Mistaken Match: Marrying the Enigmatic CEO
Chapter 2366; To Eastern Star Mountain Again
“Boss, are you talking about the Ghost Doctor?” Eve eyes flashed with hope. If Emmanuel was mentioning the Ghost Doctor, then there was still a chance for both the old general and Rhett.
She had complete faith in Emmanuel. As long as he hadn’t given up, she knew he would find a way.
“That’s right. Contact North Star Village. See if my master’s left.”
“Got it!” Eve immediately jumped into action.
After their assault on Eastern Star Mountain, they had set up a base at North Star Village. The area was well-guarded. Anyone leaving the mountain would have left a trace.
Moments later, she returned, her voice steady. “Boos, since we set up at North Star Village, no one’s come down. We haven’t sent anyone up either.”
“Alright.” Emmanuel nodded sharply.
Then, he added. “Get a helicopter ready. We need to reach Eastern Star Mountain as quickly as possible.”
“Understood, boss!” She wasted no time, rushing to make the necessary arrangements.
Even with a helicopter, it would take nearly a full day to get from Zovince to Eastern Star Mountain in Nuthana, no including preparation time.
Meanwhile, Gautier, still deep in his flight to Kassango, was suffocating in the oppressive heat and nauseating stench of cow dung.
He’s heard stories about Kassango, but nothing had prepared him for the harsh reality of it.
How could a place this filthy, this backward, even dare to consider itself a challenge to Chanaea? And yet, they constantly boasted online about being a superpower. It made his blood boil.
He had fled for his life, driving without any means of communication, no Kassango money, and no clue how to leave.
At this rate, he’d either end up a petty thief or a beggar on the streets.
Desperate, he used his martial skills to snatch a curry chicken. He was crouched, ready to devour his meager meal, when the unmistakable sounds of military boots encircled him.
“No way…” Gautier muttered, his expression one of utter disbelief.
Was Kassango really a superpower?
He had stolen a curry chicken, and now he was about to be arrested?
Weren’t these people supposed to be okay with stealing lizards?
“You’re Gautier, aren’t you?” The officer in front spoke fluent Darkanian, his accent sharp and unmistakable.
Gautier’s instincts kicked in, the subtle shift in the air setting his serves on edge. Yet, he masked his unease with a tight nod.
“Come with me. Someone important wants to see you.” Without waiting for a reply, the officer turned on his heel and began walking away.
Gautier’s thoughts raced. Who could this important person be? He hadn’t expected this, being led straight out to sea, abroad a warship.
He’d seen his share of chaos, but nothing had prepared him of the crushing weight of this ship. This cold steel, the looming shadows. The place felt like it could swallow him whole.
“Wait here.” The officer motioned for Gautier to stay on the deck and, without another word, vanished below deck with his men.
Alone, Gautier stood in the silence, his mind a whirl of suspicion. The last tie he had been in this kind of situation had been with Phineas, where things had been clear, an open offer, a proposal for collaboration.
But this? No explanation, no formalities.
Gautier knew the score. His power, once backed by Teddy’s armed forces, had crumbled. Now, he was nothing but a stray dog, stripped of everything.
In the eyes of those who wielded power, he had nothing left to offer.
Taking advantage of the stillness, he made his move. Quietly, he slipped toward a narrow room inside the ship, keeping low, making sure no one noticed.
Just as he approached the room, he froze. Though a crack in the door, he could hear voices in the corridor. A foreign voice, deep with frustration, cut though the air.
“Did the boos send you to search for that Chanaea guy?”
“That’s right. The boss plans to pick one of you for a job. But there are other candidates, too.”
“Screw it.” The foreigner’s voice was thick with anger. “Why am I competing with some washed-up loser? I am a high-ranking officer in Ashdon. If we’re talking war, I have the clear advantage.”
There was the sound of rustling paper, and then the foreigner slipped something into the officer’s hand, his tone lowering. “Tell your boss that the Chanaea guy’s gone missing. Can’t find him.”
The officer glanced at the note and pushed it back, claiming. “That’s not going to work. If I say that, the boss will think I’m failing him.”
“Kasango’s a huge place.” The foreigner snapped, his voice sharp. “It’s normal to lose track of a stray dog, right?”
He handed the officer another slip of paper, another bribe.
“Well, you get me after all!” The officer tucked the check into his pocket. His voice low and almost conspiratorial. “The man’s already on board the ship. What’s your call on this?”
“Man?” What man? You think anyone saw him?” The foreigner played it cool, feigning ignorance.
Gautier’s fists clenched. Fury bubbling beneath the surface. That Ashdon b*stard was trying to silence him.
He’d cheated death too many times under Chanaea war god’s command to fall to someone like him now.
The conversation wrapped up, and Gautier, teeth gritted, faded into the shadows. He pretended not to have overheard anything.
A moment later, two men approached, their dark skin betraying their Ashdon Nation origins.
“Come with us.” They spoke in Darkanian and turned without waiting for a reply, their intent clear.
“Where are we going?” Gautier asked, forcing a casual smile.
The men didn’t answer, only heading toward the ship’s deck, the salty sea air tangling with the tension.
“Where are we going?” Gautier asked again, feigning panic.
“To hell!” One of them turned, and before Gautier could blink, a silenced pistol was pointed at his face.
If Gautier hadn’t been ready, he would’ve been full of holes, but they were too slow.
With a quick, brutal move, his palms slammed into their arms, breaking bone with a sharp crack.
“Ah!” they cried out in pain.
The Ashdon officer heard the commotion and rushed to the scene, only to find his men hadn’t finished the job. Furious, he yelled, “I said, hell!”
He went for his weapon, but Gautier was faster.
Two shots rang out. The officer’s arm jerked back, blood spraying from the holes in his limbs.
“Ah!” The officer’s cry echoed through the ship. Gautier didn’t hesitate.
He dispatched the two thugs with brutal efficiency, then walked toward the office, his expression cold but twisted with dark amusement. The officer’s eyes widened in terror.
“What… What do you want?” the officer stammered, his back scaping against the deck as he scrambled away, leaving a trail of sweat and blood behind him.
“You tell me,” Gautier said, his voice steady as he stood over the officer, savoring the fear radiating from him.
“I… I was sent by Mr. Orunis.” The officer babbled, his voice cracking with desperation. “He wants me to deal with the Chanaean forces. You… You can’t kill me!”
Gautier’s smirk deepened, his mind racking. Mr. Orunis is here? In the Eastern region with the intention to take on Chanaea directly?
His amusement faded, replaced by cold fury.
Leaning in closer with a low growl, he retorted, “I can’t kill you? So, you think that means you can kill me?”
The officer’s face went ashen, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“No one can turn their backs on me!” Gautier snarled, his gun pressing firmly against the officer’s forehead.
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound echoed through the empty ship, each shot a brutal punctuation, and the officer’s screams dissolved into the cold, suffocating silence that followed.
The blood, the chaos, it was all that remained.