Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 831 - 539: Mechanism City [09] Clement Winter Has Been Kidnapped_3

His aura was restrained, not as overt as Nora’s, but the hidden danger in his every move was equally chilling.

Clarence truthfully answered, "I had contact with a companion privately. He told me. But later on, when I tried to reach him, he was already gone."

Pedro Langley asked, "When did this happen?"

"More than half a year ago."

Originally, Clarence lived in the village where Eli Linfield ran a guesthouse. Because of this incident, he decided to leave and return to his hometown. What he didn’t expect was, even after hiding for half a year, he was still found.

"How did they find you?"

"I don’t know," Clarence said, "nothing is absolutely confidential."

Even Parker Shaw alone could gather information to find them, let alone a large group of people.

All the questions that needed to be asked were asked.

Peeling back a layer of fog, there were only more mysteries—

What is Robert Durant’s family doing with Mechanism City?

Is Vaughn also looking for Master Sliver, and is their ultimate goal also Mechanism City?

Why are they going to great lengths, spending resources to find this secret project—could there be something hidden behind Mechanism City?

...

Nora Scott stood up, her face cold.

Clarence looked up, trembling, and asked, "Can you really protect me?"

"Yes."

Nora decisively tossed out the word.

As she walked to the door, her hand touched the doorknob, and she suddenly turned around, squinting at Clarence, "Is there anyone with the last name Easton in your team?"

Easton?

Clarence widened his eyes in shock, his body froze.

*

Once inside the air-conditioned car, Nora Scott slouched down, her expression cold and a bit irritable.

Pedro Langley leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.

Then he reached out, covering her cheek with his hand, giving a gentle squeeze, "All the secrets revealed, not happy?"

Nora slowly lifted her eyelids.

According to what Clarence said, they used aliases, but most last names don’t change. If it’s not a coincidence, the chief responsible for designing the entire Mechanism City blueprint—the only one who knows all the structures of Mechanism City—has the last name "Easton."

And, based on Nora’s deductions about "Master Sliver," the conclusion that "Antonio Easton is Captain Easton" seems almost unquestionable.

Which means—

Forty years ago, Antonio Easton participated in a secret project as the chief engineer. After an unexpected interruption in the project, Antonio Easton quietly withdrew, leaving hardly anyone aware of this past.

Leaning back, Nora Scott furrowed her brow, "Feels like knowing nothing about old Easton."

"..."

Thinking about that blueprint, Pedro Langley’s eyes flickered slightly, he remained silent.

Turning to Pedro, Nora suddenly thought of something, "Am I being used as a pawn?"

"Not exactly," Pedro said, "You’re rather the key figure everyone wants to compete for."

—Everyone wants to find Antonio Easton, but now that he’s gone, Nora, who inherited his Mechanical Techniques... would clearly become their target.

Nora gritted her teeth in secret.

Still a pawn, after all.

The fake antique matter isn’t resolved, and now the Mechanism City emerges. These two years, she’s been really unfortunate.

Laughing, Pedro switched the topic, "Want to eat hotpot?"

"Ah."

With Pedro’s suggestion, Nora did feel hungry.

"I brought hotpot ingredients and base."

"Huh?"

Nora was startled, recalling she talked about wanting hotpot with Pedro last night.

Pedro added, "Stored it with ice packs in a foam box; shouldn’t be spoiled yet."

"Okay." Nora nodded, pulling out her phone, "I’ll ask someone to make space for us."

Pedro Langley: ?

Pedro was still pondering over how to "make space." But Nora made a call and started directing Pedro to drive here and there, and soon arrived outside a hotpot restaurant.

"..."

Looking at the sign for "XX Hotpot Restaurant," Pedro Langley felt a bit speechless.

At this moment, the owner enthusiastically came out to greet them, "Nora, you’re here. The private room is ready. Bringing your own ingredients, right? Shall I help you move them?"

Nora was accustomed and nodded, handing off the physical task to the owner.

Pedro Langley: "..." Felt like being the chieftain’s wife.

After the two entered the private room and sent the location to Benjamin Durant, as they were about to start eating, Benjamin also arrived with his two brothers.

Five people at one table, they brushed off the day’s events and happily enjoyed a hotpot meal.

Eli Linfield, who showed up last, only had time for a sip of soup.

"I really had high hopes for him, thought he was a recluse with vast knowledge, but he knows just a bit?"

Eli Linfield’s fantasy was shattered.

"Mm." Nora ate her fill, savoring the fruit handed over by Pedro Langley, lazily asking, "Where’s Stella Durant?"

Eli Linfield helplessly replied, "My team actually caught up, but Robert Durant’s family assisted them, right under our noses, they took them away."

Though they weren’t aggressively pursuing, Eli’s team was there and did their duties. Watching the escape happen was infuriating.

Nora was rather relaxed about it, "The connections and forces here are complex, evidence insufficient, even if caught, wouldn’t be able to pin them, doesn’t matter."

In terms of detention at the police station, for them, it’s barely a bother.

It doesn’t make much sense.

Unless they could be dealt with swiftly, otherwise, there’s no need to insist on capturing them.

The private room was cleared, but they didn’t leave, gathering to chat.

The topics were all related to Mechanism City and the Loulan Plan.

Occasionally, Nora exchanged quiet words with Pedro or snacked on fruit pastries, appearing indifferent to the topic, yet her thoughts were continuously flowing.

Until—

She suddenly remembered Evelyn Winter.

Being Antonio Easton’s disciple, Evelyn had mentioned the "Loulan Plan." Nora figured she knew the details.

Last time, with little phone access, she called Evelyn, but no answer. Now remembering, she immediately called Evelyn again.

Once more, no response.

Still powered off.

?

Nora furrowed her brows.

Soon thinking of Evelyn’s son, Clement Winter, Nora hesitated briefly before trying his number.

This time, the call went through.

But it was not Clement, rather his assistant.

"Hey, Nora."

The assistant’s voice was tearful, sobbing as if Clement had been kidnapped.

Nora asked, "Where’s Clement?"

Assistant: "Clement... Clement was abducted! They thought I was in the way and dumped me, now I don’t know where I am."

Nora: "..."