latelenovela Chapter 116 * Accountability
Chapter 116 * Accountability
After driving for a few minutes, Nicholas arrived at a riverbank, where Ricard's car was already waiting.
Bai Yexiu and Zuo Mu got into Ricard's car, while Nicholas simply pushed the motorcycle into the river and then got in as well.
…………
An agent rushed into the office with an investigation report: "Mr. Flander, we found the motorcycle they used to escape in the river. Also," the agent placed the report in front of the troubled Flander, "we just checked, and Ryuzawa Ryuya is the only son of the chairman of the White Night Group. He stayed in his villa in New York all day and didn't leave. There were no fingerprints on the scalpel we found at the scene. As for the bodyguard named Xiangyuan, we asked the security company, but unfortunately they said that no matter who you are, the company cannot disclose the information of bodyguards and their employers."
Flander listened intently to the report his subordinate read, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.
This time, they meticulously planned the arrest operation thanks to the inside help of their "insider" and the intelligence left behind by Jason, who was an undercover agent back then—also known as Jack Ross.
To their disappointment, they still have no way of knowing "Jun Du's" true identity, and "my wife" can't just send them a photo of Jun Du directly. They've missed this opportunity, and it will be much harder to capture him later.
They conducted a rigorous search at the airport, arranged for actors to block the road, and even detained unrelated passersby at the airport to create a closed section of the road for the arrest. However, they never expected that everything would be ruined by a mentally ill person who inexplicably escaped.
"What's the deal with that mentally ill patient from St. Belarus?" Flander asked angrily.
The agent flipped to the last report: "The man's name is Percy O'Dore, currently 24 years old. He was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia at 17, and at 18 he exhibited extreme aggression, committing multiple murders and assaults, and was sent to St. Siberia Mental Hospital. In the following years, Percy escaped multiple times and committed numerous assaults, becoming St. Siberia's most dangerous patient. He was under strict surveillance and treatment for many years, but strangely, Percy always managed to escape from the hospital, averaging twice a month, and this happened to be his first escape this month."
Flanders was clearly reluctant to accept this outcome, because if it was truly a coincidence, then their luck was simply terrible.
……
——Safe House——
The atmosphere in the living room was unusually strange and heavy.
Bai Yexiu's scrutinizing gaze swept over the three people in front of him, his expression somewhat gloomy.
His gaze fixed on Ricard, his tone icy: "How can you be in charge? I was only transferred for a short time, and you've already become this confused?"
Ricard immediately broke out in a cold sweat and bowed his head respectfully: "Sir, it was my dereliction of duty."
Although Ricard is usually fierce, as Bai Yexiu's former assistant in England, Ricard has always treated this powerful man, who is more than ten years younger than him, with utmost respect.
Similarly, because of Bai Yexiu's ruthlessness when he was in charge, the team members all had a subconscious fear of him.
Koganan was an exception, because shortly before Jack Ross died, Koganan joined the group as a powerful and promising new codename member, but less than half a month after joining, Bai Yexiu was transferred away.
But at this moment, Kognam's palms were also sweating.
Although he hadn't been under Bai Yexiu's supervision for long, he was now just like the two old members, Ricard and Nicholas, feeling oppressed by the boy's low-pressure aura and afraid to even breathe.
Bai Yexiu opened the "Base Explosion Incident Investigation Report" that Gin had sent him again and slowly read it aloud into his phone: "At 8 a.m. this morning, the base's transformer box malfunctioned and ignited a piece of waste paper in the corner. Ricard confessed that he believed there were no flammable materials around except for this piece of paper, so he could ignore it. However, the rat used this to spread the fire elsewhere, causing a fire in the base. Thus, the rat's first objective was achieved."
Bai Yexiu paused for a moment, then slowly looked at Ricard: "Ricard, should I say you have a weak sense of security, or... that you are the rat?"
Before he could finish speaking, Ricard broke out in a cold sweat, barely managing to stay upright by grabbing the table for support: "My lord! You know I've served you for over a year, and I've always been loyal to you. How could this be..."
Kognam looked at Ricard, who was usually decisive, serious and fierce, with some surprise, and now looked like an ordinary person who was afraid of death, humbly begging for mercy.
Nicholas was clearly unsurprised, after all, he had been under Bai Yexiu's command for over a year—Bai Yexiu always possessed a powerful aura that could suppress them completely, not to mention his methods of punishment.
The next second, a cold light flashed on Bai Yexiu's wrist, and Ricard knelt down with a thud—a scalpel had somehow been inserted into his thigh. Although it was only shallowly inserted, judging from Ricard's expression as he tried his best to endure the pain, it was clear that this cut was not simple.
Bai Yexiu was extremely skilled in using knives; he had a technique for throwing out a scalpel strapped to his wrist to cause excruciating pain.
The force should not be too great, nor should it damage the tendons and bones. The wound should be like an ordinary scratch, yet it can cause unbearable pain for a short period of time.
Nicholas silently helped Ricard up and pulled him aside—he could feel Ricard trembling with pain, so he bent down and carefully pulled out the scalpel stuck in Ricard's thigh, gently placing it on the table.
Almost everyone in the group except for Koganam had experienced the pain that Bai Yexiu had inflicted. Nicholas didn't want to recall the strange, excruciating pain he had felt at that time.
Lord Cointreau is really angry this time.
Nicholas, who was very sensitive to changes in other people's emotions, lowered his head even further.
Bai Yexiu said slowly, "This knife is a reward I gave you. In addition, the organization said it would investigate and punish you severely. Since that's the case, you have to have half a year's salary deducted because of your negligence. You have no objections, right?"
No one dared to object; deducting wages was considered lenient.
If Ricard had made such a direct and serious oversight, he would most likely have been killed on the spot by Gin, or at least tortured by being shot several times.
Ricard and Nicholas remained silent, and Kognam also kept his mouth shut and dared not move.
The kitchen sliding door suddenly opened, and Saki finally finished cutting the fruit and came out with a fruit platter. Seeing the heavy and serious atmosphere in the living room, Saki silently handed the fruit platter to Bai Yexiu and stood aside with his head down.
“Silence means no objection. Now, let’s deal with the second matter.” Bai Yexiu picked up a piece of apple with his fork and looked at Koganan with a deep gaze: “I heard you’re not very obedient.”
“I just…” Kognam was about to look up and explain when he saw a giant fork in front of him.
Both Ricard and Nicholas saw Bai Yeshu throw the fork in his hand toward Kognam's face, just like he would throw a scalpel.
"!"
The fork landed firmly on the wooden wall behind Kognan.
Kognam stood there, stunned.
There was a straight cut on his right cheek below his right eye and on his right ear, and it was already bleeding.
“The last thing the organization needs is disobedient people. I know you were unhappy when I promoted Ricard, but that’s the fact. Ricard is a level above you. If there’s a next time, this fork will be aimed at your eyes.”
Bai Yexiu's words hit the nail on the head.
“Perhaps your reason for always arguing with Ricard is that you don’t respect his position as person in charge, but there’s another possibility, and I need to ask you,” Bai Yexiu’s eyes showed a hint of suspicion and mockery: “Are you doing this on purpose?”
The living room fell silent once again.
Saki, being sensible, went back to the kitchen and got another fork, handing it to Bai Yexiu.
"Intentionally? Why would I intentionally do something like this? I don't benefit from a bad atmosphere in the group either. I'm just really resentful of Ricard..."
Koganam wanted to continue, but Bai Yeshu waved his hand, seemingly not wanting to listen any further.
Ricard and Nicholas, seeing this gesture, wisely left the safe house, but Kognam was clearly at a loss. Seeing the other two leave, he followed them out.