Chapter 6 Wipe Them Out

As bullets struck the car, making sharp pinging sounds, Echo's heart was in her throat. She gripped the steering wheel, accelerating to the max, forcing the luxury Cadillac to drive like her old Ferrari, darting out of the crossfire zone down the narrow streets.

"What are you panicking for?" Ryan's cold voice cut through the chaos, devoid of any hint of fear or anxiety.

In her rush, Echo glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that Ryan didn't show the slightest hint of emotion. He was leaning back against the seat, his cold eyes reflecting only bloodlust, with not a trace of panic. Hawk, sitting next to him, scanned the surroundings with cautious eyes, but he, too, showed no sign of fear. Clearly, they were both used to this kind of situation.

"Boss, Panther has engaged with the enemy. We still don't know who they are," a red-haired man, whom Echo didn't recognize, reported respectfully from the passenger seat.

"Wipe them out," Ryan responded coldly, without even batting an eye.

"Yes." The red-haired guy and Hawk weren't surprised at all by Ryan's cold-blooded decision.

The Dark family had just arrived in Southeast Asia, and someone already had the nerve to challenge them. Well, they were asking for it, and it was their fault. This would serve as a warning to others, showing that the Dark family's reputation wasn't just for show.

"Eight o'clock sharp, the Crown Hotel. You've got ten minutes."

Echo looked left and right, noticing that neither the red-haired guy nor Hawk replied. Ryan must have been talking to her.

She gritted her teeth and asked, "How do I get there? I've never been here before." Earlier, there were other cars leading the way, but now she was the only one, so what was she supposed to do?

"That's your problem. Hurry up. The boss doesn't like being late," the red-haired guy said, raising an eyebrow at her.

Ryan didn't even acknowledge her question. To him, if something or someone wasn't useful, they might as well be dead. He didn't bother wasting words on her.

Echo muttered a curse under her breath. These people were too damn bossy.

She raised an eyebrow and glared at the red-haired guy, snapping back, "I'm your boss's servant, not yours. If you keep barking orders, you can walk the rest of the way yourself." As she spoke, she slammed the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt stop.

The red-haired guy's eyes widened in surprise. He was one of Ryan's top lieutenants, in charge of all the Dark family's operations in Asia, known as Cobra. Alongside Hawk, Panther, and Tiger, he was one of the highest-ranking members under Ryan. Yet here he was, getting chewed out by a servant.

Cobra narrowed his eyes but didn't even start to speak when he saw Echo suddenly pop open the door and step out. He raised an eyebrow again, stunned—did she actually dare to defy the boss?

As he watched, she flagged someone down on the street, asked a few questions, then got back in the car.

In a flash, she floored the gas, speeding off. The car was driven smoothly, but at an insane speed, pushing the three-door Cadillac to over 200 kilometers per hour. He had to give it to Echo; she had guts.

At 7:58, Echo skidded to a stop at the hotel where Ryan needed to be, having covered over 20 kilometers in just six minutes.

At the same time, Panther's report came in—everyone on the other side had been wiped out, no survivors. They didn't even know who the attackers were, but it didn't really matter. Small-time organizations like that weren't worth the trouble of figuring out.

As she parked the car and saw the two lines of stern-faced men waiting outside the hotel, Echo's lips twitched nervously. Each of them had a bulge at their waist, clearly carrying handguns. The once-grand entrance to the hotel now seemed like the gaping maw of a monster, waiting to swallow her whole.

"Get out of the car. Don't forget what the boss said," Hawk reminded her coolly as he got out of the car.

Shit. She needed to stay within Ryan's line of sight—that was what he had told her just yesterday. Echo shivered at the thought, quickly jumping out of the car. She wasn't ready to die just yet.

Standing behind Ryan, looking at the intimidating lineup, Echo's legs started to shake.

The street shootout earlier had happened so fast that she hadn't even had time to be scared. She was usually fearless, but that didn't mean she was indifferent to being a target in a firefight.

