Chapter 393: That is My Money
“No! I won’t do it! I definitely won’t give Jessica to you!” Rebecca immediately began to back away with a panicked expression upon hearing that. She pressed herself tightly against the wall with Jessica behind her as she stared at Warrick with a wary expression.
She had heard many rumors about Warrick in the past few years. Countless women had fallen prey to him, and all of them had suffered terrible fates. There was even no lack of little girls among his victims.
Not long ago, he had impregnated a 12-year-old girl, only to kick her in the stomach in a drunken tirade, instantly killing both the girl and her unborn baby. That little girl had been given to Warrick by her gambling addict of a father to repay his debts. If Jessica were to fall into his hands…
Rebecca couldn’t imagine what would happen to her. She would rather kill Jessica with her own two hands than let her be taken by Warrick.
The underlings standing behind Warrick began to chuckle with sinister expressions, and their eyes roamed over Rebecca and her daughter without any inhibitions. A widow and her daughter were completely defenseless. Furthermore, the widow was still relatively pleasing to the eye, so she would provide entertainment for them while Warrick took the little girl.
A few people began to emerge from the black bungalows nearby, but all of them merely looked on with numb expressions on their faces. There was no anger, no excitement, nor any hint of emotion in them.
The road was paved with black stones, and it was riddled with potholes. There had been some heavy rainfall in recent times, and those potholes were still filled with rainwater. They blended into the black houses nearby, making them appear as if they were miniature mine pits.
…
Mag pushed his bicycle alongside him, and asked Amy, who was sitting on the bicycle seat, a question. “Amy, are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yes, I’m sure Jessica’s house is nearby.” Amy nodded with an earnest expression.
“Alright, let’s keep going, then.” Mag nodded with a smile despite the fact that it was the third time that Amy had said that. Even so, what could he do? Little celestial maidens like her were born to be pampered, and he had no choice but to continue onward, avoiding one puddle after another along the way.
After growing accustomed to the lavish Aden Square, it was a bit jarring to suddenly find himself traversing an area inhabited by poverty-stricken residents. Even in Chaos City, there were still many people who lived below the poverty line.
…
“That’s not something for you to decide. You’re obligated by law to pay your debts. If you can’t repay your debts, then I’m ent.i.tled to take something from you. I don’t want anything from your sh*tty house, but your little girl looks like she’s worth a coin or two.” Warrick shook his head before continuing, “Do you know how much you owe me? My only flaw is that I’m too kind. I’m a n.o.ble 2nd-tier knight, yet I’m extending sympathy toward people like you. That’s why you still dare to turn me down even though you’re clearly unable to repay your debts.”
“My husband pa.s.sed away in a mining accident last year, and I borrowed 20 gold coins from you to pay for his funeral…” Rebecca clenched her fists, and suppressed her rage and grief.
“20? Heh, it’s been two years. With the acc.u.mulation of compound interest, you owe me 500 gold coins, and that’s already a discounted amount. Do you think your daughter is worth that price? Heck, I’m doing you a favor here! I really am too kind…” Warrick chuckled coldly.
“Yeah, Master Warrick is the kindest person in the world!”
“Only he would be this generous toward you two. If it were me, I’d be taking both of you.”
Warrick’s underlings all began to chime in, and their coa.r.s.e laughter sounded like the voice of the devil.
The smile on Warrick’s face became more and more vibrant as if were very pleased with the praise that he was receiving, and he looked at Rebecca, awaiting a response from her.
“H-how could it be 500 gold coins?!” Rebecca stared at Warrick with incredulity in her eyes, and shook her head as she said, “That’s impossible! I only borrowed 20 gold coins from you, how has it become 500? You can’t do this! I’m going to report you to the city lord’s castle!”
“This is the contract that you’ve signed with us two years ago. The contract states a compounding interest rate of 50% per month, so that makes a total of 500 gold coins now. Even if you report me to the city lord’s castle, I’ll still win the case, and the city lord’s castle will force you to hand over your daughter to repay your debt.” Warrick pulled out a contract, cackling in a sinister voice.
Rebecca stared at the contract in Warrick’s hand, listened to his horrid cackling, and felt as if the entire sky was falling upon her. She was completely helpless, and could only press Jessica even more tightly into the wall behind her.
Jessica looked up at Rebecca, who was in a complete panic, and there was fear etched on her little face, but she didn’t cry. She held her mother’s hand tightly with her own little hand, trying to lend her some warmth and support.
Rebecca faltered momentarily before looking down at Jessica, and grabbing her little hand tightly as if she were clutching at a lifejacket. She returned to her senses, and looked at Warrick as she said, “Master Warrick, please give me a little more time. The compensation for my husband’s accident will be given to me soon, and that will definitely be more than 500 gold coins. When that time comes, I’ll repay all of the debt I owe to you, so please let me go, and let Jessica go; she’s only a five-year-old child.”
“You sure are stupid.” Warrick shrugged with a smile before approaching Rebecca. He placed his mouth near her ear, and said, “Governor Woodrow is my uncle, and he told me that the compensation for that mining accident has already been handed down, but you weren’t eligible to receive any. Even if you wait until you die, you’ll never get that money as it doesn’t belong to lowly black rats like you. I’ll be sure to enjoy your daughter. If she can live for a few more years, perhaps she’ll even bear my child.”
“How could this be…” Rebecca’s eyes widened with shock and horror at the sight of Warrick’s sinister expression. Her face was already sickly pale, and it paled even further. All strength seemed to have been drained from her body, leaving her unable to support herself as she slid down slowly along the wall and sat onto the ground, looking as if she had lost her soul.
“I heard you spent a dragon coin on medicine a few days ago. So you have money to buy medicine, but no money to give to me? That’s not right, is it? Aside from this little girl, I’ll be taking the rest of your money as interest.” Warrick waved a hand, and two of his burly underlings began to search Rebecca’s body.
“Don’t touch my mother! You’re all bad people! If my father were here, he’d sent you flying with a single punch!” Jessica rushed out from behind Rebecca, and s.h.i.+elded her instead.
“Then why don’t you get him to come out of his coffin to punch us?”
Everyone burst into laughter. One of the burly underlings tore at the money bag hanging from Rebecca’s waist, causing it to tear open, sending a bunch of gold, silver, and copper coins clattering onto the ground, some of which fell into the nearby puddles.
“Pick those up, you idiots.” Warrick furrowed his brows with displeasure, and his underlings immediately bent over to pick up the coins.
“No! That’s not my money; someone else borrowed it to me, and I have to return it to him…” Rebecca tried to struggle to her feet, but Warrick stomped down firmly upon her shoulder.
He squeezed Jessica’s chin between his fingers, and gave her a sinister smirk as he said, “I said it’s mine, so it’s mine. From this day forth, she also belongs to me.”
A gold coin rolled along the ground, and a burly tattooed man rushed along behind it.
The gold coin b.u.mped into a bicycle tyre, and came to a stop.
The burly underling was elated to see that, and he reached for the coin with his hand.
However, just as his hand came into contact with the gold coin, a foot came stomping down with vicious force, crus.h.i.+ng his hand into the shards of black stone below.
“That’s my money.”
A cold voice sounded alongside a loud howl of anguish.