Read Novel Full Chapter 680: Capture
Chapter 680: Capture
His eyes held a quiet desperation.
"Otherwise... I’ll never find peace."
The younger Jade took a shaky breath, his chest rising and falling unevenly before he slowly nodded.
.......
When Jade opened his eyes again...
Everything was normal.
Or at least... it appeared that way.
Their current place...bought with Frank’s wealth...was quiet, almost peaceful.
Jade had been living here for a while now.
Frank often found himself staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
But over time, the heaviness inside him began to fade.
He started searching for something new.
Something grounding. Recently, he had taken up pottery.
One by one, he began creating small pieces, each one slightly better than the last.
Meanwhile, General Frank’s wife had also found her own rhythm.
She had taken to knitting, a passion she wanted to follow during her childhood, but never got the chance to.
Eventually, she even set up a small stall in the market, displaying her creations with quiet pride.
Frank himself had invested heavily.
Properties, shops, land...he had secured assets everywhere, ensuring a steady stream of income. Rent flowed in consistently, and the future seemed... stable.
’At least Jade won’t have to struggle,’ Frank often thought.
Days blended into each other.
Until one day... Jade requested a private meeting.
Frank had laughed at first, waving it off casually.
"Why so serious?" he teased, leaning back comfortably. "If you want more money or a bigger share of the property, just say it. I’ll figure something out."
But Jade didn’t smile. And that... made Frank pause.
The moment the meeting ended, the atmosphere in the room turned cold.
Frank’s face had turned completely red.
His chest rose and fell heavily, his breath uneven, almost trembling with restrained fury.
"No!" he snapped. "I won’t agree to this... not in a million years!"
Jade stood still, his expression calm yet firm, but that very calmness only fueled Frank’s anger further.
"Do you even understand what you’re asking?" Frank continued, his tone rising with every word. "This isn’t some childish decision you can just take lightly!"
Jade didn’t back down.
That was the breaking point.
With a sharp turn, Frank stormed out of the house. That argument... didn’t end there.
It stretched on.
One day turned into two... then three... and before either of them realized it, nearly a week had passed without resolution.
When Frank finally returned, exhaustion clung to him.
’He must have cooled down by now,’ he thought, trying to convince himself. ’Jade will understand... he always does.’
But the moment his eyes fell upon the scene inside...
He froze.
Everything had already been prepared.
Equipment, arrangements, plans... all meticulously set in place.
Jade hadn’t changed his mind.
Not even slightly.
Something inside Frank broke.
His anger dissolved instantly, replaced by something far heavier.
His eyes reddened, his vision blurring as tears began to form.
"You..." his voice faltered, barely audible. "You really decided to go through with this..."
Jade didn’t speak.
He didn’t need to.
Frank lowered his head, his shoulders trembling faintly.
Then, slowly, he wiped his tears and let out a shaky breath.
"You’re... just like me," he muttered, a bitter smile forming. "Too stubborn to turn back once you’ve decided something."
After a long pause, he stepped forward.
"Fine," he said quietly. "If you’re going to do this... then I’ll help you."
..........
Unaware of everything unfolding on Jade’s side, Ivy had already begun setting her own plan into motion.
A trap. One she believed was flawless.
Meanwhile, Ariana had grown increasingly restless.
The silence from Robert and Ian had stretched too long, gnawing at her instincts. Then suddenly... he contacted her.
Robert told her how he was going to escape today and asked her to meet near SiIvy base.
The moment she heard that, her body reacted before her thoughts could catch up. She rushed toward Ivy’s base without hesitation.
And there... she saw him.
Half of his face had mutated grotesquely, his skin twisted into something resembling a zombie’s decay.
His movements were unsteady, his body clearly injured as he staggered away from the base.
Ariana froze for a split second, her instincts clashing with suspicion.
Then she moved.
"Robert!" she called out. "What happened to you?"
Robert’s breathing was ragged.
"It... wasn’t easy," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
"I had to pretend... pretend I had turned into a zombie."
His lips curled slightly in exhaustion.
"Even when Bella tried to command me... I acted like I was under her control."
He swallowed hard before continuing. "Once they moved me out of the prison area... I took the chance and ran."
Ariana’s gaze softened slightly, though suspicion still lingered faintly.
