He was the one who arranged for Edward King to come here, and he was also the one who secretly brought Michael Bolton. From beginning to end, he only made a deal with Edward King; as for Edward King's death, he didn't get involved at all. At most, he was just a witness to a murder.

You could say that in this matter, he completely distanced himself. Even if the police investigate this case in the future, they won't be able to trace it back to him. This was his "setting a tiger against a wolf" strategy.

Edward King did indeed die at the hands of Michael Bolton, but in reality, he was the true mastermind behind the scenes. It's just that he used a bloodless method to kill.

Having witnessed the entire process of Edward King being killed, James Carter couldn't quite describe how he felt. Of course, there was joy—Xuesong's revenge was finally taken, and Edward King received the punishment he deserved. But there was also pity; no matter how despicable or hateful Edward King was, he was still a human being, not just a beast.

No matter what he felt inside, James Carter suddenly felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. The heavy stone that had pressed on his heart for more than two years was finally removed. He felt as if he had been freed from a cage.

The sky was still pitch black, but in his eyes, it seemed as if dawn had already broken.

He let out a long, heavy breath, looked at Michael Bolton, nodded deeply, and said, "Thank you, Brother Michael."

"No need to thank me. In fact, I should be thanking you." Michael Bolton walked up to James Carter, looked him up and down again, and liked him more the more he looked.

He had all kinds of people under him—ruthless desperados who could kill without blinking, fierce fighters who could take on ten at once—but what he lacked most was someone with brains.

And the young man before him wasn't even an adult yet, not even eighteen, but already possessed such cunning and composure. What would he be like when he grew up? This was exactly the kind of talent he desperately needed.

"Little brother, Brother Michael has an unreasonable request."

"Brother Michael, please say whatever you want." Michael Bolton, this rough man, suddenly became polite, which made James Carter a little unaccustomed.

"From now on, follow me! I won't let it interfere with your studies. If you want to go to college, Brother Michael will pay for it. As long as you come help me after you graduate, I can give you anything you want."

Michael Bolton was sincerely inviting James Carter; he genuinely liked this young man.

What he didn't know was that James Carter couldn't wait to stay away from him. He wished that after this incident, the two would never meet again. How could he possibly help him or follow him?

James Carter laughed and said, "Thank you, Brother Michael, but I've never thought about joining the underworld. I can only appreciate your kindness."

This was the first time Michael Bolton had so sincerely invited someone, only to be flatly rejected. He felt a bit embarrassed, his face darkened, and he asked in a low voice, "Little brother, do you look down on me, Michael Bolton?"

"No, no, how could I dare look down on you, Brother Michael? I'm just an ordinary student, and in the future, I just want to live an ordinary life..."

"But what you did today was anything but ordinary."

"Everyone encounters one or two accidents in life, after all." James Carter changed the subject with a smile and said, "Brother Michael, the police should be arriving soon. We should go."

It was clear that James Carter's refusal wasn't just being polite. Michael Bolton sighed inwardly with regret, nodded, and said, "Alright, little brother, we'll meet again."

We won't meet again! James Carter was smiling on the surface, but inwardly he muttered with indifference.

James Carter, Michael Bolton, and the others came down from the rooftop. When they reached the ground floor, James Carter deliberately went to the spot behind the building where Edward King had fallen to his death. Michael Bolton looked puzzled but didn't ask, just silently watched to see what he was up to.

James Carter walked up to Edward King's corpse, circled it twice, then reached out and carefully moved the body.

"Brother Michael, what... what is he doing?"

One of Michael Bolton's men asked in confusion. Michael Bolton gave a wry smile and said, "Who knows."

After a while, James Carter pulled a blood-soaked phone from under Edward King's body. He picked it up and looked at it carefully. Sure enough, it was his own phone. Only then did he walk back.

Only then did Michael Bolton and the others realize he was looking for his phone. Not just Michael Bolton, but even his men nodded secretly. This kid was young, but he was meticulous, not missing even such a small detail.

When James Carter came back, Michael Bolton glanced at the phone in his hand and asked, "The phone's broken, right?"

"It's a pity." This phone was a gift from his brother for his sixteenth birthday. He had always treasured it, but now it was smashed to pieces—more precisely, crushed by Edward King.

"It's just a phone. I'll buy you a new one."

"No need, Brother Michael."

"I'll take you home."

"I can walk back myself. Goodbye, Brother Michael." After saying this, James Carter didn't wait for Michael Bolton's response, turned around, and walked off in the opposite direction.

Chapter 10 Exposure

"Brother Michael, that kid really doesn't know what's good for him." A burly man looked at James Carter's back and cursed angrily.

Michael Bolton glared fiercely at the man, then said, "Find out which school he's from, what his family does—I want to know everything about him."