"Little girl, don't be in a hurry. Can you tell us what exactly happened?" Caitlyn said, kneeling on one knee, her gun cradled in her arms. She placed one hand on Powder's shoulder and gently wiped away the tears from her eyes, asking in a soft voice.
Powder blinked her teary eyes. With Caitlyn's caring gesture, all the pent-up grievances and sadness burst out, and she began to cry, "Van, Vander... sniff..."
Recalling the scene just outside The Last Drop, the crimson liquid everywhere, the lingering smell of blood in the air, the painful moans of the injured...
Powder's face gradually turned pale, her lips trembling slightly without any color. Overwhelmed with fear, she stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
Caitlyn, sensing Powder's emotional instability, reached out, embraced her, and patted her back gently, comforting, "It's okay, you're safe now."
Indeed, Caitlyn had a way with children.
After a while, Powder had gradually stopped crying, becoming calmer, though she still sniffled from time to time.
Li Lin also lowered his body as much as possible. "Powder, can you tell us what exactly happened?"
"Tonight... a group of people came for Vander, there was a fight, and they not only injured everyone in the tavern but also took Vander away," Powder said with a choked voice. "Vi and Claggor went to seek help from Sevika and Benso, while Milo went to track those who took Vander."
"Isn't Vander the boss of the Lanes? How could he be taken away on his own turf?" Caitlyn glanced at Jayce, signaling him not to interrupt, and then continued questioning Powder about the details.
Unfortunately, Powder, who hadn't witnessed the fighting scene, only knew the rough sequence of events. Moreover, she was still frightened by the scene in the tavern, and her whole body was still trembling.
"We need to go to The Last Drop and see for ourselves," Li Lin said, his mood not very good. He suspected that Vander was likely taken away from this point in time and transformed into a werewolf by Singed in the following years.
Vander was still Vi and Powder's adoptive father, and Li Lin couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Jayce, not very willing to waste time on strangers, asked, "What about Caitlyn's parents?"
"I think we should start investigating from Vander being taken away," Caitlyn agreed with Li Lin's idea.
"There was an attack on the Upper City during the Progress Day event, and my parents were also taken away. Now, there's turmoil in the Lanes... I suspect the people who took Vander might have clues about my parents, or they could even be the mastermind behind it all."
"It's not the mastermind, but they are definitely being used, manipulated by the one codenamed 'C'," Li Lin added in his mind.
Jayce shrugged helplessly, "Well, fine, we'll do it your way."
Li Lin controlled his armor, closing the face mask. He stood up and said, "Powder, let's go to The Last Drop."
...
...
A few minutes later, the group arrived at The Last Drop amid the crowded streets.
The place had already been occupied by members dressed in gang attire. About ten burly men were bustling around, tending to the injured and trying to save those who still had a chance. However, due to factors such as lack of medical equipment, poor sanitation, a shortage of medical personnel, and delayed rescue efforts, more than ten people had already lost their lives, their souls returning to the realm of the deceased.
As Li Lin's group approached, a voice filled with anger and impatience stopped them, "The tavern is closed. No guests today. Go back to where you came from."
Due to their fully armed appearance, at least thirty people inside and outside The Last Drop stopped their work, picked up weapons, and stared at them vigilantly.
Most of the gazes were fixed on Li Lin, who was wearing powered armor, while those holding guns and hammers, Caitlyn and Jayce, didn't attract too much attention.
Jayce placed his hammer on the ground, looking somewhat helpless, "We're not here for a drink."
He turned and noticed a bald, sturdy man with a dense beard, frowning at them with an unfriendly gaze.
"I don't care if you're here for a drink or not, just get lost from here, upper city folk." The bald, burly man's tone was far from polite.
At this moment, Powder squeezed out from behind Caitlyn and ran up to the bald, burly man. "They're here to help!"
"You... Vander's little daughter?" The bald, burly man recognized Powder and waved his hand to signal his brothers to continue with their tasks.
He sighed, squatting down, and his gaze met Powder's at eye level. His tone softened considerably. "Why are you hanging out with these people?"
"I came to ask for their help," Powder bit her lip, "and they are friends of Vander."
"Friends? Huh, I didn't know Vander had friends from the Upper city." The bald, burly man stared harshly at Li Lin, Caitlyn, and Jayce, then lowered his gaze to Powder.
"Aren't you being deceived by these guys?" He challenged Powder repeatedly.
Faced with the consecutive provocations, Jayce's temper flared up. "Hey, you...!"
"Calm down, Jayce. We're not here to pick a fight," Caitlyn intervened, frowning, reaching out to stop Jayce from rushing forward to argue.
"We do have a connection with Vander, you can ask Benso or Sevika," she said, locking eyes with the bald man with a fierce glint. Her expression remained unwavering.
"We were actually on our way to Vander for assistance. We heard about Vander's situation, so we decided to lend a hand.
"But it seems like you don't trust us. In that case, we'll leave and won't cause you any trouble."
With that, Caitlyn turned to leave without hesitation.
Li Lin immediately saw through her strategy; it was a form of psychological manipulation back in his hometown. It was a tactic often used during bargaining with merchants, a form of 'positive strategy.'
Merchants, aware of the tactic, usually accepted the proposed price as long as it wasn't unreasonable.
This approach was equally effective in this unfamiliar world.
Vander was currently in a crisis, and Li Lin's power armor presented a visually striking presence. If they could offer help, it would undoubtedly make rescuing Vander much smoother.
The bald, burly man was no fool; he understood this.
Before they could take a few steps, the bald man immediately called them back. "Wait!"
Caitlyn's lips curled slightly, and she turned around, facing the man. "Is there anything else, sir?"
The bald man pondered for a moment and then addressed Powder in front of him. "Are you sure they can be trusted?"
"Of course! Brother Li Lin helped me before and even gave us dozens of silver discs!" Powder nodded vigorously, emphasizing her trust.
When did this happen?
On the other side, Caitlyn and Jayce displayed surprised expressions, but no one questioned the statement. Now wasn't the time for such inquiries.
"Fine."
The bald man gritted his teeth, stood up, and walked over to the three of them. Lowering his head in a half-bow, he made a sincere request.
"Apologies for my earlier attitude. In the midst of the chaos in the Lanes, our leader Vander has been captured by hostile forces. The situation is critical, and we hope you can understand...
"If possible, could you please help us rescue Vander?"
End of the Chapter.