The North American Gourmet Demon Handbook

Li Shanze's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Theodore Lancaster's head.

The witchcraft that he had always been proud of was completely useless in front of this man, which made Theodore Lancaster feel a long-lost sense of fear and insecurity.

Cold sweat began to break out on his forehead, and his heart was beating wildly in his chest, almost jumping out of his throat.

"You, you..." Theodore Lancaster was a little incoherent. He wanted to accuse Li Shanze of being an uninvited robber, but when the words came to his lips, he turned them into, "What do you want to talk about?"

Li Shanze still smiled, but in Theodore's eyes, that smile was more terrifying than the devil in hell.

His fingers slowly and methodically took out bullets that gleamed with cold light from his pocket, his movements so graceful as if he were performing some sacred ritual.

He didn't look at Theodore, but just lowered his eyelids and gently pushed the first bullet into the magazine, making a subtle but clear "click" sound.

The sound was infinitely amplified in the silent carriage, like the bell of death, striking Theodore's tense nerves again and again.

"Let's talk about our cooperation."

Finally, Li Shanze spoke lightly, his tone as calm as if he was discussing the weather, but his fingers did not stop, and the second and third bullets were accurately fed into the magazine.

Every time he loaded one, his calm demeanor formed a sharp contrast with the deadly weapon in his hand, as if silently announcing the fate that Theodore was about to face.

Under normal circumstances, Theodore Lancaster would not be threatened by a mere pistol, but in this scenario where all spells could not explain the failure, the pistol was already a deadly threat.

Theodore felt his throat dry and cold sweat slid down his back. He stared at the gun, and every movement seemed to silently remind him that he had no choice now.

Theodore swallowed hard, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, making a dry sound. He tried to hide his inner fear with a calm tone: "Cooperation? What cooperation?"

His eyes were fixed on the gun in Li Shanze's hand. The cold metallic luster and the gradually filling bullets in the magazine made him feel suffocated.

Upon hearing this, Li Shanze's lips curved into a meaningful arc. There was a hint of amusement in that smile.

He did not answer directly, but just turned the pistol in his hand slightly, and the muzzle drew a cold arc in the carriage. Finally, the black muzzle pointed squarely at Theodore Lancaster's head.

"I think Mr. Lancaster should understand why I'm here." Li Shanze's voice was still soft, as if whispering in his ear, but every word pierced Theodore's heart like an ice cone.

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shanze pushed his thumb lightly, and the magazine was pushed into the gun handle effortlessly with a "click".

The crisp sound of metal collision was particularly harsh in the narrow compartment, as if the god of death was ringing the death knell.

He even slowly pulled the slide, and the "clatter" sound of the bullet being loaded, with an unquestionable coldness, declared that this gun could take a life at any time.

During the whole process, he even kept his eyelids drooped, not even glancing at Theodore, but concentrating on playing with the weapon in his hand. His extreme calmness and deadly threat made Theodore feel a chill running through his bones, freezing him completely from head to toe.

"Listen, sir, if you are here for human experiments in Mumbai, you should go to Vikram Chandrasekhar." Theodore Lancaster calmly shifted the blame.

"Why did I come to Mumbai for the human experiment?" Li Shanze discovered that the advantage of being a riddler is that he can trick out more useful information.

He kept the name of Vikram Chandrasekhar and the human experiments in Bombay in mind.

Wasn’t it because that old Asian bastard pointed at my nose and cursed me as the executioner?

Theodore Lancaster didn't believe that the old Asian man had nothing to do with Li Shanze.

It’s obvious that you all have Asian faces, you are definitely in the same group!

And Mumbai is also in Asia! If you Asians are looking for me, what else could it be if not this?

Li Shanze certainly had no idea what the arrogant Anglo-Saxons actually thought of Asia. He lazily waved the gun in his hand and said, "I suggest you think about this again."

If it wasn't the executioner, could it be the Jews?

"If you think Johnson & Johnson's relationship with OxyContin, Baby Powder, and Risperdal..." Theodore Lancaster listed the names of the drugs one by one as if they were his own treasures, and carefully observed Li Shanze's expression.

"... I personally sympathize with the low compensation offered for the fatal side effects of drugs like Epiliprazole, Xarelto, and Gastrosinus. However, in such matters, please contact Marco Giuseppe Romano, Senior Vice President of Global Market Access at Johnson & Johnson."

Li Shanze frowned. "Good fellow, how come you're just naming a dish, repeating yourself for minutes without repeating yourself? How many drugs does Johnson & Johnson have with serious side effects?"

Seeing that Li Shanze seemed interested in this topic, Theodore Lancaster quickly responded, "You don't know that the manufacturing process of our modern pharmaceutical factories is not to research drugs based on people's illnesses, but to invent illnesses based on drugs."

"What does it mean to invent diseases based on medicines?" Li Shanze asked with interest.

"Well, it's like this. We first randomly synthesize a compound, and then, based on the reaction it causes to the human body, we infer what disease it can cure—or simply claim that it can cure a disease. As for the side effects, we wish the patients good luck."

