Chapter 322

The space beyond the door revealed itself as the entrance to a sprawling, sloped mineshaft.

Inside, the mine was split clearly into two sections.

On the left, about a dozen workers dressed in identical blue uniforms and wearing masks stood at a conveyor belt, working with dull routine. The belt was crowded with cosmetic ingredients and half-finished products-the same things Hannah had noticed earlier in the day.

Across the way, the right side was a whole different world.

More than twenty shirtless men, their muscles straining, hacked away at the rock with rough tools.They weren't pulling up regular ore. Instead,they dug out a rare mineral that shimmered with a faint,dark-green glow.

Cosmetic manufacturing. Illegal mineral mining.

In an instant, Vincent put all the pieces together. No wonder they needed so much muscle down here-these men were guarding this illegal mineral vein.With something this rare and precious, trouble from thieves or internal fighting was bound to follow.

Their soap and detergent operation on the surface was just a smokescreen. The racket and chemical smells above made it easy to keep what happened below hidden. And those unregulated beauty products-there was no question they were dangerous. Alice's poisoning most likely traced straight back to the questionable products here.

"You." Carville glanced at Vincent, and his voice snapped out, pointing at a foreman with a long scar across his face. "You're with Rayden now. Do exactly what he tells you."

Carville's gaze shifted to the gun on Vincent's hip,and his voice turned cold. "That gun's not for show.It's for keeping things in line. If you spot anyone who doesn't belong, or if someone gets greedy for the minerals..."

Carville dragged his thumb across his throat,eyes cold and hard. "Take them out."

Vincent simply nodded, his face giving nothing away.He trailed after Rayden Holt, the scar-faced foreman,following him deeper into the tunnel.

Minutes crawled past. At last, the final load of those glowing green minerals was sealed in thick lead boxes, placed on a padded cart, and covered with a heavy camouflage tarp.

Rayden gave the order for the cart to move, and Vincent almost let out a sigh, thinking the shift would end quietly.

Suddenly, sharp cracks of gunfire tore through the air. Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Guard the shipment!" Rayden reacted without hesitation, shoving the closest worker aside and rolling behind a thick stone pillar, pistol already in hand As soon as gunfire broke out, Vincent moved fast-he didn't duck away but dove straight behind a jagged rock, using it as a shield.

He took a split second to size things up. The attackers wanted the minerals. There were at least half a dozen of them, heavily armed and clearly organized. Their sights were set on the cargo they'd just loaded.

Vincent held off on using his gun. He scanned the chaos, counting the number of assailants, watching for danger zones, and looking for any gaps he could exploit.

One of the attackers broke away from the rest, eager to be the hero. He dashed toward the cart, a submachine gun at the ready.

Rayden screamed, "I'll put a bullet through your skull!" He opened fire, but his shots just bounced off the attacker's armored vest, only slowing him a little.

The attacker was nearly at the cart when a single gunshot rang out from somewhere else. Blood spurted from his wrist-the hand gripping the weapon.

Rayden seized the opening. He squeezed the trigger again. The attacker collapsed in an instant.

Startled, Rayden glanced toward the source of that precise shot. It was Vincent. He gave Vincent a brief nod and spun back into the fight.

The shootout didn't last long, but it was vicious.

Just as Vincent was running low on ammunition, the attackers finally retreated.

Bodies from both sides littered the ground.

Rayden sagged against the pillar, chest heaving blood dripping down his arm. He turned to Vincent."You handle yourself well with a gun. That's not the work of an amateur."

Rayden made his way over, gun raised, and pressed the barrel to Vincent's forehead, searching his face for any hint of fear. "So-what did you do before all this?" Vincent stayed still, not a hint of fear in his eyes. He exhaled slowly, every bit the man who had nothing left to lose. "Used to work the borderlands," he replied, voice steady. "Blood paid my bills. You do not last long in that world unless you learn how to survive."

Rayden narrowed his gaze and then relaxed just a bit.Someone with a background like that could easily be turned into a weapon. "You've got guts," he said,dropping his gun and extending his hand. "Give the gun back. Inventory has to be logged."

Vincent handed the pistol over, making a mental note of where Rayden stored it.

As Rayden secured the weapon, Vincent didn't bother with small talk. "When do I get to see my woman?"

Rubbing his aching shoulder, Rayden let out a short laugh. "What, you in that much of a hurry? Can't even wait a night?" He tipped his chin toward the exit. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow after lunch, thee's

a two-hour window for visits." He made it sound like it was policy. "Relax-she's in the cage, not a scratch on her."

Safe? To Vincent, that was no comfort at all. It was more like a warning.

Vincent's eyes turned icy, cold enough to cut.He kept his head low, hiding whatever he felt, and nodded quietly.

Meanwhile,inside the cage underground, Hannah sat on the hard floor, her back pressed to the iron bars.Her sharp eyes moved from cell to cell, taking in each woman around her.

"Quit looking," an older woman murmured. "Our men are all dead. In here, we're nothing but their playthings."