Veins bulged all over his face starting from his neck.
His face became pale as he started to choke due to being strangled by an invisible pair of hands.
Bubbles started to gush from his lips.
He threw his hands and feet all around.
He felt as if two pairs of pincers were holding his neck and no matter how much he tried, he wasn't able to get out of the grasp.
His left hand sneakily moved towards the bell which could ring and send a signal of the danger alerting others to look for him.
He thought that touching it would be the end of this person as no matter how strong this man was he couldn't go against the entire merchant group on his own, however, his sweet moment of hope was shattered...
BANG!
The small bell burst and flew back crashing onto the walls.
"Pretty tricks don't work on my bug."
His eyes widened as the entire room became dark suddenly leaving only two brightly flashing red lights before him.
He could see it.
He could feel it.
There was no doubt about it….
It was the looming figure of death sitting before him with a crooked evil smile while the scythe of death had been pressed against his neck which he had no way to shake away.
Out of desperation, he tried to plead with the person whom he had looked down upon.
"For...forgive me..."
"Please….Forgive me."
"I am sorry....."
Alex didn't kill him and just enjoyed the man begging for mercy.
The man started to squeak like a pig and his eyes burst into tears.
Gurgle...Gurgle.....
The man was about to lose consciousness and was about to get the ticket to hell.
THUD!
The man's body collapsed onto the floor with a bang.
Haaa.....Haaa...
As if he was smoking, he took in the air greedily to get rid of the suffocation but stopped as he felt the gaze of the man.
He was being looked down in disdain as if his worth doesn't even compare to a worm.
"You don't deserve pity," Alex muttered, taking out an insignia from his pocket and throwing it to him.
It was made with gold as a base with many precious gems decorated on it with the Lockheart's symbol.
Alex folded his legs and tapped on the armrest and spoke arrogantly.
"Five Minutes!"
"I want this thing to be seen by the chairman in five minutes. I don't care how you will do this."
"Will you take this personally or through your subordinate, I don't care. I just want this thing on the Chairman's table in five minutes?"
"Otherwise, you will die."
"And very horribly on top of that. When your soul leaves the body, it will shudder in fear after seeing the condition of the corpse.'
"Believe me, when I say I will kill you, it means no one in the world could save you."
His body shivered and he almost wet his pants in fear. All the hair on his body stood hair and tears trickled down from his eyes like a waterfall.
Alex's words rang like a death sentence into his ears and without wasting any time, he stood up and moved towards the insignia but stumbled due to his trembling legs.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked curiously.
"I am taking this to the Chairman." The man answered.
"Don't have servants. And do you think I'm easy to fool? You are going to take it yourself and escape. Do you think I am an idiot?"
"Ask your men to take this quickly and you have already wasted one minute of your time," Alex spoke much to the man's horror.
"I will do as you say." The man spoke with a shiver and called his attendant.
...
Joe who was outside the door was feeling quite weird and restless.
Inside the room, there was a meeting going on but oddly it was too silent. He wasn't able to hear a single noise from inside.
If only knew just what had transverse inside, he would have already fled out of the place.
No, he may even leave the whole city in fear.
TANG!
Joe's eyes narrowed as he heard the bell and immediately went inside.
The sight of Horn sitting with a stiff expression and drenched in sweat greeted him.
"Joe, please take this box to the chairman. Tell him it's a very important matter and we need his approval as soon as possible. So, ask him to open it quickly and give it approval."
"Go quickly and don't waste a single moment."
Joe noticed the pleading gaze from Horm and understood that something had gone wrong so he grabbed the box and ran outside hurriedly.
Joe entered the Chairman's suite and was stopped by the guards.
"This is Joe, the assistant of Sir Horn. We have an urgent matter that needs the Chairman's immediate approval."
"The Chairman is busy, so please go to the Vice Chairman." The guard spoke with a stern tone.
"I can't do that. This needs the Chairman's decision."
The guards looked at each other wondering what to do.
"Did you forget the important thing about Lockheart?"
"Learn to analyse the situation. We can't miss this golden opportunity that came due to the blessing. Are you going to take responsibility if this thing goes to another Merchant group and we lose our position?"
Joe's words made the guard's hearts waver as they would be severely implemented if it was something they needed to deal with.
Seeing their gaze, Joe pressed in further and made it sound as if they were going to miss a great opportunity.
Under his relentless pursuit, the guards finally gave in.
"I will go and inform the Chairman."
After a few moments, the guard appeared with a pale look and spoke.
"Joe, you can go but if the Chairman doesn't think the situation to be as urgent as you mentioned but you and Sir Horn are going to be fired."
Joe's hands holding the box trembled and he swallowed his saliva.
He could only believe in Harm's words now.
Joe entered and greeted the person.
"Chairman Zach, please take a look at the thing inside the box."
Joe muttered and put the box.
Zach didn't speak and just stared at Joe with a scrutinising gaze.
He took the box and opened it.
He was an old man in his 70s and had seen all kinds of things in the world to the point, he had become numb to the riches, however, his eyes widened as saucers as soon as saw the thing inside the box.
The golden light reflected from the insignia blinded him and startled him greatly.
"Where is the man who brought it?"He shouted and got up from his seat.
"Sir, he is meeting Horn."
"Lead me to him quickly."
"Sir...." Joey felt as if he had heard something wrong.
'Shouldn't he say lead him to me?'
"Fool, don't waste our precious time and lead me quickly."
Joe nodded and followed his words.
Zach entered Horm's office and his eyes fell on the person sitting on the other side who looked a bit different from what he knew.
Horm stood up and greeted him but was surprised to see Zach's reaction on seeing Alex while the latter wasn't even greeting him but glaring at him.
Zach felt that Alex seemed to be in an annoying mood and quickly kicked out Horm.
"Sir Alex, nice to meet you. I never imagined that I would meet you like this." Zach spoke with a polite tone.
Alex gave a brief nod and said"It's the same for me."
"Let's keep the pleasantries aside. I need your help. I wanted to talk to my wife so I need your communication channel."Alex spoke and gave a small brief about the situation.
" Sure why not? Take it."
"By the way make sure that bastard Horm doesn't get away."
"Okay."
Zach took out the mana communicator stone channel and placed it before Alex.
"Will it connect directly to Yvonne or her managers who were forwarding the channel to her?"
"It will lead directly to her," Zach replied.
Alex took it and called for Yvonne with great anticipation.
His heart felt uneasy wondering about Yvonne and others. After so many days he could finally talk and take a look at them.
He felt as if he was a thirsty man who had found the source of water in the vast desert.
However,
BUZZ...BUZZ...
The communication rang and kept on ringing until it stopped.
Silence.
An awkward silence along with heavy pressure lingered in the room.
Alex frowned and said, "Maybe she is busy, let's dial it again."
BUZZ…BUZZ.
After the fifth call, the call was finally picked up which lit Alex's expression but….
"Zach, I am busy right now. I will call you later."
With few words, the call was cut leaving Alex and Zach frozen like a statue.
Alex for the first time since his birth felt his dignity of being a man was trampled and it was done quite mercilessly on top of that.
