392: 7.82 Get Your Revenge

7.82 Get Your Revenge

Ezra had been treated very well for a traitor who almost caused Moshe's death. For starters, he wasn't put in the basement. Instead, he was locked in one of the empty rooms inside the basecamp, one that had the full view of the mountain from the west. It would be especially breathtaking especially when the sun settled into the horizon in the evening. It wasn't exaggerating to say that he was really treated like an esteemed guest.1

Ezra had been prepared for his own brutal death ever since his plan was foiled. That's why, he was utterly bewildered when Moshe's men escorted him here. Not only that, they had even given him a portion of dinner equal to everyone else! At first, Ezra had thought he would get an excruciating death due to poison and had even anticipated the pain coming. Alas, all he got was a warm and full tummy! 

He was confused, enraged and desperate, all kinds of negative emotions mixing into one and turning him into a ball of tense nerves. Exactly what did Moshe want? How long was he going to prolong Ezra's suffering?!

The night was deep when Ezra heard a faint commotion coming from the yard. Unable to sleep, he went to the window but his room was situated in the back of the building. He could see nothing but the dark forest, cloudy sky and the quiet pitter patter of rain that was falling gently onto the windowsill.

Sighing, he was prepared for a sleepless night when a series of knocks shattered the tranquility inside the room. He flinched in shock, nearly tripping over his own feet. His eyes subconsciously darted around in panic as he tried to find any weapon to defend himself but then when he recalled the situation he was in, he abruptly froze. A bitter smile curled upon his lips. 

What are you trying to do, Ezra…? Look at the situation you are in right now. What is the point of protecting yourself when the only way forward is death?

"Come out," a man's gruff voice drifted beyond the door. "Boss has summoned you."

Ezra clutched his chest, feeling the tremor of his thundering heart inside. Finally… He took a deep breath and opened the door. "Lead the way." 

Even though he had been working under Moshe for almost a decade, Ezra seldom came to the basecamp. His job mostly revolved around guarding Moshe's mansion or on any special occasions, going on patrol around the warehouses or cargo ships. 

The last time he came here was two years ago, to send over a traitor who had been caught red-handed trying to sell inside information to The Void's enemy. He watched inside the car as the traitor was dragged inside the building, screaming and struggling. Even hours later, their pained scream reverberated through the air, it sent goosebumps throughout Ezra's body.

That would be my fate someday, he'd thought back then. 

And finally that 'someday' had become 'today'. 

Ezra followed behind the guard's steps as they walked through the hallway, the ground sloping further as they went. The basement, Ezra guessed, the place where they dumped the people who had offended their Boss, to be tortured and played with all they wanted. 

Acrid bile rose in his throat and along with it was unwillingness and grievances that exploded like a can of soda that had been shaken too long. Ezra clenched his fists so tight that his nails dug into his flesh. The image of the cold mortuary, his daughter's pale, lifeless face and his wife's despair flitted through his mind like a fast forwarded movie.

"Why?!" She'd screamed her voice hoarse, but her grief was tangible, bursting out of her skinny, trembling figure in waves and striking into Ezra's gut so hard that it knocked the air out of his lungs. "Why did our daughter have to die like this? Why can't those bad guys be punished?! Is it because we are commoners? Do our lives not matter because we aren't rich? Tell me, husband. You're working for that bastard, aren't you? Tell me...!!!"

He had failed to be a good father and husband. The only reason he was still breathing up until today was to exact his revenge… So how could he admit defeat just like this? Could he face his wife and daughter if he were to die today?

He had gone so far. Just one more step… Just one more step and…

"Boss!" The guard knocked on the large wooden door. "I have brought him here!" 

When the door swung open and he saw Moshe standing inside, it was as if all of the grief, bitterness and heartbreak that accumulated for years burst out at once. With a movement so fast that it surprised even himself, he snatched the gun strapped to the guard's waist and pointed it toward Moshe, his hands shaking violently and tears streaming down his face. "DIE—!!!"

Bang!

In that split second, a dark shadow pounced on him from the side and knocked the gun out of his hand, the bullet strayed and embedded itself into the ceiling. Ezra did not even have the chance to take a breath before he was slammed face down to the ground and his hands twisted behind his back. A pained scream echoed out of his mouth as his shoulder issued a terrifying crack. It hurt! It hurt so much!

"Lu Yizhou!" 

"Aiden!"

