Chapter 317: The Headland Villa!
Clark's Investigation
The three men in the factory shed were huddled on the sofa, smoking, completely ignoring Clark.
Clark repeated, "Tell me, where is Joshua Allen?"
A middle-aged man in a leather coat waved his hand impatiently.
"Beat it! Don't hang around here!"
Clark silently clenched his fist. A few minutes later, the three bruised and battered men were huddled in the corner, trembling.
"B-boss, we really don't know where he is! He left half a month ago. Seriously, why is everyone looking for Joshua? What did that kid do?"
"Others have been looking for him?" Clark asked.
The middle-aged man in the leather coat nodded frantically. "They were here two hours before you. A real scary bunch, too."
Clark's heart stirred. He pressed on.
"Who were they?"
"That..."
The man hesitated. Clark drove a fist into the wall. "Talk!"
The three men shivered violently.
"It was the Hongmen! The Hongmen people were looking for him."
The Hongmen?
The name immediately made Clark think of Luke Shaw, and then, by extension, his cousin Kara (Linda).
They were looking for Joshua, too?
A flicker of doubt crossed Clark's mind. He continued, "Why were the Hongmen looking for Joshua?"
"I don't know. They didn't ask anything, they just took Comi away."
"Who is Comi?"
"Joshua's former girlfriend. They broke up later."
Clark asked a few more questions. After failing to get any more useful information, he left a hundred dollars and departed.
For the next half day, he stayed in the suburbs investigating. As the information accumulated, Joshua's personal history became clearer in his mind.
A poor, timid Mexican youth with a brilliant heart.
Because of his timidity, he was often bullied by those around him, yet when he saw a "friend" in trouble, he couldn't help but offer a helping hand. Even though doing so would leave his already meager life destitute, he still did it.
"Poor guy!"
Clark sighed. Joshua reminded him of his late adoptive father, who also had a kind, passionate heart—the difference being his father was not timid.
"Perhaps I should help him," Clark murmured to himself, his eyes showing a touch of hesitation.
On the other side, Lois had also used her Mexican contacts to investigate Joshua's family situation. He had no father and grew up with his mother and grandparents. The family were devout Catholics.
When he was six, his grandparents passed away. His mother was killed by a stray bullet during a gang fight while she was out. Orphaned, Joshua entered a church-run orphanage, where he stayed until he was sixteen. At seventeen, he illegally crossed into the U.S. with some friends, and there was no further official record of him.
After combining their clues, Joshua's life story became clear.
Lois circled the name Comi on her notes.
"Childhood sweethearts, grew up together in the orphanage, and were lovers. You could say Comi is the most important person in Joshua's heart. No matter what, we have to find her."
Clark frowned. "Comi is in the hands of the Hongmen."
"Then we'll go find Luke Shaw. He shouldn't refuse. And Linda—wait, what exactly is their relationship? Is there any... that?"
She rubbed her fingers together, the flame of gossip burning brightly in her eyes.
Clark looked exasperated. "Don't ask me. Kara never calls me, and she won't answer my calls."
Clark sighed heavily. The two were the last descendants of the House of El, the sole survivors of Krypton, and should have the closest possible relationship, but now their relationship was a mess.
Lois took her boyfriend's hand.
"Why don't we use this chance to meet up? We can all sit down and talk."
The Fortress of Opulence
Having made up their minds, the two immediately set off.
The Headland Villa was located on the southeastern coast of Metropolis. It used to be a scenic holiday resort, but due to mismanagement and the owner fleeing, the once-bustling resort fell into decline.
Luke Shaw paid fifteen million dollars to the city government for the land and spent over forty million more on renovations. After more than half a year of construction, the beach, once covered in trash, finally smelled of the sea again.
However, today's beach was completely different from usual.
The flat sand was littered with large and small deep pits, the largest of which exceeded fifteen meters in diameter and three meters in depth—as if it had been hit by an intercontinental missile.
Clark's eyes narrowed. He whispered,
"There was a battle on the beach. Judging by the snow, it must have been last night."
Lois said gravely, "Kara?"
"It's highly likely. There are no shrapnel fragments or burn marks around the craters; the damage appears to be caused by physical force. Other than Kara, no one else should possess that kind of power."
Lois asked curiously, "If it was Kara, who was the opponent?"
They exchanged a look, their expressions growing serious. Clark floored the gas pedal, accelerating toward the hilltop.
The Headland Villa was a jewel perched on the coastal cliff.
From a distance, the nest-like architecture shone with a silvery-white light, contrasting beautifully with the deep blue sea.
In front of the villa was a wide lawn. Oak, pine, and cypress trees were scattered loosely across the grass. The largest oak was nearly thirty meters tall, with two swings hanging below it. Not far away were a small golf course, a basketball court, and a tennis court. In late spring and early summer, this place would surely be a children's paradise.
To the left of the main entrance was the parking lot, with a garden next to it. Even in the depths of winter, vibrant flowers bloomed inside.
The villa covered an enormous area, resembling a castle, complete with a swimming pool, gardens, lawns, an open-air balcony, and various sculptures.
Lois scanned the surroundings, clicking her tongue.
"The lifestyle of a decadent, corrupt capitalist. I can't believe it."
Clark drove the car into the parking lot. A nearby attendant smiled.
"Are you Mr. Kent and Ms. Lane?"
Clark nodded. "Yes."
"Please come this way."
The attendant bowed and smiled. "The young master is on his way back. Please wait in the main hall for now."
The two followed the attendant into the villa. As they passed a statue of a goddess, Clark stopped, his brow furrowed tightly.
Lois asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"The statue's eyes are surveillance cameras, and there's a hidden door beneath it containing a Vulcan cannon. The flowerbeds and stone columns also have hidden thermal weapons. Besides this area, there are all sorts of other defensive installations throughout the property."
Lois secretly gasped. "What is that guy thinking, installing all this in his own home?"
Clark glanced down.
"There's a layer of lead sheeting beneath the ground. I can't see through it, but I can tell there's a huge underground base beneath the villa. The entire hill must have been hollowed out."
Lois said strangely,
"It seems Mr. Shaw is hiding many things he doesn't want outsiders to see!"
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