"What?"
"Not talking? Putting on airs?"
Sarah looked at Hoshimi Aya in front of her, her tone full of amusement.
Hoshimi Aya didn't answer, lowering her head and quietly waiting for the drug's effects to wear off.
Anyway, with her constitution, it wouldn't take long for the drug to dissipate. She just needed to hold on a little longer.
"To be honest, I never thought the plan would go this smoothly."
"Originally, I didn't plan for it to succeed right away. I just wanted to test if you were as timid as you appeared at the press conference."
"But the result was pretty much what I expected. You didn't show the decisiveness of your older sister."
"Instead, you chose to negotiate with me. In that case, your outcome was already sealed."
Sarah looked at her manicure and explained casually.
"Hm?"
"You've been watching me?"
Hoshimi Aya was a little shocked upon hearing Sarah's words. Now she finally knew which organization was after her.
It turned out to be the Praise Society!
"That's right, but I never had the chance to get close before."
"I finally found an opportunity. Since you were with Phaethon, I thought I could try to lure you out, but Phaethon is clearly a smart person and wouldn't accept a commission from such an unknown source."
"So I've been looking for a chance."
"If you had fought your way through on your own, I would have immediately run away, turning that area into a Void to delay time for our retreat."
"But that's unnecessary now. I know what you're thinking."
"Isn't it just waiting for the drug to wear off, and then taking care of us...?"
"Miss Hoshimi, you don't have that chance anymore."
"This potion was specially customized for you. I thought I wouldn't need it, but I never expected it would actually come in handy."
"But luckily, it can last until we reach our destination."
Saying this, Sarah pulled open the car wall, revealing an entire wall inlaid with potions.
And it was easy to see that they were the same type she had injected earlier.
"But what surprised me is that you actually needed a full two doses to achieve the effect I predicted."
Sarah then hooked Hoshimi Aya's chin, forcing her to look at her.
"Aren't you afraid that I deliberately came in front of you to make a move?"
"With my strength, bullets might not be faster than my knife."
"Aren't you afraid that I'm different from what you predicted?"
Hoshimi Aya looked at Sarah with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"You certainly put on quite the intimidating act."
"I came to capture you, so naturally, I made thorough preparations."
"Let me guess, you must have been thinking this back then, right?"
"With my speed, no matter what, Phaethon would get shot once, and the price of that shot would be death!"
"And you wouldn't dare gamble on whether you could eliminate all of us before everyone opened fire."
"So you chose to compromise, planning to trade yourself for their safety, and then find a way to deal with us once the drug wore off midway."
After speaking, Sarah seemed to remember something and began searching Hoshimi Aya's body.
Soon, Sarah found a small knife on Hoshimi Aya.
"Oh dear, it's all my fault for things going too smoothly. I forgot to have someone search you."
"Miss Hoshimi, you weren't actually planning to escape with this little knife, were you?"
"Then I'm truly sorry for foiling your plan."
Sarah said mockingly, placing the small knife where Hoshimi Aya couldn't reach it.
Hoshimi Aya was now wearing a mask of pain.
"Seeing you look so wronged, I almost feel a pang of sympathy."
As Sarah spoke, she stroked Hoshimi Aya comfortingly.
Hoshimi Aya ignored her. Sarah's words were like sharp blades, piercing her heart.
The plan she thought was quite good seemed like child's play in the eyes of others.
She had originally intended to pretend to agree to negotiations and then launch a close-quarters surprise attack to rescue them.
The result was that the enemy's gun barrels were kept at practically zero distance from Zhe and Ling from the very beginning.
Since she wasn't confident she could save them safely, she chose to compromise, trading herself for the hostages' safety.
She planned to find a way to escape while on the road.
But it turned out her plan was anticipated from the start. She was essentially standing before them completely exposed.
And she had actively jumped into a trap meticulously prepared for her.
"Miss Hoshimi, next time you must remember not to be indecisive and emotional."
"Your sister and I knew for a fact that I wouldn't dare show myself if you weren't hesitant to act."
"If it were that Void Hunter Hoshimi Miyabi, I wouldn't dare appear before her without absolute certainty,"
Sarah stroked Hoshimi Aya's ear.
"..."
"Stop talking."
Hoshimi Aya spoke in a low voice. Why was she feeling more and more like crying the more Sarah spoke?
Every word Sarah said was like a sharp blade stabbing her heart.
It hurt, it truly hurt!
"Fine, fine, I won't talk anymore."
"Little sister, you still have a lot to learn."
"It seems Phaethon and the Hoshimi Family have protected you too well."
"But that's alright."
"Being a bit slow is cute too."
Sarah covered her mouth and chuckled.
If only everyone she encountered was this easy.
Even so, she had prepared life-saving measures to ensure her safe departure.
... Meanwhile.
Wildfire Town.
Caesar and the others returned to the venue of the Hellfire Ride and immediately found Bernice and the others.
Then, without stopping, they rushed toward Wildfire Town and found the residents of Wildfire Town who had been thrown together, as well as Ling and Zhe.
"Proxy, are you guys okay?"
Caesar asked them with concern.
"I'm fine, but Big Brother might be a little hurt."
Saying this, Ling helped up her older brother. After all, if she hadn't cooperated just now, that Sarah would have ordered people to touch her brother.
So she wasn't hurt much, but her brother might not be so lucky.
"I don't have any major issues. I'll be fine after applying some medicine when we get back."
"The priority right now is to save Aya."
Zhe reminded them.
"Ah?!"
"Aya was taken away?!"
Caesar exclaimed in disbelief.
Ling nodded upon seeing this and recounted everything that had happened there.
"Damn it, that Sarah is too despicable!"
"She actually used hostages to force Aya to submit!"
"Ling, don't worry, we will definitely bring Aya back."
After speaking, Caesar hurriedly went to listen to Lucy, Wright, and the others who were untying the residents.
Upon learning the news, the group remounted their motorcycles and chased in the direction Sarah had left.
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