“You won’t get away with…” Lawrence begins, glaring at me.

  He really needs to work on his villainous monologues.

  “Raven was right about one thing: you’re an idiot. If things go wrong, who do you think will be the first to bite the dust?” I interrupt, giving him a cheerful smile.

  The room falls into a heavy silence once more. I wait patiently. Soon, a couple of servants return, carrying a bag of Adamantine bars.

  They’re similar to the ones from Dr. Keyser, but much smaller—about one-hundredth of the size. There are about thirty of them, though.

  “Great, very efficient.” I casually stuff the gold bars into my pockets like they’re chocolates. “Any info on the number I gave you?”

  “We… we still need more time,” one of the servants stammers. “The number… it was disconnected two weeks ago.”

  We settled in for a long wait. Lawrence eventually drifts off, as do many of his servants.

  Then, just as the first rays of blue moonlight threaten to peek through the windows, a servant bursts into the room, jolting everyone awake.

  “M-Master Lawr… Lawrence… we found where the number connects…” the servant stammers, eyes wide with terror.

  “Well, where?!” Lawrence demands, his voice cracking with anxiety.

  “I-it’s…” the servant continues to struggle, his eyes darting between Lawrence and me.

  “Spit it out already! I’m going to get killed here!” Lawrence nearly sobs, glancing at me as I raise the gun again.

  The servant starts, “It’s the Jin’s auction ho…”

  Pew!

  I interrupt the servant by shooting a laser, narrowly missing the side of his face.

  “I can tell when you’re lying,” I calmly tell the servant, my senses already enveloping him before he even starts speaking.

  “It’s Master… Master Caesar’s mansion…” the servant finally manages, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “Uncle Caesar?!” Lawrence blurts out, then clamps a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening in horror.

  “Oh… it’s your uncle. How about that?” I say to Lawrence with a cheerful grin. “Small world, isn’t it?”

  “D-distant uncle…” Lawrence corrects, forcing a weak, awkward smile.

  “So, where is this mansion?” I ask politely.

  “It’s just… in the other… part of town…we just came from there…” Lawrence stammers, looking thoroughly miserable.

  “Well, I guess I’ll have to pay your uncle a visit. Let’s go then.” I grab Lawrence by the scruff of his neck and start ushering him towards the door.

  “You’re coming too,” I add, pointing the gun to the host of the restaurant. He’d been about to breathe a sigh of relief, but now his face crumples.

  “You’ve seen too much.”

  We get into Lawrence’s vehicle, and I direct the driver to return to Caesar’s mansion.

  The ride is short and tense. “This is your uncle’s place?” I ask. After a closer look at the building, it’s less ‘mansion’ and more ‘heavily fortified compound’.

  “Yeah… but whatever business you have with him has absolutely nothing to do with me,” Lawrence mumbles.

  “I’m only here because of… because of Raven.”

  The moment we step out of the vehicle, a small army of guards, with dozens of laser guns and other futuristic-looking weapons surrounds us.

  “Master Lawrence, please remain calm!” an older servant calls out, his voice strained.

  “Master Caesar will be with us shortly. He’s returning as soon as he heard of your… situation.”

  Casually, I raise my gun at the older servant. The instant I do, four beams of light shoot out from the surrounding guards.

  Aside from the faint scorch marks appearing on my clothes, nothing else happens. Everyone stares in stunned silence.

  “Yeah, those things don’t work on me. It’s getting a little repetitive, honestly.” I turn my head and look at the surrounding guards.

  “Was there a stout man who entered the mansion two weeks ago?” I ask the older servant.

  His eyes widen for a fraction of a second before returning to their previous neutral expression. He remains stubbornly silent.

  Bailey was definitely here. That reaction says it all.

  Ignoring the assembled guards and servants, I gently nudge Lawrence forward, guiding him towards the mansion.

  “Rexy, can you search for Bailey? There has to be a secret room or holding cell somewhere in this place,” I whisper. She gives me a quick nod.

  We reach the doorstep, only to be met by a human wall of guards. I holster my gun and draw my obsidian knife.

