Chapter 165

Boom, the floor shook again. This time the vibration was felt from somewhere closer. Dane sensitively analyzed the blast points that moved with each explosion. Half-doubting, hoping his prediction was wrong as he waited for the next, this time explosions occurred in succession.

Damn!

Dane cursed inside his mouth. These crazy bastards, they believe in God yet do this kind of thing?

His insides were boiling with rage, but first he had to get those guys to escape.

Fuck, Dane spat out curses and shot at a man who appeared in the distance. Greyson ran past him as he instantly collapsed without hesitation. Like a racehorse whose path was predetermined, not faltering even an inch. Good, Dane thought as he looked at the back of the honey blonde-haired man running ahead.

Did Josh also notice the current situation?

When the two had thought of the same thing earlier, Joshua might have also predicted the situation this far, just like Dane. The reason he didn't voice it outwardly was probably because he dismissed it as excessive worry. Dane had done the same.

Damn, who knew they were crazy bastards to this extent.

If explosions continued, even the sturdiest mountain would crack. Perhaps cracks had already begun. If three more explosions occurred like this, then...

"Josh!"

When he suddenly called out, the man running ahead glanced back. Though it was just his eyes moving briefly, Dane didn't care and continued shouting.

"What's going on? Those ex-DMV guys? Where are they?"

Joshua tried to check his wristwatch while running. Right at that moment, the ground shook again and Greyson, who had been running at the front, swayed.

"Greyson!"

Seeing the man who had instantly disappeared from view, Dane shouted urgently. When he and Joshua raced at full speed, competing for the lead, Greyson was collapsed on the floor gasping for breath.

"Too much blood loss."

"It's because of all the wounds."

At Joshua's words, Dane responded briefly. While Joshua manipulated his watch trying to connect with the 'team,' Dane bent down and helped Greyson sit up. Haa, haa, Greyson who had been panting roughly and heaving his shoulders looked at Dane and grinned.

"I stumbled."

"I know."

Dane said indifferently as usual.

"Rest for a moment, the guys Ashley Miller sent will come soon."

Unexpectedly, Greyson didn't babble nonsense and just smiled weakly. It would have been better if he had babbled bullshit. Dane felt himself becoming anxious and abruptly stood up.

"The situation isn't good."

When Dane stood in front of him, Joshua immediately spoke.

"Want to hear the good news first? Or the bad news?"

"Say anything, quickly."

At the impatient urging, Joshua let out a short breath and continued at a pace as fast as Dane's.

"First, the good news. The guys who were running away apparently encountered the team coming up. They dealt with all of them, most died but they kept two alive."

"The bad news?"

"Because of the landslide, there's no path left so the team can't come up. We have to take that bastard down ourselves."

"Fuck!"

Dane mercilessly spat out curses and kicked the ground. Joshua silently watched him irritably sweep back his disheveled hair.

"The bombs?"

Dane, who had placed one hand on his forehead, suddenly asked.

"What happened with the bombs? Did those guys know too?"

"They know."

As expected, Joshua answered without any sign of surprise.

"Apparently they pressed the captured guys and found out. They called the bomb disposal unit and they're heading that way. That's also why the team can't come this way, they have to make a path so the bomb disposal unit can get to that point."

It meant they would leave bringing Greyson down to this side. Can't be helped, though the injuries are severe, he should be able to hold out until they get down the mountain.

"The ambulance is waiting below, right?"

"Of course."

At Joshua's readily flowing answer, Dane nodded and muttered to himself.

"The bomb disposal unit has to get there in time..."

Dane, who had been speaking, hesitated. Something was strange.

"Those bastards told them the location of the last bomb? Obediently?"

Too fast. He anxiously thought. Considering the resolve of the bastards who had tried to stop Dane's group at the cost of their lives, it was hard to accept that they had given up and spilled everything just because they were caught trying to escape.

"Where's the bomb located? Ask them, quickly!"

At Dane's urgent shout, Joshua was flustered and hastily contacted the team again. Soon after, when Dane visualized the coordinates they gave in his mind, the color immediately drained from his face.

"...No."

He cried out in a rough voice.

"That's not it, you idiots! It's the opposite!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs, but soon crackling sounds followed. The watch was clearly broken or there was signal interference. Joshua, who realized communication was no longer possible, looked at him equally pale.

"It's not? Then those bastards deliberately fucked us over?"

"Yeah, completely wrong. Damn, fuck!"

