Captivated by the Ruler of the Underworld
Chapter113 The Young Master's Call

"If I hear that kind of stupidity from you again, you might as well wait for someone to pick up your body," Fudge warned.

His subordinate blanched, quickly bowing his head in apology. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fudge. My vision was too narrow."

Without another word, Fudge stepped on the gas, steered his wheel, and headed into the forest.

Dozens of cars weaved through the trees, their passage punctuated by the occasional distress call of an animal on the brink of death, an unsettling symphony for the soul.

Despite the usually refreshing air of the forest, a nauseating stench of blood pervaded the scene, making me feel like I might lose my stomach.

Lela was worried sick, fearing that Big White might have fallen victim to a hunter's bullet.

Master Sylvester Gomez could sense Lela's apprehension and offered some reassurance. "Don't worry," he said, "your man promised to bring him back unscathed, and he's a man of his word." He was inwardly seething with annoyance, but he put on a front for the kid's sake, saying what he didn't believe.

To be honest, he thought, if that lion's gone, it's no skin off my back. But then again, if the cat was dead, the kid would be heartbroken.

And he wouldn't stand for any heartache for the little one on his watch.

Ah, what the heck, he thought, playing the good Samaritan wouldn't kill him.

"Mhm," Lela replied gloomily.

Behind them, Mildred Gomez's mouth dropped open in shock, her mind racing with incredulity.

What? When did Master Sylvester Gomez become Lela's man?

Holy smokes! That was fast.

And Lela, she's not even of age yet, still a Mutant for crying out loud.

Geez, the boss sure has... an intense taste.

Damn, this has got to be illegal, right?

Oblivious to Mildred's mental drama, the pair in front was focused solely on the task at hand.

Driving deeper into the woods, they came across multiple carcasses of fierce animals scattered on the ground, their heads missing, no doubt claimed by someone.

Then a woman's scream pierced the air from not too far away.

Lela looked up ahead and saw a tour vehicle with a busted tire. Next to it lay a black bear, clearly shot dead, its head grotesquely sliced in half.

A bodyguard-type lay on the ground motionless, his face pulped, obviously swatted by another bear's paw that hadn't yet been taken down.

Now, that bear was sprawled outside the vehicle, slamming massive paws against the side, its eyes filled with wild rage.

Its mate had been killed by humans.

The bear's strength was formidable; despite the dense metal barriers, it managed to shatter both window panes, revealing Flora Harrison's face stricken with terror. Obviously, inside the vehicle were Victor and Flora Harrison.

Flora covered her mouth with her hand, body trembling, tears splashing down her cheeks.

"We've... we've got a fatality," she stammered.

Victor, equally shaken by the scene, reacted swiftly, hoisting his shotgun and firing at the bear.

The blast at close range was a critical hit.

With a thunderous "bang," the male bear stumbled backward, swayed, and finally collapsed to the ground.

Victor holstered his gun and glared at Flora Harrison, muttering curses under his breath. "Stop your crying, you know women, always bawling their eyes out."

Flora stifled her sobs, having no other choice.

With that, Victor slammed on the gas pedal and veered off down an alternate road, leaving his own bodyguard behind without a second thought.

Mildred Gomez watched from a distance, muttering, "That's just cold-blooded."

Master Sylvester Gomez observed the scene without emotion, ready to drive off in search of the elusive White Lion.

Suddenly, a streak of white darted out from the forest, its senses tingling with the smell of human blood. Its deep blue eyes filled with a bloodthirsty ferocity, fueled by the memory of those heartless humans who had taken its young master. It was determined to sink its teeth into the despicable flesh of these culprits.

Just as it was about to pounce on the unconscious bodyguard lying on the ground, it heard a long-missed call from somewhere close by.

That was... the voice of its young master.

"Big White..."