Water Droplets

"This place is really shabby, a backwater town. We need to finish the task quickly, get what we need, and then have a good meal. Maybe find a few beautiful girls to have some fun!" Donald spoke loudly, not caring if Clark heard.

This further convinced Clark that Donald might turn against him later.

"Young Master, the time is approaching. Everyone is on guard. For safety's sake, you should rest in the elevator for a while. Come out when we've sorted things out," one of Donald's subordinates suggested with a smile, fearing any harm to the young master.

"No!" Surprisingly, Donald flatly refused. "I want to personally catch that guy here, crush him like an ant!"

As he said this, Donald deliberately stared at Clark.

"Idiot!" Clark sneered. He really wasn't afraid of Donald. He came up just to figure out what was going on and confirm a suspicion in his mind.

Drip!

A crisp sound made everyone turn around. All gun muzzles pointed in the direction of the sound.

The person who had been standing there was scared half to death and quickly shouted, "Don't shoot! It's just a water drop!"

"Damn it, get lost!" Donald was also startled and hastily raised two laser guns, aiming at the person. It turned out to be a false alarm, and he cursed in frustration.

The person had just taken a step forward when their entire body suddenly fell to the ground with a clattering sound. It was as if a well-assembled set of building blocks had collapsed, breaking into several pieces, yet not a drop of blood flowed out.

This scene frightened everyone into immobility, except Clark, who knew that real danger was approaching.

"Be careful!" Clark shouted, picking up a dagger and bending his body slightly, getting ready for defense.

"What is this?" Donald stared at the separated body parts on the ground, seemingly recalling something. His face changed dramatically.

"These are modular components! Gather them together, back to back, pinch the person next to you to confirm if they're alive!" Donald hurriedly shouted.

Except for the person who had mysteriously died just now, the rest formed a circle. Donald stood in the center, holding heavy weapons, watching the surroundings, ready to attack at any moment.

Of course, Clark was isolated outside the circle, standing alone.

"You move away, act as bait, lure that person out!" Donald shouted loudly.

However, at that moment, a water droplet had unknowingly fallen onto his left shoulder, accompanied by a transparent thread.

"Careful!" 

Clark shouted loudly.

Donald reacted immediately. The transparent thread had just passed over his left shoulder, leaving a slim cut in his clothes, with a few blood droplets faintly appearing on his skin.

"Ouch!" Donald exclaimed.

But his first instinct wasn't to hold the wound; instead, he lifted the person closest to him and used them as a shield.

The transparent thread missed its target and vanished instantly. However, when it reappeared, it shot directly towards Donald's head. The person he was holding as a shield took the hit, a hole punched through their body, and they gasped for breath.

"This is an invisible laser beam, damn it, so cunning!" Donald yelled, "Surround me, protect me!"

His subordinates, witnessing the gruesome scene, turned pale. Some rushed to the elevator, preparing to escape.

Seeing his subordinates defy his orders, Donald's face changed drastically. He abandoned resistance and ran to the forefront of the crowd, diving into the elevator to make a quick getaway. He even deliberately closed the elevator door to prevent Clark from following.

Watching the rapidly descending elevator, Clark stood on the platform, his face filled with a mocking expression. With this level of courage, the rich second generation really embarrassed themselves!

The platform instantly quieted down, with only Clark standing there. On the ground lay a corpse and several body parts. Not far away, there were abandoned weapons.

"Who are you?" Clark muttered to himself in a loud voice. He believed that the person behind all this must be nearby!

As he spoke, the person who had been killed by the invisible laser beam slowly climbed to his feet. However, his movements were strange; his limbs were limp, as if he exerted no effort at all. His whole body seemed like a marionette being pulled up by strings.

Swoosh! Clark threw the dagger in his hand directly into the person's heart. At the same moment, Clark quickly picked up the weapons on the ground, ready to attack.

"It's useless!" A somewhat indistinct voice came from the corpse's throat, similar to the voices emitted by the two corpses earlier.

"Indeed, it's you!" Clark picked up a laser gun and aimed it directly at the head of the corpse, ready to fire.

"He he, don't you want to hear what I have to tell you?" the voice inside the corpse spoke again.

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say!" Clark feigned composure, but his hand movements had already halted.

"Tell Anthony to give me that thing, and I'll leave. Otherwise, the game continues!" The voice from the corpse intermittently delivered this message.

"What thing? Is it related to zombie research?" Clark inquired, "Did you kill Mia, yes or no?"

There was no response; the figure remained lifeless.

Boom! A muffled sound erupted as flames exploded from the corpse's throat, enveloping it and quickly turning it into ashes.

Everything returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Is this your way of sending a message?" Clark chuckled bitterly, realizing he had been used as a pawn with seemingly no choice.

Taking the elevator down to the plaza, Clark stepped out and found Anthony, Isabella, and Donald waiting below.

The most surprised to see him emerge unscathed was Donald.

"You actually made it out alive!" Donald couldn't believe it was true. Seemingly concerned that Clark might expose his embarrassing situation as Isabella spoke, Donald deliberately raised his voice, attempting to intimidate Clark.

Clark couldn't be bothered with Donald, completely ignoring his presence and addressing Anthony directly.

"Someone wants me to deliver a message to you."

"Who?" The three of them spoke simultaneously, each with their own agenda.

"Let's just say it to you alone," Clark observed Anthony, wanting to gauge his reaction.

"No, this matter has already posed a threat to the interests of the Golden Fortress. I must know!" Donald spoke, even attempting to come closer and grab Clark.

However, Anthony stopped him. "Come with me!" Anthony called in an armored vehicle and took Clark away without paying any attention to Donald's objections.

"This better be good! Don't feed me nonsense, or you'll regret it!" Anthony, sitting inside the armored vehicle, asked impatiently.

"The other party wants you to hand over that thing, or the game continues. It seems you've already had contact with them," Clark said playfully, his speculation almost matching the truth. Anthony seemed implicated in everything that had happened.

Upon hearing this, Anthony's face twitched a few times. "Vile scoundrel, resorting to such means to negotiate!" At this moment, he seemed unconcerned about Clark overhearing his words. "This is not a trade; it's a threat!"

"Indeed, you knew the other party's identity early on, didn't you? It's Alex, right!" Clark took the opportunity to ask, feeling a bit indignant. Anthony was quite good at pretending.

"Fair trades require fairness. Dream on if you think I'll succumb to such methods!" Anthony did not directly answer Clark's question, speaking for himself with a somewhat grim expression. He was not admitting defeat or yielding, as he also had things he desired.