Chapter 420 - 430: Stella Sterling was Captured?
Chapter 420: Chapter 430: Stella Sterling was Captured?
"I know, man, I’m not stupid. Hey, wait a minute—look over there. That woman... isn’t she the one we’re looking for?"
The skinny man had been nodding, but his gaze suddenly shot to the distance as he spoke uncertainly to his companion.
"How could it be her—"
The man with the scar on his face shook his head, figuring his partner was so desperate to find their target he was starting to hallucinate.
He was a different story. Sure, they had to accept the assignment, but once they were out here, how they handled it was entirely up to the two of them.
"I’m serious! Quick, pull out the sketch and let’s see!"
The skinny man was growing impatient. Hearing this, his partner immediately pulled out the sketch and looked into the distance again.
They locked eyes, a flash of delighted surprise in both their gazes, and started walking toward Stella Sterling.
"Hold it. Stop right there."
Stella Sterling obediently stopped at the command. Underneath her mask, she rolled her eyes. ’Took them long enough to finally spot me.’
She’d been lingering near them for a while, but the two of them had been so wrapped up in their own conversation they hadn’t noticed her at all.
"It’s definitely her."
Now that they were closer, the two men could see her clearly. It was her—the woman who killed Derek Walsh.
Even the mask she wore was identical to the one in the sketch.
"Can I help you two gentlemen?"
Stella Sterling looked at them with wide, innocent eyes, taking two wary steps back.
Her gaze, however, lingered on the scarred man’s face for a few moments, and a dark glint flashed in her eyes.
’What a small world for enemies.’
Stella Sterling vividly remembered her clash with this man from a few years ago. Back when he was fat, they had fought during a supply run, and she’d been thoroughly annoyed by him.
At the time, however, a hailstorm had torn through the building, forcing everyone to flee for their lives, which allowed the fat bastard to escape. She had kept an eye out for him whenever she scavenged in that area afterward.
But she never found him, and eventually, she put him out of her mind.
She never thought she’d see him again, especially after she’d all but forgotten about him. But now...
The greasy fatso from before had slimmed down to a normal size. If it weren’t for the distinctive scar on his face, Stella Sterling wouldn’t have recognized him at all.
’And he joined Sanctyr Base, of all places. What a coincidence!’
She felt like she and Sanctyr Base were bound by some twisted fate.
It seemed like everyone she’d ever held a grudge against ended up joining this base.
’Perfect. I can deal with them all at once!’
Stella Sterling’s gaze swept over his face for only a few seconds before she looked away, her expression betraying nothing.
She recognized him, but he clearly didn’t recognize her.
He exchanged a look with the skinny man beside him. Without another word, the two of them lunged at Stella Sterling.
Their plan was to capture her and drag her back immediately. If they could just get her back to the base, they wouldn’t have to suffer out here in the wastes any longer!
"Who are you—"
Stella Sterling dodged both of their attacks and began to fight them.
She put up a token resistance for a short while. When she decided it was long enough, she started to act as if she were losing.
The two men immediately seized the opportunity, pressing their advantage to take Stella Sterling down.
Stella Sterling now seemed to be on her last legs, her spirit willing but her flesh weak. Yet, with a look of desperate ferocity, she plunged her dagger deep into the scarred man’s chest.
The next moment, she collapsed to the ground in feigned exhaustion. The skinny man hurriedly tied Stella Sterling up.
He looked over at the scarred man. "Hey, man, you okay?"
Blood was pouring from the wound. The scarred man turned his head to look at his partner, then his body went rigid and toppled over. Just like that, he was dead.
The skinny man’s expression changed. He glared at Stella Sterling, furious, wanting nothing more than to kill her right then and there.
But his orders from above were clear: capture her alive so she could be tortured.
He didn’t dare kill her, so he swallowed his rage and hauled her into their vehicle.
Then he looked at the scarred man’s body and hauled it into the vehicle as well.
His gaze toward the body was complicated, a mix of emotions that included pity.
Stella Sterling lay on the back seat. She had already freed herself from the ropes with ease.
She was a little surprised to see him load the body into the car.
’I wouldn’t have pegged this unassuming guy as being so loyal. He’s actually taking his partner’s body back.’
But Stella Sterling soon realized she was mistaken. His actions had nothing to do with loyalty.
It was a requirement of Sanctyr Base: no corpse was to be left behind, not even those of their own members.
As they reached the outskirts of Sanctyr Base, the man shoved Stella Sterling forward. She watched as he called over two other base members and ordered them to take the scarred man’s body to some kind of "experiment area."
Recalling some of the rumors she’d heard about Sanctyr Base lately, it all clicked into place.
Even though she was the one who had killed him, she couldn’t help but cast a pitying glance at the man’s body.
"So you’re the woman who killed Derek Walsh?" Halfway there, Stella Sterling was stopped.
A man as fat as a pig stood before her, and at his side was a woman with a seductive figure.
The woman leaned against the man, her eyes misty with tears, and glared at Stella Sterling with pure hatred.
Stella Sterling put on an innocent expression. "Attorney Walsh? I don’t know anyone by that name. Why have you captured me?"
"You killed my brother, and you still won’t admit it? Plenty of people saw you do it!"
The seductive woman shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Stella Sterling.
The fat man quickly interjected, "There, there, darling, don’t be angry. We’ve caught her now. When the time comes, how we torture her will be entirely up to you."
Stella Sterling’s face remained impassive in the face of their vicious words. She was too busy sizing up Sanctyr Base.
Overall, the layout and facilities of Sanctyr Base were quite similar to Meridia Base; there was nothing particularly special about it.
The only difference was that large areas inside Meridia Base were used for growing crops, whereas Sanctyr Base was much emptier, though it did have numerous buildings that looked like laboratories.
Moreover, many people in hazmat suits were walking around the base.
When the pair turned back and saw Stella Sterling’s nonchalant expression, they both became enraged. "So arrogant! You won’t know fear until we teach you a lesson, is that it?"