Boom!
Ethan, whose eyes had been unfocused and dull moments before, suddenly snapped his head up. His gaze burned with bloodshot intensity, and a terrifying surge of power erupted from his body.
"AHH! I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Clang! Clang!
The iron chains binding him trembled violently under his thrashing, the sound of groaning metal filling the dungeon. The force was so immense that the entire structure seemed to quake under the strain.
"Chief! Get out of here! He's… he's breaking free!" the man in the white lab coat stammered, his face drained of all colour. In his eyes, Ethan was no longer a man but a feral beast about to burst out of its cage.
But Sam didn't flinch. He stood perfectly still, watching Ethan with a calm, calculating gaze.
Suddenly, a massive wave of psychic energy surged from Sam, rushing into Ethan's mind in an attempt to subdue him through hypnosis.
However, as the energy entered Ethan's consciousness, it encountered fierce resistance, like trying to push through an iron wall.
A flash of understanding lit up Sam's eyes.
So, it's as I suspected. His strength is tied to abstract forces like emotions and willpower.
The angrier Ethan grew, the more his power surged. Even his mental resistance had significantly strengthened, becoming harder to breach.
"Bring Miss Lily here," Sam ordered calmly.
The man in the white lab coat hurried to comply, scurrying off without hesitation.
Moments later, Lily appeared in the dungeon, her clothes still intact, though her face was pale with worry.
The instant she stepped into the room, Ethan's wild fury began to ebb.
"Lily! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Ethan's voice was urgent, his concern palpable.
"No, they didn't hurt me," Lily replied, her voice trembling. "They just locked me up. Ethan, are you all right?" Her eyes filled with tears as she saw him bound tightly in thick iron chains, his formidable frame subdued.
Seeing that Lily was unharmed, the storm within Ethan began to calm, his immense power receding slightly.
"Lily, don't worry. I'll get you out of here," he said firmly, his voice filled with determination.
Turning to Sam, Ethan growled, "You wanted answers, right? Fine, I'll tell you everything. Just let Lily go."
To his surprise, Sam shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I don't like things that are too easy to obtain. Keep your answers to yourself for now."
Ethan froze, staring at Sam as if he were looking at a lunatic.
"Too easy to obtain? You've orchestrated this entire scheme, sacrificed who knows how many underlings, and now you're saying it's too easy?!
"You… you… you're insane! Completely insane!"
Sam ignored Ethan's outburst and instead turned to his subordinates. "Escort Miss Lily back to her room. Without my explicit permission, no one is to approach her. Oh, and send her a bottle of red wine and a fine M9 steak."
Lily: "…"
...
Ultimately, Lily was taken away, her protests unspoken.
Sam left the dungeon soon after, his steps calm and unhurried.
He wasn't the lunatic Ethan had accused him of being; he was simply someone who didn't trust Ethan's words.
Could you truly believe anything said by someone who loathed you to the core? What if Ethan lied about the transcendent power or, worse, concealed just a few critical details? The consequences could be disastrous.
Sam preferred to ask his questions in his own way.
When everyone had left, the dungeon descended into an eerie silence, with only Ethan remaining. The oppressive stillness stretched for a long moment.
Then, suddenly, the sound of lively chatter and soft laughter filled the space, accompanied by a faint, alluring fragrance.
"Nonono, I was just joking!" Ryan Cole stammered, waving his hands defensively. "I couldn't handle that kind of temptation—just watching and not being able to touch? That would be pure torture.
"Although… this 'torture' isn't exactly what I imagined."
"Sam! What the hell are you doing!!" Ethan roared, his veins bulging with fury as he strained against his chains.
Around him stood a row of voluptuous, alluring women, all dressed in revealing outfits, their smiles brimming with mischief.
"Handsome, your face is so scary," one cooed. "Come on, give big sis a smile. No? Then I'll smile for you."
"Sweetheart," purred another, leaning in closer, "I don't know why, but just looking at you makes my heart race. Don't believe me? Here, listen."
"Wow, ladies, look at this guy's physique! All these rock-solid muscles—what a dreamboat."
"Hehe… really that solid? I don't believe it. Let me check."
The teasing voices and flirty laughter surrounded Ethan, chipping away at his rage. His furious expression began to crack, and a faint blush crept onto his face.
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room, Sam silently observed the scene, his expression inscrutable.
Beside him, Ryan Cole's jaw hung open, his eyes glued to the monitor.
"Chief… is this what you meant by 'torture'?"
Sam turned his gaze to Ryan and asked flatly, "What? Do you want to try it too?"
Ryan swallowed hard. "I mean… it wouldn't be… the worst…"
"Hmm?"
"Nonono, I was joking!" Ryan Cole quickly backtracked, waving his hands. "I couldn't handle that kind of temptation—just watching and not touching? That would be torture in itself.
"Although… this isn't exactly the kind of 'torture' I imagined."
Sam's gaze remained fixed on the monitor as he replied evenly, "Ethan Reed has a body of steel. Ordinary punishments won't hurt him, and since his strength seems tied to anger, we can't afford to make him furious. To punish him effectively, we need to exhaust him mentally without provoking his rage."
Ryan stared at the screen, his envy obvious. "But Chief, what's the point? This doesn't harm him in the slightest. Do you really think he'll break?"
"I'm not looking for submission," Sam replied calmly. "I want his mind muddled and his willpower drained."
Several hours later, Ethan's bloodshot eyes were evidence of his fraying resolve. His breaths were ragged, like a bellows, and his throat felt so dry it was about to crack.
To keep things fresh and prevent him from becoming desensitised, Sam had swapped out multiple groups of "performers" during the process.
"Have them all leave. He's acclimated to this already. Time to move on to the next punishment," Sam ordered through the intercom.
Within moments, the women exited the dungeon, leaving behind a disheveled Ethan, his body covered in lipstick marks and his clothes in disarray.
"Sam! You bastard! You think this is enough to make me submit? You've got nothing! Bring it on!" Ethan growled, his voice hoarse, yet defiant.
Clank!
The dungeon door creaked open again. This time, the figure who entered was a stern-faced man in a black suit, holding a small box of powder in his hand.
Ethan's defiance faltered, his face turning pale.
What the hell…? They replaced them with a man?!
Before Ethan could react, the man in the black suit dumped the entire box of powder onto him.
Instantly, an unbearable itch spread across his body.
"This is… itching powder?! Hahaha… Sam, you son of a—hah… hahaha!"
The cold, oppressive dungeon echoed with Ethan's uncontrollable laughter, his deep, rumbling voice filling every corner.
Several more hours passed. By now, Ethan was completely drained, his voice hoarse from laughing, his mind teetering on the edge of exhaustion.
It was well known that prolonged, involuntary laughter was as mentally taxing as any physical punishment. Ethan had never felt this kind of fatigue before—this was unlike any "punishment" he had imagined.
He had to admit… he had underestimated his opponent. This wasn't the kind of torture you could endure with sheer willpower.
But what he didn't know was that the worst was yet to come.
Clank!
The dungeon door creaked open again.
Ethan's eyes widened with fear as he fixed his gaze on the entrance, dreading what new form of torment awaited him.
Sam stepped in, his movements calm and deliberate, holding a tall stack of thick books in his hands.
Seeing his tormentor, Ethan's exhaustion briefly gave way to rage. His eyes burned as he shouted hoarsely, "Sam! You—!"