Villain: 10x Rewards Begins With The Protagonist's Mother

Nobody spoke for a while after Dante’s question. Felix and Freya looked at each other. It was just a quick glance, but Dante caught it through the rear-view mirror.

’So they do know. That saves me the trouble of explaining.’

It made sense for them to know since Crimson Hollow was a criminal organisation operating under the Devereux family.

Even if Natasha believed Ryan would return, she wasn’t the type of person who would leave the enemy alone, especially after what they did to her son.

The World’s Will must have influenced her to not seek revenge, but that shouldn’t have stopped her from investigating them.

Felix was the first to speak. "Crimson Hollow is an underground organisation based in our city. Drugs, weapons, human trafficking. If there’s money in it and it’s illegal, they have their hands in it."

"And they... they’re under the Devereux family." Freya hesitated for a moment before saying it out loud.

Her brain was already connecting the dots.

Dante had asked about Crimson Hollow, which was basically the Devereux family’s left hand that handled all of their dirty work. That combined with the murderous intent he had radiated just minutes ago told her one thing.

’He is planning to take revenge for Young Master Ryan!’ She thought, feeling shocked.

’No, I have to stop him!’

Before she could say anything, Dante asked another question. "What about the White Tiger Union?"

This time, Felix hesitated before answering.

He was also starting to see where this was going.

"They’re the other side of the coin. Smaller operation, but aggressive. They’ve been fighting Crimson Hollow over territory for years." Felix said, choosing his words carefully. "Neither side can swallow the other."

Dante hummed and said nothing.

The silence that followed was heavier than the last one.

Felix and Freya reached the same conclusion in their heads.

"No." Freya said flatly, leaning forward between the seats. "ABSOLUTELY NOT. If you’re thinking about teaming up with the White Tiger Union to go after Crimson Hollow, forget it."

"Madam gave us a strict order." Felix added, his composure finally cracking. "Do not go after the Devereux family."

"She gave YOU that order." Dante corrected with a smile creeping onto his lips.

That shut both of them up for a second.

Freya recovered fast. "It doesn’t matter. Crimson Hollow is full of people who kill for a living. Some of them are awakeners. You wouldn’t last ten seconds."

"She’s right, Sir Dante. This isn’t something you can solve with a plan. These people solve problems with bodies." Felix was dead serious now, all the politeness stripped from his voice.

Dante listened to their words calmly, the smile never leaving his face.

After they finished, he tilted his head at them and asked one simple question.

"Who said I was joining the White Tiger Union?"

Both of their brains stopped working for a second before the shock and confusion took over.

’No way, right?!’

’Nah, it can’t be. Why would he...’

Dante didn’t wait for them to ask and confirmed their guess with a devious grin.

"I’m joining Crimson Hollow."

Them thinking he wanted to take revenge for Ryan was the funniest thing he had seen all day.

’What a joke—’ Before he could finish that thought, he felt his body being yanked backwards.

"ARE YOU CRAZY? Do you have a death wish?" Freya shouted in anger, grabbing his collar from behind.

"Whoa whoa, let go of me, I’m driving!" Dante shouted back just as loud, barely swerving the car away from an oncoming truck.

"Freya, calm down. Let’s hear what he has to say first." Felix grabbed her by the arms and pulled her off Dante.

"What’s there to hear? He’s saying he wants to die!" Freya said, still struggling against his hold.

A minute later, Dante parked the car on the side of the road.

He looked at Felix with a grateful nod and then at Freya who had finally calmed down.

"Do you really think I’m that stupid? Go against an entire organisation by myself? Do I look like I have that kind of strength?" He asked, holding his forehead with his hand.

Felix breathed a small sigh of relief after hearing his words. ’So he does have a plan.’

Still, he had a puzzled look on his face, wondering why that plan involved joining Crimson Hollow.

He wasn’t the smartest in their duo so he turned to Freya, only to see her shaking her head like an idoit.

It was her answer to Dante’s question.

Dante’s lips twitched, black lines forming on his forehead. "Okay, stop shaking your head before the last braincell falls out."

That made Freya stop instantly and glare at him.

He ignored her and started explaining. "Anyways, if I want to get rid of Crimson Hollow, what better way is there than using their rival?"

"I’m going to make the two of them fight each other while I sit back and enjoy the show." He said with a devious look on his face. "Both of them are parasites and scum of society. If I’m cleaning house, I might as well take out the trash on both sides."

"But what are you going to do about the awakeners in Crimson Hollow?" Freya asked the important question.

In response, Dante looked at her like she was an idiot before answering with a smile. "Isn’t that what you two are for? To ’protect’ me?"

"You... no! We are not doing that!" Freya instantly rejected and glared at Felix, basically telling him not to follow this lunatic’s plan.

Dante had already expected this and said with a helpless face, "Oh, that’s a shame."

"I can’t do anything if you’re scared, after all."

"I guess gangsters can be quite scary even to... ’awakeners’."

"Stop." Freya muttered, her body trembling with anger.

"That’s enough, Sir Dante." Felix said with a strained smile, clearly feeling the hit to his pride.

"Tell us more about your plan." Both of them said at the same time, their eyes fired up.

Their job was to protect him anyway. They just had to do that.

As for Natasha’s order to not go after the Devereux family, that was Dante’s problem to deal with.

They had to admit that Dante knew how to rile people up.