At that moment, Flora's wandering gaze fell on the back seat of a car: "Why is there a little girl here?" It was a very adorable girl.
One of Matthew's men scratched his head: "When we found Daniel, he was in bed with a woman. This girl is her daughter. We thought the girl was Daniel's illegitimate child, so we brought her along." He sighed: "We brought her here only to find out she wasn't. We're rather at a loss."
Matthew smiled at Flora: "Once we sort this out, I'll arrange for someone to take her home."
The cave's entrance was hard to locate, dark and just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
But the deeper one ventured, the more spacious it became, as if leading to a path.
Matthew explained as they walked: "The location of this tomb is what's represented in the map you gave Ethelbert. It's the treasure that people yearn for, and are willing to pay any price to attain."
"A treasure?" Flora widened her eyes in surprise at his sudden mention of a treasure.
"Yes, a priceless treasure." Matthew nodded: "Do you want it?"
Flora shook her head: "I just want to save my son, I don't care about anything else." She didn't covet material wealth or fame, she simply desired a peaceful life with her family.
"You're not the least bit curious about what's inside?" Matthew gripped her hand a little tighter.
She blinked at him: "You know what's in there, don't you?"
Matthew nodded: "Correct." Moreover, he wasn't the only one: "Actually, my brothers are also well-aware of the treasure here. In fact... for many years, we have been guarding it."
Flora was puzzled by the convoluted circumstances, so she asked the obvious: "So why didn't you take it?"
"Ha ha..." Matthew laughed: "I knew you'd ask that. We didn't take it because its value can only be unlocked in the hands of the right person. If the person is not right, having the treasure is futile and worthless. To me, it's a gem that can be seen but not utilized." Hence, he decisively left the treasure to await its rightful owner.
"You've succeeded in piquing my curiosity." Flora held the hand of the man beside her, smiling: "What exactly is this mysterious treasure?"
"It's a dragon's bone."
Matthew's response startled her: "A dragon's bone? Isn't that something that only exists in legends?"
"Of course not." Matthew's eyes were deep pools of mystery: "It is said that once a defeated emperor had slain his divine dragon in this very place. The treasure that this ancient tomb protects, is the skeletal remains of that dragon." He sighed: "Daniel most likely wants it to sell it abroad."
They ventured further and the sight before them became more staggering.
A grand hall, entirely hewn from stone, illuminated by natural light filtering down from an unknown source high above.
This was the heart of the ancient tomb.
Selena, Winky, and both the hostages were already waiting there.
The moment Flora caught sight of her son, tightly bound and kneeling in a corner, she almost instinctively rushed towards him, only to be restrained by Matthew.
"Calm yourself!" He whispered.
Selena's face was pale as wax, her life force seemingly drained, as she fixed Flora with a piercing stare: "Don't panic." Her expression and tone sent chills down the spines of those around her.
"Daughter, quickly save your father!" Daniel implored upon seeing his child, and when she showed no inclination to heed him, he pleaded with Winky: "Winky, save me!"
"You all are afraid that I might pull some tricks, aren't you?" She looked at each familiar and unfamiliar face in front of her and eventually set her gaze on Matthew: "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't, because you know this place the best. The simple reason I chose to negotiate here is because I had nowhere else to go." She spoke nonchalantly.
"Enough with the chit-chat, Daniel is here, release the hostage!" Matthew was not interested in her banter.
But she shook her head: "You brought too many people. If I release your son, you'll kill me and Winky instantly, am I wrong?" The matter was a matter of life and death, but she seemed indifferent, almost uncaring: "Now, you order all your people out. If not... we all die, your choice." She raised a remote with a single button.
Everyone present recognized it for what it was - a detonator.
Indeed, Selena did not come unprepared for the negotiations.
She had already steeled herself for the worst.
Daniel was the only one who reacted.
"Don't pull any tricks! You won't escape!" He screamed, his voice trembling.
Matthew signaled the others to exit first, taking it upon himself to guard Daniel.
Once they had retreated, he asked Selena: "Is everything going according to your plan, are you satisfied?" He scanned the central area of the ancient tomb, then turned back to her: "I find it curious, the entrance to the tomb was meticulously concealed, how did you find it?"
"A map." Selena crossed her arms, scoffing: "Your dear one gave it to Ethelbert himself, don't tell me you've forgotten?"