"I thought I’d never make it out," Robert admitted, a shaky laugh escaping him. "But somehow... I did."
Seeing Ariana standing there, real and unharmed, a flicker of relief crossed his face. ’I made it... I actually made it,’ he thought.
Ariana exhaled softly before asking, "And that?" She gestured toward his disfigured face.
Robert quickly explained, weaving together the story of his escape.
By the time he finished, Ariana’s expression had darkened, anger flashing in her eyes. "Those humans..." she muttered, her voice cold. "They truly are despicable."
Her lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile. "Once more of our kind arrive... I’ll make sure they pay for this."
Robert nodded immediately.
Ariana’s expression shifted again, this time carrying a hint of satisfaction.
"But none of that matters right now," she said lightly. "I have good news for you."
Robert’s curiosity flickered...
But before he could speak... a sharp beam of light sliced through the air.
A laser shot past him in a blink, heading straight toward Ariana.
Her instincts kicked in instantly. She twisted her body, dodging...but not completely.
The bullet struck.
"Ah...!" Ariana screamed, the pain exploding through her body as the impact sent a shockwave through her senses.
Robert’s eyes widened in horror as he spun around... and froze.
Standing behind him, was Ivy, and Silas.
A faint, almost satisfied smile rested on their lips.
"Shit..." Robert muttered under his breath, the realization crashing down on him. ’This... was all a trap.’
Everything clicked into place.
His "escape."
The lack of resistance. The ease of contact. It had all been orchestrated.
Before he could react, a sharp blow landed at the back of his neck.
Darkness swallowed him instantly. His final thought flickered through his mind like a dying spark.
’We’re finished...’
...........
Ariana, meanwhile, stared at the wound in disbelief.
Human weapons shouldn’t have been able to harm her like this. At worst, they could pierce her skin temporarily...something she could easily recover from.
But this... this was different.
A terrifying weakness spread through her body. Her limbs grew heavy, her vision blurring.
’What... is this...?’
She tried to remove the embedded bullet, her fingers trembling...but it didn’t budge.
Her breathing became shallow. Her strength faded rapidly.
With the last of her will, she pointed toward Ivy, her voice weak but filled with hatred. "Just... you wait..."
Then everything went black.
.........
When she opened her eyes again... she found herself restrained to a chair.
But the surroundings... they were nothing like what she expected.
A vast field stretched around her, lush green grass swaying gently under a soft breeze. The sky above was clear, painted in calming hues.
It should have felt peaceful.
But to Ariana... it felt like a prison.
Her body tensed as she tried to move, only to feel the tight restraints holding her in place. Just as frustration began to rise...
Her eyes shifted.
And froze. Not far from her... two familiar figures.
Paris. Siya.
Her pupils shrank instantly. ’No... that’s impossible...’
Panic surged through her. ’If I’ve been captured... then they should be somewhere else... why are they here?’
She tried to speak, but her mouth was gagged, her words reduced to muffled sounds of anger and disbelief.
Footsteps approached.
Ariana’s gaze snapped forward.
Ivy stepped into view.
A faint smile curved on her lips as she looked directly at Ariana. "So," she said calmly, "how are you feeling?"
Ariana’s eyes burned with rage.
She tried to curse, to scream, to spit every ounce of hatred she felt...but the gag silenced her completely.
Ivy chuckled softly. "There’s no point in cursing me," she said, her tone almost light.
"Even at your strongest... you wouldn’t be able to do anything to me."
Ariana’s body trembled with fury.
’You’ll die...’ she thought viciously, her eyes blazing. ’You’ll die a horrible death.’
Ivy tilted her head slightly, as if she had heard every unspoken word. "I’d love to see that," she replied casually.
Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward and removed the gag.
Ariana immediately inhaled sharply, her voice raw as she spat, "Even if you kill me... I will never tell you anything!"
Ivy nodded, as if she had expected nothing less. "I admire that," she said simply.
Then... she pulled out a syringe. Inside it was a pale, milky liquid.
Ariana’s eyes widened slightly... before Ivy drove the needle into her.
"Agh...!" Ariana screamed, her body convulsing violently as the liquid surged through her veins.
Her head jerked back, her eyes rolling as unbearable pain coursed through her entire being.
She struggled desperately.