chapter 10 Lure the snake out of its hole ===

"Cough, cough, cough"
Dunstan was caught off guard by his father Rick's sudden question.
Bianca liking him was something Dunstan naturally knew about, he had sensed it since high school.
If it wasn't for liking him, which girl would follow a boy around all day?
Dunstan still remembers, back when he used to skip classes to play games in internet cafes with his friends, Bianca would ask around for his whereabouts, eventually finding the internet cafe and earnestly persuading him to return to school.
Thinking back, Dunstan found it amusing. Bianca was the epitome of a good girl, so why did she fall for someone as mischievous as him?
While on missions abroad, Dunstan would occasionally think of Bianca, imagining what the girl with two braids had grown up to look like, and whether she had dated anyone.
Maybe if he hadn't chosen this path, he might have ended up together with Bianca.
But now, with time having passed and ten years gone by, Dunstan wasn't clear on whether he harbored romantic feelings for Bianca.
"Dad, what are you talking about? We're still young," Dunstan said vaguely.
Rick laughed and scolded, "You rascal, if you had said this ten years ago, I wouldn't have interfered, but now you're twenty-six, not sixteen. You're using your age as a shield?"
Dunstan scratched his head awkwardly, responding, "In your eyes, dad, aren't I still a child?"
After laughing heartily, Rick did not pursue the matter further with Dunstan.
He understood that Dunstan was no longer the naive child he once was. Who Dunstan liked or didn't like was his own business. Being older, Rick decided not to meddle in the younger generation's private lives.
Seeing that Rick didn't continue on the topic, Dunstan heaved a sigh of relief, having managed to deflect the conversation.
Glancing at the silhouette in the kitchen, Dunstan blinked thoughtfully.
Noncommittally, he acknowledged that Bianca was indeed a good marriage prospect, but he currently had no intention of settling down, admitting to himself that he had indeed delayed her life.
After casual conversation post-dinner, as the sky grew darker, Fiona spoke up, "Bianca, it's too late now, and it's not safe for you to go home alone. Why don't you stay over like before?"
Before Bianca could reply, Rick interjected, "You're being confused again. Back then, Bianca used to sleep in Dunstan's room. Now that our son is back, do you expect them to share a room?"
Dunstan's home remained unchanged from ten years ago, and with Rick having spent all their savings to find him, there was no extra money to renovate the house.
Due to the house being old, it had only three bedrooms and a living room, with one room used for storage, one for living, and one empty.
Over the years, whenever Bianca stayed over, she used Dunstan's old room. Now that Dunstan was back, they couldn't possibly ask Bianca to sleep on the living room sofa.
Reminded by Rick, Fiona quickly realized her oversight, repeatedly saying, "Look at my memory, getting worse and worse, forgetting such a thing."
"How about this, Bianca, let Dunstan walk you home," Fiona said before Bianca could respond. "There have been several robberies in the old street recently, and I'm worried about you walking at night."
With the conversation turning this way, Bianca found it hard to refuse, and she also wanted to spend time alone with Dunstan, so she shyly nodded her head.
As they left, Dunstan and Bianca walked quietly through the long alley, their shadows stretched long under the streetlights.
Finally, it was Dunstan who broke the silence.
"Bianca, how have you been these years?" Dunstan hesitated as he spoke. He used to love teasing Bianca when they were younger, and suddenly speaking so seriously now felt a bit unfamiliar.
"It's been okay, just like that. The first few years after you disappeared were quite tough. Besides attending school, I spent the rest of my time helping Uncle Rick distribute missing person flyers to look for you, sometimes even skipping meals," Bianca replied after a moment of silence.
"However, after graduation, I joined a major local company and climbed up to a mid-level management position after a few years of hard work. My monthly salary is quite substantial, so overall, I guess I'm doing alright."
Listening to Bianca's ramblings, Dunstan suddenly realized that they had both grown up and were no longer the same as before.
Dunstan himself had been building his own force step by step in war-torn countries, evolving from a teenager into the leader of a mercenary group, with his hands stained by the blood of countless people, earning him the nickname of a ruthless demon.
All these aspects of his life were unknown to Bianca, who lived an ordinary life. If she knew that the childhood friend standing beside her was a figure feared by many, how would she view Dunstan then?
It seemed as if overnight, they each had their own lives, which appeared effortless but were achieved through untold hardships.
Dunstan tentatively asked, "So, haven't you been in a relationship all these years? You're so beautiful, it's hard to believe no one has pursued you."
Bianca was a stunning beauty even at sixteen, and she had grown even more attractive as an adult. Placed in any university, she would be considered a campus beauty.
How could such an outstanding woman not have suitors?
As a breeze blew, Bianca brushed her bangs aside and said, "How could I be in the mood for a relationship when the person I like has been missing all this time?"
With that statement, the air seemed to be filled with a hint of ambiguity.
The scent drifting from Bianca stirred Dunstan's thoughts.
Seeing the somewhat bewildered big boy beside her, Bianca couldn't help but smile.
It's nice, you're still the same as before, and so am I, never changed.
After ensuring Bianca safely took a taxi home, Dunstan returned the same way.
Back at home, sitting on the couch with Rick, they talked from the past into the future, discussing the path Dunstan should take. Rick mentioned, "We used to make seventy to eighty bucks a day selling fruits at our stall. But after you fought those guys today, we can't continue selling fruits anymore."
Remembering today's events, Dunstan realized those people seemed to have come with a purpose.
With Dunstan's sharp mind, it was clear they were instigated by someone, but the identity of the person behind this was still unknown. However, he believed that one day, that person would reveal themselves.
At that time, Dunstan vowed to make the life of the person pulling the strings a living hell, daring to bully his family as if the Dunstan family had no one to stand up for them.
With this thought, Dunstan said, "Dad, if you want to keep the fruit stall going, just do it. Don't worry about anything. If those people dare to come again, I'll drive them away, every single time they try."
With the wealth Dunstan had now, there was no need for his father to continue running the stall to make a living, but how else to lure out those hiding in the shadows?