Still, Mary only glanced at Ryan, waiting for his reaction.
Just as Miranda fell forward, Ryan suddenly pulled Albert in front of him. "He's the one you should thank. He found out what was happening. I only helped."
Miranda froze, then straightened herself, clearly displeased. She forced a gentle smile and turned to Albert. "Thank you, Mister. I'll repay you for saving my life."
Albert turned red instantly, rubbing the back of his head. "No… no need. It's our duty."
Miranda lowered her eyes, hiding the calculation within them. Ryan might not want her now, but she had never failed to get what she wanted. She would find another way.
Mary was secretly satisfied with Ryan's reaction. If he had shown even a hint of softness toward Miranda, she would have had to rethink everything about him. After all she just started to trust him and even took the initiative to kiss.
A man who was either lustful or overly soft-hearted could never be trusted. She had seen too many such people in the apocalypse, and their endings were always ugly.
Miranda was indeed pretty. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and the white dress she wore was the kind that naturally stirred a man's protective instincts. Even now, with her clothes torn and her hair disheveled, the tears clinging to her lashes made her look pitiful and fragile. For most men, this was a fatal combination.
Ryan, however, did not spare her a glance. His gaze fell instead on the four men lying on the ground. He stepped forward and kicked the fattest one nearest to him.
The fat man groaned and jolted awake, rolling over in confusion. When his eyes focused on the people standing around him, his expression changed instantly. He struggled to sit up and shouted, "Who are you people? Do you know who I am? You dare to cause trouble here?"
Ryan kicked him back down without hesitation. His eyes were sharp and cold. "I don't care who you are. Human trafficking and r*pe are both serious crimes. Either one is enough to keep you in prison for life."
The fat man didn't dare get up again. He curled on the ground, groaning miserably.
Mary stepped in and pulled Ryan back, afraid he might kick again and kill the man outright. She raised her voice and asked, "Where do you lock the captives?"
Her eyes never left the fat man's face. At her words, his gaze flickered past her shoulder.
Sensing something, Mary turned around and saw a bald man lying behind her. He hadn't completely passed out. His eyes were wide open, filled with hatred as he stared at Albert and the others.
Mary turned to Albert. "Was he the one who caught you?"
Albert snapped back to his senses. Just moments ago, Miranda's pitiful gaze had made his mind go blank for a second. Realizing this, he felt embarrassed and quickly shook the thought away.
"Yes, it was him," Albert replied seriously. "He was chasing a woman when we ran into him. They took hostages and threatened us, so we had no choice but to follow them back."
Mary was speechless. The two of them really had terrible judgment. Still, if they hadn't followed, they would never have discovered this place. Whether it was luck or stupidity, things had turned out all right in the end.
Miranda watched Mary closely and felt uneasy. This woman was not simple. She had originally thought Mary was just someone who came along with the rescue team, but now it was clear she was at the center of everything.
Her thoughts raced. If they were all factory workers, then what was Mary's relationship with that man? A sister? No. The disdain and confidence in her gaze ruled that out.
A wife.
The realization made Miranda's heart tighten. But instead of giving up, her desire only grew stronger. It was rare for her to meet a man like Ryan. If she could marry him, it would be perfect.
She noticed Ryan asking about where the captives were held. This was her chance.
Miranda took a few steps forward and tried to grab his arm, but Ryan dodged instantly.
He stepped back warily. "What do you want?"
Her eyes reddened immediately, tears welling up as she spoke in a trembling voice. "Mister, I just remembered where they're keeping the others. I'm scared. I want you to protect me."
Mary almost laughed. Even after being rejected, this woman still tried to stick close.
Ryan felt increasingly uncomfortable. Whether it was her deliberate closeness or her constant attempts to touch him, everything about her felt wrong. More importantly, he didn't want his wife to misunderstand anything. In his heart, he had already decided to stay far away from Miranda from now on.
He retreated another two steps and said coldly, "Tell us where they're held. Quickly."
Then he walked to the table, gathered all the weapons that had been placed there, and handed them to Mary. "Wife, keep these. Albert and I will go check it out. You and William stay here and watch them."
The word "wife" pierced Miranda's heart like a needle. So it really was his wife. No wonder he hadn't fallen for her tricks.
She lowered her eyes, hiding the resentment within them. She didn't believe there was a man who would never waver. Cats didn't steal fish only because they hadn't found the right opportunity yet.
Ryan had no choice but to follow Miranda deeper into the mountain to rescue the hostages. Time was precious. The longer they delayed, the greater the chance that something unexpected would happen.
As she walked ahead, Miranda deliberately slowed her steps and turned her head to glance back, her eyes filled with provocation as they landed on Mary.
Mary met her gaze calmly and even smiled faintly.
Was Mary afraid? Not at all.
If it had been the original Mary, she might have felt uneasy, worried that Ryan would be snatched away.
But she was no longer that person. Ryan was outstanding now, and he would only become more outstanding in the future. A woman like Miranda was neither the first nor the last to set her sights on him.
Instead of worrying about these, Mary would rather improve herself and grow alongside Ryan, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
As long as Ryan did not choose another woman, nothing else mattered. Unrequited admiration was harmless. After all, it was only natural for an exceptional man to attract attention.
But if someone dared to play dirty tricks, then she could not be blamed for being ruthless.
Ryan had no idea that Miranda's behavior had, instead of causing doubt, further solidified his position in Mary's heart. If he knew, he might even feel amused at the irony.
Led by Miranda, Ryan arrived at the entrance of a hidden cave. A large iron gate blocked the opening.
There were surprisingly few guards around, and the gate itself did not look especially sturdy.
Ryan frowned slightly. If it was this weak, why hadn't anyone escaped?
He raised his leg and kicked the iron gate hard. The sound echoed through the cave, followed immediately by furious barking from inside.
So that was the reason.