Silence descended upon the underground room. The anticipated massive explosion failed to occur. On the screen, the young man's smile gradually froze.
Behind him, a towering figure, over three meters tall, was slowly solidifying.
The young man's eyes widened. Slowly, he turned around.
"Just like me… you mean I'll go to hell, is that it?!"
A low, deep voice emanated from the figure as Wilder's face came into focus. A wild, sinister grin spread across his features as he looked down upon the young man, like an adult observing a child.
They were in a pristine white workshop or laboratory. The lights of various instruments blinked rhythmically in the otherwise quiet space. Wilder and the young man stared at each other.
Meanwhile, in the sealed underground room where the executives were trapped, amused smiles began to appear on Claire's and the others' faces as they watched the scene unfold on the monitor, settling in for a good show.
"Putting on such a convincing performance for you wasn't easy, you know, Mr. Unknown," Wilder said, the veins on his temples beginning to bulge visibly. His smile remained, but his expression had turned incredibly dark.
His mood was foul. Extremely foul.
"I want to know why you did all this." Wilder's eyes were sharp as daggers as he stared down at the young man.
Yes, this was the primary source of Wilder's irritation. Even now, he couldn't fathom the motive behind these actions. Wilder had initially suspected it might be an old enemy seeking revenge, but upon seeing the man in person, that possibility was clearly ruled out. This guy…! Wilder didn't recognize him at all! Therefore, he desperately wanted to know: what was the purpose behind all this?!
If there was a sufficient reason…
He might permit the man a quicker death.
The young man, after his initial shock, quickly regained his composure. He offered a slight smile, meeting Wilder's intense gaze. "I'd like to know when you discovered me… Hmm, I suppose those people outside knew all along as well, didn't they? Deliberately following the Black Guards into the trap. Which means… the trap bombs must have been tampered with. In other words… your people had already infiltrated this place, correct? And one of them is… skilled with explosives?"
"As for why I did all this…" The young man smiled, his eyes twinkling as he met Wilder's stare. "Because I was choosing!"
"Choosing?" Wilder's face fell under a heavy shadow.
"Yes, choosing," the young man confirmed, still smiling. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jesse. I am a great scientist. Weren't you recruiting scientists? I merely wanted to ascertain if you possessed the qualifications necessary for me to join your ranks." His gaze radiated immense confidence, arrogance, and the certainty that everything was proceeding according to his plan.
"Hmm… So, you're saying… all of this… was simply for your so-called 'choosing'? Just to see if I… if the Black Serpent Guild… is worthy of having you?" Wilder's voice was utterly flat, his eyes devoid of any discernible emotion as he looked at Jesse.
"Yes, you could understand it that way. And now, I can confirm that you… and Black Serpent… are indeed qualified," Jesse replied with a smile, extending his hand towards Wilder in a handshake gesture.
Wilder slowly raised his own hand. Jesse failed to notice that Wilder's face was now completely obscured by shadow.
Just as their hands were about to touch, Wilder's large hand suddenly shot upwards, instantly clamping down over Jesse's entire face. With a surge of strength, his five fingers gripped Jesse's head firmly.
Wilder stood tall and imposing, one hand casually tucked into his trouser pocket, his large coat flaring behind him as if stirred by an unseen wind. His expression was cold, his gaze like honed steel. Effortlessly, he lifted Jesse off the ground by the head, holding him aloft like a mere child.
"Who… do you think… you are?" The voice was ice-cold, heavy with suppressed fury, dangerously low.
Who do you think you are…
As the words hung in the air, Wilder's coat billowed again. His eyes snapped wide! Killing intent exploded outwards! His right hand, still gripping Jesse's head, swung downwards with vicious force!
CRASH!
He slammed Jesse's head forcefully onto a piece of equipment! And kept pressing down!
The machine buckled and shattered, spitting sparks and black smoke. A deep, head-shaped crater formed in its surface. Jesse lay motionless within the wreckage.
"Hm?" Wilder's sharp eyes flickered, a slight frown creasing his brow.
"Useless… hehe," a muffled, slightly proud voice chuckled from the ruined instrument. Jesse's body stirred. He pushed himself up with both hands, slowly getting to his feet. "I ate the Soft-Soft Fruit. I'm a Soft Human. My bones, my flesh… everything is soft. I'm immune to most physical attacks. Hehe, you can't hurt me." Jesse adjusted his cracked glasses, looking down with a smile.
However, before he could finish speaking, Wilder had grabbed him again, hauling him up and slamming him violently against the nearest wall.
BANG! Spiderweb cracks spread across the wall's surface. Jesse stuck to it for a moment before sliding down bonelessly, like a pile of slime.
"Hehe, I told you, it's useless," Jesse's voice drifted up, his body already beginning to undulate and reform into a standing position. "Even for a Warlord."
"That guy… He's so damn annoying!" Outside, watching the screen, the trapped executives gritted their teeth. Jesse's smug, unshakable confidence was truly infuriating.
POW! Wilder strode forward again, his expression glacial. He raised his fist and brought it down!
Jesse's face finally changed; no one enjoyed being beaten, injured or not. He tried to move, but Wilder's hand clamped onto his head again instantly, offering no chance for resistance.
Wilder leaned slightly, his right fist hammering down onto the solid floor!
BOOM! The ground trembled violently! A circular crater formed and spread outwards with deep cracks. Jesse's entire body was driven deep into the depression, his head still gripped tightly by Wilder, pressing him down relentlessly! The shockwave blasted outwards, whipping Wilder's coat behind him! His face remained impassive, only his eyes burning with boundless, icy coldness.
WHAM! Wilder hauled Jesse up from the crater, only to slam him back down again!
Again! And again!
He repeated the motion relentlessly, until the initially shallow dent became a hole half a meter deep.
"URGH! AHHH!" An enraged roar finally echoed from the bottom of the pit. The smug smile was long gone.
Whoosh! Suddenly, a stream of soft, malleable flesh shot out from the hole like liquid, landing behind Wilder. It was Jesse!
"Hey! Haven't you had enough?!" Jesse roared, his right hand clawing towards Wilder's neck!
BANG! Instantly, a large hand seized him again. No matter how he struggled, it was useless. Without even turning around, Wilder's right hand had already caught Jesse, lifted him, and slammed him down hard onto the floor once more!
Wilder's hand plunged into the floor after Jesse's form. His head remained bowed, his face completely hidden in shadow.
"Gwah!"
"How… How is this possible…" Jesse choked, vomiting blood. His body arched backwards violently, eyes bulging white, pupils completely dilated, leaving only blank sclera visible.
At some point, the arm Wilder had driven into the floor had turned completely, utterly black.