  “Alright, listen up,” I announce to the human wall. “Every time I count to ten, Master Lawrence here loses a finger. One, two, three…”

  “Get out of the way, you imbeciles!” Lawrence yells, cutting me off before I even reach five.

  The servants exchange uneasy glances, then reluctantly part, clearing our path.

  “Smart choice,” I tell Lawrence. He gives me another one of his awkward smiles.

  We enter the doorway, revealing an interior that could rival any palace. Glistening artwork adorns the walls, plush carpets stretch across the floor, and not a single speck of dust.

  Rich people really are the same in every world… maybe it’s just a human rich people thing.

  As we step inside, Rexy seizes her chance, crawling into the carpet and disappearing once more.

  Expanding my senses, I begin to explore the mansion. “Is there a basement? A cellar?”

  Lawrence promptly leads me to a staircase descending below. We reach the bottom, finding a few rooms.

  One appears to house a small army of robots. Otherwise, nothing seems out of the ordinary. No secret passage or rooms.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  When we return to the entrance, a well-dressed, extremely fit-looking middle-aged man stands at the center, himself surrounded by guards.

  His eagle-like eyes lock onto me as he twists his mustache. Classic comic book villain look.

  “Caesar, I presume,” I say, staring him down.

  He doesn’t reply, simply smirks. Then, a beam of laser light slices through the air where my arm holding Lawrence was.

  They think it sliced through. A barrage of lasers follows, aimed at me. My new clothes are instantly riddled with holes again, but luckily, they slowly begin to repair themselves.

  Nano-technology is great!

  I stand there unfazed and unimpressed. Why keep trying things that you know won’t work? But Lawrence, whom I’m still holding, has unfortunately lost control of his bladder.

  Caesar looks a bit stunned. "Who sent you?"

  “Where are you keeping Bailey?” I ask, my voice flat.

  “Bailey?!” Caesar flinches slightly. “So you are one of them.”

  Them? Who are ‘them’… Bailey seems to be hiding some secrets.

  Since the boss is here, Lawrence has lost his use. I chuck Lawrence at Caesar, who catches him with a grunt.

  It’s a distraction, of course. I pull out my obsidian knife, aiming it squarely at Caesar. If I can grab him like I did Lawrence, I’ll finally get some answers.

  Before I can even get close, the knife explodes into dust, courtesy of another laser blast. I draw my gun next, only for it to suffer the same explosive fate.

  Fine. Plan C. I just need to get close. A good throat-grab should do the trick.

  Caesar, however, isn’t as stupid as Lawrence. He sees through my intentions and quickly backs away.

  As he does, his nano-tech activates as well, covering him in a thin Mecha-style armor. His guards instantly form a wall of muscle and metal between us.

  With my Qi reserve almost completely full, my first battle against humans in this isekai commences.

  Drawing my fist, a flame Qi-infused punch lands on the metal wall, but to my surprise, it isn’t effective at all.

  The lasers keep coming, peppering my rapidly regenerating clothes. Small chunks of my mask start to disappear. I start to worry if these nanobots will hold.

  The guards have now completely surrounded me, trapping me in a metal-clad cage.

  Switching back to my elementless Qi, agility is more important in this situation. I take a flying leap, aiming for Caesar, but he’s practically buried under a mountain of his goons.

  Retreat it is. I spring off the wall, launching myself backwards.

  Just as the guards surge forward, I feel something tickling my legs, crawling up my back, onto my shoulders.

  “Did you find anything?” I whisper. A tiny nod against my neck is my reply. “Which way?”

  Without hesitation, I spin and bolt. A couple of groups of guards try to intercept me, but with my senses still extended, I weave past them, leaping over their outstretched arms.

  Good thing this place is massive.

  Rexy leads me as I frantically run. "Contain him! Now!" Caesar’s voice booms from behind. We dash up flights of stairs.

  As I near a window, I hear the distinct whir of a flying vehicle outside. A searchlight beams through the glass, locking onto me.

  The glass melts like butter, and a red beam whizzes past my shoulders.

  An army of guards bursts through the windows, firing a ridiculous assortment of weapons. Lasers, bullets, explosives—all proving spectacularly pointless against my invincible body.

