Maybe K would scoff at her bravado or see through her bluff, but she clung to hope as long as she could keep pushing forward.
Ariana braced herself for Kâs reaction, but he remained silent, lowering his gun and walking toward her instead.
âStay back!â Ariana said fiercely.
âDonât come any closer, or Iâll shoot!â
K was only a few steps away, and with each one, Arianaâs heartbeat quickened.
She tried to frighten him off, but she knew it was probably useless.
Sure enough, K remained unbothered, moving closer like a predator eying its prey.
âStop! Donât come any nearer!â Ariana shouted, terror flooding her, her hands shaking but still gripping the gun.
She added, âOne more step, and Iâll kill you! I mean it! Iâve killed before, and Iâll do whatever it takes to survive!â Seeing K unmoved, Arianaâs panic rose, her threats pouring out as her finger hovered over the trigger.
Then, just as she was about to lose it completely, a click echoed beside her, the unmistakable sound of a safety being flicked off.
Kâs voice whispered chillingly close, âNext time, take the safety off first.
â
What Ariana heard left her completely bewildered.
She slowly opened her eyes, meeting Kâs gaze as her mind raced to make sense of it all.
She couldnât comprehend the situation.
Wasnât this person sent to apprehend her? What was he playing at now?
K, seemingly unconcerned about her confusion, said, âThe gun youâre using has excessive recoil.
Itâs not suitable for you.
You might injure yourself rather than hitting your target.
â
Disregarding her expression, K calmly exchanged his sleek silver pistol with Arianaâs gun.
He
then swiftly departed without waiting for a reply.
âWait!â Ariana exclaimed, growing more perplexed and contemplating if K was plotting something.
âWhatâs your motive? Arenât you concerned about Bennettâs retaliation if you let me go? Heâs extremely unpredictable.
No matter your loyalty to him, falling short of his demands can be fatal.
â
âHe wonât be aware of this; heâs currently missing,â K responded with a monotone voice, briefly halting in his walk.
Before Ariana could inquire further, K added, âHowever, this is a one-time gesture.
If we encounter each other again, I wonât hold back.
So you better depart swiftly and put some distance between us.
Donât let me find you again.
â
With those words, K vanished into the darkness.
Although the entire encounter was fleeting, Ariana felt as though she were still in a dream long after Kâs departure.
She found it unbelievable.
Had the cold and ruthless K truly let her go without any conditions?
It appeared implausible, yet that was what had happened.
Moreover, K had mentioned Bennett was missing.
Could it be that Bennett had encountered trouble together with Holden and Adrian?
Ariana didnât have the luxury to contemplate these thoughts.
She didnât feel gratitude toward Kâs actions; after all, he was the one who had abducted her initially.
2
Her priority now was locating Holden and Adrian.
Any delay could exacerbate the situation.