggling, young man. You'll die, anyway. Just accept it." The man dragging Zion uttered in a language he could understand.

Zion's heart sank as he looked at Ivan. Ivan rocked his head back and forth; he'd just kill himself if he couldn't find a way before they reached the floor Zoey was in.

As the two were being dragged inside, the person dragging Zion suddenly collapsed to the floor. Zion froze as his eyes immediately landed on the busted head lying near her feet.

"Who is --!" The person dragging Ivan shouted, but before he could say another word, a bullet penetrated the center of his face, and then, he was gone.

"Ah," Ivan collapsed on his knees as the beating he had received drained him. 

"Ivan! Duck!" The next second, Ivan heard Zion shout before the latter pounced on him as it rained bullets from outside the yacht.

****

Meanwhile…

"Woo…. Ivan was beaten pretty badly." Angelo clicked his tongue, pleased to see Ivan in that state for once..  But again, he cocked his sniper to do his job as a support.