INFINITE MONEY - I Will Buy Everything

Inside the car were two individuals. The driver, Carl, gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity, wrenching it left and right with a desperate ferocity. Beside him, Carly clutched her seat, her voice rising in a crescendo of panic as she implored Carl to slow down, feeling as though death was looming ever closer with each sharp turn.

"Please, Carl! Stop the car, or we're going to die," Carly begged, her voice quivering with dread.

Carly was the young woman in the passenger seat, the same one who had betrayed William to the Violet Boeli Group. With her innocent looks that could disarm even the most hardened hearts and her golden hair that only added to her allure, Carly was well-practiced in using her charms to entrap men. Petite and barely five feet tall, her small, delicate appearance only furthered her deceptive appeal.

But now, all of her charm had evaporated, replaced by the unrelenting terror of an impending crash that haunted her every thought.

"Carl, darling, please. Stop the car or at least slow down a little bit," she pleaded, her voice laced with fear.

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as Carl continued to drive like a man possessed, as if his very existence hinged on his reckless pace.

"Carl! Carl! CARL!" Carly screamed, her panic reaching a fever pitch.

At last, Carl responded with a furious shout, "WHAT?!"

"DON'T YOU SEE THAT I'M TRYING TO GET US TO SAFETY AFTER THE MASSIVE SCREW-UP YOU'VE LANDED US IN?!" he bellowed, his frustration spilling over. "IF WE DON'T ESCAPE NOW, WE'LL LOSE EVERYTHING—INCLUDING OUR LIVES! DON'T YOU GET THAT?!"

His outburst left Carly cowering in her seat, her eyes wide with fear—not of the speeding car, but of him. Realizing he had frightened her, Carl abruptly pulled over and brought the car to a stop. He leaned his head against the steering wheel, exhaling a heavy sigh.

"I-I-I'm sorry," Carl stammered, his voice trembling. "I didn't mean to yell at you like that. It's just… the situation is so… so…" He trailed off, unable to find the right word—whether it was "dire" or something even more damning.

Seeing him so distraught, Carly's own fear began to ebb away. She reached out and gently touched his arm, trying to offer comfort. "I know, Carl. I was just terrified by how fast you were going. I didn't mean to upset you."

Carl lifted his head and looked at her, his expression one of bewildered innocence. "I wasn't angry… I'm not angry… I just… I just don't know what to do about this mess we're in," he confessed, his voice tinged with helplessness.

Carly's heart ached at the sight of him so lost. "I know, darling, and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in such a terrible situation," she said softly. "It's all because of me."

She began to spiral into self-recrimination, her words becoming more frantic until Carl shook her out of it, his grip firm on her shoulders.

"Listen to me," Carl said loudly, his voice commanding her attention. "This isn't your fault. None of it is. You just… you just found yourself in a situation where you didn't have any other choice."

Carly stroked his cheek with trembling fingers and whispered, "If only… if only we had another chance, things could've been so different. We could've lived somewhere far away from all this and maybe even had a few kids, lived… peacefully."

"And we still can," Carl replied, a flicker of desperation in his voice. "We just have to make it to another kingdom, lay low until things settle down. Then we can find a safe place and start over… away from all of this."

Carly looked at him, doubt clouding her eyes. "And then what? We'll just keep moving from one kingdom to the next until we've exhausted them all without ever finding refuge?"

"No!" Carl protested, his voice rising. "No, there's still a chance. We could head to the Evernight Kingdom. I've heard some unsettling things about it, but it might be the only place left where we can find sanctuary."

Carly had heard of the Evernight Kingdom too, and none of it was good. But faced with the gravity of their predicament, she realized there was no other option. With a slight nod, she agreed, "Alright, we'll go there and hide out until things calm down."

Carl's face brightened at her agreement. "Yes, we'll do just that. And then we'll be free from all these troubles."

He turned back to the wheel and attempted to start the car, but the engine sputtered and refused to turn over.

"Carl…" Carly's voice carried a hint of anxiety.

"Just give me a second," Carl muttered, frustration seeping into his tone. He jammed the key into the ignition again, twisting it forcefully, but the engine remained stubbornly silent.

"Carl…" Carly repeated, her voice now edged with unease.

"Just one moment! The damn car won't start no matter what I do!"

"I think it might be because of that," Carly murmured, her voice barely audible.

"Huh?" Carl glanced at her and followed her gaze to the windshield. His eyes widened in shock.

There, lodged into the car's engine, was a sword—its blade embedded deep into the hood as if it had been driven by some unseen force, yet there had been no sound, no indication of how it got there.

"How the—" Carl began, but his words caught in his throat as he noticed a figure standing in the distance, watching them intently.

Standing alone like a lone wolf, Adam stared at the car with a look of grim determination, waiting for them to make their move.

Carl's mind raced with possibilities—should he attempt to flee, draw his gun, or perhaps even surrender? The thoughts swirled in his head, each more frantic than the last.

In the end, he sighed deeply and turned to Carly. "Stay in the car," he instructed, his voice laden with resignation.

"What do you mean, stay in the car? How could I—" Carly began to protest, but she stopped short when she saw the resolute look in Carl's eyes.

"Please… just stay inside the car," Carl pleaded softly.

Carly nodded reluctantly. Carl squeezed her hand, offering a forced smile. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

With that, he stepped out of the car and cautiously approached the sword embedded in the engine. He glanced at Adam, who remained unmoving, his gaze fixed on Carl.

"You know, this could have killed us both," Carl remarked, attempting to mask his fear with a nonchalant tone.

"I'm not that bad at aiming," Adam retorted, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Carl was silent for a moment before he asked, "Do we really have to do this?"

"Yes," Adam replied, his tone unwavering.

"There's no other way?" Carl pressed.

"No."

"You can't just overlook this?"

"Sorry, I can't."

Carl let out a bitter laugh. "How about I give you the money I stole from the kid?"

Adam raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "Wow! I knew you had guts, but I didn't expect you to be this reckless. Now I definitely have to take you in."