The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

They were about to step forward and drive them away.

The black cat appeared in front of him like a ghost from the shadows, and touched him with its paw, rendering him speechless.

Then, with a powerful thrust, he struck from afar, shattering Slocum's heart meridian and mimicking the symptoms of a myocardial infarction.

Slocum froze as he poured the wine, the crystal glass slipping from his suddenly weakened hand and shattering on the expensive carpet with a crash.

The muscles on his face froze instantly, his pupils dilated sharply, one hand gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly, while the other reached futilely into the air, as if trying to grasp some non-existent object.

His mouth was open, but he could only let out a hoarse, leaky sound. His eyes bulged out and were bloodshot. Finally, like a piece of rotten wood that had been chopped down, he fell straight backward with a thud.

"Boom!"

His heavy body slammed onto the carpet with a dull thud, and within seconds, Slocum's heart stopped beating completely.

The black cat's figure strolled to Slocum's gradually cooling corpse and calmly examined it.

The other person's complexion was rapidly turning ashen, and their lips were turning an unnatural cyanosis; all signs pointed perfectly to acute sudden cardiac death.

[Ding! Side Quest: 'Vengeful Revenge' Completed. Reward: Golden Eye!]

[Golden Eyes: A special eye technique originating from a fantasy world, containing the power to see the essence of all things, including X-ray vision, historical rewinding, spatial perception, and information analysis.]

【Do you want to receive it? 】

"receive."

Lin Mu silently recited in his heart.

In an instant, a gentle yet powerful warm current flowed into his eyes, which then transformed into countless clear pieces of knowledge and methods of application, deeply engraved in the depths of his mind.

[Perspective]: The eye can penetrate the surface of most materials to observe their internal structure. It can accurately identify the authenticity of antiques, the internal quality of jade, and even perceive the minute structure of the human body. It can also see into the distance, with a viewing distance far exceeding that of ordinary people.

[Historical Retrospective]: By touching the object, one can trace important fragments of its past experiences, witness the production process, information on past owners, and even recreate specific historical scenes or moments.

[Spatial Perception]: Provides 360-degree panoramic vision with no blind spots, clearly analyzing complex building structures and predicting potential hazards in the environment. Possesses molecular-level microscopic resolution, capable of identifying material deterioration, detecting minute traces, and automatically constructing three-dimensional navigation paths based on environmental traces.

[Information Analysis]: It has ultra-high-speed reading and permanent information storage capabilities, and can perform high-speed extrapolation and future scenario simulation and prediction based on existing data.

[Note: The Golden Eye consumes the host's mental energy. Overuse may cause side effects such as mental fatigue, dizziness, and temporary blurred vision. Please carefully control the intensity and duration of use.]

Upon seeing the information about Golden Eyes, Lin Mu was secretly delighted, and at the same time, he came up with a brilliant idea.

He placed his hand on Slocum and, through the historical rewind function of the Golden Eye, reviewed Slocum's information, gaining a considerable amount of useful intelligence.

This includes details of Slocum's recent secret meetings and deals with several key directors of Osborne Industries, and he even learned some of their previously unknown communication codes and coded messages.

"This is...a pleasant surprise."

Lin Mu muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips.

He waved his hand and stored Slocum's body into his system space, ensuring that no trace was left behind.

Immediately, he formed another hand seal, his figure twisting and changing in the dim light, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into the appearance of General Slocum.

The same white hair, the same gloomy face, even the lingering weariness and anxiety between his brows were imitated perfectly.

Using the access and password he had obtained from Slocum's memories, Lin Mu brazenly drove a military jeep that Slocum had left in the villa's garage to the nearest military base overnight.

With perfect disguise, the ability to capture and imitate subtle expressions and habits with his golden eyes, and the top-secret passwords in his memory, General Slocum's midnight "surprise inspection" went exceptionally smoothly.

He even used the pretext of "testing the security of new equipment storage" and "preparing for a top-secret exercise (CDBH)" to successfully distract the guards and gain temporary, undisturbed access to the core armory, relying on his general's authority and the limited internal intelligence he had gleaned through his Golden Eyes.

"System, collect!"

With a thought, all the weapons within a ten-meter radius vanished in an instant.

Like a whale sucking in water, the system space was filled with F-15 fighter jets painted with military insignia, massive main battle tanks, and mountains of supporting ammunition and precision components, which disappeared in large swaths and were all absorbed into the system space.

