Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Goodbye, Pankia

Pankia was startled, but he didn’t have the luxury to ponder the situation right now. He instinctively stood up using Chen Ke’s strength, pulling Sleery up with him at the same time.

“Who are you…?” Sleery’s heart skipped a beat. More than joy, it was fear that she felt.

People die when they’re killed, after all. Just ten or so minutes ago, Chen Ke had been shot in the head right in front of her, with his brains still splattered on the ground…

“We don’t have time to explain, get in the car!” Chen Ke urged.

He pulled out his Glock 17. In his eyes, all assassins had nowhere to hide. However, with everything in the world and the outlines of the assassins tinted in blue lines due to his Spiritual Vision, he found it hard to distinguish which assassins were hiding behind cover.

“It’s up ahead, run.” Pankia said.

“My stomach hurts…” Sleery groaned, the pain in her abdomen making it impossible to stand. She fell back to the ground.

“Get up, Sleery. Your injury is nothing,” Chen Ke said.

Sleery looked at Chen Ke without daring to speak, as in her eyes, he had transcended the category of “human.”

If previously she could rationalize Chen Ke’s survival after being pulled into the door with the monster as him having some unknown ability… then coming back to life after a headshot clearly put him in the realm of monsters.

Seeing that Sleery had lost her ability to move, Chen Ke grabbed her arm and hoisted her onto his back, starting to run forward.

Pankia paused for a moment but said nothing, merely following behind Chen Ke.

“The green one up ahead.” Pankia reminded, frantically pressing the car keys.

Sleery and Diana were about the same height, but Sleery felt much lighter on his back. Of course, the heaviest was Lucina by far, and upon closer inspection, Lucina seemed a bit shorter than Diana…

This indirectly reflected the physical differences among the three girls. Diana was about two weight classes heavier than Sleery, while Lucina was about four heavier than Diana.

Chen Ke mentally ranked the “tonnage” of these three girls: carrying Lucina was like carrying a tank, Diana was like a sedan, and Sleery felt as light as a bicycle.

“Ah Qiu!” Lucina suddenly woke up from her sleep and sneezed, looking around the dark basement blankly. For some reason, she felt a surge of resentment in her heart. A few seconds later, she calmed down and lay back down.

In her coma, Diana’s normally steady EKG spontaneously jumped three times in rapid succession.

The three of them got into the car. Chen Ke instinctively stood by the driver’s seat and exchanged glances with Pankia for two seconds. Without a second thought, Pankia handed the keys to Chen Ke and slid across the hood to sit in the passenger’s seat.

Considering his own driving skills, Pankia knew that the assassin in front of him was far better. Pankia was well aware of Lin Mo’s abilities. If this Chen Ke still retained his skills…

Chen Ke started the car, and 9mm bullets kept hitting the side of the vehicle. The taillights and windows shattered under the barrage. Sleery lay across the back seat, covering her head and not daring to make a sound.

He shifted into reverse, pressed the accelerator, and smashed through the hamburger shop parking lot’s iron fence, escaping from the other side and leaving the assassins far behind.

The car sped down the road at 4 AM, with no gunfight pursuit as expected. After about ten minutes, they were already on the ring road and soon would be leaving the city.

“How are you feeling, Sleery?” Pankia asked, looking back.

“I need to lie down… I’ll be okay in a bit…” Sleery said.

“Touch the root of your tongue and see if there’s any blood,” Chen Ke said.

“What?” Sleery was taken aback.

“Just do it,” Pankia urged, understanding what Chen Ke meant.

Sleery put her index finger in her mouth and felt around her soft and smooth tongue. When she reached its base, she gagged slightly, almost throwing up.

“Look at your finger, is there any blood?” Chen Ke instructed.

Sleery pulled out her finger to see a faint red smudge on the pad. Suddenly afraid, she cast a helpless and frantic look at Pankia.

“How is it?” Chen Ke asked.

“There’s blood,” Pankia replied.

Sleery was held down on a stool, her abdomen pounded. Given her frame, she couldn’t withstand it for long, and it was only logical that her internal organs were damaged.

“The internal bleeding… not sure if it’s the intestines or somewhere else… but it shouldn’t be too severe. We can still get it under control if we go to the hospital now,” Chen Ke said.

Pankia and Sleery remained silent; they knew what this meant.

If they kept driving and left the city, Pankia would be free, but it would certainly spell death for Sleery…

And if they turned back… Sleery might be saved, but whether Pankia could find another chance to escape the city was another matter.

“Take her to the hospital,” Pankia said without hesitation.

“Dad… they’re going to kill you, you need to leave right now,” Sleery said.

“Now is not the time to show father-daughter affection, Sleery. I suspect your internal organs are ruptured. You’re lucky you haven’t vomited blood yet. If the wound starts bleeding heavily, there will be no saving you,” Chen Ke said.

“Dad…” Sleery said softly.

“He’s right, kiddo,” Pankia said.

“What’s your choice… Chen Ke?” Sleery asked.

“I have no obligations towards your dad, but you shouldn’t die on your father’s escape route. Sleery, you could have a different life,” Chen Ke said.

“No! I won’t let my father die at the hands of an assassin!” Sleery shook her head.

“Sleery, listen, I’ve said before that I won’t apologize for things I’ve done in the past. That’s how the world works. But I absolutely will not trade your life for my freedom… Sleery, we need to get you to the hospital.”

“Do you think the corporation could track yours and Sleery’s phones, Pankia?” Chen Ke asked.

“Of course I’ve taken measures to protect myself, even though I don’t know how Slavin found my daughter,” Pankia said.

“Finding your daughter isn’t hard… There aren’t many women in Opportunity City who drive Jaguars…” Chen Ke shook his head.

“Why do you mention that?” Pankia asked.

“What I mean is, I can take Sleery to the hospital, and then you can drive off on your own. We don’t have to die one for the other, like in a Hollywood movie,” Chen Ke said with a sigh.

“Can I trust you?… Chen Ke?” Pankia bit his lip, feeling that Chen Ke made sense.

“Do you have a choice?, Pankia?” Chen Ke retorted.

The car stopped on the overpass, and Chen Ke got out carrying Sleery.

“I’ll make contact with you, Chen Ke. You must protect my daughter… I hope you’re trustworthy. Although I have no reason or standing to ask for your help…” Pankia said, leaning out the car window, looking at Chen Ke with a complex expression.

“You’re not likable, Pankia, but I don’t hate you. I’ll send her to you once you’re settled,” Chen Ke said.

Pankia handed Chen Ke a magnetic card, a bank savings card.

“There’s some money in it, enough for her to get by for a while, the password is her birthday. Farewell, kiddo. I’ll make contact once I’ve dealt with things on my end,” Pankia said.

Sleery lay on Chen Ke’s shoulder, gazing reluctantly at her father.

In one night, her life had turned upside down.

Her father turned out to be the leader of assassins, the man she admired wasn’t human at all, it seemed like the whole city wanted her dead, and now she was bleeding internally…

Sleery’s worldview teetered on the edge of the Zero Boundary Point, completely unable to speak.

Without further words, Pankia drove off towards the city’s outskirts. Chen Ke, carrying Sleery, walked off the overpass, waiting a long time for a taxi to finally arrive and take them to the hospital.