Ruby didn't leave.

Before long, four black SUVs rolled into the camp. The number of bodyguards instantly doubled.

Ruby's assistant sat at a table, making phone calls loud enough for the entire camp to hear.

"...Yes, make sure they all get the message. Any guide who refuses this job gets blacklisted immediately. Use every resource to ruin them. Yes, everyone. No exceptions."

Arthur walked over, holding a tin mug, his face dark.

"Is she insane? She's going to ruin everyone in this camp."

I said nothing.

David emerged from his tent and walked up to me, hesitating. Kieran followed closely behind, his face flushed red.

"Zachary…" David spoke, his voice strained.

"I know you have your reasons, but… Kieran and I don't have any other skills. We need this job to put food on the table. His wife is giving birth next month, and our family—"

With a heavy thud, Kieran dropped to his knees. His knees sank into the loose sand, leaving deep ruts.

"Zachary, please. Just agree to it."

David trembled, then kneeled right beside Kieran.

I bent down to pull them up. "Get up."

Before I could, two bodyguards stepped up from behind and grabbed me, pinning my arms to my sides.

I struggled, but I couldn't break their grip.

A third bodyguard lunged from the side and slammed my face straight into the dirt.

The scalding sand pressed against my cheek, burning my skin.

Ruby slowly walked into my line of sight.

She crouched down, took off her sunglasses, and looked down at me. "If you don't say yes, none of these people around you will ever make a single dime. I'll make sure of it."

Her voice was perfectly calm, devoid of any emotion. "I've been in business a long time, and there hasn't been a single thing I couldn't buy."

I turned my head slightly to look at her.

There was no warmth or urgency in her eyes—only a cold, absolute sense of dominance.

Exactly like eight years ago.

She had that exact same look back then. "I don't care. My brother is in trouble too. Just name your price."

The sound of a struggle came from nearby.

Two bodyguards dragged Arthur out into the blazing sun.

Arthur was shouting curses, but they shoved a hand over his mouth, cutting him off into muffled grunts.

Under the direct sunlight, his face turned bright red within a minute.

The desert sun at this hour would cause heatstroke in 30 minutes. In two hours, it would kill him.

"Stop!" I roared. "I'll do it."

The bodyguards finally let go.

I slowly pushed myself up from the sand.

Ruby stood up and brushed the dust off her skirt. "See? That wasn't so hard."

I looked up at her, my eyes completely cold. "Do you want to know why I refused to go?"

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Because if I go into that desert, your brother won't survive."

Ruby's expression didn't change, but her lips twitched faintly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I will bury him out there with my own hands." I spoke calmly, pronouncing every single word clearly. "My daughter took her last breath out there. In the exact same spot your brother is in right now."

The wind died down.

Ruby's face turned instantly pale, her composure finally shattering.

The entire camp went dead silent. Only the distant sand dunes kept up their low hum.

"Now, do you still want me to go?"