Chapter 231 What Waits
Her
The group soon reached a heavy iron door.
“Ms. Marsh, please step inside. Mr. Carpenter has instructed us to unlock the door for you in an hour.”
The man leading the group spoke with an unsettling calmness, but Rachel’s pulse pounded in her ears.
She had no idea what lay beyond that door.
“What’s… inside?” she asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
The man’s expression remained unreadable, his tone just as steady. “You’ll find out once you step in. Go in quickly and come out as soon as you can.”
Under their sharp gazes, Rachel, despite the gnawing anxiety twisting in her chest, forced herself to move forward.
Step by step, she approached the door. With a slow, agonizing creak, the iron door swung open, revealing an unknown beyond.
Rachel stepped inside. The space before her stretched vast and unnervingly empty.
Ahead, a narrow path barely wide enough for two people ran into the distance.
She hesitated, taking a few tentative steps before stopping- only for a voice to echo around her. “Ms. Marsh, please continue forward. When you reach the designated spot, I will notify you.”
Rachel lifted her gaze, spotting a surveillance camera positioned not far ahead.
Upon closer inspection, she realized cameras covered every inch of the area, leaving no place unobserved.
She had never encountered anything like this before. A strange mix of awe and fear settled in her chest, and even now, she had no idea what she was about to face.
Chapter 231 What Waits Her
She walked a few more steps and soon came across the first room.
Inside, the walls were lined with an array of tools–or rather, grotesque instruments of
torture.
Knives, guns, and other implements she had only ever seen in thriller movies.
Each one looked more sinister than the last. The cold gleam of metal seemed to radiate
malice, like beasts baring their fangs in the dim light.
Rachel instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering as a chill of terror swept through her.
This place was… monstrous.
As she ventured deeper, a low, guttural growling reached her ears.
The sound grew louder, and when she finally reached the source, her breath hitched. Inside a caged–off room, massive dogs of various breeds and colors paced restlessly, their eyes glinting with barely restrained aggression.
One common trait united them all–their razor–sharp teeth and overwhelming size.
Rachel’s stomach twisted.
And these were just the horrors she could see.
What about the ones hidden from her?
She didn’t dare let her mind wander further.
Before stepping foot in this place, Rachel had been skeptical. Wilson wielded immense power, but could he truly keep Brian contained?
If Brian wanted to escape, he would have found a way by now.
For him to remain here, there had to be something chaining him down.
Now, she understood. Tracy was his weakness. If Brian fled and provoked Wilson, any one of these merciless methods could be used against Tracy.
“Ms. Marsh, walk another fifty meters. The door to the room on your right will open,” the voice instructed once more.
Rachel shuddered violently.
Her fear had reached its breaking point.
12.00
Chapter 231 What Waits Her
With every step she took, the dread tightened its grip on her.
By the time she neared the room, her legs felt like lead, her movements sluggish, as if she were wading through quicksand.
Each step took her an agonizing minute, but at last, she reached the second door.
Without warning, it swung open.
A blast of icy air slammed into her, piercing through her clothes and seeping into her
skin.
“Please step inside,” the voice instructed.
As soon as she stepped in, the bone–chilling cold wrapped around her like a deathly
embrace.
A violent sneeze erupted from her, and she instinctively clutched her arms around
herself.
It didn’t take long for realization to set in–this was a freezing cellar. An ice cellar so cold that even the air felt razor–sharp against her skin.
Within minutes, her body was convulsing from the relentless cold. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, and she trembled as if the very marrow in her bones had turned to ice.
The cold was unbearable.
But the stillness was a mistake. Her limbs stiffened, her fingers numbed, and frost clung to the strands of her hair like tiny, glistening daggers.
A wave of panic surged through her. If she stayed still, she’d freeze to death.
Mustering every ounce of strength, Rachel forced herself upright and began to jog in small, unsteady steps, fighting to keep her body from succumbing to the merciless cold.
She had to keep moving. Only by forcing her body to stay active could she generate enough warmth to last the hour.
Wilson’s punishments weren’t just physical–they carved themselves into the soul, leaving scars that would never fade.
The horrors she had witnessed on her way here had been enough to shake her, but this ice cellar–this was his version of mercy, granted only because of Natalia.
Rachel had no idea how long she had been running. Her limbs were still stiff, her skin frozen numb.
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Chapter 231 What Waits Her
Every breath she took felt like inhaling shards of ice. Her energy was draining fast.
Just as despair began to creep in, her fingers brushed against something inside her pocket.
She reached in, her frozen hands fumbling, and pulled out a small bundle.
It was a few pieces of chocolate she had absentmindedly stuffed in her pocket before leaving the house.
At that moment, tears pricked her eyes. She didn’t hesitate. She ripped the wrappers off and devoured the chocolate hungrily,
It was rock hard from the cold, each bite crunching between her teeth.
But right now, it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.
The small burst of sugar sent a flicker of energy through her, enough to keep her moving for another ten minutes.
Slumping onto the frozen ground, Rachel’s thoughts drifted to Jeffrey.
Jeffrey had always had a sweet tooth–his love for chocolate filled their house with every variety imaginable.
She and Yvonne would bring him new flavors whenever they found them, ensuring there was always a stash hidden somewhere.
He would always share his favorites with her, even though she never cared much for
sweets.
These chocolates, the very ones she had just eaten, had been the ones Jeffrey had slipped into her hand before she left.
She had intended to give them to Natalia, thinking it would be a small gift.
But now,
those very chocolates had saved Rachel’s life.
A silent thank you formed in her heart for both Jeffrey and Natalia.
Without that little burst of energy, she might not have survived.
Just as her body was on the verge of collapse and her breaths had grown faint, the voice returned, “Ms. Marsh, the hour is up. Congratulations on passing the test. The door is now open. You may leave.”
Gritting her teeth, Rachel forced herself to her feet.
Chapter 231 What Waits Her
Each step was agony as she dragged herself toward the exit.
The moment she crossed the threshold, warmth surrounded her.
She collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
She had no idea how long she sat there, trembling, but eventually, the numbness faded, and strength trickled back into her limbs. Bracing against the wall, she pushed herself up and began walking.
When she finally emerged, her face was ghostly pale, exhaustion carved into
of her features.
every
inch
After a brief moment, one of the men broke the silence. “Ms. Marsh, this was only the first test Mr. Carpenter prepared for you. There’s a second one.”
Rachel’s head snapped up, disbelief flashing in her eyes. “You mean… there’s more?”
“Of course,” another man said icily. “You should count yourself lucky Ms. Carpenter returned unharmed. If she hadn’t, even killing you wouldn’t have been enough to make up for it. And let me remind you–not just anyone is worthy of being friends with Ms. Carpenter.” If you can’t pass the tests, then you’re nothing.”
Rachel clenched her teeth and gave a firm nod. “I’ll do it.”
But she never could have predicted that when she followed them to the next location, she would come face–to–face with Brian.
