Capítulo 17: Chapter 17: The First Tool
The next day, Vera woke up alone in the soft, large bed of the bedroom.
The next day, Vera woke up alone on the soft, large bed in her bedroom.
Rubbing her eyes groggily, she gradually recalled the events of the previous night.
Vera got out of bed and stepped into the living area.
There, Zeke sat at his desk, one eye and part of his face sporting bruises. He rapidly typed away on his laptop keyboard.
Kiana, looking even more disheveled, was tied to a pillar nearby. With her head drooping, snoring loudly, and a bubble of snot dangling from her nose—a clear sign of deep sleep—she continued snoozing undisturbed.
To the side, a massive hole marred the bathroom wall. Peering inside revealed complete chaos within.
"Awake now? The toilet is still functional; feel free to take care of your needs. I won't peek, nor will I let Kiana do so. There are disposable toothbrushes on the washbasin."
"Ah... okay."
Vera cautiously made her way to the bathroom, ensuring she took the path farthest from Zeke throughout.
Zeke really is terrifying!
Zeke watched Vera enter the bathroom, his eyes narrowing discontentedly.
All because of this brat, the paramecium had unexpectedly resisted him fiercely for the first time.
And she's already rebelling before even reaching her theoretical teenage years? Just imagine how uncontrollable it'll be in a few more years!
He needed to send this little girl back pronto!
It wasn't that he disapproved of Kiana finding someone; primarily, she was just too young!
If both their ages were a bit older—just six or seven more years—Zeke wouldn't bother caring and would hardly spare a glance at Kiana's infatuations.
But underage girls are absolutely off-limits!
As Zeke and Vera began eating breakfast, the enticing aroma of food wafting through the air finally roused Kia from her drooling slumber.
"Zeke! Let me go, quick—I wanna eat!"
Bang! Out of nowhere, Zeke produced a handgun and fired a single bullet to free Kia's bindings.
Vera flinched, dropping her spoon with a clatter, but dared not utter a word.
Without explaining himself, Zeke merely shot Kia a cold glance. "Go wash your face first."
"I want to use Vera's toothbrush and towel!"
"I've already flushed them down the toilet. Feel free to fish them out if you're interested."
"You... Never mind. Little Vera, just wait here; Big Sister will take you to find your dad right away!"
"Mwa!"
Under Zeke's icy stare, Kia unabashedly planted a kiss on Vera's smooth cheek, sticking her tongue out at Zeke with a playful grimace afterward.
Zeke seethed internally: (▼皿▼＃) Grrr!
Kiana grinned innocently: (°ー°〃) "I'm off to brush my teeth now..."
It wasn't cowardice, just a strategic retreat.
Zeke was still fuming, so she'd let him cool down before reuniting little Vera with... Eh heh... eh heehee!
Sssss!
An hour later on the street, Zeke strode ahead with an unmistakable scowl.
Behind him, Kiana and Vera walked hand-in-hand.
Kiana's smile was radiant and beaming.
In contrast, Vera looked at Kiana timidly, her gaze like that of a lost fawn, uncertain and cautious.
"Big Sister Kiana, could you... not squeeze my hand so tightly?"
"Huh? What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
"Not really, but it feels kind of strange."
"It's not strange at all! Between girls—no, between me and Little Vera, this is perfectly normal. Trust me!" Kiana declared confidently, standing tall and proud.
Vera could only nod weakly.
While Big Brother Zeke seemed scary, he appeared relatively normal. As for Big Sister Kiana... well, she must be a good person, right? At least, probably?
Robbins Crowe, Vera's father, was once a prominent entrepreneur in Yordle City.
Born into poverty, he diligently studied and earned a prestigious economics degree from a renowned university. After graduation, Robbins ventured into real estate investments, gradually building his successful brokerage firm over time.
In short, he was a wealthy man.
Recently, Robbins had a falling out with the rapidly rising Drelin Gang in Yordle, primarily over financial disputes and land ownership issues.
However, Robbins didn't take it seriously.
While the Drelin Gang held considerable influence, Robbins maintained strong connections within Yordle's law enforcement due to his business success. He believed that no mere gang could force him to yield.
Then his wife was kidnapped.
Soon after, his business partner stabbed him in the back.
He realized too late that the ones eyeing his wealth were his trusted friends all along. His initial negligence cost him the upper hand; not only was his loved one abducted, but he also knew then that he had lost the battle.
After regaining his composure, Robbins faced the dire situation and chose to yield, hoping to secure the safety of his family.
However, the outcome was devastating: he lost both his wife and their livelihood.
With one last desperate move, Robbins fled with his daughter to Uluru Town.
Now, even his daughter's safety was compromised.
"You will pay for this!"
Robbins knew that kidnapping Vera must be aimed at forcing him to reveal the location of his remaining secret funds.
But handing over the account information would mean completely losing any means of resistance. Would he and his daughter truly remain safe then?
The answer was clear.
Robbins spent the entire night agonizingly pondering solutions from various angles, considering his connections, intelligence at hand, use of funds, and more.
His conclusion: there were options, but each inevitably led to Vera being brutally tortured and killed by those beasts.
Robbins couldn't allow such a fate for his daughter.
Thus, like a severely wounded tiger stripped of its claws and teeth, he felt trapped between impotent rage and despair.
"If you won't let my family live peacefully, then you shall also taste suffering! Vera, don't be afraid, Daddy will protect you, no matter where we go. Cindra, I'll soon join you."
After uttering these words to himself, Robbins picked up the shotgun from the table, having made a decision to take everyone down with him.
"You bastards, come and feel the fury of my wrath!"
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a powerful force struck the iron door of the safe house.
Robbins was taken aback.
Who could possibly show up at this moment? Are they enemies?
His expression fluctuated between uncertainty and resolve, but the situation couldn't get any worse. Gathering his composure, he activated the safety on his gun, put on a bulletproof vest, approached the door, secured the chain lock, and cautiously opened it just enough for a narrow gap.
"Papa!"
The familiar greeting, the recognizable voice, and peering through the crack, those innocent eyes that were unmistakably familiar.
Tears welled up in Robbins' eyes as he instinctively tried to open the door wider, only to be stopped by the chain. The tension between the iron door and the chain produced a loud metallic groan.
Hastily unlocking the chains and opening the door, he leaned down to embrace his daughter tightly.
"Vera! My little Vera! Where have you been? Am I dreaming? Oh, my darling Vera, Daddy loves you!"
"Papa! That tickles! You forgot to shave again!"
"It's okay! I'll do it right away! As long as Little Vera is back, Dad will grant you anything."
With red eyes, Robbins spoke but showed no intention of actually shaving; instead, he held Vera even tighter.
After a moment, Robbins finally looked up from embracing Vera to acknowledge the two young guests who had accompanied her home.
"And you are?"
"Zeke Alves and Kiana Alves. Might we come in for a chat, Mr. Robbins Crowe?"
"Well..." Robbins hesitated briefly.
But remembering that they were the benefactors who brought Vera back, he gritted his teeth, stepped aside, and decided to invite them inside.
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