Unlike what Mint suspected, it was not Slater who had been snooping around the town. Slater had nothing to do with it. He had no idea what was going on in the town and even if he did, he didn’t care.
The one who had been snooping around the syndicate’s territory was Benjamin.
It all started on the second day when Benjamin visited an old aunt’s house. It had been years since Mint and Benjamin were in town, so it was only natural for Benjamin to visit so familiar people from their childhood.
That was how Benjamin found out about the town’s situation. Although the old aunt had warned him, Benjamin still did his own little investigation. It wasn’t like Benjamin was planning to do sothing big—at least, he didn’t plan on doing anything during the vacation. He knew he couldn’t do anything since he wasn’t in a position to make a difference.
Who would have thought that the townspeople he asked about the situation would end up ratting him out?
"This is your town..." Benjamin hissed through gritted teeth. "You have friends here. People you grew up with. How could you... do this to everyone?"
This was Mint’s hotown; the place where Mint’s mother rested.
How could this guy... do this to the place he was born and raised?
Not only had this man built his criminal base here, but he was also exploiting the townspeople.
"How could I do this to everyone?" the man laughed nacingly, no trace of remorse in his eyes. "They deserved it."
"What?"
"Everyone on this island... they deserve whatever’s happening to them," the man stressed. "It’s true that this is the island I was born and raised on. So what? They should be grateful, actually. I’m giving them enough protection for a small price."
"They’re barely making a living!"
"But they’re alive! Isn’t that what’s important?" The man tilted his head, blinking. "They’re alive. Sure, they have to give a percentage of their inco, but in return, no one else touches them."
Benjamin studied the man’s expression, then laughed in ridicule. "You really believe you’re helping the town?"
"Whether you believe or not, that’s... on you. I don’t care." The man shrugged and walked back to his desk. "It was nice seeing you, Benjamin Vitt. But sadly, I can’t just let you and your friend go now that you’ve stepped foot in this place."
As the man picked up his glass, he looked back at Benjamin and smiled. "Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that freak cousin of yours if she has the guts to co here." After saying that, the man jerked his chin toward the man who had peeled the tape off Benjamin’s mouth and the other person standing outside.
With that, the two n approached Benjamin and the unconscious Slater.
"What are you—where are you taking ?!" Benjamin roared, struggling as the n approached him. "Let go! You’re not taking —mhp!"
The rest of his yelling was cut off as the other man placed duct tape over his mouth again. However, that didn’t stop Benjamin. He continued to yell, though it ca out as muffled. He also struggled, but with his hands and feet bound, the n could easily drag him away despite his aggressive movents.
"Mhm!! MHM!!!"
"Ah, right!" Just as the n were dragging Benjamin and the unconscious Slater out of the office, the man suddenly rembered sothing. His remark made the n dragging the hostages stop, and the man turned his head toward Benjamin.
The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. "I heard you’re staying in the castle on that neighboring island. How much do you think they’d pay for your lives?"
Hearing this, Benjamin’s pupils constricted as his irises dilated. He instinctively shook his head, eyes fixed on the man.
"By the looks of it, it seems the people in the castle would shell out a few thousand for you," the man nodded in satisfaction. "I wonder if they’d give the castle to save you?"
"Mhp!! Mhm!"
"Haha!" The man laughed as Benjamin started screaming, despite the tape over his mouth. He waved dismissively, saying, "Just kidding. I don’t think those people in the castle would even spare you a mont of their ti. Take them away."
The ard n nodded and were about to drag the hostages again when the man spoke again.
"Oh, don’t kill them yet," the man ordered with a smile. "He ntioned that his cousin would co looking for him. It wouldn’t be fun if he’s dead before he sees what I could do to that freak."
Benjamin’s struggle intensified, but no matter what he did, he felt helpless. He couldn’t stop the n from dragging him to wherever they were taking him, nor could he shout for help. All he could do was get dragged and listen to the man’s maniacal laughter echo in his ears.
As Benjamin’s muffled struggles faded, the man shook his head and laughed. He chugged down his drink, enjoying the mont. Although he hadn’t planned for revenge, it didn’t feel bad to et and punish the person who had humiliated him as a child.
"Just like back then, he really is nosy," he muttered, only to hear a light knock on the door. Turning his head, he saw one of his n by the door before the man approached. "What is it now? Did that freak—I an, that guy’s cousin co here just as he said?"
The other person lifted his eyes slowly, his expression stern. "I don’t know about the cousin you’re talking about, but soone is out there."
"Who?" the man furrowed his brows, seeing the look on his partner’s face.
"The owner of the castle," the other man breathed out. "It’s not the butler, and it seems that old bastard isn’t with him, but it’s the owner of the castle."
The man narrowed his eyes. "The owner of that castle, huh?"
"He said he wants to have a word with you," the other man added quietly. "We should let him in."
The man with the scar thought for a mont. Then he nodded. "Let them in and don’t touch them yet. I’d like to hear what he has to say."
---
anwhile, outside the gates, Penny and Zoren stood as if they had just recently moved into the neighborhood and were about to give so cookies to their new neighbors. Penny even smiled at the people around, waving at them as though she couldn’t see the weapons on them.
"Renren, if this doesn’t work, just stay behind ," Penny whispered, leaning against his side. "I’ll protect you."
Zoren gazed down at his wife and nodded. "It’s going to work."
"How are you sure of that?"
"Because I said so." As soon as those words left his mouth, one person approached them. When the person told them to co in and that he would escort them, Zoren smirked at his wife and winked at her. "See?"
Penny’s mouth fell open as she stared at her husband in slight shock. Now that she thought about it, many of the things Zoren said often ca true. Although so were expected, other things just seed purely manifested. It made her wonder one thing:
’The quadruplets... would I get four at once?’
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