Sha Qing

Chapter 123: Exhausting All Possibilities (1)

Sixth facility, Riker's Island.

Rafael woke up from a nightmare of being stared at by giant eyes only to find that the nightmare had become a reality: a dark shadow was hovering on top of his head and a cold sharp object was pressing on his neck, as if it would cut his throat in the next second. He swallowed the shout he was about to make as he tried to touch the medical call button beside the bed which was specially configured for his half-paralyzed self--

-But the sharp object, which was on his neck just a few milliseconds ago, plunged into the back of his moving hand, pinning it to the sheet, in the blink of an eye.

"Shh," the figure covered his mouth, "Cooperate, Mr. Stoker. As long as you're willing to do so, I promise to keep you alive."

Rafael sweated in pain, but he still nodded his head without losing his composure, showing his keen judgment as a former gang member. From that dark shadow, he smelled an extremely dangerous knife-like aura-it was so strong as if it could make anyone bleed. He was familiar with such dreadful auras, and knew that the best response he should make at this moment was to be obedient.

The dark figure released his hand. Rafael took a couple of deep breaths and asked tentatively, "Did Richter send you? I'm all the way in here, and he still won't let me go?"

"Don't worry," the dark figure said coldly, "The struggle for power between you brothers has nothing to do with me."

Rafael breathed a sigh of relief, "Then you are..."

"I'm looking for you to inquire about someone."

"Who?"

"Enjoyer."

"Enjoyer? No, I don't know anyone by that name."

"Think patiently and recall carefully. This is just a pseudonym, or a code name, and maybe this person had never even called themself that in front of you, but you know them so well that you know their interests, know the things they had done that couldn't be seen in the light, and maybe once or twice, you've seen them sign their name at the end of a letter ......"

Inspired by the other party's persuasive tone, a name popped out of Rafael's mind. "Say it. Give me a name." The dark figure ordered, "I'm only giving you two seconds to choose which is more important: the owner of that name or your life."

Rafael immediately made his choice, "Hayden Colten!"

The unknown figure inhaled soundlessly, then slowly exhaled, as if he was trying so hard to suppress a fierce and violent outburst that was on the verge of exploding at any moment, that once released, would destroy everything in its path.

Rafael felt his throat tighten and his chest trembled as the inexplicable sense of fear far outweighed the pain of his hand being stabbed.

After a while, the dark figure asked in a deep voice, "Do you know how to find him?"

Rafael shook his head, "He and I haven't been in touch for many years, and we used to be just casual acquaintances befor- -" his brow was suddenly nudged by a cold finger, and he was immediately silenced.

"I know much more than you think," the man said, "You two used to be lovers. The reason why the police hadn't caught him after committing countless crimes on the West Coast was due to, first, his own cunning and sophisticated ways and then second, you-because you had been shielding him with the power in your hands, right?"