Chapter 351: Monsters
Meanwhile, the innocent Lucian pulled into a quiet street in District A.
After parking, he glanced at the building across from him before quietly stepping out of the car.
Lucian made his way toward what appeared to be an abandoned building.
Dust and trash littered the place. Every step disturbed the thick layer of dust covering the floor, sending it drifting into the air. Yet Lucian never slowed as he walked down a short hallway and stopped before a room with no door.
The moment he stepped inside, everyone turned toward him.
"Master."
Red lowered his head and stepped aside.
Inside the room were Rum, Tank, Rus, and Nelek. They all greeted Lucian respectfully as he walked farther in.
"Has he talked yet?" Lucian asked.
He stopped and turned toward the man strapped to a metal chair.
The captive’s hair hung over his face. His features were swollen and mangled. Blood and saliva dripped from his mouth onto his lap. Dark circles and exhaustion were visible beneath his swollen eyes.
Lucian approached him and stopped a step away.
Reaching forward, he grabbed the man’s hair and forced his head back.
Coldness settled in Lucian’s eyes as he waited for the captive to refocus and meet his gaze.
This was the man who had attempted to abduct Elliot, Julius’s son.
The same man they suspected of smearing Ghost’s name.
"Have you found anything on him?" Lucian asked without breaking eye contact.
Red glanced at the others before looking at the prisoner. Then he shook his head.
"No, sir."
He didn’t elaborate.
He didn’t need to.
No records didn’t simply mean the man lacked a criminal history.
It meant there was nothing: no police reports. No medical records. No employment history.
Nothing.
As though the man had never existed.
"Interesting." Lucian nodded slowly.
"What should we do with him, Master?" Red asked.
Lucian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared at the captive for several long seconds.
Suddenly, the man smirked. Then he spat.
The blood landed only inches from Lucian’s shoes.
Lucian lowered his eyes to the stain.
Behind him, Red and the others clenched their fists. "This fool..."
The captive chuckled.
From the moment they had captured him until now, he hadn’t spoken a single word.
No matter how severe the beating. No matter how serious the threat. He would only smirk or scoff — nothing more.
Nobody expected him to suddenly start talking now that Lucian had arrived.
If anything, his silence only irritated them further.
Meanwhile, Lucian remained calm.
His gaze traveled from head to toe, discreetly searching for scars, tattoos, or anything that might identify an affiliation.
Nothing.
There were no significant markings. Nothing useful.
"We won’t kill you." Lucian stepped closer as though the spit didn’t exist.
He crouched slightly, bringing himself eye level with the man.
With a cold and expressionless face, he continued,
"You’ll live longer than most people ever will." He nodded sincerely. "I can guarantee that."
The man’s vision blurred slightly, but a smirk tugged at his lips.
Then Lucian smiled very subtly. His eyes drooped, and a dangerous glint flickered within them.
"You’ll live long enough to watch everyone you care about disappear one by one from the cage you’ll spend the rest of your life in." His voice lowered.
"And no matter how hard you shake the bars, all you’ll be able to do is watch their blood crawl toward you."
Lucian narrowed his eyes.
The captive maintained his smirk. He showed no fear.
Still, Lucian caught the brief flicker of concern hidden behind it.
"And it all starts with..." Lucian let the words hang. His gaze lingered on the man before he quietly finished.
"...her."
For the first time, the captive’s smile faltered — only slightly -- but it was enough.
"Even the cruelest people dare to love someone." Lucian nodded knowingly. "I know."
His voice remained calm. "You and I... we both dared."
A faint smile crossed his lips. "That’s why we’d do anything for them."
His eyes darkened.
"Even if it means becoming monsters." Lucian leaned forward. "Even if she’s disabled, I’ll make sure she understands exactly whose fault it was."
The moment those words left his mouth, Lucian leaned back.
To his satisfaction, the man’s arrogance finally vanished. The smirk disappeared, and only a blank expression remained.
"You understand, don’t you?" Lucian asked softly. "We’d do anything to protect the people behind us."
He nodded once. "I’m simply doing the same thing you did."
Protecting someone he loved.
Slowly, Lucian straightened. He reached out and patted the man’s shoulder.
Then he turned toward the others.
"Find him a comfortable place."
Red and the others exchanged confused glances.
"A place with a good view." Lucian continued walking. "Make sure he’s fed."
Another step.
"Keep him clean."
Another.
"And take very good care of him."
Red frowned. So did everyone else.
Frankly, they had expected Lucian to order them to dispose of the body. Or make it disappear.
Instead...
This?
Their first thought was Ashley.
Perhaps her influence had changed him.
After all, Ashley was currently in charge while Lucian focused on his treatment. Still, none of them questioned the order.
Lucian paused and looked back one final time. "Enjoy a very comfortable life."
A comfortable life.
Inside a beautiful cage.
A life where he would watch everyone he loved stain polished floors with their blood.
A life where comfort itself became torture.
A life where he could never share his freedom, his happiness, or even his suffering with the people he cared about.
Some might think it was the wrong form of torture, but it wasn’t.
Lucian, of all people, understood exactly how cruel it was.
Because if someone wanted to break him... this was how they should do it.
A life that looked full, yet felt completely empty.
He knew that pain better than anyone.
Just as Lucian reached the exit, he stopped.
THUD!
A loud crash echoed behind him.
Everyone turned.
The captive had thrown himself sideways, chair and all. He lay sprawled on the floor. His swollen eyes were wide.
Tears streamed down his battered face while his gaze remained fixed on Lucian’s back.
For the first time since his capture, he spoke.
"N-Not her..." His voice trembled. "Please..."
Another tear rolled down his cheek.
"Save her..." His shoulders shook. "And I’ll tell you everything I know."
