Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
Then, Neil added, “We ask that Mr. Stuart and Mr. Ellsworth come into the village to talk to US alone. I know you both are concerned, and it’s normal for you to be. Mr. Stuart, please tell US what your condition is, and we’ll try our best to fulfill it if we can.” Then, he carefully looked at Silas. “Dad, what do you think?”
Silas didn’t want to make a scene. If these men destroyed the village, Dragos’ centuries-old legacy would end because of him, and it would be a great sin. Hence, he finally yielded. “Fine. What’s your condition?” “I can go into your village with you, but your daughter has to be kept as a hostage on our side until we reach a successful negotiation,” Xavier said simply. He was someone who always had a backup plan, and was not as trusting as Quinton.
“Excuse me?” Silas’ eyes widened in rage. The thought of Xavier keeping his beloved daughter as a hostage was both infuriating and humiliating.
Td rather not negotiate then. We’ll fight and see who wins.” Silas straightened and held his head high. He would rather sacrifice his clan’s dignity than his daughter’s safety.
“Dad, calm down!” Sabrina stopped Silas. “I think Mr. Stuart’s condition is acceptable. They trust me, and we should trust them too. You all just need to negotiate well. I don’t mind going to their side until the negotiation is over.” Then, she ignored Silas and walked towards Xavier, unbothered by the guns aimed at her. She said to Xavier calmly, “My life is in your hands. If my dad and clansmen break their word and try to harm you both, feel free to kill me.”
Surprised, Xavier gave Sabrina a thumbs-up. “I think you and your husband are the only normal people in your village.”
At that point, both parties ceased fire.
Xavier and Quinton chose to hike up the mountains to enter the village with Silas and his men while Elijah and Chase kept Sabrina as a hostage. Elijah and Chase looked at each other in dismay as they watched Xavier and the others leave.
“Do you think they’ll be reckless?” Elijah asked finally.
“It’s hard to say.” Chase shook his head. “People are unpredictable, and it’s hard to tell if they’ll sacrifice this woman for the sake of revenge.”
People could lose all rationality when it came to their beliefs. Dragos’ villagers believed in the dragon, and Halston had disrespected it. They definitely wouldn’t let him off the hook that easily.
Quinton and Xavier followed the large group of villagers and climbed up several slopes to reach Dragos, which was on the top of the mountains. The place of their negotiation was a flat ground at the entrance of the village, which stood at the top of a cliff. Both Quinton and Xavier had initially disliked each other, but now, they had become allies.
“Damn, these people really are cavemen! Be careful, I wouldn’t know how to explain it to Flossie if you fall and kill yourself.” Xavier grumbled as he pulled Quinton away from the edge of the cliff.
Quinton glared at Xavier and whispered, “I was just looking for escapes in case they go back on their word and attack US.” “I don’t think they’d dare to. After all, the village head’s daughter is in our hands!” “You forget that they don’t think like US, and I doubt they’d be merciful considering Halston has disrespected their God. They worship that dragon, so they might just sacrifice Silas’ daughter to take revenge.” “What should we do then? I wanted to fight them, but you insisted on negotiating with that old man…” Xavier whispered angrily. “Whatever. I have to rescue Halston even if it costs me my life.”
Quinton nodded. “Me too.” “Hey, what are you both whispering about?” Brody Armstrong, who was responsible for the security of the whole village, yelled at Quinton and Xavier.
Xavier immediately rolled up his sleeves and went over to Brody. “And just who do you think you are? Yes, I’m whispering, but what can you do about it?” “You’ve got a death wish, scum!” Brody waved his machete, wanting to slash Xavier. He hadn’t been afraid of Xavier’s army back then, and he wasn’t afraid of Xavier now. It would be easy to kill him.
“Stop, Brody! Step down!” Silas commanded, forcing the violent Brody to retreat.
“Come at me if you dare! How long do you want to act? I’m sick of it.” Xavier was getting tired of them starting and stopping fights as they liked.
“I asked you both to come here so we can reach a compromise. It’s best if we can resolve the issue peacefully.” Silas had calmed down, and pointed at the stone table and stools in front of him. “Do take a seat.” Then, he instructed the people behind him, “Get some desserts and drinks for them.”
The villagers were baffled. “Mr. Drago, they’re friends of the person who profaned our dragon. Why do we have to serve them?” “It’s fine. Since we invited them here, they’re our guests,” Silas explained calmly.
“Okay, Mr. Drago.” Although the villagers could not understand Silas, they unconditionally obeyed him.
“If it weren’t for you, I would have thought everyone here were cavemen!” Xavier casually sat on a stool, still looking like a rich CEO despite being in the wilderness.
Quinton looked around. He knew that they were being put on the spot, and fighting their way out would be courting death. Hence, he decided to see how things went. He said to Silas politely, “Mr. Drago, I’m sure you see our sincerity. We aren’t bad people, and neither is Halston. It was an urgent matter, and my sister was on the verge of death, which was why he violated your clan’s sacred laws.” “You don’t have to talk to me about your innocence. All those who came looking for the dragon’s saliva had an urgent matter, and wanted it either for wealth or health. I’ve seen many kinds of people at my age, and you both aren’t the most innocent ones,” Silas remarked casually as he sipped the tea served by his villager.
