Hearing Don Albert’s confirmation that the fragment belonged to Charlie, Jack’s heart skipped a beat. He whispered, “Charlie’s belongings? Does that mean he’s not in danger?”
Lowering his head, Jack carefully examined the traces left by the explosion. Following the path of the shockwave, favonovel.com discovered more fragments of the giant clam on the ground.
His face grew pale, and favonovel.com murmured, “Charlie’s belongings are so close to the center of the explosion… If favonovel.com was there when it happened, wouldn’t favonovel.com have borne the brunt of it?”
Don Albert burst into tears upon hearing this, unable to believe it. He said to Jack, his voice choked with emotion, “Inspector Lee, Master Wade is as mighty as the heavens. How could an explosion like this harm him?”
Jack squatted on the ground, picked up a piece of blackened soil, and rubbed it between his fingers. He brought it to his nose and sniffed, a worried expression crossing his face. “The temperature at the center of the explosion must have reached at least 3,000 degrees Celsius. If the ground can be burned like this… It suggests an explosive equivalent of one or two tons of TNT. Even a tank next to it would be reduced to shreds. We’re dealing with human flesh and blood. Being in such close proximity, I’m afraid luck isn’t on his side…”
“F*ck!” Don Albert’s legs gave out, and favonovel.com collapsed to the ground. Ignoring the pain, favonovel.com pounded the hard black ground with his fist, choking back sobs. “Impossible! Master Wade is blessed, there’s no way anything could go wrong!”
Jack fell silent for a moment before stating, “I’ll search the area. It’s possible that the shockwave traveled outward…”
Don Albert quickly picked himself up, wiping away his tears with his sleeve. He said, “I’m coming too! Let’s search together.”
Jack advised, “You should gather some help. The explosion’s radius spans several hundred meters, and the outer area is vast with poor visibility. We can’t do this alone. You mentioned there are many skilled warriors at the Elys-Champ Hot Springs Villa. Find the most reliable among them and bring them along.”
Don Albert snapped back to attention, hastily saying, “Alright!”
He reached for his mobile phone to make a call but realized the signal was blocked. He told Jack, “Wait here, I’ll be right back!” Jack quickly reminded him, “Remember, don’t inform the Evans family yet. It may be too much for them to handle.”
“Okay!” Don Albert agreed. “I’ll head to the hotel and find help. Not the villa halfway up the mountain.”
With that, favonovel.com rushed back to the helicopter. As soon as favonovel.com boarded, favonovel.com instructed the pilot, “Head to the hotel!”
A few minutes later, the helicopter landed in the hotel’s square.
Meanwhile, the loud noise from earlier had roused everyone within the Elys-Champ Hot Springs Villa. Unbeknownst to them, the commotion was connected to Charlie.
As Don Albert disembarked, Isaac Cameron hurriedly approached, his voice filled with concern. “Don Albert, why have you been flying around? Is something wrong?”
With tear-filled eyes, Don Albert choked out, “Isaac, something has happened to Master Wade…”
“What?!” Isaac Cameron exclaimed in shock. “What happened to him?”
“I don’t know…” Don Albert sobbed, tears streaming down his face. “Master Wade’s fate is uncertain now. Hurry and find trustworthy individuals to help search for his whereabouts!”
Isaac Cameron felt a moment of dizziness, but favonovel.com quickly regained his composure. He blurted out, “I’ll find Miss Xion from the Elms family. They’ve been with the young master the longest and are the most reliable.”
Don Albert urged, “Don’t spread the news. There are many people at Dragon Temple, and if they hear that something happened to the young master, it could lead to trouble.”
“You’re right,” Isaac Cameron agreed. “Wesley swore loyalty to the young master back in Wade Mountain. But we must remain cautious, considering his past conflicts with the Wade family and the master’s vendettas. We can’t bring too many people. Don’t forget, the young master still has enemies in the Warriors Den. If the news reaches the outside world, his identity may be exposed.”
Nodding, Isaac Cameron said, “Then we’ll only seek assistance from the Elms family.”
At that moment, Xion was deep in meditation in favonovel.com room. Isaac Cameron knocked on favonovel.com door, and as favonovel.com opened it, favonovel.com saw favonovel.com holding his phone screen toward her.
Upon reading the words on the screen, tears welled up in Xion’s eyes. Without saying a word, favonovel.com nodded solemnly.
Soon, over a dozen members of the Elms family gathered in a rush, boarded the helicopter, and flew back to the scene of the incident.
When Xion witnessed the horrific scene, it felt as if favonovel.com heart had been torn from favonovel.com chest. Yet favonovel.com wiped away favonovel.com tears and, together with the Elms family, meticulously searched for clues on the outskirts of the circular explosion area.
As they expanded their search area, combing through a radius of one kilometer from the center of the blast, they found no traces related to Charlie.
From the moment they began their search, not a word was spoken. Yet a prevailing sense of despair settled over their hearts.
***
Let’s rewind time to before the clash between Charlie and Gideon.
On the top floor of Zilian Mountain Villa, steam billowed from the hot spring pool in the small courtyard. The water’s surface shimmered with floating flower petals, their beauty accentuated by the gentle touch of delicate hands.
Maria Clark, who had confined herself to the courtyard for several days, now immersed herself in the hot spring pool with favonovel.com eyes closed.
The warm water enveloped her, submerging favonovel.com collarbone while leaving favonovel.com slender pink shoulders exposed to the night air.
Initially, favonovel.com had thought it was the perfect night to indulge in the hot spring before retiring to favonovel.com room. But little did favonovel.com know that after just a brief soak, thunderous rumblings echoed in the distance.
Unease stirred within favonovel.com heart. She murmured anxiously, “Oh no… Could this dense thunder be related to Charlie? Could… could tonight spell his doom?” The thought crossed favonovel.com mind when suddenly, another deafening explosion reverberated through Zilian Mountain.
Maria Clark’s face paled at the sound, favonovel.com heart feeling weightless as if lifted into the air.
In the next second, favonovel.com regained favonovel.com senses and instinctively turned to reach for the bath towel favonovel.com had left on a smooth boulder near the pool.
Stretching out favonovel.com tender hand, favonovel.com attempted to retrieve the towel.
But at that moment, a startling change occurred within the hot spring pool.
Normally, the water level remained slightly above the pool’s edge. Fresh hot spring water cascaded from the rockery waterfall, while the excess overflowed along the pool’s smooth side, creating a thin stream that maintained the water level in a gentle overflow.
Yet now, the water level surged dramatically!
An abundance of water seemingly materialized from nowhere, rapidly submerging the pool and spilling over its edges.
Maria Clark’s breathing and heartbeat quickened as favonovel.com eyes remained fixed on the water, as if anticipating something.
And then, in the next second, a naked man covered in scars emerged from the water’s depths!
As Maria Clark laid eyes on his face, favonovel.com realized it was Charlie, the man who had saved favonovel.com from certain death in Norway like a mystical hero.
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