Man With Super Medical Skill (Matthew)

Matthew stepped out of the narrow alley. Following the man's directions, he continued walking toward the sparsely populated path ahead. From a distance, a group of people watched Matthew's steady stride. Expressions of shock flickered across their faces.

"Is he really going to see Mr. Laurent?"

"Do any of you know this guy? He's got guts, I'll give him that."

"Guts? I'd say he's just looking for a way to get himself killed."

"Why does his back look kind of familiar, though?"

"You said the same thing last night when you were ogling the girls at the brothel."

Matthew continued forward, his steps unfaltering.

The once cobblestone path gradually gave way to a dusty dirt road, barren and dry. Without hesitation, he walked down the dirt road until- Suddenly, he stopped.

Far ahead, hidden within a patch of tall grass, a man in camouflage lay prone, gripping a sniper rifle.

The man frowned the moment he saw Matthew come to a halt. Just one more step, and Matthew would have crossed into the kill zone-the point where any intruder could be shot. But he stopped just short of the line. There was no way this was a coincidence.

As the sniper hesitated, debating whether to shoot regardless, Matthew turned his gaze directly toward him. Their eyes met, cutting through the veil of grass and distance like a blade through silk.

"Just a moment ago," Matthew said calmly, his voice carrying with eerie clarity, "your heartbeat sped up compared to when I was still 300 feet away."

The sniper's eyes widened.

"You were preparing to strike," Matthew continued, his tone as steady as ever, "and you were at the peak of your readiness. If I had taken one more step, you would've pulled the trigger, wouldn't you?" The man's pulse raced. He couldn't believe his ears.noveldrama

Realizing he had been spotted, the

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sniper abandoned his position, standing tall with his rifle in hand. He shouted toward Matthew from. acrossthe distance, "Who are you? You know the rules here, yet you dare to show up alone!"

Matthew's expression remained impassive. "Tell Mr. Laurent," he said, his voice calm but commanding, "that Matteo Larden would like to meet him." Matteo Larden?

Hearing the name, the man in camouflage hurriedly grabbed a photo album from the ground. He flipped straight to the last page and carefully examined a newly added photograph from today. After glancing between the photo and Matthew's face several times, he

finally spoke loudly.

"Please wait here for a moment."

He then pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it swiftly. "Mr. Laurent, Matteo Larden is here and wants to see you."

A calm and steady male voice came through the device. "Let him in."

The man lowered his gun, which had been trained on Matthew, and called out with noticeable respect, "Mr. Larden, follow this path straight ahead. Our boss is willing to meet you."

His tone carried a distinct reverence now. He had been strict and dutiful just moments ago, but he knew better than to keep up that attitude. Small fry like him didn't last long if they failed to show proper deference.

Truth be told, Laurent's influence extended even further than that of Angus. The vast farmlands around them-stretching at least a dozen miles-were all under his control.

Matthew walked down the dusty dirt

road, the sun blazing overhead. Yet, not a single bead of sweat graced his brow as though the sweltering heat had no effect on him. His figure moved steadily forward, and soon, the towering silhouette of a massive steel factory came into view in the distance.

A soldier, armed to the teeth, jogged up to meet him. "Mr. Larden, our boss is waiting for you inside the factory. He also mentioned that he's prepared some of the finest tea for you." Matthew nodded slightly and continued without hesitation.

It was clear to him that these men weren't soldiers from the Governor's Keep. With just a glance, he could tell they were part of Laurent's private militia-a force he had built himself.

This raised a question in Matthew's mind. Laurent was supposedly a player in the construction materials industry. How on earth did he amass the resources and power to maintain an army like this? "Mr. Larden, it's an honor to finally meet you!"