Chapter 194: Pretending to be Held Hostage, Protective Film, Binding

Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Pretending to be Held Hostage, Protective Film, Binding

Keith Griffith was taken aback by Seraphina Sullivan’s sudden "understanding." ’Why is this woman suddenly so agreeable?’ he wondered.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He just wanted to complete his mission as quickly as possible.

He quickly jumped on her words, "Ah, yes, yes! It’s great that you understand, Miss Sullivan. Understanding is a wonderful thing! We’re all neighbors; we should all get along!"

While saying "yes, yes,"

he constantly scanned the room out of the corner of his eye.

At the same time, he used idle chatter to stall for time, trying to distract Seraphina Sullivan.

When he confirmed that Sean Chandler, the man who made his heart pound with fear, wasn’t in the living room and seemed to be packing things in an inner room, a fierce and resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

’Now’s my chance!’

The moment Seraphina Sullivan seemed to let her guard down, turning to the side as she spoke to him,

Keith Griffith lunged forward. His right hand shot out like an iron clamp toward Seraphina Sullivan’s neck, while his left hand tried to twist her arm behind her back.

He planned to subdue Seraphina Sullivan in one move and take her hostage.

However, what he thought was a lightning-fast move seemed to unfold in slow motion in Seraphina Sullivan’s eyes.

She could even clearly see his ferocious expression from the exertion and the triumphant look in his eyes.

’So he couldn’t resist after all.’

Seraphina Sullivan remained completely calm inside. She even cooperated by not putting up any effective resistance.

She just slightly adjusted her angle with the movement to make her "captured" position a little more comfortable.

At the same time, she let out a perfectly timed, panicked cry:

"Ah! What are you doing?!"

The cry was like a signal.

BANG!

The door to the inner room was thrown open, and Sean Chandler’s figure appeared swiftly in the living room.

His gaze was bone-chillingly cold.

It instantly locked onto Keith Griffith and the captured Seraphina Sullivan, the killing intent in his eyes so thick it was almost tangible.

Keith Griffith shuddered, terrified by Sean Chandler’s horrifying glare.

But remembering his plan, he forced himself to calm down.

Tightening his hold on Seraphina Sullivan, he took half a step back and shouted, blustering to hide his fear.

"Mr... Mr. Chandler! You’d better not move! Or... or Miss Sullivan might get hurt!"

As if to back him up, from around the corner of the hallway,

Gene Morton emerged with two subordinates, quickly moving to stand before Keith Griffith and vaguely forming an encirclement.

The two men were also on guard against a counterattack from Sean Chandler.

Gene Morton looked at the hostage, Seraphina Sullivan, then at the unmoving Sean Chandler. A sinister smile, confident of victory, spread across his pale face.

The situation seemed to be under their control.

"Sir, I advise you to listen to us obediently,"

Gene Morton said to Sean Chandler, his face full of the smugness of someone in complete control.

"Otherwise, we can’t guarantee the safety of your pretty girlfriend."

Seraphina Sullivan immediately got into character, her body trembling slightly as she played along.

Her voice tinged with tears, she cried out to Sean Chandler, "Don’t... don’t come over! Listen to them! I don’t want to get hurt!"

Hearing this, Sean Chandler, who had indeed been about to make a move, froze in his tracks. His hands clenched into fists, he looked like a man barely suppressing his Fury but utterly helpless.

Seeing this, Gene Morton’s smile grew even more smug. "Tsk, tsk. It seems you really do care about your little girlfriend."

"What... do you people want?"

Sean Chandler asked in a low, suppressed voice, perfectly playing the part of someone at their mercy.

"We don’t want to be your enemy. In fact, we’d very much like to be your friend."

Gene Morton spread his hands and said with feigned magnanimity, "However, that requires you to cooperate with us first and come with us for a little trip."

After speaking, he gave a meaningful look.

Keith Griffith and the other two Players immediately understood. They began to slowly retreat toward the hallway, holding Seraphina Sullivan.

Gene Morton, meanwhile, made an "after you" gesture at Sean Chandler, his tone carrying an undeniable threat. "If you please, Mr. Chandler? If you want your girlfriend to be safe, you’d better follow."

With a "dark expression," Sean Chandler followed behind them without a word.

The group quickly exited the apartment building and went outside the residential complex.

Outside, the wind still howled, and goose-feather-sized snowflakes fell thick and fast.

Seraphina was still wondering, ’In such awful weather, how do these people plan to take us away? Are we going to walk?’

Just then, she saw one of the two Players holding her press his hands forward into the air and mutter something under his breath.

The next moment, Seraphina saw a thin, almost transparent film of Energy cover the man.

He then repeated the process, enveloping himself and the others in the same film.

The instant the film enveloped Seraphina,

she felt it block out some of the biting cold and the battering wind and snow.

This Ability made the extreme environment around them slightly more bearable.

’What is this?’

Seraphina was surprised.

She quietly activated her Eye of Resume.

[Name: Victor Lowe]

[Gender: Male]

[Level: Level 1]

[Professional Skills and Talents: Protective Film: Can generate a film of Energy on a target’s body, effectively insulating them from high-intensity energy damage, such as extreme heat, severe cold, etc. However, the film has a time limit and offers only mediocre defense against purely physical attacks.]

[Weaknesses: Extremely afraid of Neil Webb]

At almost the same time, Seraphina also scanned the other Player.

[Name: Todd Olsen]

[Gender: Male]

[Level: Level 1]

[Professional Skills and Talents: Binding: By staring at a target, their body can be bound by an invisible force for approximately three seconds. During these three seconds, the target is immobilized and their Talents are disabled.]

[Weaknesses: Extremely afraid of Neil Webb]

After reading the two men’s Ability information, Seraphina was slightly shocked.

’One provides protection from extreme environments, and the other has a powerful control ability... Even though their levels are low, the potential and practicality of these two Talents are extremely high!’

’Todd Olsen’s [Binding] Talent, in particular, could play a decisive role at a critical moment.’

’It binds a target and can even disable their Talent Abilities. In a fight, it’s the perfect tool for an ambush.’

Seraphina observed the men.

’It seems Gene Morton brought Todd Olsen along to ambush Sean Chandler, but he hasn’t had a chance to use his ability because they’re using me as a hostage.’

At this thought, Seraphina couldn’t help but see Gene Morton’s group in a new, more impressive light.

Even though Victor Lowe and Todd Olsen were only Level 1 and likely just novice Players,

the team behind them must be quite capable to have found Players with such special support and control abilities.

At the same time, Seraphina also noticed their shared Weakness.

’Extremely afraid of Neil Webb.’

’Who is this "Neil Webb"?’

’Could he be the boss of the group behind Gene Morton?’

’Why would he make these two new Players so terrified?’

’What’s the reason?’

The six of them pushed forward with difficulty through the accumulated snow, braving a blizzard with extremely low visibility.

Although Victor Lowe’s [Protective Film] could block some of the severe cold, it couldn’t lessen the immense physical toll of walking through the deep snow.