NOVPUBAs Daniel sank deep into contemplation, Clown stood silently beside him, not daring to utter a word.
After what felt like an eternity, Daniel spoke abruptly, "I do not wish for those who covet my woman to live."
A look of unease crossed Clown’s face. "Master, I understand your sentiment. However, Samuel plays an indispensable role in our scheme. I..."
He paused, realization dawning on him. A pang of regret etched across his features.
Did he really think Daniel wasn’t aware of Samuel’s importance?
Yet, if Daniel spoke with such conviction, it was likely due to his intense aversion towards Samuel.
But Daniel hadn’t specified that Samuel should be eliminated immediately.
Why not wait until the plan comes to fruition and then dispose of him?
Perfect, right?
With this thought, Clown was filled with remorse. "Master, rest assured. I will immediately contact Joker and convey your wishes. As soon as our plan is realized, we shall eliminate Samuel."
Daniel’s expression turned icy in an instant.
Go back and contact Joker?
If Joker discovered that the organization was devoid of its supposed mastermind, wouldn’t that expose everything?
Moreover, the Red Clown was undoubtedly more formidable than the Black Clown.
If he struggled against one, facing both would spell certain doom.
Clown, initially attempting to ingratiate himself with Daniel, felt a pang of anxiety as he noticed the cold shift in Daniel’s demeanor.
Oh no, he thought, I’ve said something wrong again.
Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees.
Even if he wasn’t sure where he had erred, apologizing seemed the wisest course.
"Master, please forgive my ignorance. I failed to grasp your profound insights. I beg for your patience; anger is detrimental to one’s health."
Daniel’s gaze, sharp and chilling, pinned Clown down as he said coldly, "Such a blockhead. I truly wonder how someone with your intellect ever claimed the position of Clown."
Clown didn’t dare argue and could only agree hastily, "Yes, Master, you are right. I must admit, when I was younger, a dog might have nibbled at my brain; hence, my slow wit."
Daniel continued, "Do you understand why I chose to communicate directly with you instead of giving orders to Joker?"
Racking his brain and coming up empty, Clown could only shake his head. "Master, I truly cannot fathom."
Daniel sighed deeply, his expression showing profound disappointment. "You’re as dense as a block of elm."
"I’ve always believed you to be superior to Joker, intending to give you more responsibilities. That’s why I’ve been directly liaising with you. Now, it seems I too can be mistaken in my judgments."
"The hints I’ve given were blatant, yet you failed to decipher my intentions. Offering you opportunities seems futile. You’ve truly let me down."
The successive reprimands had stunned Clown, leaving his mind utterly blank.
Yet, amidst his bewilderment, a rush of exhilaration surged within him.
The Master thinks I’m more outstanding than Joker?!
I always believed that true talent will shine through, that I wouldn’t be forever second best.
But what were the hints the Master mentioned?
And what opportunities was he referring to?
Clown’s mind raced again.
It was only when I mentioned notifying Joker about eliminating Samuel that the Master showed his anger.
Which means...
Suddenly, an epiphany struck Clown.
All became clear.
With urgency in his eyes, he looked to Daniel and said, "Master, please forgive me. My stupidity blinded me earlier, even when you dropped such clear hints. I should’ve understood."
"Rest assured, Master. I’ll personally handle Samuel. How dare he covet your woman? He has no right to remain in this world!"
Daniel, with a touch of relief, slowly shook his head, "Do you think you can handle it?"
With unwavering conviction, Clown responded, "Master, if I can’t manage such a trivial matter for you, how could I ever justify the great hopes you’ve placed in me? I’d be too ashamed to serve under you, let alone hope for your favor."
Satisfied, the icy glint in Daniel’s eyes melted away, replaced by an apparent contentment.
"Good, it seems you’ve finally caught on. Proceed."
"Remember, unless I summon you, don’t approach me for any reason. I know more than you can comprehend."
"With utmost loyalty, Master!" Clown vowed.
Subsequently, shadows receded like a receding tide.
Brightness once again filled the living room.
Daniel had never anticipated that a single glimpse into the past would yield such an abundance of invaluable information.
The Rebirth Corporation, in alliance with the current President’s son, Samuel, plotted to stir chaos during the wedding.
Although the details of the scheme weren’t entirely clear, the general picture was unmistakably evident.
The Rebirth Corporation aimed for a major purge, and the Investigation Bureau, along with other Evolvers, would undoubtedly be significant hindrances.
While the reasons for Samuel’s collaboration with the Rebirth Corporation remained elusive, something Daniel was unaware of must be unfolding behind the scenes.
Their intentions to make a significant move were firmly set in stone.