The whole process was faster than anyone could imagine. In just a few minutes, the once crowded warehouse became empty, leaving only clear tire tracks and support marks on the ground, telling the story of the violent machinery that had once been stored there.

After the inspection, 'Slocum' said expressionlessly to the base leader, "Seal off the warehouse. No one is allowed to enter or leave at will. Everything we saw tonight is classified as top secret and must not be leaked."

Leaving behind an enigmatic order and bewildered subordinates, Lin Mu drove off, disappearing into the deepest darkness before dawn.

The next morning.

In the luxurious suite on the top floor of the Manhattan Club Hotel, the morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting shadows on the leather sofa and mahogany coffee table.

The six board members of Osborn Industries and the chairman of Exploration Space have arrived.

Bald Max sat on the sofa, his fingers constantly stroking his diamond ring; the chairman of Exploration Aerospace, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, stood by the window, holding a briefcase and glancing at his watch every now and then; the other five directors whispered among themselves, their faces full of unease.

The door was pushed open, and Lin Mu, disguised as 'Slocum', walked in, his military jacket draped over his arm, and two buttons undone at the collar of his shirt, looking somewhat tired.

"General, you've finally arrived."

Max immediately stood up, a smile plastered on his face: "The police haven't traced us yet, have they?"

Slocum didn't sit down. Instead, he walked to the coffee table, picked up a bottle, poured himself a glass of whiskey, but didn't drink it, just letting the liquid swirl in the glass. "Whether the police investigate or not is no longer important."

His voice was hoarse, filled with a sense of despair: "The squads I sent are all gone, and we can't get in touch with Norman either... Our plan was wrong from the start."

Max frowned: "General, what do you mean? We can always send more men; we can handle Norman and his men..."

"solve?"

Slocum suddenly laughed, his laughter filled with madness: "If I don't live, neither will you."

Before he finished speaking, he pulled out a pistol from his waist and pointed the dark muzzle at Max.

"General, you've gone mad!"

Max's expression changed drastically, and he turned to run away.

"boom!"

The bullet struck him precisely between the eyebrows, and blood splattered onto the sofa.

Without pausing, 'Slocum' slightly turned his wrist, pointing the gun at the other directors.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Gunshots echoed in the private room, each one accompanied by a muffled thud.

The arriving directors fell to the ground one after another, blood gushing from the bullet holes in their foreheads, quickly staining the floor red.

The sound of bodyguards' footsteps and shouts could be heard in the corridor.

When they pushed the door open and entered.

Slocum had just reached the edge of the rooftop. Below was a bustling street. In the morning light, pedestrians heard the gunshots and instinctively ran away. Only a few people looked up to watch.

Slocum gave a relieved smile and said to the security guards, "Sorry to have cost you your jobs."

With that, he jumped from the 25th floor and plummeted to the ground.

While in mid-air, Slocum (Lin Mu) quickly transformed and took out Slocum's corpse.

It transformed into a spider, using Slocum as a springboard to leap onto the wall, and then quickly climbed into an open window.

Then he transformed into a middle-aged white man and swaggered out of the hotel.

And in the outside world.

"boom!"

The dull thud of a heavy object falling to the ground shattered the morning's tranquility.

Slocum's body lay on the sidewalk, a bloody mess, his features unrecognizable.

Even Conan couldn't solve Lin Mu's case with his modus operandi.

Minutes later, the piercing sound of sirens echoed throughout the Manhattan Club Hotel.

Sheriff George Stacy stared at the body on the ground, his brow furrowed. "Have you identified him?"

"Confirmed, it's General Slocum."

The officer handed over a file: "There are also seven dead on the top floor. Six of them are board members of Osborn Industries, and the other is the chairman of Exploration Space. The cause of death is gunshot wounds, and the bullets came from the general's sidearm."

The forensic doctor squatted beside the body and, after examining it, said, "The general's cause of death was a fall from a height; all his internal organs were ruptured, and there were no other external injuries."

"There were no traces of a second person at the scene. Surveillance footage showed that the general entered the private room alone, fired his gun, and then jumped off the building to commit suicide."

The sheriff sighed, looking at the crowd in the distance: "A power struggle between officials and businessmen, a general committing suicide out of guilt—seal off the scene and notify the military and his family!"

