15: Chapter 15: Carlton Drake Appears Out of Nowhere

...

These tearful, blood-soaked accusations almost moved Karl to tears. How could this damn yellow-skinned monkey's writing be so damn good? Furious, Karl slammed the tablet to the ground. 'Shit! This is slander! This is slander! It's nowhere near that exaggerated!'

'F***, Cassius!'

'He used Miss Emily's account and set it to post on a timer.'

'Of course I know, f*** you too!'

Lin Fang underground naturally couldn't hear the commotion above ground. He, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them, feeling as if someone was cursing him.

[Evacuation Countdown: 04:02:52]

Four hours left. Lin Fang tugged at the corner of his mouth, his lips parched and dry from prolonged dehydration.

He recalled something a survival expert once said: 'The midstream of a person's urine is the cleanest.'

But that was completely unnecessary. There should be water here.

Lin Fang got up and searched, finding a case of mineral water in the corner. He began drinking it in large gulps.

The head of this Research Institute, Mitte Wester, had also woken up. He was staring blankly at the empty space in front of him, his expression constantly shifting.

Seeing this,

adhering to the humanitarian spirit of treating prisoners well, after drinking his fill, Lin Fang also handed a bottle of water over to him.

But this startled the latter.

'You're not Cassius. You're not Cassius.'

Mitte's body trembled as he looked at Lin Fang with eyes full of terror. 'You... you're a demon with spatial power!'

As he spoke, he shrank back into the corner, wriggling like a caterpillar.

'Mr. Mitte, I'm just an ordinary person. A demon wouldn't give you water to drink.' Lin Fang raised an eyebrow. It seemed this little magic trick had scared the director half to death. So, after placing the water bottle beside him, Lin Fang left him alone.

Lin Fang checked the FNX-45 pistol in his hand. It was out of bullets. In reality, he'd never had such a nice toy before. Sighing with a touch of sentiment, he tucked it into his waistband.

Approaching the wall, Lin Fang tried to listen for any movement outside. Of course, he heard nothing. He also didn't know if that article had been published or if it would have any impact.

It would be best if he could pass these last four hours without incident.

—

Outside, things were heating up.

'Sir, please answer my question directly. Is Cassius still inside, or has Cassius already been killed?!'

'Cassius's article exposed your atrocities. When will you turn yourselves in at the police station?'

'Are there really over 2,000 bodies buried in the Research Institute's backyard? Sir, please answer my question!'

'F*** you! Hand over the hero Cassius!'

'...'

Faced with the growing number of reporters and bored American citizens with nothing better to do, the Research Institute's security department was beginning to falter, their defensive line continuously pushed back.

Nearby, media outlets were broadcasting live.

A tall, robust male reporter with neat short hair was talking confidently into the camera.

'Viewers, this is the Global Times. I'm Eddie Brock. As you can see, there really is a secret Research Institute on this island, right behind me. Where did it come from? Is it conducting illegal experiments as stated in the article? Has the righteous Cassius truly entered? Let's find out together...'

Bang—

A gunshot rang out, making everyone on-site duck their heads.

Karl fired another shot into the air, strode towards the crowd, and shouted sternly:

'This is a Research Institute belonging to the Drake Life Foundation. All unrelated personnel, leave immediately!'

'I repeat, this is Drake's territory. Get out!'

Drake?!

The weight of those three words instantly caused panic among the crowd. The article hadn't mentioned this was Drake's place. In San Francisco, even three-year-olds knew the significance of the name Drake.

They were not to be provoked.

'Oh shit, my mom's calling me home for dinner. Goodbye, everyone.'

'Me too,'

'Bob, lower the camera. We need to keep a low profile,' the CNN beauty reporter whispered to her colleague.

People whispered to each other, beginning to scatter. Seeing this, Karl revealed a satisfied smile. He was proud to work for the Drake Family.

Just then,

a tall, robust male reporter stepped forward, waving his arms and shouting loudly:

'Friends, don't be afraid! No matter where we are, this is American soil. If Cassius could do it, so can we! The people of the free nation will not cower! We are the guardians of justice!'

'And don't worry, the police will ensure our safety. It's their duty!'

'Officer, am I right?'

Hearing this, everyone turned their gaze towards the few police officers standing dumbfounded to the side.

Seeing so many cameras and microphones, the lead male officer felt like killing this reporter, but he had to force a smile and nod in agreement.

'Cassius!' 'Cassius!'

The crowd began chanting Cassius's name, growing restless again, and started pressing towards the Research Institute.

More and more people gathered. People kept arriving on the island. Events here were attracting the attention of half of America.

Whoosh—

Two black M-8 armed helicopters roared over the Research Institute. The wind pressure they generated forced people on the ground to shield their eyes.

Who was so brazen?

Someone spotted the shield emblem on the helicopters and widened their eyes in fear. 'It's people from the Drake Family!'

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

Karl could no longer bother with these hyenas. He led his men forward to meet them, filled with anxiety.

The two helicopters landed. A young man with sharp, distinct facial features and deep, piercing eyes stepped off the aircraft first. A team of armed personnel flanked him closely, their presence imposing.

No one dared to approach.

'It's Carlton Drake,' the CNN beauty reporter recognized this prominent San Francisco entrepreneur. 'He's the eldest grandson of the Drake Family and the current head of the Life Foundation.'

Hearing this, Eddie Brock's eyes lit up. He grabbed his microphone and tried to move closer. 'Mr. Carlton, may I ask the purpose of your visit here? Is it related to Cassius?'

'No interviews.' A horse-faced bodyguard unceremoniously blocked him, not letting Eddie get an inch closer.

'Sir, I am...'

'Get lost.'

Karl, who had rushed over, was also cut off mid-sentence and blocked to the side by a bodyguard.

Carlton Drake walked past everyone without even glancing sideways, heading straight inside and quickly disappearing through the Research Institute entrance.

—

The group headed straight for the surveillance room with clear purpose.

On the surveillance feed, the Asian youth in his underwear had a calm expression. The next second, a brown pistol appeared in his hand, followed by the three men falling one after another.

'Slow it down ten times.'

Inside the Research Institute, an assistant, hearing the instruction from the figure opposite, hurriedly operated the controls.

The footage continued playing, reaching the moment the pistol appeared again. Carlton Drake stared intently at the computer screen, his keen eyes not missing a single detail.

It really did appear out of thin air!

A gleam of excitement appeared in Carlton's eyes, as if he had encountered an experimental subject that fascinated him immensely.

'Boss, the subsequent surveillance footage has been destroyed by that Cassius,' the horse-faced bodyguard reported to him with his head bowed.

'It doesn't matter,'

Carlton stood up, straightening his lapels. 'Go down now and bring him back to the Foundation.'