When the time came, countless would inevitably perish.
After a moment’s contemplation, a sinister smile crept upon Daniel’s lips.
In his left hand, both the Devouring Maw and Behemoth Maw grew restless, a tingling sensation pulsating from his palm.
It seemed another opportunity for a significant boost in power was on the horizon.
...
Daniel scoured the villa multiple times, but there was no trace of the mummy to be found.
He was left with only two plausible theories.
Either the mummy had been devoured by the Siren Monster, or the mummy itself was the Siren Monster.
After all, the overwhelming sense of dread he had felt, which was still chilling even in recollection, could very well have emanated from the Siren Monster.
Regardless of which possibility was true, the villa had become an uninhabitable place.
Such a realization was a blow to Daniel, who lamented the brief time he’d spent in the villa after going to great lengths to acquire it.
Swiftly packing a few of his belongings, he stowed them in the Barbos, a vehicle returned by the Investigation Bureau’s logistics team, and drove back to the Bureau’s headquarters.
Daniel had originally intended to spend some intimate moments with Sophia.
However, upon reaching her assigned room at the Investigation Bureau, he found it empty.
A phone call later, he discovered she had joined a national archaeological research team, led by Benjamin, dedicated to exploring mysterious cultures.
They were headed to the very pyramid in Mauritania where Daniel had encountered monsters during his show.
At first, learning of this expedition, Daniel’s instinct was to demand Sophia’s immediate return, knowing all too well the dangers lurking within the pyramid.
But then he remembered: he had already eliminated all the monsters inside.
And with the protection of a fully-armed military force, surely nothing could go awry.
Gradually, Daniel’s concerns began to ebb away.
In the room, Daniel perused the documentation brought by the brothers Abel and Allen.
The detailed records laid out the entirety of the gold mining operation.
In a relatively short span, the refined ore yielded an impressive fifteen tons of pure gold.
With supernatural events escalating in frequency, nations around the world began retrieving gold from the market and issued strict bans on private gold trades.
This meant that, even if one possessed gold, it could only be sold to the state.
Nonetheless, the black market continued its clandestine gold dealings.
Alarmingly, the trading price for each gram of gold soared to a staggering three thousand StellarCoins.
The majority was snapped up by civilian Evolver organizations not affiliated with the Investigation Bureau, with a minor portion going to laypeople making small purchases.
Gold had become a globally scarce commodity, and as a direct consequence, Daniel’s net worth skyrocketed.
Just the fifteen tons of refined gold from this operation alone amounted to a value of four hundred fifty billion StellarCoins.
And this represented only a fifth of the yield from the Scott Mountain gold mine!
Daniel’s personal wealth had now crossed the threshold of a trillion StellarCoins, catapulting him among the planet’s elite affluence, even nudging him into the top ten of the global individual wealth rankings.
Yet, Daniel’s inner equilibrium remained unperturbed.
To him, wealth had grown irrelevant.
Whether it was a hundred billion or a trillion, it was merely a sequence of numbers.
What truly occupied his thoughts was whether all the monsters could be eradicated.
Of course, the primary purpose of his gold extraction was still centered on combating these very monsters.
On the sofa, Daniel sat deep in contemplation with eyes closed.
With his current strength, he was ill-equipped to engage in battles with level 4 Evolvers.
If Rebirth Corporation’s plans were to roll out, it would be challenging for him to seize an advantage.
And within a short time frame, it seemed improbable for his Evolver rank to surge.
Both Devouring Maw and Behemoth Maw required vast numbers of monsters for sustenance.
The only potential avenue for enhancement was his ’hundred-fold damage’, a unique ability awarded by the system.
To augment this, he’d need to deal directly with the system.
With this in mind, he retrieved the Desert Eagle.
The Spirit Bullets, effective against ordinary monsters, offered surprises in combat.
Yet now, the adversaries he faced were either of Rank S in danger level or entities rivaling godlike beings.
This Desert Eagle had become less efficient against such threats.
Conversely, weapons constructed from the silk thread ability and the bone spikes shot from his bone abilities packed a significant punch.
"Perhaps, I could recycle it. There might be some valuable gains," he mused. With no hesitation and a mere thought, he prompted a decision.
[Would you like to reclaim the Spirit Magazine?]
Clearly, the system pinpointed the essence of the Desert Eagle.
Daniel decisively responded, "Yes!"
In the blink of an eye, the Desert Eagle vanished.
The room was engulfed in a profound silence.
Ten seconds...
Twenty seconds...
Daniel awaited a notification of the system’s reward, but nothing came.
One minute...
Two minutes...
An astounded Daniel blurted out, "Damn, not even a hair?!"
