In the Blackwater Security Company's top-floor office, the Bald Man Landu was reporting work to the scrawny man Saike.
The report was about the failure of B5 Squad and the analysis of the Ghost.
Landu looked at the data in his hand and reported solemnly, "According to our monitoring and investigation, it can be confirmed that B5 Squad has been annihilated, with no bodies found, and the target, the Ghost, is still active."
"Bob, the leader of the Crocodile Gang, was also killed by the Ghost on the night B5 Squad made their move, and B5 Squad lost contact that same night."
Listening to Landu's report, Saike rubbed his temples, his eyes closed, and he remained silent, as if deep in thought.
A moment later, Saike said in a deep voice, "Let's put the matter of the Ghost aside for now. His strength is unfathomable, and we have very little intelligence on him."
"To deal with this Ghost, even an A-rank might not be able to do it; it might require the S-rank from headquarters to be dispatched."
"What we need to do now is cut our losses in time. There's no need to continue entangled with that Ghost; it won't do us any good."
Saike didn't mention the most important point, which was that he didn't want Blackwater to suffer any more losses. The complete annihilation of a B-rank squad was already very serious.
If Saike wanted to return to headquarters, then the Blackwater he had painstakingly managed over the years would need excellent results. There was no need to add more trouble by stubbornly pursuing the Ghost.
This was just a commission, and now even the client was dead, which conveniently gave Saike an opportunity to end this commission.
Landu listened to Saike's arrangements and said nothing, merely acknowledging with a "Understood."
Saike then proceeded to arrange other tasks. He asked Landu, "How are the new recruits doing?"
Landu replied, "The transport personnel said several died due to genetic instability and collapse, and one fell into the sea and drowned."
"The others who have been processed have been assigned to the training camp. We estimate that after a maximum of one year of training, they can form squads and complete missions."
Saike listened to Landu's report while lighting a cigar.
After Landu finished his report, he also spoke, "Report those who died to headquarters; they were likely all defective."
"Train the other new recruits well. I need them to serve the company as soon as possible."
Upon hearing Saike's instructions, Landu again simply said, "Understood."
Once all matters were arranged, Landu exited the office, leaving Saike alone in contemplation.
Our attention returns to Meng Ran and his professional team.
In recent days, Spider-Man's reputation has gradually spread with Peter's activities.
Everyone now knows that another masked superhero, Spider-Man, has appeared. Compared to the elusive and mysterious Ghost and Ghost Spider, Spider-Man is more like a neighbor living nearby.
Spider-Man would occasionally appear in the public eye during the day, always lending a helping hand with both small and large matters, which caused Spider-Man's popularity to continuously rise in just a few days.
While Peter was actively working, Meng Ran certainly wasn't idle.
The plan to eradicate the Crocodile Gang was already more than halfway complete, with only Sith remaining as the final piece of the puzzle.
As soon as Sith was dealt with, the entire plan would be perfectly concluded.
Looking at the current situation and estimating the time, it was now time to complete the plan.
As night fell, Meng Ran and Gwen prepared to set off. Before going to Sith, Meng Ran needed to pick up someone; he had promised her that she would personally judge Sith.
Sensing the woman's direction, Meng Ran quickly moved with Gwen.
Lianna stood at the door of a dilapidated house, clutching a red glowing, button-like object in her hand.
This was the tracker the Ghost had given her last time. The Ghost said that when it was time to judge Sith, this red light would illuminate.
At that time, the Ghost would come for her, allowing her to personally judge Sith.
Lianna was shaking her head and looking around when two figures suddenly appeared before her. She recognized them: one was the Ghost from last time, and the other was the masked hero Ghost Spider, just like the Ghost.
Meng Ran looked at the slightly nervous Lianna in front of him, threw her an eye mask, and then said in a deep voice, "Cover your eyes. I'm taking you to judge Sith now."
Lianna took the eye mask and obediently put it on.
Meng Ran placed a hand on Lianna's shoulder and then quickly teleported.
Lianna only felt the whistling wind in her ears. After a while, she stopped moving. Lianna thought they must have arrived.
Indeed, the Ghost's hoarse voice sounded, "We're here. You can take off your eye mask."
Lianna removed her eye mask, and her pupils involuntarily constricted.
Before her stood a brightly lit villa, a place that was also her nightmare. After she was forcibly sold there, her nightmare began, and it wasn't until the Ghost rescued her last time that she finally escaped the nightmare.
But even though she had escaped, she would still wake up from dreams, where she was forced back to that place of nightmares. She didn't know how she could ever shake off the nightmares.