If she hadn't driven so fast, she might have lost her life back there. As she started to recall the events, her legs went weak, trembling uncontrollably.

What kind of world was this? Real, hardcore, life-and-death shootouts.

"Embarrassing." The low voice echoed in her ears, and Echo felt a hand grab her from behind, pulling her forward to keep up with Ryan's pace.

"Mr. Ryan, nice to meet you," As Ryan approached the hotel steps, a few people came out to greet him.

Echo noticed that some of these people seemed friendly and easygoing, while others looked refined and scholarly, and a few had gray hair, looking like elderly figures. They didn't look like bad guys at all, but in reality, they were some of the top figures in the local Southeast Asian underworld. Echo couldn't help but shake her head slightly; judging by appearances was always a huge mistake.

Following Ryan through several doors, they reached a large conference room. Standing by the door, Echo saw Hawk signal her to stay outside, indicating she should just stand there. She raised an eyebrow at the difference in treatment—Hawk and Cobra got to go in with Ryan, while she was left out.

Echo cursed under her breath. If she wasn't going in, then fine; it was probably better to stay out of the dark dealings anyway.

Through the glass door, Echo saw Ryan sitting at the head of the table with a cold expression, surrounded by the Southeast Asian bigwigs in a circle. They were all fawning over him, but Ryan had a certain commanding presence. Just sitting there, his aura was so overpowering it subdued everyone else's.

Leaning against the wall, Echo took a moment to calm herself and suppress her shock. Seeing that no one was guarding another large door, she suddenly saw an opportunity.

Ryan, Hawk, and the others were inside negotiating, and since she had only recently arrived, not many Dark family members knew her. It was easier to escape here compared to the well-guarded Dark family headquarters.

With a new burst of energy, Echo decided to seize the moment. With only herself standing guard at this door, she couldn't help but smile brightly. Hands in her pockets, she strutted confidently toward the large door.

As she passed through the glass door, Echo felt a chill of danger. She glanced back and saw Ryan's eyes fixed on her through the crowd. Those eyes weren't just deep; they were like flames that could burn everything.

Echo paused, and as she looked more closely, it seemed like Ryan wasn't actually looking at her. The feeling of danger faded away. She frowned, realizing that she, a small player, probably wouldn't catch Mr. Ryan's attention. Even though she had stolen from him, it was better to be hunted by the Dark family than to always be on edge around him, ready for danger at any moment.

Determined, Echo quickly moved to the other door, brushed her hand against it, and it silently swung open.

Given the importance of the people inside and the significant business being discussed, all the doors were left unguarded once closed, with everyone stationed outside. Escaping was a piece of cake.

"Ready?"

Echo stood by the window on the other side of the second door she had entered through. There was no way she could just stroll out the front door, so the window seemed like a good option. But she hadn't expected someone to already be outside the window. The moment she heard them, she quickly shifted to the side, pressing herself against the wall.

"We're ready. Everyone outside has been locked out, and these explosives are enough to send everyone inside straight to hell, haha."

Echo frowned as she listened.

"Hmph, a bunch of cowards. Why should outsiders rule our turf? The Dark family may be big in Europe, but they have no business coming to Southeast Asia trying to take over. This time, they're not getting out alive," a low, sharp voice hissed, filled with anger and hatred.

"Boss, keep it down. Even though there's no one around, we can't underestimate the Dark family. And those old men's influence isn't to be taken lightly. We've got to be careful when we take them all out."

"I know, I know. Tell the guys we send them to hell in ten minutes. Have you made sure all the doors and windows are locked up tight? I don't want anyone making it out alive."

"Yeah, Boss, this hotel's our turf. Those two doors have deadlocks; there's no way they're getting out. Let's go. The last of the explosives are set, and we need to get out of here."

Hearing this, Echo's face went pale. She stayed still until the soft sound of their footsteps faded away. Then she peeked out the window and saw the deadlock in place.