?Chapter 449:


    One of Earle’s subordinates, Neil Vollrath, stood silently behind him, head bowed.


    At Earle’s feet, Val Elcock knelt. His voice was barely above a whisper. “I failed, Mr. Miller. This was my mistake.”


    Earle lifted his gaze slightly, revealing razor-sharp eyes. A slow, wicked smile yed on his lips, the dim light catching in his irises, giving them a chilling, dangerous gleam. “Oh?” His voice was soft as he watched the frenzied crowd below. “You failed? How many went out this time?”


    Although Earle didn’t sound angry, Val still felt a shiver run down his spine. He lowered his head further. “Six. Four returned. Two were captured, but they took their own lives.”


    Earle hummed in acknowledgment.


    Val’s knees trembled, but he didn’t dare move.


    With a mocking smile, Earle changed the topic. “All of you were against the injured Lydia, and you still couldn’t kill her? Then why should I bother keeping you around?”


    Val swallowed hard before responding, “Mr. Miller, the mission didn’t fail because of that traitor but because of another woman.”


    Earle’s brows lifted slightly. Another woman? A pair of indifferent eyes immediately shed through his mind. Then, a delicate face followed, etched into his memory like a scar that refused to fade. Elena—Wesley’s woman.


    A flicker of intrigue sparked in Earle’s eyes. He had never encountered a woman daring enough to confront him. Elena was the first. She was quite bold. Earle’s voice carried a hint of excitement. “And what exactly did she do?” Val swallowed—


    Before answering, leaving nothing out, he described how Elena drew their fire, slipped through their pursuit, and wasted enough of their time to ruin the mission.


    Earle listened in silence, his interest growing with each word. Then, he let out a low chuckle. “Interesting.”


    Onstage, a burly man swung open the iron cage, yanking a girl forward as if she were nothing more than merchandise on disy.


    She wore nothing but a in white bra and panties, her smooth skin and delicate frame fully exposed to the hungry eyes of the crowd.


    Terror filled her gaze. Her body trembled, her face pale, and unshed tears clung to the corners of her eyes.


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    But her pitiful appearance didn’t stir an ounce of pity. If anything, it only fed the men’s depraved desires. She flinched, desperately trying to retreat, but there was no escape. The sale had already been made.


    The buyer wasted no time. He wrenched her legs apart, viting her in full view of the crowd.


    Not a single voice protested. The shouts only grew wilder, more frenzied. Inside the cage, the remaining girls cowered, horror twisting their faces as they watched the brutal scene unfold.


    However, one refused to ept her fate. Seizing the chaos, she crept toward the edge of the cage, slipping through the bars.


    The moment she set foot outside, a flicker of hope sparked in her eyes.


    However, a single gunshot suddenly rang through the room.


    The girl lifted her head in disbelief, her gaze locking onto the second floor as blood streamed from her forehead. Her face was a mix of terror, rage, and defiance.


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