Captured

As Joe stepped outside, he ran into Eddie. Joe had partnered with Lin Li twice to track Mardon, leaving Eddie behind, making it seem like Lin Li was Joe's partner. This left Eddie quite unhappy.

Without waiting for Eddie to voice his displeasure, Joe spoke as he walked.

"Eddie, let's go. We have a lead on Mardon."

"Joe, isn't your Eastern boy going with you?"

Joe detected the strong hint of jealousy and replied irritably, "Eddie, don't be a girl. Lin Li has his uses."

Because of that truly inhuman power, Joe didn't want to say more. Even if others knew, they couldn't solve it. It was better to keep it a secret. The more people knew, the harder it would be to avoid social unrest. So, unless absolutely necessary, Joe didn't want to casually mention that there were superpowered individuals in Central City.

Eddie's face looked awkward as he followed Joe into the car.

This was a wooded area on the southern edge of the city, only about ten kilometers from populated areas. There was a wooden cabin here, a temporary resting place built by hunters. This forest used to be the territory of wild boars. Later, the boar population exploded, causing severe damage to nearby residences. The government issued a notice for a nationwide boar hunt, and people found it an enjoyable hunting game, killing boars every few days to maintain ecological balance.

Later, the hunting became excessive, and the wild boars were almost wiped out. Two years ago, the government ordered a halt to the hunting.

Joe drove the police car into the woods. This was considered the outskirts, so there was a road for cars. However, the ground was covered in withered yellow leaves, obscuring many potholes, making the drive quite difficult.

Eddie sat in the passenger seat, gripping the handle above his head to steady himself amidst the bumps.

He craned his neck to survey the surroundings and said, "Joe, your informant told you to meet here?"

"YES, he told me Mardon is hiding here, in one of the hunter cabins."

Joe also looked around. He drove the car to a spot not far from the target location and stopped. Ensuring that the target location couldn't be seen from this angle, they got out of the car, took out their handguns, and prepared themselves.

"Eddie, if you see Mardon, don't give him a chance. Shoot him directly."

"Why?"

Eddie asked, not understanding. This wasn't standard procedure. Usually, there would be a warning first. If the suspect resisted after the warning, force would be used to apprehend them. If resistance was severe and apprehension was impossible, lethal force could be used. Joe's instruction was equivalent to an immediate execution.

The last time, in the thick fog, Eddie had been blown away and knocked unconscious by the blast. Therefore, he didn't know that Mardon possessed superpowers.

Joe said solemnly and seriously, "Listen to me, okay? Mardon is a vicious criminal. My previous partner died at his hands. I don't want you to be next. Don't give him any opportunities, okay?"

Eddie nodded earnestly, gripping his gun tightly. His palms felt a little sweaty. He was a bit nervous. This was a vicious criminal who had killed several people, even a police officer. He took a slow breath to steady his heartbeat. He and Joe advanced cautiously, using the trees for cover and providing mutual support.

At the hunter cabin, there was a large wooden stump in front of it. A man in black sat on the stump, surrounded by smaller stumps. Scattered leaves, empty drink bottles, and fast-food containers were strewn everywhere.

Nearby, the earth had been freshly turned, and metal poles, as thick as an arm and as tall as a person, protruded from the ground. These were power poles Mardon had purchased and installed around the cabin. Any electrical discharge in the vicinity would be absorbed by them. This was Mardon's countermeasure against Lin Li.

When Joe and Eddie arrived at the hunter cabin, they saw a man in a black trench coat with his back to them.

The two raised their guns and aimed.

"Mardon?"

Joe called out loudly. He wasn't sure if it was Mardon, so he didn't shoot immediately.

The man with his back to them didn't answer.

Joe gestured to Eddie, signaling him to cover him.

He then moved in a flanking, diagonal path, maintaining distance, not daring to get any closer.

He wanted to confirm if it was Mardon. If it was, he would shoot directly. If not, a normal person would have reacted to him shouting like that. But this man in the black trench coat remained seated, unmoving. The situation was somewhat strange.

Joe had only taken a few steps in his flanking maneuver.

Suddenly, the man in the black trench coat emitted a cloud of white mist.

Joe remembered that Mardon had hidden in the thick fog that day, attacking Eddie and him.

Without hesitation, he opened fire, shooting at the man in the black trench coat, and urgently called out to Eddie.

"Eddie, fall back, shoot."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Joe fired three shots. Only Joe fired.

The white mist only appeared briefly before dissipating.

The man in the black trench coat was hit by Joe's three shots and fell to the ground, revealing his face. He was an old man with a pale complexion, loose skin, and dark circles under his eyes.

It was Jack.

Seeing Jack, Joe's heart tightened.

"Officer, congratulations. You've killed a junkie."

Mardon's voice came from behind them.

Joe turned around and saw Mardon pointing a gun at Eddie's temple. Eddie's forehead was beaded with cold sweat. He had his hands raised in surrender.

Joe quickly raised his gun, pointing it at Mardon, and anxiously shouted, "Mardon, what do you want? Put the gun down."

Mardon asked mockingly, "Officer, shouldn't I be asking what you want? Do you want to lose another partner?"

"OK, OK, Mardon, don't shoot, please."

Joe immediately threw his gun down, raised his hands, and surrendered to Mardon. The death of his previous partner, Johnny Sale, was still vivid in his mind.

Eddie's heart clenched. He glanced sideways, trying to see Mardon's position, but he couldn't. He only felt the cold muzzle of the gun pressed tightly against his scalp, making him numb.

Eddie dared not move, stiffly asking, "How did you appear?"

He and Joe had checked enough along the way, if not thoroughly scouting the entire environment, they had at least searched all the places where a person could hide. With the investigative methods of police officers, it was absolutely impossible to miss a living person. Especially one who was a robber and murderer, threatening him from behind, and yet no trace was left. For two experienced officers to not find the slightest trace was impossible.

Joe's submission put Mardon in a good mood. Whenever someone submitted before him, it brought him inner pleasure. This was the power, the dominion, that a god should possess. Mortals should submit to gods like this.

Mardon said with a playful smile, "You want to witness the power of a god? Fine. Are you ready to submit, to worship me?"

Eddie didn't understand Mardon's words. He couldn't grasp the meaning behind them.

Joe, however, understood. Fearing Mardon intended to kill Eddie, he cried out in panic, "NO, Mardon, let him go! Come after me, NO, don't do this."

Mardon smiled eerily and said, "If you don't want him to die, Officer, you'd better stay right where you are."