Where Hope Remained

Soaked by the heavy rain all the way home, John Wick stared at his house, now burned into ruins, pain written across his face.

He found a framed photo of himself and his wife amid the wreckage. He tried to wipe it clean and reveal the original picture, but it was futile.

Disappointed, John Wick sat atop the ruins and stared at the ashes beneath his feet. It was as if he saw the necklace his wife had left behind, and he immediately began digging through the ashes with his hands.

In the end, he found the necklace, still relatively intact. Holding it, John Wick walked over to an unburned sofa and sat down. He pressed the necklace to his chest, thinking of his wife.

Then, a voice suddenly sounded beside him, jolting John awake. He looked toward it.

Standing there, seemingly merged with the night, was Charon, the attendant from The Continental Hotel. He said, "Mr. Wick."

Seeing John turn to look at him, he continued, "If you are willing, please come with me."

John said nothing. He merely nodded in agreement.

Charon drove Winston's Rolls-Royce, taking John Wick and his dog to see Winston.

Sitting in the back seat, John took a tissue from his pocket and laid it in his palm. Written on it were the words: Charlotte Agency.

It was what Charlotte Doyle had placed in his hand earlier at The Continental Hotel.

Looking at those words, John knew Charlotte was telling him that this was where his hope lay.

He tucked the tissue back into his pocket, glanced at the scenery outside, and waited quietly.

Soon, the car arrived at the entrance to a park. The warm sun was rising, and the sky had only just begun to brighten.

John got out of the car with his dog. Charon walked over and said, "It was a pleasure being with you, Mr. Wick."

After shaking John's hand, he said, "Goodbye."

Then he pointed in a direction within the park, indicating that the person waiting for him was there.

John Wick entered the park, crossed a footbridge, and saw Winston sitting in the center of the plaza. He walked over.

Seeing John approach, Winston greeted him. "Wick."

John got straight to the point. "Winston, what punishment will I receive?"

Sitting on the steps, Winston looked at John with a grave expression. "The High Table doubled Santino's Bounty Order. You are now being hunted worldwide."

Hearing the name The High Table, John asked uncertainly, "The organization's upper ranks?"

Winston nodded. "Yes."

John Wick continued, "And what about your Continental Hotel?"

Winston raised his head and met John's eyes, anger in his voice. "You killed someone in the hotel, John."

"I have to exile you. There is no other way."

"From this moment on, The Continental Hotel will cut off all services and assistance to you."

Winston rose to his feet, walked over to John, and said, "I'm sorry. You are worth nothing now."

John's voice was hoarse. "If I broke the Rules, why am I not dead yet?"

Hearing John's words, Winston's expression grew solemn. "Because I requested it."

Then Winston nodded to a man in a black trench coat nearby.

The next moment, the man took out his phone and said, "Now."

The park, which had been filled with people coming and going, instantly seemed to have had its pause button pressed. Everyone stopped moving.

John Wick looked around and knew Winston had not been joking.

Once he was certain John Wick understood the situation, Winston nodded again. The very next second, everyone in the park resumed moving.

Winston glanced at the watch on his wrist and said to John, "You have one hour. I cannot delay them any longer."

"Perhaps you will need this someday."

A Blood Pact Badge appeared in Winston's hand. It was the Blood Pact Badge John Wick had once possessed, something he had received after helping someone. When he chose to retire, he had handed it over to Winston.

Today, Winston had brought the Blood Pact Badge John once held and returned it to John Wick.

Taking the Blood Pact Badge, John Wick said, "Winston, tell them. Tell everyone."

"No matter what happens in the future, no matter how they come for me, I will show no mercy and spare no one who comes to kill me."

Winston looked at the utterly serious John Wick and smiled. "Of course you will."

As he watched John Wick prepare to turn and leave, Winston recalled what Charlotte had said at The Continental Hotel and spoke again. "If anyone is still willing to help you now, the most likely person would be Charlotte Doyle."

"After all, he still holds your Blood Pact Badge and has not used it. Before he does, he probably will not let you die so easily."

"Of course, it is only a possibility."

John stopped walking and said, "Thank you, Winston."

Then John Wick left the park with his dog without looking back.

Watching John Wick depart, Winston picked up his phone and made a call. "Open account, 1 1 1 1 1. In one hour, John Wick, exiled."

Elsewhere.

At Charlotte Agency.

Charlotte was assigning a task. "Ginny, prepare the Wax Bath. John Wick will need it when he arrives."

Hearing that John Wick was coming, Ginny asked in surprise, "Boss, John broke the Rules at The Continental Hotel. Can he still make it here alive?"

Clearly, Ginny did not believe John, who had violated one of The Continental Hotel's two ironclad rules, could have survived until now.

Charlotte smiled and said, "Trust me, Ginny. John will not die."

"And I will not let him die."

Ginny said playfully, "Boss, that is seven million dollars!"

As soon as Ginny finished speaking, everyone's phones received a message.

John Wick had been exiled by The Continental Hotel. His membership had been revoked, and the bounty had doubled to fourteen million dollars.

One hour after receiving this message, anyone in the world could hunt down John Wick.

Seeing the message, Ginny said softly, "Fourteen million. His bounty is even higher now. He can truly be called the unquestioned number one on the bounty list."

"Boss, do you still think he can make it here alive?"

"Every assassin in the city is probably eager to take a share of the reward. Besides, would he even dare come here?"

Charlotte smiled. "Go prepare it, Ginny."

"Trust my judgment. After all, I have never been wrong."

Then Charlotte said to Iruka and the other two, "Once John arrives, be ready for battle. If any other Assassins attack the Agency, kill them immediately!"

"Yes, Lord Charlotte!" X3

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