In the dark and damp underground warehouse, the light from the fluorescent lamp, projected by its shade, formed a fan-shaped beam. The beam swayed back and forth with a chain, and wherever the light reached, rows of torture devices of various shapes flickered into view, like predators hidden in the shadows, quietly baring their fangs.
Luke sat on a sofa in the middle of the warehouse, curiously examining the two items in his hand.
A Green Lantern Corps power battery and a Green Lantern Ring!
He had seen the Violet Lantern Ring and even handled it himself, but this was his first time seeing a Green Lantern Ring. To be honest, this thing was a notch below the Violet Lantern Ring in both appearance and aura.
As for its abilities, that was hard to say.
Luke grabbed the ring and tried to put it on his finger. The ring began to resist, but unfortunately, without its owner's command, it was merely an accessory, and resistance was futile. It was eventually slipped onto his middle finger.
The expected scene didn't happen; the ring was still a ring, and Luke was still Luke. He didn't turn into a guy glowing green all over.
"It seems I don't have the talent to be a Green Lantern," Luke shrugged, saying, "Ava, can you seal it?"
"The structure of the Lantern Ring is too complex; I cannot ascertain its fundamental information. However, I have detected a powerful energy within it, and it also emits a special psychic fluctuation. This fluctuation is related to Hal Jordan."
"According to my deduction, if Hal Jordan wakes up, it will become very dangerous."
Luke nodded in understanding. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Is there a way to weaken the energy inside the ring, to make it remain in a depleted state?"
"There is no relevant information in the database."
This was troublesome!
Once Hal Jordan woke up, the ring would become a bomb that could explode at any moment. If Hal Jordan were killed, the ring would automatically leave and seek out its next owner.
Luke propped his chin, beginning to ponder information related to the Lantern Rings.
All seven Lantern Corps have their weaknesses. The Green Lantern Ring's weakness is the yellow impurity. It is said that when facing yellow objects, the Green Lantern Ring's power will be weakened, though the degree of weakening depends on the user's willpower.
Perhaps he could try it.
"Ava, separate the yellow spectrum from daylight."
"Understood, young master."
The briefcase beside the sofa automatically disassembled, revealing an opening inside. White light poured out, gradually separating into seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The other six colors began to fade, leaving only yellow light.
Luke placed the ring into the yellow light.
"Ava, analyze its changes."
"Activating analysis device… Analyzing… The psychic fluctuation emitted by the Lantern Ring is beginning to attenuate, attenuation degree 25%, energy: no change."
Luke said in a deep voice, "Increase the light intensity!"
"Light intensity increased by 100%…"
"Psychic fluctuation continues to attenuate…"
"Attenuation degree 37%…"
"Continue to increase light intensity."
The yellow light grew stronger and stronger, one-fold, two-fold, three-fold…
The light source almost became a solidified light spot. Unfortunately, after eight-fold intensity, the psychic fluctuation on the ring's surface stopped changing, maintaining at 28%.
"28%! That should be enough."
"Adam, take the ring to Base No. 2."
"Understood, young master."
The tall Adam emerged from the shadows, carrying the briefcase containing the ring, and turned to leave.
Luke poured himself a glass of red wine, quietly observing the cell in front of him.
By his reckoning, the person should be waking up soon… Hal Jordan had a very bad dream. In the dream, he was knocked unconscious by his best friend with a bat. When he woke up, he discovered that it was actually true! Not only was he knocked out, but he was also hung from a beam by chains.
Could it be the Young Master's Gang?
A trace of fear flashed in Hal's eyes, and he struggled fiercely, all the while trying to summon his ring.
But strangely, a barrier had formed between him and the ring, which was closely linked to his mind. He could sense the general location of the ring, but he couldn't summon it to his side. The ring seemed to be restricted by something.
"Damn it!"
Hal cursed, swaying back and forth, trying to hook his legs around the chain above to free himself.
"You have 18 hours."
A low voice came from the side. Hal quickly turned his head. In the dim light, a handsome, cold-faced white youth sat quietly on a chair.
He remembered this person: a core member of the Young Master's Gang, with a very formidable throwing knife skill.
"You… you… you're that one from the Young Master's Gang."
Perhaps due to fear of the future, Hal's voice actually trembled, which was rare for him.
"I am Dio Clay, and I am here on the Young Master's orders to tell you something. In eighteen hours, at 6:10 AM tomorrow, I will let you go. At that time, the people you injured last night will learn your identity. They will use every means to hunt you down for a period of forty-eight hours."
After speaking, Dio stood up and left. He paused at the doorway, a hint of cruel smile on his slightly upturned lips, like a predator who had found a new target and couldn't wait to pounce.
"Those hunting you will include me."
"Hal Jordan, I hope you hold on and don't disappoint us. It's been three years since we've played a game like this."
Giggle, giggle, giggle!!!
Accompanied by an eerie sneer, the footsteps faded, and the room fell into a strange silence.
Hal didn't even dare to breathe, his pupils constricted to pinpricks. After only a dozen seconds, a thin layer of sweat broke out on his forehead.
The Young Master's Gang?
A two-day manhunt?
Remembering the rumors circulating, his heart felt like it was gripped by something, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably… Time passed by little by little. Hal slept and woke, woke and slept, crying countless times and cursing countless times during that period, until footsteps sounded, and he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down.
Dio looked him up and down, smiling, "Good, that's the expression: unwilling, stubborn. Hal Jordan, you're very good, much stronger than those trembling rats before."
Dio unlocked the chains and walked to Hal's side, raising a hand and knocking him unconscious. When Hal woke up again, the scene before him had changed to an abandoned parking lot.
An old clock was placed in front of him, with two hamburgers and a bottle of water beside it.
The clock showed 5:45 AM, meaning there were twenty-five minutes left until the hunt would begin.
Hal gasped, picked up the water and food, and ran out. After leaving the parking lot, he realized that the surroundings were not Coast City, but a nearly abandoned small village.
The village was nestled among mountains and forests, with large wheat fields to the east and forests to the west.
Damn it!
Hal cursed anxiously, searching house to house to see if there was any communication device like a phone. If he could call the police, he might survive.
Unfortunately, after searching more than a dozen houses without success, Hal had to stop, standing despairingly on the main street in the middle of the village.
The time reached 6:10 AM.
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