Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 40 The Invisible Noose

"Promoted to a permanent position?"

Green tapped his fingers lightly on the table, seemingly considering the proposal seriously.

That's a good idea, saving Uncle Victor from having to ask favors and owe people debts for his job.

A formal position with the port authority in this era signifies stability and a certain social status, which is beneficial to his current situation and also provides him with a respectable position.

As for money...

The money in Henry's hands? He dared not take it. Those banknotes, stained with the blood and sweat of workers, the humiliation of women, and the sordid transactions of those in power, were like a red-hot iron.

If you take it today, it could become a new "hush money expense" in Henry's ledger tomorrow, or worse, become "evidence of accomplice" that those big shots need to get rid of as well.

Henry is the kind of person who meticulously records even his most shameful secrets. Who knows if he might also have recorded, in some more secretive place, details like "On such and such a date, a sum of hush money was paid to Green Morris"?

Green even incongruously recalled a phrase he had heard in his previous life:

Who keeps a diary if they're a decent person?

Isn't this exactly the kind of person Henry is being described? He thought he could use someone else's weakness as a shield or a tool for blackmail, but it ended up becoming irrefutable evidence of his own crimes, ultimately backfiring on him. How ironic.

"Regarding the position," Green finally spoke, "there's no need to change it. I'm doing quite well there. If you'd like, you can arrange for a few people to help me tidy up, since there's a lot of clutter."

"And the formal onboarding procedures you mentioned, that's fine. But I don't want to attract any unnecessary attention."

Henry, overjoyed, nodded repeatedly: "No problem! Absolutely no problem! I'll do it tomorrow... no, this afternoon! No one will suspect a thing!"

"As for the money," Green glanced at the medicine bottle rolling on the ground, then at Henry's fearful face, "it's unnecessary. Your money is too hot for me to handle."

Henry was taken aback, then became even more anxious, thinking that Greene thought it wasn't enough or didn't trust him: "Mr. Greene, I..."

“Listen,” Green interrupted him, leaning forward slightly, “I don’t want a share of your ill-gotten gains. I want ‘stability,’ I want to be undisturbed. From today onward, you’d better completely forget those dirty ‘hobbies’ and keep your lower body in check. No more women in the port authority should shed a tear because of your coercion. I’ve made a copy of the ledger, and it will be kept safe. It will remind you… that there’s always a noose around your neck, and the other end of that noose is in my hands.”

Henry was speechless. If he could control his lust... what would be the point of living? What would be the point of having that money?

Green tossed the ledger to him. "Keep this, but you need to change your record-keeping habits."

Henry understood that what Green wanted wasn't money, but complete control and elimination of risk. He not only wanted to shut up, but also to become an obedient puppet who would no longer cause trouble.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't refute it. Just as the other party said, the other end of the noose was in Green's hands.

Unless he will...

"I understand...I understand...I will do as you say, I will follow your instructions." Henry's voice was a little hoarse.

Green stopped looking at him and turned to walk towards the door. However, just as his fingers were about to touch the doorknob, he suddenly stopped.

Henry's heart sank when he saw the other person stop, wondering what they were going to do next.

Green didn't turn around, but walked straight towards the entrance of the secret room. Henry wanted to say something, but couldn't make a sound, and could only watch helplessly.

The next second, something happened that Henry would never forget, something that shattered his perception and sense of complacency.

Green's body took a straight, unobstructed step forward.

His figure seemed to merge into the water, or pass through an invisible veil. He vanished silently into the wall!

There was no sound, no physical damage whatsoever. The wall remained the same, as if Green had never existed, or... he himself was part of the wall.

Henry froze instantly, his eyes widening to their limit, almost popping out of their sockets. He stared intently at the wall, his mind blank, all his thoughts frozen by this incomprehensible scene.

"No...it's impossible..." he murmured unconsciously. Then he rubbed his eyes hard and pinched his thigh hard.

It hurts! But was that just... a hallucination?

Just as he was almost convinced that it was a hallucination caused by extreme fear, the wall began to move again.

Green calmly "walked" out of the wall. His demeanor was composed, as if he had simply passed through an ordinary door, and he carried something extra in his hand: a photograph.

Henry staggered backward as if he had seen a ghost, his back slamming heavily against the edge of the desk.

He can walk through walls?! What... what is he?! How could a human possibly do such a thing?!

Green seemed pleased with Henry's horrified expression. He looked down at the photograph in his hand, which showed the terrified and humiliated face of a young woman.

He flicked the photo lightly, then looked up at Henry and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm taking this one," he said, waving the photo around. "Just a friendly reminder, you can take whatever you want anytime."

Henry let out a soft gasp as he looked at Green, at the photograph, then at the intact wall, before finally settling his gaze back on Green's calm face.

I was just thinking of finding an opportunity to get rid of him... but now...

"Besides, I know what you were thinking before."

Green seemed to read his mind, moving closer to Henry. "Do you think that once I'm dead, no one can threaten you? That the secret will be safe? That you can go back to the way things were, continue being your local tyrant, and play with your 'collection'?"

Henry's face was deathly pale, and his lips trembled. Undeniably, this was a primal, instinctive thought deep within him.

"If that's really what you're thinking," Green's face suddenly darkened, and he took two steps closer, almost touching Henry's face, "I suggest you immediately and completely abandon that ridiculous and dangerous little thought."

He slightly raised his chin, displaying an almost arrogant confidence.

Green said, enunciating each word clearly:

"No one can kill me. At least, not you, nor any of those 'big shots' you know who only know how to take money and manipulate power behind the scenes. Walls can't stop me, locks can't confine me, bullets..."

He paused, giving Henry a meaningful look. "And you can't catch me. Today I can slip in silently and get your secrets, tomorrow I can be anywhere, including your bedroom, or... the bedside of those 'big shots.' Remember, I'm the one holding the noose..."

Green didn't finish speaking, nor was there any need to say more. He believed that Henry had completely lost his ability to resist him at this moment.

And that was indeed the case; Henry completely collapsed, slid to the ground like a lump of mud.

All wishful thinking and malicious intent were crushed in the face of Green's incredible ability to "walk through walls" and this declaration.

He was not facing a "trouble" that could be solved by human effort, but a... monster! A monster that possessed supernatural powers and could take his life at any moment!

"No...I wouldn't dare...I'll never do it again..." Henry cried incoherently, tears streaming down his face. "I'll listen...I promise I'll listen...Please...don't kill me...please..."

Green said nothing more, put the photo in his pocket, and unlocked the door.