Chapter 326: Comi's Dream!
The Aftermath
Joshua was dead, reduced to ashes.
For the citizens of Metropolis, this was a perfect ending. The killer was executed, and people no longer had to live in fear.
Yet, strangely, Clark couldn't feel happy.
The man's final act made him question his own purpose and value. He needed to find quiet time to think deeply about what happened.
"I need to take the girl with me. She's innocent."
"No problem."
Luke pulled an envelope from his coat. "Give this to her."
Clark opened the envelope. Inside was a green card bearing Comi's name and a check for five hundred thousand dollars.
"She deserves this," Clark mumbled.
Clark didn't know what to say. Luke's methods severely clashed with his own moral code, but he had to admit that the girl truly needed these two things.
As Clark left with the girl, the incident was considered concluded.
"I shouldn't have worn this suit. It was completely useless," Linda grumbled, a hint of disappointment in her voice. Then she let out a sigh, her thoughts unclear.
Luthor's Scavenging
The night deepened. With everyone gone, the small town returned to its usual stillness, until midnight.
The drone of car engines broke the profound silence.
Three black SUVs drove onto the winding dirt road and into the town. Car doors opened, and Anthony Ivo, wearing a special protective suit, hurried out, holding a bizarrely shaped tracker. He walked back and forth around the area.
He finally stopped in front of a dirt mound.
"Right here, below."
"You two, quickly, start digging."
Ivo directed two employees to dig. Luthor stood nearby, surveying the surroundings as he spoke.
"Are you sure he's here?"
Ivo waved his hand impatiently.
"When have I ever lied to you!"
Luthor: "..."
The mound was churned up by shovels. When they dug about a meter deep, the soil began to turn black, mixed with numerous black granules. Even in the depths of winter, the black particles radiated residual heat.
Ivo used tweezers to pick up a granule and placed it in a detector for careful observation.
"It's him, alright. No wonder the signal was so weak. He actually burned himself to death."
Luthor walked closer, carefully examining the black particles in the soil. "Are you absolutely sure these black granules are Joshua Allen?"
The old man glared at him in annoyance.
"Who else could it be?"
Luthor remained silent, his face full of doubt. Ivo also muttered to himself.
"It is strange, though. Ordinary fire wouldn't affect the Parasite. Even if he wanted to commit suicide, he should have jumped into a volcano. Why here? Who burned him to death?"
Luthor looked thoughtful, glancing back at the abandoned bar.
Just then, a scream erupted nearby. An employee who was digging seemed to have encountered something terrifying and cried out in panic. What was more shocking was his body: the strong man visibly withered away. In just a few seconds, he was reduced to a desiccated skeleton.
The person next to him was terrified and frantically jumped away.
Ivo and Luthor's faces changed drastically, and they instinctively backed away.
"I knew it! He wouldn't die that easily!"
"Quick! Keep digging! Get the thing out!"
Ivo was overly excited, but the others were hesitant. Seeing no one move, the old man cursed furiously,
"You idiots! Put on the protective suits! What good are your brains for!"
Luthor raised his hand in a gesture. Three loyal subordinates donned specialized protective armor and dug a three-meter-wide pit centered on the mound. In the middle of the pit was blackened char. Looking closely with a magnifying glass, they could faintly see a few purple tentacles desperately reaching out from the cracks in the charcoal, like a drowning camel furiously trying to bite onto something.
Ivo rubbed his hands, chuckling strangely.
"Don't worry, my little darling. I won't let you die."
"I'll take good care of you, like my own son, and make sure you grow up healthy and strong!"
Luthor: "..."
Everyone else: "..."
Comi's New Reality
The next day, when Comi woke up, it was already noon.
Looking at the clean, tidy bedroom and the stack of hundred-dollar bills on the table, she felt momentarily disoriented. She was abruptly jolted awake only when a burning pain shot through her wrist.
It was all real. It wasn't a dream.
She had been kidnapped by the Hongmen. Those fierce men had questioned her about Joshua, then taken her to a rundown bar. In a haze, a boy with an unclear face had appeared beside her.
The boy, who must have been their boss, told her: You will get a green card and a check for five hundred thousand dollars.
Comi thought he was joking. Yet, she woke up, and it had become reality. Looking at the money and the green card on the table, a profoundly complex emotion crossed Comi's face.
She knew very well that this had all been exchanged for Joshua's life.
However, she didn't understand why those people were after Joshua. What threat could a weak, kind-hearted delivery man pose?
After mourning, Comi took a hot shower and found some fitting clothes in the unfamiliar closet. The ligature marks on her wrist were severe; she needed to go to the hospital for some medicine.
As she passed a plaza, the television screen on a building was broadcasting the latest updates on the Bloody Christmas and Glen Carr tragedies.
Comi wasn't interested until a familiar name crashed into her consciousness.
"According to the latest news released by the FBI website, the killer responsible for the Bloody Christmas and Glen Carr tragedies has been executed. The killer's name was Joshua Allen, twenty-four years old, Mexican, formerly..."
The voice stopped there. Comi's mind was a mess; she couldn't hear the rest of the report clearly.
Joshua Allen!
A killer!
How is that possible?
Comi couldn't believe it. Then, the screen changed. A picture of Joshua appeared, alongside an image of him in his monstrous form: purple skin, wings on his back, eyes glowing with blood-red light, like a demon.
The images were followed by an interview with FBI Director Scott Ruby. He briefly explained the details of the case, then offered comfort to Metropolis citizens and prayed for the victims. He assured the public that no matter what happened, the FBI, the White House, and the President would stand on the front lines to protect the lives and property of the people.
Scattered applause sounded in the plaza, but Comi felt her body trembling lightly. She abandoned her plan to buy medicine and ran home desperately. Just as she was about to lock the door, a voice came from behind her.
"Miss Comi, if it's not necessary, you should avoid going out for a while."
Comi spun around. An unfamiliar man was sitting on her sofa.
"Who are you? How did you get in?"
The man took a set of keys from his pocket and placed them on the table. "These are the keys. There's one for every room. The house is yours to use from now on."
Comi frowned, asking hesitantly,
"Are you with the Hongmen?"
The man nodded slightly. "You could say that. I'm only here to relay a message: for the time being, you should stay indoors as much as possible, avoid shopping, and absolutely do not let anyone know your connection to Joshua. It would be best to change your name."
"My message is delivered. Goodbye, Ms. Comi."
The man gave a slight nod, stood up, and left.
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