Dane clutched his head and poured out curses. This is bad. What should we do. There isn't much time left. Joshua repeated blankly as if his soul had left him.

"There's going to be a landslide."

"I know, me too."

When Dane muttered, Joshua urgently added.

"The entire village below will be buried. We have to stop it."

"I said I know too."

Dane said again. Joshua was right. If that bomb also exploded, the ground would no longer hold. Thinking of the village that would be buried under pouring rocks and earth, there was no time to hesitate.

"You go down with that bastard."

"What? What about you?"

Joshua asked in surprise. Dane answered without hesitation.

"I'm staying here."

When surprised Joshua tried to say something, Dane spoke first.

"I have to disarm the remaining bomb. You take responsibility for Greyson, I'll handle the bomb."

"Don't talk nonsense, how can you alone..."

Joshua immediately objected, but Dane didn't change his words.

"I can do it. You know too, my skills."

He couldn't deny those words. Joshua had seen Dane's performance many times while they were in the army together. Nevertheless, to him who hesitated, Dane coldly declared.

"Think about what you would have done if this were the army right now, Joshua Bailey."

Joshua stopped and froze. Then the answer was decided. But still.

"Is that the only way?"

At Joshua's question that came out as if squeezed, Dane asked back.

"Should we let those people die then?"

Joshua rubbed both eyes with one hand as if troubled. To such Joshua, Dane softened his tone and added.

"There's a possibility I'm wrong. If those bastards coincidentally became nice and told the truth, they'll remove the bomb over there, and then there'll be nothing where I think. The odds are 50-50."

Dane patted Joshua's arm saying "Come on." But there was still a remaining problem.

"What about that bastard? He'll never listen to me."

When Joshua pointed backward with his thumb, Dane immediately answered.

"I'll handle it."

No sooner had the words fallen than Greyson happened to walk over and stand in front of them.

"What's wrong? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing much."

Dane casually brushed off his words and looked him over.

"You look fine."

"I'll be all better with a little rest."

Greyson smiled brightly as if nothing had happened. Despite being soaked in blood all over, Dane clicked his tongue inwardly but silently looked back at Joshua.

"Come on, go."

When he lightly gestured with his chin, Greyson blinked in bewilderment.

"Uh... what? Why?"

When Greyson looked between the two, Dane said.

"Go down first with Josh."

"What about you?"

At the immediate question, Dane answered casually.

"Didn't I say firefighters go last? Listen, hurry up."

"What are you thinking?"

A sharp voice immediately returned. He was deadly tired from blood loss and wounds, and perhaps because of that, his senses had become more sensitive than usual.

Dane is hiding something.

He could tell instinctively. That he shouldn't trust Dane right now.

"You go first, Josh next, I'm last."

Greyson was serious. At his appearance standing firm as if he would never back down, Dane frowned and narrowed his eyes. This puppy...

Letting out a short breath, he opened his mouth as if annoyed.

"If you don't go now..."

Right at that moment Joshua interrupted.

"I'm telling you in advance, even if this bastard dies, I'm never having sex with you, absolutely not."

This bastard.

Dane glared menacingly, but Joshua didn't even blink. When he felt a headache coming on facing two idiots who absolutely wouldn't listen to him, Greyson opened his mouth.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not going alone, absolutely not."

Then he added strongly.

"I told you, right? If you die, I die too."

At those words, Dane hesitated. For a moment, only the sound of the sharp night wind settled between them.

Don't be uselessly stubborn.

He had definitely intended to say that. Don't you know how serious the situation is now, how many lives might disappear because of you, what do you know to act like this, etc. etc.

Countless words came and went in his mind, but none came out of his mouth. Dane just moved his lips and eventually looked at Greyson silently. For a very brief moment, it seemed like many memories flashed before his eyes.

...Countless memories.

"Ha..."

Dane, who had let out a short sigh, gave a bitter smile.

"I know, you idiot."

Suddenly, moisture seemed to gather in his eyes. Greyson looked at him with a surprised face. Dane reached out his hand. The hand that wrapped around the back of Greyson's head pulled him toward himself. Greyson obediently tilted his head as if entranced. When his lips touched Dane's, he naturally closed his eyes. Pleasant chills ran through him at the soft, cool sensation.

Ah, this scent. Feeling his heart race, he vaguely remembered.

Dane's pheromones...

Right then, his mind suddenly went white. His vision instantly blurred and his consciousness became hazy. He had experienced the same thing before. This was the third time. Dane had poured out pheromones all at once to knock him unconscious.