The Psychotic Girl’s Revenge

“Why hasn’t the car arrived yet? Could they have changed their minds and decided not to execute her publicly because of the crowd?” Rey asked anxiously.

“Let’s just follow along and see.”

People remained on site, fiercely debating the situation. The voices of discussion and doubt grew louder, but unnoticed by most, more and more cars were leaving the scene, heading somewhere else.

—

Ten minutes earlier, Paige was sitting in a specially-made, all-black prisoner transport vehicle inside Gangnam Hall. The vehicle was nearly indestructible, with a tightly sealed interior. The area where she sat was flanked by iron bars, and the windows were sealed shut.

Uniformed personnel stood at attention in the front, armed and ready. Before leaving, Gangnam Hall had sent two women to help her wash up and change into clean clothes, ensuring she could retain a final semblance of dignity.

At that moment, Paige sat calmly, holding a small stuffed dolphin in her arms. The clinking sound of her handcuffs echoed faintly as she gently shook the dolphin’s paw, smiling softly. “Did you remember what I told you? You need to do it.”

She wanted the dolphin to take good care of Enrico.

“Aren’t you scared at all?” someone in the front turned back to ask, unable to comprehend how she could face death with such a calm demeanor.

“We all have to die eventually,” Paige replied quietly, as she stroked the dolphin’s head. Such a good little thing.

“Actually, both the President and Mr. Jaden asked me to see if you have any final wishes. If you do, they’ll do their best to fulfill them,” the person added.

Final wishes? There were a few. She hadn’t lived to see the day when the slum was rebuilt. She hadn’t found her biological parents to ask if what the Clarkes said was true-that she was abandoned. And…

She hadn’t properly said goodbye to Enrico. It always felt like she owed him something.

As Paige was deep in thought, the vehicle suddenly came to a stop. There was a long moment of stillness.

This kind of stillness was unusual. Even the little dolphin on her lap seemed to sense something was wrong and went quiet, curling up motionlessly in her arms.

Paige slowly raised her head, noticing that the people on the vehicle were extremely tense, sweat dripping down from under their helmets.

“Bang.”

A gunshot rang out from outside.

This was followed by the sound of a scuffle, though it didn’t sound like a large-scale fight. Even so, the vehicle remained stationary, not moving an inch.

Kevin? It couldn’t be him. If he had come from the border, he wouldn’t be alone, and there would have been more noise.

Peak Club? Those few people didn’t have enough power to act so impulsively.

Then…

As a possibility crossed her mind, Paige’s eyes widened in disbelief.

No, it couldn’t be.

“Miss Paige, please cooperate with us and return to Gangnam Hall,” one of the uniformed men said, realizing that something was wrong outside. He decisively grabbed Paige to pull her out of her seat.

Already weak, Paige nearly collapsed when she was pulled to her feet.

The small dolphin fell from her lap and began whimpering at the people around them.

Paige was lifted by two armed men, one on each side, and led out through the rear door of the vehicle. The back door was only about ten steps away from Gangnam Hall’s entrance.

The sounds of the scuffle continued behind them.

Paige turned back, but the fight was blocked by the stationary vehicles, leaving her unable to see anything.

“Move quickly!”

The two men beside her urged, rushing her to keep pace with them. Paige, forced to move faster, felt a sharp pain, her face going pale, and her eyes losing focus.

“Bang!”

Suddenly, a bullet flew over their heads, embedding itself in the upper part of Gangnam Hall.

“I dare anyone to take her out of my sight!”

A defiant voice suddenly pierced the silent air. The sunlight reflected off the stone path, and the tall, eerie trees on both sides stood still, with no wind in the air.

That voice…

Paige suddenly broke free from the two men holding her and turned around in disbelief.

Behind the towering black prisoner transport vehicle, a group of uniformed men with guns slowly retreated.

From the midst of shifting shadows, a tall figure emerged.

He was dressed in tattered clothes, yet stood proudly. His bloodied hands gripped a gun, and he defiantly advanced towards her, unafraid of the many guns pointed at him.

A gust of wind suddenly rose, swirling dust into the air.

Paige stood frozen, unable to believe what she was seeing as he walked towards her step by step. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.

His hair was disheveled, and what should have been a handsome face was now covered in scars. Blood-red wounds crisscrossed his face, his mouth full of blood. His fierce eyes, glowing red like they had been soaked in blood, stared ahead, seething with rage, as if he had just returned from hell.

Enrico…

Paige stared at him, her face devoid of any expression.

Her gaze moved from his scarred face downward, past his torn and tattered clothes, finally landing on his feet. He was wearing a pair of old, hole-riddled leather shoes-dirty and worn.

Enrico walked up to her, ignoring the guns aimed at him. He casually wiped some of the blood from his face, trying to clean up a bit. Then, standing before her, he raised an eyebrow and flashed a wicked smile.

“Paige.”

“I’m back.”

He said it with a smile, though his eyes were so red it looked as if they could shed bloody tears.

Paige stood there, staring at him, feeling something snap in her chest.

It hurt.

The pain made her realize how clear-headed she was. She finally understood that there was someone in this world who was terrified of her dying, of her leaving this world.

“Mr. Gustin.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The two men on either side of her finally realized that a highly significant figure had arrived. Now they understood why the gunfire had ceased after a single shot.

Who among them would dare to put a bullet in Enrico’s head?

“Mr. Gustin, how did you get here? Please put down your gun. You’re putting us in a difficult position,” one of the men said, his voice trembling.

Enrico stood there, a mocking smile on his face. “Difficult? No, it’s simple. Either you shoot me, or you let her go.”

With his blood-soaked hand, he raised his gun and tapped the muzzle against his own head, utterly defiant.

Paige, perceptive as always, noticed that his injuries weren’t fresh.

How did he manage to get back?

“Mr. Gustin, she’s already been sentenced to death. Why would you risk everything for a death row inmate?” The man on Paige’s left asked, his voice agitated. “The President and Mr. Jaden-”

Before he could finish, Enrico’s gun was pointed at him from a not-too-distant range. “Afraid to shoot, are you? Well, your lives mean nothing to me.”

The man turned pale, unable to utter another word.

Another person, who had been hiding behind the vehicle, saw that Enrico had his back turned. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward, trying to take Enrico down.

Though they didn’t dare shoot, they could still subdue him before the President arrived. Otherwise, if Paige were truly rescued, they would have to answer for it.

Paige, seeing the man leap out, her expression changed, and she shouted hoarsely, “Dolphin!”