Duke’s car finally arrived at the coastal suburbs.
It was four in the afternoon, and because of the cloudy weather, compounded with the dense, dark
clouds, the seaside looked like it was cast in twilight, resulting in low visibility.
He got out of the car and, with his leather shoes crunching on the jagged rocks of the coast,
approached the warehouse slowly.
This was a chemical manufacturing warehouse that had been abandoned ten years ago. Though made
with metal plating, the structure was now a ruin under the onslaught of erosion from the sea breeze.
Duke walked toward it slowly and stood before the ruined entrance.
He checked the surroundings and saw that there was no one outside, but behind the door, there were
at least seven or eight brutes.
It was good to see some activity there. It meant that Adina would be held here.
Duke lifted his leg and kicked the door open.
It was already dark outside, but the interior of the warehouse was even darker, and from the darkness,
seven or eight black-clad brutes suddenly jumped out to surround Duke.
Duke was ready for them. He picked up a long stick and swung it hard, felling three of the eight brutes
in an instant.
He stepped on the head of one fallen brute, jumped up, brought the stick straight down, and knocked
out two more brutes.
Those eight men had been really confident and enthusiastic, but five of them had already been
neutralized. The remaining three moved back into the warehouse in fright.
Duke kicked one fallen brute aside and slowly pressed forward.
Suddenly, a light suddenly lit up from the deepest part of the warehouse.
One brute was crouching on the floor, a rope in his hands. The rope extended to the beam where a
sack hung from it, and inside the sack was a person.
“Let’s not fight just yet, Mr. Winters.” The brute grinned. “I know, even with our numbers, that we can’t
win against you, that’s why we decided not to fight. But if you dare hurt my friends any more than this,
I’ll burn this rope off! ”
Duke clenched his fists and coldly said, “How would I know that person in the sack is the one I’m here
for?”
“You’re free to doubt me.” The brute twirled a lighter in his hands. “When the rope breaks and the
person falls, you would then know if it’s Ms. Daugherty or not, right?”
Duke’s gaze turned sinisterly dark.
He would not bet on it! Never!
From such a height, even if she did not die, she would be crippled.
Moreover, the person in the sack had not made a sound yet, so he could not tell if the person was
knocked out or drugged.
“Everyone, attack!”
Even the ones who were beaten up just now struggled to their feet. Together, they surrounded Duke
once more.
The man who had taken the most damage charged over and kicked Duke’s leg.
Duke clenched his fists hard and did not retaliate.
“That’s more like it.” The man with the lighter chuckled. “Let my friends take their frustrations out on
you, and I’ll return the hostage to you!”
Eight brutes surrounded Duke and started wildly punching and kicking him.
Even Duke, who once stood in the middle of the warehouse like a pillar, was brought down by a kick to
his knees. His legs faltered and he fell to the ground.
One of the brutes picked up a nearby brick and swung it toward the back of Duke’s head.
In the warehouse office, Adina sat in a chair with her eyes fixed unwaveringly on a monitor screen, her
hands clenched in their sleeves.
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