In order to survive, Theodore Lancaster did not hesitate to expose the shortcomings of the pharmaceutical company.

When the witchcraft he was proud of suddenly lost its effect, Theodore Lancaster felt panic in his heart that was difficult to describe in words. Under the muzzle of a gun, the noble wizard was no different from an ordinary person.

Fine beads of sweat oozed from Theodore Lancaster's forehead. He didn't bother to wipe them away. He just wanted to say a little more and live a second longer.

He licked his cracked lips, his voice filled with a sickly excitement, as if he was confessing a long-suppressed secret: "We can even 'create' diseases."

"Creating a disease?"

"For example, some common, harmless bodily reactions are packaged as chronic diseases that require long-term medication. Then, the compounds we 'accidentally' synthesize become the only 'antidote'."

He paused, a glint of self-deprecating madness in his eyes.

"As for the clinical trials? That's just a carefully choreographed show. We have a dedicated team responsible for 'optimizing' the data, suppressing reports of adverse side effects, and eliminating ineffective cases."

"As long as we can get FDA approval—half of our PR budget goes to that—even if it's only 1 percent effective, we can tout it as a medical miracle."

"Those patients who take our drugs are guinea pigs, data, and a source of profit."

"You know, in our profession, we usually compare patients to mines. How much gold you can dig out of the mine depends on your skill with the pickaxe."

When Theodore said this, his voice became a little hoarse, as if even he himself felt disgusted by what he said, but his instinct for survival prevented him from stopping.

He stared at Li Shanze, trying to catch a glimmer of life from the other's expression, even if it was just a little bit.

Unfortunately, Li Shanze's indifferent look still made him feel nervous.

Rather, his words made Li Shanze hate him even more from the bottom of his heart.

As if sensing Li Shanze's disgust, Theodore repeatedly defended himself, "You have to understand me. Medicine is an industry. Everything in the industry serves the purpose of profit. It cannot be self-disciplined. I am just a small screw in this industry—"

In fact, what Theodore Lancaster meant was that no matter who was in this position, they would do the same thing, and the collapse of the US medical system was a systemic problem.

However, Li Shanze had no patience to listen to his so-called explanation.

"Shh." He raised a finger and put it to his lips, and Theodore Lancaster shut his mouth tactfully.

"Your story is very interesting." Li Shanze nodded and smiled. "Let's get down to business, Mr. Lancaster. I came to you to discuss how to deal with your shareholder, your boss, your chairman, Drummond."

283 Test

"Drummond?" Theodore Lancaster's eyes suddenly widened, and the surprise almost broke through the restraints of his eye sockets.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly with one hand, but looked back and stared at Li Shanze, as if he was really seeing the face of this yellow man for the first time.

In Theodore Lancaster's cognition, Drummond is a high-ranking white financial family, an elite, a ruler, and an existence that controls huge wealth and power.

And in his arrogant racist ideas, the Oriental man in front of him was nothing more than a humble "colored person" who could only struggle at the bottom.

He was pointed at with a gun and the threat of death was imminent, but at this moment, the shock and absurdity in his heart even overshadowed his fear of death.

A yellow man could actually say Drummond's name, and with such a casual, as if disposable tone? This simply subverted his entire worldview.

He could not imagine, let alone accept, that an inferior race would dare to interfere in the affairs of superior white people and even want to attack someone like Drummond.

In his view, this was simply a fantasy and a blasphemy against the supremacy of white people.

In addition to horror, Theodore Lancaster's face showed an expression of disbelief and even a hint of offended anger.

Look at what you have done! The foolish Democratic Party has been promoting clichés about diversity and racial equality every day, but now even the yellow people dare to wave their fists at the noble Anglo-Saxons!

He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something to refute this absurdity, but only a few dry, discordant syllables came out of his throat.

He couldn't understand, and refused to understand, how the yellow man in front of him knew of Drummond's existence, let alone how to "deal with" him.

In his deep-rooted arrogance, this was simply impossible and a pipe dream of this Oriental.

For Theodore Lancaster, the fact that he had to join forces with the stupid Italian Romano and the lowly Indian Chandrasekhar to fight Drummond was enough to trample on his self-esteem - it was the fall of wizards, the fall of civilization, and the fall of man.

It can even be said that when Theodore Lancaster provided the problematic medicine and conspired to kill Barnum, the great wizard of the Boiling Sage, at least half of his motivation came from his dissatisfaction with Barnum for bringing people of color into the Boiling Sage.

In any case, although Italians belong to the lower class of whites, they are still white people - although the previous anger at the two Italian private detectives was also due to this view - and Indians have always been qualified butlers and lackeys of the Anglo-Saxons.

Theodore Lancaster could still barely convince himself that he could cooperate with them.

But now, a yellow man?

Theodore Lancaster's pupils, dilated with fear, now flashed with a deep-rooted arrogance and contempt.

He even forgot that he was being pointed at by a gun and that the shadow of death was imminent.