Seeing Lianna's unnatural expression, Meng Ran said nothing. He and Gwen exchanged a knowing nod, and Gwen quickly entered the villa, beginning the cleanup.
Meng Ran said to Lianna, "Wait here for five minutes. After five minutes, come find me in the casino upstairs."
Lianna obediently nodded, watching Meng Ran walk into the villa.
Meng Ran walked through the main door and arrived at the casino on the second floor.
In the empty casino, only the sound of a slot machine continuously echoed. Sith sat in front of the slot machine, clutching his stomach, using gambling to distract himself and ignore the pain in his abdomen.
Although it seemed to have little effect, he continued to do so.
Hearing footsteps, the pale-faced Sith turned around.
Seeing that it was Meng Ran, Sith immediately tumbled off the stool, scrambling and crawling towards Meng Ran.
He looked at Meng Ran, enduring the pain, and spoke weakly, "Mr. Ghost, please give me a pill. It's hurting more and more."
Meng Ran looked at Sith, who was sprawled on the ground, took out a pill, and placed it in his mouth.
Sith hastily swallowed the pill. He swallowed so quickly that he instinctively wanted to cough, but he dared not, fearing the pill would be spat out. He dared not waste a single bit.
Sith's face turned crimson. Finally, after confirming that the pain in his abdomen had subsided, he opened his mouth and gasped for air.
Looking indifferently at Sith at his feet, Meng Ran said coldly, "You've done very well during this time. You haven't disappointed me."
Hearing this, Sith immediately smiled fawningly, "As long as Mr. Ghost is satisfied, that's good. If Mr. Ghost needs anything else from me, please just command."
Meng Ran said, "There's nothing else to do."
Upon hearing Meng Ran's words, Sith's face suddenly turned ashen again. If there was nothing else for him to do, didn't that mean he was no longer of any value?
Indeed, Meng Ran spoke again, "As a reward for your excellent performance, I've decided to give you a quick death. How about it? Isn't that quite good?"
Sith trembled, unable to speak. Even in this state, he couldn't escape death. He slumped powerlessly to the ground, his eyes hollow and despairing. He had no strength left.
"Mr... Mr. Ghost." At this moment, Lianna arrived at the doorway, looking inside, standing at the entrance, unsure of what to do next.
"Not dying by my hand, that is a quick death."
With that, Meng Ran turned away, no longer looking at Sith, and walked towards Lianna at the door.
He handed Lianna a pistol and a knife, and said to her, "He's taken the medicine and has no strength to resist. You can do whatever you want."
Lianna took the pistol and knife, staring blankly at Sith, who was sprawled inside like a dead dog.
A moment later, she stopped staring, her eyes filled with coldness and hatred. She handed the gun back to Meng Ran, then took the knife and walked inside.
Meng Ran said nothing, merely took the gun, and then stood at the doorway, watching Lianna approach Sith.
At this moment, Gwen also came to Meng Ran's side, and the two watched the revenge unfold in the casino.
Gwen looked inside and said with some sadness, "She must have suffered a great deal."
Meng Ran put his arm around Gwen's shoulder, comforting her, "At least we can now let her have her revenge with her own hands."
After a while, the screams in the room stopped, replaced by the sound of water.
Lianna walked out of the casino, with some water stains still on her hands and face. She had just washed off the bloodstains on herself. Now, only her clothes had a little bloodstain; everything else was as clean as when she first entered.
Lianna's expression showed some relief and ease. She had ended her nightmare. She thought she could finally get a good night's sleep.
Her beautiful eyes sincerely looked at Meng Ran, thanking him, "Thank you, Mr. Ghost. I have finally ended my nightmare."
Meng Ran said calmly, "Congratulations. Now, please live your life well."
Then, Meng Ran handed the eye mask back to Lianna.
Lianna smiled sweetly, took the eye mask, and put it on.
Meng Ran's hand rested on her shoulder. At this moment, she suddenly spoke again, "Oh, Mr. Ghost, my name is Lianna. I hope you won't forget me. I will work hard, hoping to be able to help you someday."
Meng Ran responded, "You just need to live well."
Then, the whistling wind continuously echoed in her ears. When it stopped, Lianna heard a hoarse voice say, "Live well."
When she hastily removed her eye mask, there was no one in front of her. She was back at her residence.
Only she remained standing at the empty doorway, the night wind swirling and merging into the darkness.
Lianna stood blankly for a while before turning and entering the door.