Joe’s heart started to hammer against his ribs in a frantic panic, but oddly enough, his body didn’t feel nearly as bad as his mind did. As the seconds ticked by, he realized with a start that his physical form was already beginning to recover from nearly everything he had been doing. The exhaustion that should have been weighing down his limbs was receding, replaced by a strange, buzzing vitality.
It truly felt like he might be able to just keep on fighting forever, his stamina replenishing as quickly as he could spend it. Because of this newfound resilience, the sound of Wolf announcing they were heading to even more venues didn’t scare him as much as it would have an hour ago. He wasn’t just surviving; he was adapting.
Besides, they had already planned for this. In the first stage of their operation, they had already sent specialized strike teams out to the three biggest venues the Black Hound members held. Those were the fortified locations, the ones with the most guards. By comparison, all of the other minor venues should be a lot easier to take on, especially with the confusion currently ripping through the Black Hounds’ communication lines.
The group stepped into the transport elevator, the doors sliding shut with a soft hiss. There was still no one there to stop them; the confusion upstairs had clearly paralyzed the hotel’s security. As soon as the elevator reached the bottom floor, the doors retracted, and the group rushed out into the cool night air of the service alley.
Waiting for them right there were several large, blacked-out vehicles. These were heavy-duty SUVs, each modified to sit eight people comfortably and designed for high-speed extractions.
The group split up, filing into the three cars with military efficiency. Wolf didn’t waste any time; he quickly shoved Vivian into the backseat of the lead car. Chad, Joe, and Sandra all piled in after her, and before the doors were even fully latched, the vehicle was already on the move, tires screeching against the pavement as they pulled out into the city traffic.
"I can’t believe it!" Chad said, letting out a jagged laugh as he looked out the rear window. "After all that... after all the mess in that ballroom... we actually made it out. And look at the situation we’re in now—we actually have this damned bitch with us as a prize!"
Chad stared at Vivian, his expression hardening. He still remembered all too well the sheer amount of pain and humiliation she had inflicted on him in the past. Before he had started working for the Rejected Corps, she had been a constant shadow in his life, always chasing him for money he didn’t have, using her thugs to send "reminders." Even after he found steady work, the trouble with her never truly stopped. Seeing her bound and powerless was a catharsis he hadn’t expected.
"You’re all so smug," Vivian said, her voice dripping with venom despite her situation. She leaned back against the leather seat, trying to regain some semblance of her usual dignity. "I do wonder, though, what group would be brave enough to do all of this. To attack the Hounds so openly... and to take in a stray, useless man like you, Chad. You’re playing a dangerous game."
"Shut it," Joe snapped from the seat next to her. "This ’stupid stray’ is the reason why we were able to get your attention in the first place. He’s the one who gave us the opening to get things from you. And soon enough, if we take down the whole of the Black Hounds tonight, there is a good chance that you’re going to end up as a stray as well. Let’s see how you like the gutter."
Wolf had already placed his knife away, tucking it into a concealed sheath. There was a simple reason for this: he didn’t need it anymore. He was confident enough in his own skills, and the skills of everyone else in the convoy, to take her out with no trouble if she tried anything. The physical threat of the blade had served its purpose.
Now, he just needed the threat to radiate outward to all the Black Hound members who might be watching or thinking about staging a rescue.
"I need information, Vivian," Wolf said, turning his head slightly to look at her. "I want to know exactly how these events work. I want the details on how the finances are set up, who is truly in charge of the ledgers, and to what extent we can transfer the funds directly into our own accounts."
He let the words sink in before continuing.
"You’re a smart woman, so I hope I don’t have to explain every single time what I will do to you if you don’t comply. I’d rather not be barbaric if I don’t have to be. So, instead of a stick, I’m going to give you a carrot. If you help us as much as possible with all of this—if you make this profitable—when this is over, I will try my best to convince a certain someone that there is a place for you in our group."
Vivian paused, her eyes flickering as she weighed her options. She was a survivor first and foremost, and she could tell that the wind was shifting. The Black Hounds were bleeding, and Wolf’s group was ascending. Eventually, she decided to speak up, her tone shifting to something more professional and cold.
"Each venue has a host; I’m sure you are aware of that," Vivian explained. "Usually, they are the highest-ranked person within the Black Hounds present at that specific site. They are essentially the governors of the event. The host is in charge of a limited number of liquid funds for payouts and overhead.
"When the day ends, that is when the funds are distributed to the winners and the house cut is collected. As you may be aware, however, more funds are always collected than distributed, no matter the cost of the event. The house always wins. If you head to these venues now, before the final tallies are sent to the central office, and force the hands of the hosts, they will be able to reroute the digital transfer. They can send the money wherever you need it to go."
Wolf smiled, a sharp, predatory look. He had gotten exactly the answer he had been looking for. He didn’t just want to destroy the Hounds; he wanted to harvest them.
The car slowed down and soon pulled up just outside a standalone cinema on the outskirts of the district. It was an old building, its marquee dark and its doors closed for the day. To any normal passerby, it looked shut down, but the sheer number of expensive cars parked in the side lot told a different story. It was being used as a high-stakes venue for a secret fight.
"Vivian, you’re coming with us," Wolf said as he stepped out of the car and pulled her after him. "You’re going to watch the downfall and the total bankruptcy of your entire organization. And remember: each penny you give to us makes our group all the more stronger."
There was a specific reason Wolf was being so aggressive with this financial takeover. After the trouble they had encountered at their own venue, he was slightly worried. He was a man who calculated risks, and he couldn’t help but wonder about the variables.
What if they struggled at the other venues? What if this entire night was somehow a coordinated trap designed to lure out Max?
If that was the case, if they were heading into a storm, then Wolf needed to make Max as strong as possible, as quickly as possible. Knowing the nature of Max’s ’Vow,’ Wolf knew that building up the group’s wealth would allow his leader to tap into greater power. Wealth wasn’t just money for them; it was fuel for their growth.
More than anything, what Wolf needed to do was make sure that his connection to the boss remained safe and that the group’s foundation was unshakable.
"This is actually getting fun," Wolf said, his eyes bright with a manic energy as they approached the cinema entrance. "And I think I’m going to be able to buy all of the Gachas I want in all of my games after all of this is done!"
With a grin, he led the charge, rushing into the cinema with the others to dismantle the next piece of the Black Hound empire.
****
[End of Chapter]
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