Of course, Matthew wasn't easily fooled, shaking his head: "You're lying. If you knew the exact location, you could have easily found it. But you couldn't have done so with just Ethelbert's map. So tell me, who revealed it to you?" It was certain someone had spilled the secret.
Selena immediately understood his doubts and chuckled triumphantly: "So now you suspect there's a mole by your side? Too bad, it's too late. Your arrogance and self-belief led you here today!"
"Seems you were indeed prepared."
It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Matthew showed no signs of fear.
The negotiations went smoothly and Selena pulled no tricks.
Both Flora and Matthew were a bit apprehensive, the smoother the process, the more it felt like something was hiding in the background.
Fortunately, Charlie was handed over to them.
The boy's tight-shut eyes, the rhythm of his breathing over his chest, indicated that life still clung to his body.
Matthew knew his son had just fainted, so he wasn't overly worried.
"Matthew is very cunning, why did you let his son go?" Daniel furrowed his brow, immediately chiding his daughter.
Selena snorted, smirking: "Aren't you dangerous too?"
Matthew had no intention of lingering here any longer, a growing sense of foreboding making him uneasy: "We should leave... Would you like to come with us?"
His question was directed at another person, also tied up - Layla Gary, who had once been a good friend to Flora.
It seemed as if Selena had forgotten about the presence of this "second hostage", her attention drifted after her father was unbound.
Layla lifted her head slowly, watching the two adults and a child about to exit, she hesitated and then shook her head: "It's futile..." Her dull eyes and monotone voice made her words even more horrifying: "You can't escape..."
"Clap, clap, clap..." The sudden sound of applause echoed in the tomb, pulling the attention of all present.
In an unexpected flourish, a throng of individuals emerged from behind the stone wall. At the forefront stood a tall, thin man with hair that seemed to sweep the ground: "Matthew, the CEO of S.E.I Corporation, right? It's been a while, do you still remember me? And oh, isn't this your cute little secretary? Still as pretty as ever, I wonder if she's still as 'sweet'?"
"Enough prattling.
Did you destroy the exit?" Selena cut him off with an icy edge to her words.
Nonplussed by her interruption, the man flashed a fawning grin: "Of course, I have obeyed the young mistress White's orders. I couldn't have possibly ignored them."
"He is..." Flora furrowed her brows, turning her gaze towards the man standing beside her, her eyes filled with bewilderment.
She remembered meeting this man before, but who he was exactly escaped her at that moment.
"Macario?"
Upon hearing his name from Matthew, Macario let out a hearty laugh: "I never thought that a man of your stature would remember me! Should I be honored, I wonder?" He produced a gun from his pocket, examining it: "My father died at your hands, and my foolish little brother was too soft-hearted... So, I must take it upon myself to settle our scores, old and new."
Suddenly, Flora recognized him. This man was Ethelbert's real brother.
Between him and Matthew was a vendetta-a blood feud.
Who would've thought that he and Selena would conspire to seek revenge?
Selena seemed immensely satisfied, she tapped her cup lightly: "Surprised, aren't you? Today, you will die here... In a horrific manner."
"Macario, I genuinely regret sparing your life.
Had I known you'd be so eager for death, I would've sent you on your way long ago.
But rest assured, today I won't show any mercy." Matthew ignored the madwoman in front of him, focusing his gaze on Macario.
Macario squinted: "Aren't you a bit too confident for your own good?"
"Bang!"
Matthew moved with lightning speed.
In a few quick movements, he disarmed an opponent, taking his weapon.
Having spent years surviving in the cutthroat world of mercenaries, his close-quarters combat skills were unquestionable.
Everyone was taken aback by his swift counterattack.
Upon seizing the gun, he didn't retreat but turned his attention to Macario.
He swiftly twisted Macario's wrist, then with a swift kick sent the gun flying towards Flora.
"Enough with the futile attempts!" Selena chimed in casually: "Today, none of us will be able to leave this place.
I've planted timed bombs all around this tomb, which will detonate in ten minutes.
As for the exit... I've already destroyed it." Having decided to die herself, she intended to take everyone else down with her.
Macario, now under Matthew's control, glared at her: "Why... you said..." She had told him there was another exit, which was why he had agreed to destroy the first one.
He just wanted revenge on Matthew, not to die.