I Start with a Mysterious Island

"This..." The subordinate was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

He knew it himself. Just as Zhao Manduo said, their organization was indeed very strong. If they launched a surprise attack on the prison, they could most likely rescue him. But what then?

Whether the rescued person could escape from Rongcheng was another matter entirely.

"Let’s not dwell on it. Since the higher-ups already have a plan, we just have to wait for the results... Our top priority right now is to get this batch of goods packaged as soon as possible...

Now, go back to your post and stand watch! Keep a sharp lookout. If there’s any sign of trouble, report to me immediately."

Although Zhao Manduo was very worried about his good friend Tie Qiu Heng, he also knew that worrying about him now wouldn’t help matters.

"Yes, Mr. Zhao." The subordinate nodded, then left the factory’s interior to return to his lookout post.

"Damn the Superpower Administration Bureau, damn those Investigators..." Zhao Manduo muttered curses under his breath after his subordinate left.

Just as he was about to turn and return to his office, he suddenly heard someone shout.

"Mr. Zhao, come quick! Someone’s secretly taking the Happy Powder...!"

Zhao Manduo, who had been on his way back to his office, heard the shout and his expression instantly darkened. He strode quickly toward the source of the sound.

"Move it, Mr. Zhao’s here!" one of the subordinates shouted to the surrounding crowd. Everyone quickly parted to make way.

Zhao Manduo walked into the center of the crowd. His face was grim as he looked at the man lying on the ground. The man’s eyes were vacant, the corners of his mouth were stained with some black powder, and his face was frozen in a dopey grin.

"Which team is he on? Who’s his supervisor?" Zhao Manduo, his face dark, looked at the man who had secretly taken the Happy Powder and was now lost in a hallucination. He suppressed his rage and questioned the crowd.

"Mr. Zhao, he’s one of my men..." A man with an earring stepped out from the crowd and stood before Zhao Manduo, looking at him in terror.

"You know my rules. Tell me, what’s the punishment for someone who secretly takes Paradise Powder?" Zhao Manduo asked the man with the earring, his face grim.

"..." The man with the earring was silent for two seconds, then said tremulously, "Mr. Zhao, it’s his first offense. Please, give him another chance to live!"

SLAP.

The words of his plea had barely left his lips when Zhao Manduo raised his hand and struck him with a hard slap across the face.

"Ah!" The man with the earring, having been slapped by Zhao Manduo, immediately fell to the ground with a scream.

Clutching his instantly swelling cheek, he said to Zhao Manduo through a mess of tears and snot, "I’m sorry, Mr. Zhao! I was wrong, I shouldn’t have pleaded for him..."

"You’ve followed me for many years. You know my temper... Rules are rules. No one can break the rules I’ve set.

What is this Happy Powder? Everyone here knows full well. Once you’re hooked, there’s basically no turning back.

If I listen to your plea today and let this guy who secretly took the Happy Powder go, believe it or not, he’ll be stealing it a second time before you know it," Zhao Manduo said to the man with the earring.

Then, he turned to a subordinate beside him and said, "You and one other person, go take care of this guy who secretly took the Happy Powder..."

"Yes, Mr. Zhao..." The subordinate who received the order nodded. He and an associate then hoisted up the man who had taken the Happy Powder and was lost in a hallucination, carrying him out of the underground factory to the rock pile outside to be "dealt with."

"You all work for me, and I won’t short you a single cent of your pay.

In return, you will remember the absolute rule I’ve set about not using the Happy Powder. You will not cross this line, not even by a single step.

If anyone doesn’t know what’s good for them and breaks my rules, you’ve all just seen the consequences. Do you all remember that now?" Zhao Manduo berated the subordinates present.

Having personally witnessed the man who took the Happy Powder being dragged away to be dealt with, all the subordinates present were terrified. After hearing Zhao Manduo’s lecture, they immediately shouted in unison, "We remember, Mr. Zhao!"

"Good. Since you all remember, then get back to work. The sooner we finish this job, the sooner we can take a break." Zhao Manduo was quite satisfied with his subordinates’ attitude. He nodded and waved them away.

Just as the subordinates were about to return to their posts and continue packaging the black Happy Powder, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from a distant corridor.

TAP, TAP, TAP...

Everyone could tell from the hurried footsteps that the person was in a great panic.

"Mr. Zhao, bad news! Investigators from the Superpower Administration Bureau are here!"

The newcomer was none other than the man with the neck tattoo who had previously reported to Zhao Manduo about Tie Qiu Heng.

...

This man with the neck tattoo was responsible for standing guard outside.

He had previously reported to Zhao Manduo about Tie Qiu Heng’s capture by the Investigators, after which he had returned to his post.

From time to time, he would use his awakened Superpower to monitor his surroundings.

The sky had already darkened, and the surroundings were dim. Only the silvery moonlight from the bright moon above provided a faint glimmer of light for the creatures on earth.

However, after activating his awakened Superpower, the tattooed man’s eyes could see things clearly in the distance, even in such a dim environment.