The entire process just now, along with everything happening right now before his eyes, was beyond his comprehension—he couldn’t even begin to process it. But one thing was very clear to him: he had to calm down.

Because this was obviously not an ordinary matter. Maybe it was a shocking secret, or a military secret, or a war between nations beneath the surface... In any case, it was definitely not something he should have witnessed.

He had seen and learned far too much.

Pale-faced, Henry Clark looked bewildered, but shook his head forcefully.

That thing was very valuable.

He had seen it.

He hadn’t taken it.

But now, he couldn’t tell the truth. Henry Clark had clearly seen those people carefully searching the pit with their instruments earlier, searching several times.

Since they hadn’t found it, if he said he’d seen it, there would be no way to explain it.

In the current situation, any tiny mistake or misunderstanding could be fatal.

“Oh?” The other party glanced at him coldly, then turned to signal to the people beside him: “Search him.”

“Is that really possible?” The person next to him muttered, meaning something like, how could a rural kid like this have the guts to hide our stuff? But he still came over and searched him thoroughly several times, then reported back in disappointment, “Nothing.”

“...Then, it really must have just run out.”

“Probably. In any case, search again, more carefully.”

“Yes... So, what about this kid? How do we deal with him?”

A few people who seemed to be officials finished their discussion. Apart from those who went back to searching, the remaining dozen or so gazes all fell back on Henry Clark.

Including the one who had just woken up, the blood at the corner of his mouth not yet wiped clean—“The Lane Team”.

This guy had clearly fainted just now, yet he’d come to so quickly, and his injuries didn’t seem as serious as Henry Clark had thought.

The injured The Lane Team sat with his back against a big pine tree, hand on his chest, spat a mouthful of blood to the ground, then looked up at Henry Clark, seemingly with effort, and said, “You, come here.”

His voice was a bit low.

Henry Clark had no choice but to go over.

“You just tried to save me, right? Thanks. My name is James Lane, I’m the leader here.” James Lane, who looked about thirty-seven or thirty-eight, spoke in a gentle tone this time.

But before Henry Clark could answer, he continued regretfully, “But, I’m sorry...”

He glanced around, then finally explained, “What you just saw is the greatest secret in the world right now—the highest classified information related to the stability and survival of human society.”

“I’m personally very sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.” he finished.

As James Lane spoke, Henry Clark noticed someone behind him grinning viciously, raising a hand and making a throat-slitting gesture at him.

Then, James Lane struggled to his feet, took the knife handed to him by a subordinate, and pointed it at Henry Clark’s throat.

Henry Clark: “I won’t tell anyone.”

James Lane’s face was expressionless. “It’s useless.”

One second, two seconds, three seconds... five seconds, ten seconds.

With the knife at his throat, Henry Clark looked at James Lane in silence. During this time, he had a feeling that the other party was waiting for his reaction, waiting for him to say or do something.

So, for now, he said and did nothing. With no direction or judgment, he was afraid that taking the initiative would lead to a mistake.

James Lane seemed a bit surprised and curious. “You’re not going to cry? Or, aren’t you going to do what they do in TV dramas and try kneeling to beg me?”

Henry Clark replied seriously, “...Would it work? If it would, I’d beg.”

James Lane was taken aback, his expression changing as he glanced at Henry Clark. “No.”

“Hmm, I’m trying to think of another way to persuade you... but I haven’t come up with anything yet.”

After Henry Clark finished speaking, a few people nearby almost laughed, because it sounded like a joke, but he still spoke with earnest sincerity.

James Lane very obviously forced himself to control his expression. How could he know that this seemingly honest, timid rural kid in front of him was actually testing his temperament?

The key step in catching a snake is to calm it down; experts can even handle snakes with ease. As for dealing with people, the most important thing is to figure out the other person’s temperament and character, and then act accordingly.

Also, a crucial point: Henry Clark remembered that just now, when that person mentioned him to the others, he said: So what about this kid? How do we deal with him?

If things had really reached the point where “silencing” was the only option, he wouldn’t have asked that.

So, there must be another possibility.

What he needed to do now was to try his best to create an opportunity, to win that other possibility from James Lane. Compared to pitifully begging, it would be safer to make James Lane offer it himself.

No matter what, James Lane shouldn’t have any real malice or intent to kill him—that was the premise and foundation for Henry Clark to try this approach.

“With the knife at your throat, you’re still thinking?” After a brief silence, James Lane spoke again.

“I’ll keep trying until the knife falls. It’s just a pity I haven’t thought of a way yet,” Henry Clark answered honestly.