Quinton bowed his head as he thought about it. “Let’s cut to the chase then -what do we need to do so you’ll let him go?”
Silas remained quiet as he drank his tea.
“Old man, he’s asking you a question, so stop wasting time! When are you going to let him go?” Xavier smacked the table fiercely. “I’m sure you’re aware that we can destroy your village. He has to return with US today!” “Did I say you can’t take him away?” Silas said finally. “But you have to agree to my terms before I let him go.” “What is it? Say it!” Xavier demanded eagerly. He felt that things would go smoothly as long as they could negotiate.
“Dragos has never been peaceful from the day I was born. Although the dragon’s saliva is practically a myth, many people came here because of it. They used all kinds of means to get it, and Dragos would have been ruined if my dragon ancestor didn’t bless US…” Silas’ eyes glistened as he spoke, and even the fierce villagers bowed their heads sadly. It was obvious that the village had suffered many misfortunes, which was why they were so wary of strangers. “Fifty years ago, a group of robbers barged into my village. We risked our lives to fight them until only a little more than ten families were left. Then, we moved to a higher spot in the mountains. You saw many checkpoints on your way up because they used to be gathering points of the villagers…”
Quinton sighed. “Sir, I understand. I’d led a life of lying low and killing people back then.” In the past, Carmine Pawnshop had managed to gain a firm foothold at Water Dock because Quinton’s subordinates had sacrificed their lives for it. The villagers must have become ferocious after constantly seeing their clan on the verge of destruction.
“I thought you all were like those bad people who came for the dragon’s saliva, but it seems that I’m wrong…” Silas looked in the direction of the memorial chamber. “You all returned the cauldron with the dragon’s saliva, and it doesn’t look like you want to exterminate my clan, so… I can forgive you and let him go. However, my condition is that you all have to protect my clan for a hundred years, and stop wicked people from harming us!”
Finally, Silas revealed his request. Dragos was beyond the reach of society, and had survived on its own with its own clan laws away from the rest of the world. They never caused trouble to anyone… but that didn’t mean they could have peace. The dragon’s saliva was their clan treasure which blessed their land, but its rarity and value had brought them a lot of danger. Over the years, the number of greedy people that tried to attack the village had increased, each more scheming than the other. It was clear that the dragon’s saliva brought them more trouble than blessings, so the villagers of Dragos had to find something to protect them if they wanted to survive.
Silas had been worried sick about such things until he met Halston.
Although Halston was rude, he was different from the others who had come to the village. Silas could tell he was a refined person, and that had given Silas hope. On that day, the guards at the memorial chamber had caught Halston, tied him up, and left him in the hall at the head of the village. The villagers raged, wanting him to be punished for what he had done to their beloved dragon-they wanted to cook him over a fire to pacify the dragon’s wrath. Silas tried his best to dissuade them, and finally locked Halston up in a dark room beside the memorial chamber. He figured someone would come to Halston’s rescue given his status, and when that happened, he could negotiate with them. As expected, Quinton and Xavier had come over with their men right away, and they were more powerful than Silas imagined. The fact that they chose not to destroy the village to rescue Halston made Silas feel they could be trusted, and that perhaps they could have the power to protect Dragos and its villagers.
“My request might be a little unreasonable but… it’s the price you have to pay for taking the dragon’s saliva.” Silas had stopped being aggressive, and his old face looked desperate and hopeful. “If you agree, Dragos will live on fora very longtime.” “That’s it?” Xavier asked, looking perplexed. He thought they would ask for a lot of money, but their request was rather simple. He felt quite sympathetic for the people of Dragos after hearing their story, so he didn’t find the request unreasonable.
“If you say yes, we’ll need your thumbprint for confirmation. If not… we’ll risk our lives to fight you!”
The surrounding villagers immediately tensed up when Silas said that, and gripped their weapons tightly.
“There’s no need for that. This guy and I have men-they can stand guard at the foot of the mountains or at the head of the village to protect you all throughout the year as long as you let Halston go. It’s completely free of charge.” Xavier agreed quickly. It wasn’t tough for him to arrange such a thing.
“I don’t object either.” Quinton looked at Silas. Compared to Xavier’s casual attitude, he was more sincere. “I don’t have many men, but they’re bold and loyal. I believe they’ll do their best to protect Dragos as long as I tell them to.” “That’s great.” Silas sighed in relief.
Quinton added, “But my sister might need to use the dragon’s saliva given her condition; I hope you can agree to that.” “If you both sincerely protect Dragos, you’ll be considered our saviors. We might be a little rough around the edges, but we’re honest people. Yes, the dragon’s saliva is rare, and we get less than fifty milliliters of it every year, but we’re not so stingy to keep it when it can save our savior’s life,” Silas said straightforwardly.