The scene turned chaotic in a split second. Pain shuddered through every fibre of Ezra's body as the grip on his arm intensified. From the corner of his blurry eyes, he caught sight of a pair of furious silver eyes, bloodshot and filled with murderous air. "I'm going to kill you…" the man's low growl seemed to scrape out of his throat, so hoarse and malicious as if forced out of the deepest recess of Hell. "How dare you point the gun at him!"

Beads of sweat rolled down Ezra's face and all of his senses converged on the numbing sensation along his arms. Pain pain pain, warning bells wailed in his mind, so much pain! 

Ezra's nerves had been strung high for hours as though he was a thin thread that was barely holding on together. The emotional outburst, the failure of his last assassination attempt, the excruciating pain, both on his body and heart… all of them had become the last straw that broke the camel's back. This man, who had withstood the heaviness of grief for almost a decade, finally broke down in utter despair.

"Why?!" He choked out the words through the blood that was oozing out of his mouth, tears spilling forth his eyes uncontrollably. "Why are you protecting him?! He is a devil's spawn, a vile black hearted bastard! All he thinks about is his reputation and wealth! So what if you're going to kill me? I will die and turn into a vengeful ghost! I will curse you—aahhh!!!" The terrifying crack of bones resounded through the air as one of his fingers was forcibly twisted back.

"Say one more word…" Lu Yizhou growled threateningly as he switched to grab another finger.

"Lu Yizhou." That one word pierced through the dark fog inside Lu Yizhou's mind that was chanting kill, kill, kill, yanking him to his senses. 

"Lu Yizhou, this is an order." Moshe said in a quiet but determined voice. "Let him go and step back." 

Lu Yizhou snapped his head up with his lips pulled back into a snarl. But as soon as his bloodshot eyes clashed into steadfast and resolute golden ones, the crimson haze covering his mind abruptly receded like a tide. Just like that… he let Ezra go, stood up and walked into Moshe's waiting arms. The thick murderous air that shrouded him dispersed without a trace, leaving nothing but a tall man who desperately tried to make himself seem smaller.

"En," Moshe patted his head in satisfaction. "Good boy. You have done very well."

The guards: "..." Wow, Boss is such an excellent beast tamer.

As soon as Lu Yizhou let go, two guards took over his place and dragged Ezra up by arms. The man's face alternated between white and red, furious and aggrieved in equal measure. "Bastard!" He spat out vehemently. "If you want to kill me, then just kill me! What are you waiting for?!

Moshe firmly kept Lu Yizhou behind him in case he snapped again and faced Ezra calmly. "You're wrong. In fact, I don't have any intention to kill you, Ezra."

Ezra sneered. "Bullshit! Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Moshe shrugged as if he couldn't care less. He stepped aside and gestured to the general direction of the inner cell. "I have brought someone to see you. Say hi!" Moshe beamed brightly. "Isn't this a long awaited reunion?" 

It was at that moment that Ezra realized there weren't only Moshe and his men inside the basement. There was someone else chained inside the cell in front of him, a bloody and very still figure that if it wasn't for his weakly undulating chest, Ezra would have thought that it was a corpse. 

A guard walked inside the cell and splashed a bucket of cold water on the man, jerking him awake. Ezra's pupils dilated as soon as he saw the man's face clearly for the first time. The entire world faded away except for his thundering heartbeats and the bubbling shimmer of his blood that thirsted for revenge.

He had been desperately searching for that man… except before Ezra could find him, he had disappeared without a trace. Ezra had thought that he wouldn't be able to find him anymore because the higher-ups were shielding him to prevent the scandal from going out. Never had he expected… at the time when all hope had been lost, he would once again face the very man who had killed his daughter!

"CRUZ!!!" The heartrending howl escaped Ezra's throat, years of hatred and animosity coming to life. If it wasn't for the men holding him, he would have lunged straight toward that bastard! Ezra couldn't help but laugh, high and maniacal. "Finally! We met at long last!"

Moshe gestured for his men to let go. Ezra stumbled to the ground, yet all pain was forgotten in the face of his lifelong enemy. He was like a hound that had locked in on his prey, ravenous eyes itching to skin the other whole. 

The men began to walk out of the room, Moshe and Lu Yizhou followed at the very end. 

Moshe's voice drifted to his ears akin to the hammer that finally broke the last chain of his restraint. "He is all yours. Go and get your revenge, Ezra."

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A/N: Today's bonus chapters are dedicated to ArcaneMag. Thank you for the magic castle <3

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