World Traveler Villain

{Chapter: 118 Join the team}

Everyone froze, their gazes shifting between Carlos and William. Questions filled the air. Was this man truly a demon? He certainly didn't look like one.

"What's going on with Carlos?" Claire asked, her voice tense with concern.

Terry quickly responded, "No, William isn't a demon. He's a good man. He saved us once, though it's often misunderstood by some."

"Is that so, Carlos?" Claire's tone grew colder.

Carlos raised his gun, pointing it directly at William. "I'll never admit to being rescued by this guy. We could've escaped just fine without him."

"Carlos, how can you say that?" Terry cried out, her voice trembling. "If William wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already!"

Claire shifted her focus to Jill, who was supporting Alice. "And who are you two? What was that fire in the sky just now?"

"My name's Jill, and this is Alice. As for the flames? Who knows?" Jill replied curtly, her tone distant, her mood still foul.

Claire pressed on. "Jill, Alice… Do you know Carlos?"

Jill smirked faintly. "We escaped together once."

"Excluding him," Carlos interjected sharply, glaring at William.

William spread his hands nonchalantly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Carlos, do you have any idea how easy it is to get smacked for saying things like that?"

Carlos scowled. "I'm not—"

SLAP!

The deafening sound of the slap echoed through the air, cutting Carlos off mid-sentence. His body was hurled backward, flying several meters before landing hard in the sand.

William now stood where Carlos had been, his expression calm yet menacing. "Ignorance isn't the problem, Carlos," he said coldly. "What's dangerous is treating everyone else like they're fools."

The group stood stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened. How did he move so fast?

Claire was the first to recover. She raised her gun and pointed it at William without hesitation. "What are you? Some kind of demon?"

William tilted his head slightly, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "I prefer to think of myself as more of a devil."

Carlos struggled to his feet, his face red and swollen, shaking with fury as he raised his gun again. "Everyone, shoot him! We can't let him stay alive!"

"Don't!" Terry cried out desperately.

Jill sighed and shook her head. "Carlos, maybe think this through before you pull that trigger. Can you even kill him? If not, what do you think will happen next?"

Claire hesitated, her instincts screaming caution. William's speed and strength were beyond anything she'd ever encountered. She couldn't act recklessly.

Carlos, finally cooling down, lowered his gun reluctantly, his face still twisted with anger.

William smirked. "Good choice. Otherwise, a lot of people would've died." His tone carried a tinge of disappointment, as though the lack of a fight had dampened his mood.

Terry exhaled in relief, grateful the confrontation had been avoided. She glanced at William, silently reaffirming her loyalty. If a conflict had broken out, her choice would've been clear.

Carlos, however, wasn't done. "William, hand Alice over to us, and we'll leave. We won't cross paths again."

William didn't even bother to look at Carlos, his attention solely on Claire. "Claire, mind if I join your team?"

Claire frowned, her tone sharp. "You? You're dangerous, mysterious, and completely untrustworthy. Why would I ever agree?"

William smiled confidently. "Because I know you will."

"And why's that?" Claire asked with a scoff.

William stepped closer, his presence radiating an almost tangible intensity. He stopped just in front of Claire, ignoring the wary stares of her armed companions.

"Why? Because my fists are bigger."

Claire's expression darkened. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"Not a threat," William replied casually. "Just a fact."

Claire's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Then answer me this: the fire in the sky earlier—was it your doing? Or hers?" She glanced toward Alice.

William shook his head. "It wasn't me. It was Alice. She has power far beyond that of an ordinary human."

Claire raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Power beyond human comprehension, huh? Fascinating. Alright, you're in." She extended her hand.

William clasped her hand firmly, his grin widening. "I'm glad we understand each other."

Claire's expression remained icy. "You can let go of my hand now."

William chuckled, releasing her. "Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away."

Carlos growled in frustration. "Claire, I don't agree with this!"

"This is my team, Carlos," Claire snapped. "Follow me. We need to talk." She walked away without another word.

Carlos shot William one last glare before reluctantly following Claire.

Terry beamed, looking at William. "That's great! Now we can all be together."

Jill crossed her arms, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "Wonderful. A whole group of beautiful women. He'll have plenty of opportunities to show off now."

Terry turned to Jill, her face lighting up. "Jill! You're alive!"

Jill gave her a flat look. "Obviously. Didn't you notice me until now?"

Terry hesitated, flustered. "Well, I—"

"I get it," Jill interrupted with a wry smile. "When someone's special, everyone else disappears from view."

Terry looked down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry… Oh, wait—is that Alice? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Jill replied. "Just unconscious. She'll recover with some rest."

"That's good," Terry said with a sigh of relief before her expression darkened. "But Angela…"

Jill's demeanor shifted immediately. "What about Angela? What happened to her?"

Terry nodded solemnly. "She's gone. She… didn't make it."

Jill's face hardened as she fell silent.

William shrugged. "Life's unpredictable like that. People die—it's unfortunate, but it happens. so it's dead, pitiful. If she dies, she dies." His tone was dismissive, almost indifferent.

*****

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