Hence, the negotiation helped both parties reach a compromise, and they were no longer at odds with each other.
Silas fished out a contract, and both Quinton and Xavier put their thumbprints on it. It meant that they would cooperate to protect Dragos and help the ancient village thrive.
“Okay, we’ve agreed to your request. Can you let him go now?” Xavier asked impatiently as he wiped away the red ink on his thumb.
“Gentlemen, come with me.” Silas led Xavier and Quinton to the memorial chamber, the most sacred place in the village. Generally, only men of the village could enter it, and outsiders could not approach it, but an exception was made for Xavier and Quinton since Halston was locked up in the innermost part of the memorial chamber.
“Ugh… This place is so strange!” When Xavier entered the memorial chamber, he saw the large stalactite statues using the dim lamp Silas had given them, and marveled at the extraordinary craftsmanship of nature.
It amazed Quinton too. “I’ve seen a lot of rare things, but your village is magical. It’s no wonder so many people covet it.”
However, they were in no mood for sightseeing since they wanted to get to Halston urgently. After walking through some winding paths, Silas stopped in front of a dark room. He looked at them apologetically. “We locked him up in this room… I’m so sorry.” “What?! How dare you lock him up here? That’s…” Xavier clenched his fists, wanting to punch Silas, but held back when he remembered the contract.” Damn it!” He snarled, and kicked the door open. “Halston, we’re here to save you!”
To his surprise, the dark room was empty.
“What happened? Where is he?” Xavier looked around and found no sign of Halston. He turned to Silas and demanded, “Didn’t you say you locked him up here? Where is he? Were you trying to fool me?” “No, it can’t be. He must be here!” Silas entered the room and looked around, but he couldn’t find Halston either. His face went ashen, and he stammered, “No, it… it can’t be. I asked my men to lock him up here, and there are always guards around. There’s no way he can go missing!’’ “Drop the act! You’re a liar-you lied to US on purpose!” Xavier grabbed Silas by the collar. “Where is he? If you don’t tell me, I’ll kill you!” “I didn’t lie to you! It’s true.” Silas looked helpless.
Quinton looked around contemplatively. “Stop making things difficult for Silas-he didn’t lie. Halston is very smart, so he might have run away on his own.”
“He escaped?” Xavier was initially confused, but when he walked over to where Quinton was standing and looked up, he saw an air vent around seven meters above the ground in the dark room. It was about the size of a well, and though it was quite small, an agile person might be able to escape through it. Additionally, there were some footprints on the wall.
“Those look like Halston’s!” Xavier observed the footprints, realizing they were from a pair of hiking shoes Halston had worn before leaving home.
“He escaped from here?” Silas looked up at the narrow air vent incredulously. “No, it can’t be. This air vent is so small, and it’d be hard for someone to crawl out of it. Plus… it’s a straight cliff beyond this passage without anything to lean onto. If anyone tried escaping, they’d surely fall to their death!” “What… What did you say?” Xavier’s eyes grew wide, and he quickly crawled into the passage and punched open the iron grill on the air vent. Dim light entered the room, making it look more eerie. Xavier stuck his head out of the air vent, and was shocked to see the scene before him.
“No! It can’t be!” Bewildered, Xavier became unsteady and fell back down. He looked dazed as he kept muttering, “Halston wouldn’t leave from there. He’s not that dumb!”
Quinton frowned, then crawled out of the air vent and looked outside. It was just as Silas said-there was nothing except vast darkness and an endless cliff. The biting wind made him feel lonely, and he quickly went back down. Quinton had experienced many dangerous things, but this was terrifying. “Yes, you’re right.” If Halston did crawl out of that narrow passage, he might fall and die immediately. It was more likely that he used another method to escape.
“Ugh…” Silas knew that the situation was bad, and he rubbed his hands together, feeling ill at ease. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t expect that he would crawl out of here. We thought-” “Sorry?” Xavier’s eyes were wild as he rushed over and strangled Silas.” What’s the use of having laws if saying sorry could change things? If you’re sorry, crawl out of this hole and see what it feels like to die like that!” He couldn’t imagine what Halston had experienced, and was determined to seek revenge for him. He lifted Silas up by the collar and tried to stuff him into the passage.
Instantly, the guards rushed in to stop him, ready to fight. “What are you doing? Let Mr. Drago go!”
Quinton also tried to stop Xavier, and said seriously. “Let him go. It was an accident.” “You’re right-it’s an accident. So, it’ll also be an accident if I throw this rat out of the hole!” Xavier was so furious he couldn’t think straight. He was determined to make Silas pay with his life.
“We don’t know what happened, and there’s no point in fighting. We need to find him first!” Quinton sighed. “Nothing’s confirmed yet. I was supposed to die at sea back then, but I’m standing here in front of you, aren’t I?”
Xavier glared at him, but gradually calmed down. “You’re right, nobody knows what happened to him. He’s an amazing person, so I’m sure he’s fine!”