As Joe stepped out, he ran into Eddie. The last two times, he had gone with Lin Li to track Marden, abandoning Eddie, which made it seem like Lin Li was Joe's partner, much to Eddie's displeasure.
Before Eddie could voice his dissatisfaction, Joe spoke as he walked.
"Eddie, let's go, we have a lead on Marden."
"Joe, isn't your Oriental kid coming with you?"
Joe detected a strong hint of jealousy and retorted, "Eddie, don't be like a woman. Lin Li will have his uses."
Due to that truly inhuman power, Joe didn't want to say too much. Even if others knew, there was no way to solve it. It was better to keep it a secret. In fact, the more people who knew, the harder it would be to avoid causing social unrest. So, unless absolutely forced, Joe didn't want to casually tell others that Central City had such a super-powered individual.
Eddie's face was awkward as he followed Joe into the car.
...
This was a forest in the southern part of the city, only about ten kilometers from residential areas. There was a small wooden cabin here, built by hunters as a temporary resting place. This forest used to be the territory of wild boars. Later, the wild boars became rampant, causing severe damage to nearby residential areas. The government then issued a notice for a nationwide hunt of wild boars. So, the public eagerly found a fun hunting game, hunting wild boars every now and then to maintain ecological balance.
Later, the hunting became excessive, and the wild boars were almost wiped out. Two years ago, the government again ordered a halt to the hunting.
Joe drove the police car into the forest. This was the outskirts of the forest, so there was a road for cars to drive in. However, the ground was covered in dry, yellow leaves, concealing many potholes on the road, making it quite difficult to drive.
Eddie sat in the passenger seat, gripping the handle above his head, steadying himself through the bumpy ride.
He craned his neck, looking around, and asked, "Joe, did your informant tell you to meet here?"
"Yes, he told me Marden is hiding here, in one of the hunter's cabins."
Joe also looked around. He drove the car to a spot not far from the target location and stopped, ensuring that their arrival couldn't be detected from that angle. They got out, took out their pistols, and got ready.
"Eddie, when you see Marden, don't give him a chance, shoot directly."
"Why?"
Eddie asked, confused, because this didn't follow protocol. Usually, there's a warning first; if there's resistance after the warning, force is used to apprehend. If the resistance is too strong to apprehend, then lethal force is permitted. Joe's words meant to shoot him on sight.
Eddie, having been knocked unconscious by the air blast directly in the thick fog last time, didn't know that Marden possessed superpowers.
Joe said solemnly and seriously, "Listen to me, okay? Marden is a vicious criminal. My last partner died at his hands. I don't want you to be next. Don't give him any chance, okay?"
Eddie nodded seriously, gripping his gun tightly, his palms feeling a little sweaty. He was a bit nervous; this was a dangerous criminal, several people had died at his hands, and even a police officer had been killed by him. He exhaled softly, steadying his heartbeat. He and Joe moved forward cautiously, using the trees for cover and providing mutual support.
At the hunter's cabin, there was a large wooden stump in front of it, with a man in black sitting on it. Several smaller wooden stumps were scattered around, along with fallen leaves, drink bottles, and fast-food boxes strewn everywhere.
Nearby, there was newly turned earth, and metal pillars protruded from various spots, as thick as an arm and as tall as a person. These were the electrical poles Marden had purchased and installed around the cabin. Any discharge reaction nearby would be absorbed. This was Marden's method for dealing with Lin Li.
When Joe and Eddie arrived at the hunter's cabin, they saw a man in a black trench coat with his back to them.
Both raised their guns and aimed.
"Marden?"
Joe asked loudly. He wasn't sure if this was Marden, so he didn't immediately open fire.
The man with his back to them didn't answer.
Joe gestured to Eddie, telling him to provide cover.
He, in turn, moved diagonally, keeping his distance, not daring to approach.
He wanted to confirm if it was Marden. If it was, he would shoot directly. If not, he thought, a normal person would have reacted to his loud shout, but this man in the black trench coat remained motionless, which was a bit eerie.
Joe had just started to walk a few steps in a roundabout way.
Suddenly, a puff of white mist emerged from the man in the black trench coat.
Joe remembered how Marden had hidden in the thick fog that day, attacking Eddie and him.
He fired without hesitation, shooting at the man in the black trench coat, and anxiously called out to Eddie.
"Eddie, fall back, shoot!"
'Bang! Bang! Bang!'
Joe fired three shots; only Joe fired.
The white mist only emerged a little before dissipating.
The man in the black trench coat was directly hit by Joe's three shots and fell to the ground, revealing his face. He looked old, with a pale face, loose skin, and dark circles under his eyes.
It was Jack.
Joe's heart tightened when he saw Jack.
"Officer, congratulations, you've killed an addict."
Marden's voice came from behind.
Joe turned around and saw Marden pointing a gun at Eddie's temple. Cold sweat broke out on Eddie's forehead, and he held up his hands in surrender.
Joe quickly raised his gun, pointing it at Marden, and anxiously shouted at him, "Marden, what do you want? Put down the gun."
Marden asked mockingly, "Officer, I should be asking you what you want. Do you want to lose another partner?"
"Okay, okay, Marden, don't shoot, please."
Joe immediately threw down his gun and raised his hands, surrendering to Marden. The death of his previous partner, Johnny Cell, was still vivid in his mind.
Eddie's heart clenched. He squinted, trying to see Marden's position, but couldn't. He only felt the cold pistol pressed against his scalp, making him numb.
Eddie dared not move and asked stiffly, "How did you appear?"
He and Joe had come all this way, and while they hadn't fully scouted the environment, they had at least checked all places large enough to hide a person. With police investigation methods, it was absolutely impossible to miss a living person and be threatened from behind by him. Moreover, this was a robber and murderer; it was impossible for him to leave no trace at all, and for two experienced police officers to find no trace whatsoever, it was impossible.
Joe's surrender made Marden feel at ease. Whenever someone submitted to him, it brought him inner pleasure. This was the power of a god, the dominance, the manifestation he should possess. Mortals should submit to a god like this.
Marden said with a sneer, "You want to witness the power of a god? You can. Are you ready to submit and worship me?"
Eddie didn't understand Marden's words; he didn't grasp the meaning of what he said.
Joe, however, understood. He feared Marden was going to kill Eddie, and he cried out in panic, "No, Marden, spare him, come for me, no, don't do this."
Marden smiled eerily and said, "If you don't want him to die, Officer, you'll have to stay pu