He swallowed hard, a twisted smile appearing on his face, a smile full of contempt and disdain for Li Shanze.

"You...what do you think you're talking about?" He scoffed, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. "Mr. Drummond...that's not something someone like you can understand. You have no idea of ​​his position in the world, his power, his...influence."

There was a condescending tone in Theodore Lancaster's voice, as if he was educating an ignorant child.

He even raised his chin slightly. Although the cold muzzle of a gun was still pressing against his forehead, the sense of racial superiority engraved in his bones made him look more "noble" than ever before.

"Do you think that with your little tricks, you can reach that level? Do you think that the superficial knowledge you have can allow you to participate in our world?"

He shook his head, his eyes full of pity, not pity for himself, but pity for Li Shanze's "ignorance" and "wishful thinking".

"This is not something you should get involved in. You...you should focus on your own little circle and stop dreaming about things that don't belong to you."

He even tried to send Li Shanze away in an admonishing tone, as if the gun in front of him was just an insignificant decoration.

This idiot is crazy.

This was the evaluation of each other that arose in the minds of the two people in the car at the same time.

To Theodore Lancaster, the yellow man in front of him must be an arrogant madman who tried to rebel against the unbreakable implicit caste system.

In Li Shanze's eyes, Theodore Lancaster is the real arrogant madman.

Your witchcraft has been invalidated by me, and I have a gun pointed at your head, yet you still dare to speak to me so arrogantly. Did you wholesale your life from Yiwu Small Commodities Market?

This out-and-out racist is a pure time bomb. There is no possibility of cooperation - or more precisely, mutual exploitation - with him.

Li Shanze's words were swallowed back. He had given up the idea of ​​cooperating with Theodore Lancaster.

It was obvious that someone like Theodore Lancaster, who ignored the facts, was not a good person to work with.

Li Shanze did not feel much anger towards Theodore Lancaster's ridiculous discrimination.

In fact, Li Shanze felt a genuine sense of absurdity in his heart.

It was this spontaneous sense of humor that prevented Li Shanze from pulling the trigger directly.

Li Shanze actually developed a certain evil taste - he wanted to give this "high-class white-skinned master" a good beating.

So he knocked Theodore Lancaster unconscious with one punch, then took out a pair of three-fifths handcuffs and handcuffed the arrogant "upper-class white master".

…………

"Why? It seems that the persuasion is not going well?" Xia Li blinked as she watched Li Shanze roughly throw the unconscious Theodore Lancaster into the cell.

"Yes, Mr. Lancaster is not a good partner. But thanks to Cyrus Morton's accusation of being a kidnapper and the reporters who made a big fuss about it, we have made a good start." Li Shanze smiled.

Sure enough, the American news began saturation bombardment again.

The New York Times' front page headline: "Merck executive suspected of kidnapping; key witness's amnesia sparks legal controversy"

Subtitle: Democrats question Philadelphia Police Department's case handling procedures, Republican lawmakers criticize "elite criminal privilege"

The New York Times's subtle emphasis on highlighting doubts in the judicial process is in keeping with the liberal media's tradition of criticizing the system—especially now that the Democratic Party is considered the opposition party, and the criticism is even more forceful.

The Washington Post's headline: "Financial dynasty heir involved in kidnapping, pharmaceutical giant executives stage a thrilling escape"

Text note: Democratic lawmakers jointly called for a thorough investigation of the political and business network, and Senator Hamilton accused the Department of Justice of selective law enforcement.

The Washington Post also focused on political reporting and used a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania to accuse the Republican-controlled Department of Justice.

As for the conservative Fox News, their rolling headline is "Democracy Protects Pharmaceutical Tycoon? Lancaster Abandons Car and Flees, Exposing Judicial Corruption"

Special Commentary: Republican Senators denounced: The Democrats are shielding criminal elites! Trying to put pressure on the police and interfere with judicial justice!

Only the Associated Press report basically guaranteed neutrality: "Merck executive Lancaster involved in kidnapping charges, vehicle found not far from Philadelphia Police Headquarters."

The Associated Press basically ensured that objective facts were listed in the news, but the headline still secretly satirized the incompetence of the Philadelphia police.

As for tabloids like the New York Post, they were even more furious with conspiracy theories: "The Midnight Rush of the Pharmaceutical Wolf! The Kidnapping Nightmare of the Rich Heir."

Amnesiac witness points to the appearance of a "ghost car" at the scene; Democratic prosecutors exposed for having accepted political donations from Merck

Abandoned A8 luxury car: Is Merck executive Lancaster a fugitive or a victim? A hot topic in town!

"Citywide Manhunt! Merck Executive Lancaster Suspected of Kidnapping, Fleeing in a Car and Disappearing—How Deep is the Pursuit?"

[Exclusive] A Philadelphia financial family heir is involved in a mysterious disappearance of a Merck executive; this kidnapping case is far more complex than it seems!

These tabloid reports are all about attracting attention and have little to do with the facts.