"What?"
"You heard me. I bet your gun is out of bullets."
With both hands in his pockets, Lake displayed every ounce of gentlemanly grace as he politely addressed Orr, who was pointing a gun at him with a tense expression. At a glance, one might have thought Orr was the killer.
The infinite-ammo Glock 17.
No matter how many bullets Lake fired from this gun, it looked perfectly reasonable to everyone else. But only Lake knew that the gun was out of bullets.
At least, it would not have any bullets for the next six minutes.
Lake had tested it before. Although the gun could fire indefinitely, it had bullets in the magazine when he fired the first shot. Once all twelve bullets were spent, it took ten minutes for the magazine to refill.
During that time, no one except Lake could fire a bullet.
Besides.
If Lake was unwilling, no one else could even pull the trigger.
Hearing Lake's words, Orr thought he was trying to scare him. His face twisted viciously. "You think I don't dare? Then go to hell."
His words had barely fallen.
Click.
"What?"
"Bang!"
Lake kicked Orr directly onto the sofa, snatched the pistol with his right hand, and looked at the controller that had fallen to the floor. It was obvious that Orr had used the thing to control the power switch just now.
What a pity.
In the end, Orr had lost because of his stupidity.
If Orr had really been clever, he should have known that a killer—an actual killer—would never throw his weapon in front of his target for no reason. Unless he was fishing.
Orr had thought of that possibility earlier, but unfortunately, he had chosen to gamble.
And he had lost.
Lake looked expressionlessly at Orr on the floor. "Guess. If I fire, do you think there'll be a bullet?"
Orr's pupils contracted. His mouth was full of blood as he raised his head toward Lake. "No, wait, wai—"
"Bang!"
"..."
Lake looked expressionlessly at Orr, sprawled on the floor, and sighed. He had already given him a chance. Why hadn't he taken it?
Just then.
After hearing the gunshots, the law enforcement officers outside the residence chose to launch a direct assault.
The corners of Lake's mouth curled upward.
Bang!
At a nearby bar.
"Hiss!"
"What is it?"
Lake, who had been talking to his girlfriend Maureen, rubbed his brow. "I'm a little tired."
Although he had already experienced shooting himself in the head once, Lake had thought he would be immune by now. But after doing it again—well, he felt that he should probably do this sort of thing less often. If he did it a few more times, he felt he would not be far from developing split personality disorder.
As he spoke.
Lake shook his head and looked at Maureen. "Why did you suddenly come over?"
Maureen said, "That killer is at Jefferson Orr's residence. You called him again, didn't you?"
Lake laughed. "What killer? I'm a detective. How could I possibly know a killer? I, Lake Edwin, have always been irreconcilable with evil."
"Really not?"
"Of course not."
"That's good. The police station and the FBI have surrounded the residence. That killer won't get away this time. Still, this is a good thing."
Lake frowned. "Why?"
Maureen shrugged. "If that killer gets caught, this matter will be over. It will also give those protesters an answer. All that's left is to hope he can withstand the interrogation."
Lake blinked as he looked at Maureen, who was staring intently at him.
After a while.
Lake shifted his gaze and took a sip of his drink. "You're acting strange, Maureen Hand!"
She really was acting strange.
Lake had always thought that his girlfriend was, at most, a top student, with a somewhat complicated family background. But the conversation she had before leaving just now seemed to be implying something.
Just then.
Maureen came to herself, took out her phone, and glanced at the incoming call. She then looked at Lake and answered. "Hello."
Standing in the study on the second floor and wearing an FBI uniform, Natasha Romanov looked at the lawyer Orr, who had been shot between the brows and had died no more than two minutes ago. She spoke into the phone. "He got away."
Maureen's pupils contracted slightly before she looked over at Lake, who had been in her line of sight ever since she entered.
Lake smiled. "What's wrong?"
Maureen hummed in response to the person on the phone, then hung up with an ordinary expression. "That killer got away."
Lake raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "That's terrible."
Maureen said, "Yes, it's terrible."
I gave you a choice, but you didn't cherish it.
In the end, my feelings had been misplaced.
Lake drained his glass, fell silent for a while, then took a key from his pocket and handed it to Maureen.
Maureen frowned. "What is this?"
"The key to the storage locker downstairs."
"What?"
After seeing Maureen take the key, Lake stood up and walked toward the exit of the bar. He waved his hand. "I've put all your things over there. I think we should end this."
Maureen: "..."
Yes.
It was time to end it.
It was time to let go of this relationship. If he delayed any longer, Lake felt he would be in even greater danger.
Not danger to his life.
Rather, danger in a certain sense.
Lake disliked being kept in the dark. He admitted he was somewhat hypocritical, but it was a habit, and he could no longer change it.
It was obvious.
Maureen really was hiding something from him, and based on his deductions, Lake had already guessed part of it.
So...
It was time to end it.
After coming to this world from his previous life, Lake had not had many principles, but he had still set one for himself.
That was to work hard, make money, become a god through spending as soon as possible, and live the carefree life he wanted. As for that snake-and-shield business, he had absolutely no interest in getting involved with it.
If Lake's guess was correct, then Maureen's true identity was obvious.
What if he was wrong?
Then Lake still felt it would be better to separate early, lest he lose control of his murderous impulse later. Once that impulse arose, even Lake would be unable to put his blade away.
Fortunately.
It had only been half a year.
Heartbroken?
Not at all.
Maureen Hand.
Hand?
Victoria Hand?
In the taxi.
Lake could not help slapping himself in the face. The clues had been so obvious. How had he only realized it now?
Could he have been blinded by her beauty before?
Soon.
After Lake left the bar, Natasha entered. She had taken off her uniform and changed into casual clothes. She sat beside Maureen, ordered a drink, and asked, "What happened?"
Maureen shook her head.
Natasha frowned. "Did he figure it out?"
Maureen shook her head.
After a while.
Maureen removed her concealed in-ear headset and crushed it before saying, "He didn't say anything. And even if he had, it wouldn't matter. He can't trace anything back to us."
After a pause.
Maureen sighed and looked at Natasha. "But Lake seems to have noticed something."
"What happened?"
Maureen took out the storage locker key Lake had just given her and let out a laugh. "He broke up with me."
Natasha: "..."
Don't worry, everyone. Put away those hot tempers. Lao Mi has a fragile heart. Maureen will get an explanation. It's coming in the next few chapters. If you're still dissatisfied, you can curse me then, all right? Please!
Before you continue