[Of course not, silly.]

I observed Anne, who remained motionless as the system responded to my question.

"So, it's not her."

[Don't get your hope up, then you won't be disappointed.]

"Haha," I chuckled, leaving them both looking at me with surprise.

"Oh, hello Anne," I replied hesitantly to Anne's greeting.

"We witnessed how you escaped from their riverside cabin, Mr. Harrington."

"Please, call me Danzel. I couldn't do much when facing Terry and Lyan simultaneously. They turned out to be incredibly strong."

"Yes, Danzel. We're not making fun of you. It was the most rational decision you could have made if you wanted to survive. We're thankful you made it back safely. Right now, we need a little help from someone we can rely on." Anne responded with her wide-eyed gaze directed at me. I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture. In the midst of my crumbling world, her smile felt like a glimmer of hope.

"Did you know that Tom is running for mayor? This is a project he plans to build if he successfully assumes office." Dr. Bertha instructed Anne to display a somewhat blurry recording, seemingly captured by a non-professional camera. The recording depicted a future project of Merrick, a copper mine that would only increase their wealth.

"We'll find it even harder to reach our goals if he gains more power," I pointed at the screen.

"Take a closer look, Danzel, at the site layout for the mine." Anne zoomed in on the recording, showing a brief glimpse of the affected area's map, which used to be my home.

"Can they do that? I'm still the rightful owner of that place."

"What can't be done in front of the Merrick family, Danzel."

"What about the waste they'll dispose of into the environment?"

"What do you expect? They even dismiss the safety procedure for their employee. Now why would they invest in waste disposal, especially when it's no longer profitable for them? Stop, before you protest, I already sent this to an environmental NGO. But they've been silenced in advance, as usual," Anne interrupted as she saw me about to speak.

'Is this the reason why you said Merrick was powerful?' I asked the system.

[Yes.]

'In that case, does the strategy you showed me still applicable?'

[If you want to defeat Merrick, it's not just about getting rid of him; that won't solve the problem. There will always be others ready to take his place.]

'You're right.'

"Do the general public know about Merrick's corrupt plans?" I inquired, and Anne and Dr. Bertha exchanged glances. Then, Dr. Bertha explained to me.

"This is a secret project, but we could predict how it would turn out. This project will be his major stepping stone to the mayor's seat, under the pretense of creating thousands of jobs and boosting the local economy. Even those we're trying to defend see our opposition as a stumbling block."

"Wait, from that map, it seems like Mr. Rocky's Inn will also be affected by the eviction?"

"That's right, one stone thrown, two birds hit. They're truly cunning."

"I promise to bring Merrick down to the roots. Argh! Why do people like them seem to shine brighter with each passing day? It's as if karma doesn't exist." I said.

Anne gasped softly.

"What's wrong, Anne?" Dr. Bertha asked, looking at Anne, who was glued to her computer screen, where a small and seemingly insignificant news article had just been opened by Anne.

"It's about Mr. Burrow. It says here that this evening, a gunshot was heard from Mr. Burrow's residence. Mrs. Han confirmed that the body was Mr. Burrow's. He died by suicide, a long-barreled weapon was found beside his body when it was discovered... I can't go on, another one of our friends is gone," Anne sobbed in her seat.

Dr. Bertha sighed deeply. "He was truly exhausted from the fight. I respect your decision, my friend. I hope you meet Marie in heaven."

While they reminisced about Mr. Burrow, I couldn't help but remember his expression when I left. His distant, vacant look. And the documents he had given me were a sign that he was prepared to leave this world. The events of this evening were the determining factor, and I didn't pick up on it. Mr. Burrow repeatedly spoke about his "legacy." Oh, how foolish I was! If only I had known that Mr. Burrow, a man as resolute as he was, intended to take his own life, I surely would have forbidden it!

"Does this mean you were the last person he saw today, Danzel?" Dr. Bertha asked.

"Yes, I truly didn't notice. Now, looking back, he did show signs of making that decision. He told me that the documents he handed over were his most valuable possessions. Why would he give them to a young man he had just met like me, if not to say goodbye? Damn it!" I cursed, not at Mr. Burrow, but at myself.

"It's not your fault. In fact, your presence might have been a lifeline for Mr. Burrow. He probably transferred his burden onto you, believing that you could carry out his vengeance. He had been planning to join Marie for a while, especially given his limitations. He's been struggling long enough. I believe he left with a content heart," Anne said soothingly.

"Yes, I feel the same way. When I saw those documents on your desk, they were already a sign. We all know how possessive he was about those documents, yet he handed them over to you so readily. You must have convinced him in a special way. I don't know how."

"I simply offered to take him for a walk, based on Mrs. Han's recommendation. Is Mrs. Han also part of your group?"

"Yes, she's one of the founding members. We only recruit individuals who have a proven grudge against Merrick. We have to be cautious because we need loyal members. If even one person is greedy, this organization would have dissolved a long time ago."

"So, what do we do about Mr. Burrow?"

"Nothing. We can't be associated with him in any way. Any connection to Mr. Burrow would put us in Merrick's crosshairs."

"This battle is incredibly complex."

"When dealing with Merrick, there's no such thing as being too cautious. We MUST be cautious," Dr. Bertha emphasized, and I nodded in agreement.

""Hey, look at this! The news of Mr. Burrow's death suddenly made it to the front page. But they changed the wording; it now says Mr. Burrow didn't commit suicide, but was murdered by Danzel Harrington. The motive is alleged to be the possession of important documents belonging to Mr. Burrow. Oh my... This must be Merrick's doing. They must think that the documents you took contain Merrick Chemical's wrongdoing, Danzel."

"Outrageous!" I exclaimed, especially when my face, emerging from Mr. Burrow's residence, was displayed in such detail, showing the bag containing the documents in my hand, along with the caption "Wanted" on the photo.