What kind of death is most horrifying?
The answer varies depending on the person. Some might find the idea of a lonely, unnoticed demise to be their greatest fear, while others might dread a slow and painful end.
For someone like Lorel, a scumbag who was rotten to the core, a fitting end would be one marked by brutality.
Giving him this kind of demise would be the choice of someone overwhelmed by emotions and driven by a thirst for revenge. And while it wouldn't be wrong to say that Val harbored similar desires to subject Lorel to such an end, he did not let his emotions override his common sense.
Assassinating Lorel in his sleep was a more strategic option than a brutal beatdown as the chance of success was absolute. After all, how could a person, deep in slumber, evade the hands of death?
On the other hand, a direct confrontation could give Lorel, an overly cautious individual, a chance to deploy unknown trump cards and possibly escape.