To maintain The Continental Hotel's deterrence over the entire assassin world, John Wick unquestionably had to die.
After all...
Some things could be done once, but not twice.
Back then, Lake had been confident he could go head-to-head with The Continental Hotel and ultimately emerge victorious.
He knew it, The Continental Hotel knew it, and most importantly, most assassins thought the same way.
At the time, the Black King had Saga as his ultimate weapon, and Lake Edwin, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, as his public-facing power. Under those circumstances, it had been somewhat coincidental that the Black King became a shareholder of The Continental Hotel, but it had not been impossible.
But John couldn't do it.
John himself didn't believe he could defeat the enormous organization that was The Continental Hotel, so there was even less chance that anyone else would believe it.
If John escaped by repeating Lake's method, the rules would be completely ruined.
From then on, any assassin would probably dare to open fire inside The Continental Hotel at will. Would The Continental Hotel still be The Continental Hotel after that?
Therefore, John Wick had to die.
Fortunately.
John Wick's post was in the Underworld, where a physical body wasn't needed. It was just right for putting him to use as waste material. If the Immortal Consortium hadn't occupied a position in The Continental Hotel, Lake wouldn't have cared. But it was, after all, one of his own industries. Lake could still do things that way, but when there was a solution that achieved both goals, why not use it?
Lake tapped the table a few times, then looked at the two maids who entered. "Take him to the healing pool. Even if he's going to die, he should at least get dressed