Chapter 51: Arriving at the Police Station

The news that General Slocum was found dead in the street, and that six directors of Osborn Industries and the chairman of Exploration Space died in a luxury penthouse suite, was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating a huge wave in New York and even across the United States.

This shocking murder case involving high-ranking military officials and business tycoons, although all the evidence at the scene clearly pointed to the conclusion that "General Slocum committed suicide after his conspiracy was exposed and he killed people out of fear of punishment."

However, the severity of its nature and the far-reaching impact have placed unprecedented pressure on the New York Police Department.

The media, like sharks smelling blood, surrounded the police station 24 hours a day.

Because the military lost the entire armory of equipment, the higher-ups also frequently put pressure on them, demanding that it be handled with "caution."

Accountability calls from the city government nearly overwhelmed Sheriff George Stacy's office.

In addition, there was the major incident the previous night in which Norman Osborn was attacked by unidentified mercenaries at his suburban estate.

The inherent connection between the two events sent chills down the spines of all the investigators.

However, political maneuvering often disregards the truth.

General Slocum’s political enemies seized the opportunity to completely suppress his faction and instead support Osborne Industries.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Norman not only won first place at the technology exhibition, but also acquired Exploration Space Company, which was on the verge of bankruptcy due to scandals and the death of its chairman, at a very low price, greatly increasing his strength.

At the victory celebration, Norman was in high spirits, but deep in his eyes lurked a subtle wariness and longing.

Having faced the brink of death, he yearned for control of his power more than ever before, and he prioritized the research of human enhancement drugs.

The talented young student Peter Parker was exceptionally hired as an intern, which not only solved his financial difficulties but also injected fresh blood into the research.

Norman, however, observed that Mary Jane, the girl Peter had fallen for, seemed to be getting closer and closer to his son Harry, which made him even more dislike this girl with impure intentions.

Meanwhile, inside the Manhattan Police Department, Sergeant George Stacy had been working continuously for more than 30 hours, his eyes bloodshot, and coffee cups piled up on his desk.

He knew all too well that such high-level cases were the most troublesome, and whether the evidence was sufficient was sometimes not the key; the real vortex was the power struggle among various forces.

The military conducted an internal investigation into the arms theft, but all clues mysteriously pointed to the deceased Slocum, ultimately leaving it as a sealed-off unsolved case.

For them, saving face is sometimes more important than the truth.

However, Sheriff George did not give up.

By reviewing Slocum's communications records, the police discovered a group of mercenaries who mysteriously disappeared the night before the attack on Norman Manor, and whose ultimate target was Lin Mu.

Further investigation revealed that Lin Mu's rise to power was exceptionally rapid, that he had a close relationship with Norman Osborn, and that he owned a luxury villa gifted by Norman.

All of this led Sheriff George to believe that this young man was anything but simple.

So he personally led the team to the villa where Lin Mu was.

"Mr. Lin."

Sheriff George showed his badge and said in a businesslike tone, "Regarding the General Slocum case and the Norman Osborn attack, there are some matters that require your cooperation in the investigation at the police station. Please return to the station."

Lin Mu, dressed in loose casual clothes, opened the door, his face showing no surprise or panic.

He glanced at the police officer at the door, nodded calmly, and smiled, "Of course, cooperating with the police is a citizen's duty."

Inside the police station's interrogation room, the light was bright, but the atmosphere was unusually heavy.

Lin Mu sat relaxed in the chair, answering the two police officers' questions fluently and calmly.

"I was invited by Mr. Osborne to be mainly responsible for the research and development and cooperation of some cutting-edge technologies. The specific details involve trade secrets and cannot be disclosed."

His tone was calm and even, without any apparent emotion.

"As for the mercenaries you mentioned, I know absolutely nothing about them."

"My interpersonal relationships are very simple. I mainly work in research, and I can't think of anyone who would hire a professional killer to deal with me."

At this point, he subtly revealed a hint of confusion.

"If the police still have questions about this, my lawyer will provide a more detailed explanation."

Lin Mu aptly ended the topic and handed over the follow-up matters to his legal representative.

His itinerary, timeline, witnesses, and physical evidence had all been meticulously arranged by Norman.

In all official records, he is a "lucky" researcher who happened to be caught in the eye of the storm but remained on its edge.