  With a series of quick punches and kicks, I disable a couple of guards sending them tumbling, then continue my frantic search.

  Seeing how useless these weapons are against me, I realize it’s not going to be easy returning to my peaceful afterlife.

  After dodging a couple more laser blasts that streak in through the gaping window holes—one grazing my thigh—I decide it’s probably a good idea to stay away from the windows.

  The guards’ armor and weapons keep getting upgraded.

  They’re now decked out in full-body armor, complete with mini-guided missiles that explode on impact, slinging against a wall. I promptly dust myself off and keep moving.

  Luckily, my hair is as tough as the rest of me. Rexy is completely shielded from all the laser blasts and explosions, tucked safely within my hair, as she guides me up yet another flight of stairs.

  Caesar’s voice booms from outside, echoing through the crumbling structure. "Restrain him. I will not tolerate failure."

  Another consecrated laser beam tears through the wall, this time targeting the ceiling directly above me.

  He wants to collapse the upper floors on me?!

  With a powerful leap, I burst through the collapsing ceiling debris, tumbling onto the next floor.

  Sensing Caesar lurking around the corner, prepping another blockage, ice crystals begin to form around the area.

  Liquid nitrogen, huh? He’s trying to freeze me solid. Good luck with that.

  “The game is over,” he shouts. "You’re quite the specimen. Such… resilience. You’ll be a fascinating addition to my collection."

  “You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” I retort. Instead of turning the corner, I wind up and slam my shoulder into the nearest wall, sending bricks and dust exploding outwards.

  My senses have picked up a strange room ahead. A room my senses can't penetrate.

  Wrapping my arms around myself for extra momentum, I punch human-shaped holes through the walls, one by one, leaving a trail of destruction in my wake.

  Caesar’s furious shouts echoing behind me.

  Finally, I burst into what looks like a study or library. The walls are lined with towering bookcases, filled with ancient-looking tomes.

  Winding up and ramming my body into it. But this time, instead of crumbling, I meet solid resistance.

  A hard wall blocks my path, sporting a strange, metallic sheen. I try again, just to be sure. Still nothing. Caesar’s shouts grow louder. They’re closing in.

  With little time left, I draw on all my Qi reserves, channeling them through the flame and focusing them into a single point on the tips of my index and middle fingers.

  Drawing my hand back, I thrust my fingers at the wall, and at the moment of impact, I burst out all the Qi at once.

  KABOOM!!!

  With an explosive force, the metal wall completely disintegrates, opening a large hole.

  Caesar bursts into the room, panting. “There’s nowhere left to run!” he wheezes.

  Ignoring Caesar’s remarks, my senses flood the room. It’s… empty. Utterly, chillingly empty. No hidden treasure.

  No secret escape route. Just a room. A horrifying room. My jaw slowly drops as I process the horror within.

  In the center sits a large metal bed. Straps and chains stained a disturbing shade of crimson. Splatters and drops of blood stains the floor.

  Along one wall, neatly arranged, stand monstrous contraptions. Devices clearly designed for inflicting unimaginable pain.

  On the opposite side, refrigerated display cases hold jars. Jars filled with preserved human organs and… remains. One jar contains the severed head of a young boy, frozen in time.

  Interspersed among the gruesome displays are intricate scientific instruments, surrounded by blood-stained notebooks and recordings.

  A low, chilling chuckle echoes through the room. “You truly believed I would simply hold him?” Caesar’s voice drips with amusement.

  “You Syners are so predictable and gullible.”

  Syner?

  My senses catch a few scraps of fabric on the floor. Familiar fabric. It’s from Bailey’s clothes. Ripped to shreds.

  My fist clenches. This is bad, Bailey…

  “Oh, worry not, he’s quite alive. A remarkably resilient specimen. He provided an… excellent opportunity to evaluate some recent advancements. Keeping him conscious throughout proved particularly enlightening.”

  Caesar paused, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Regrettably, he’s been reallocated. My benefactor has… other uses for him.”

  “A pity. I had envisioned him as a key piece in my collection. However…” He turned his gaze to me. “…you’ll suffice.”

  “What did he do?” I ask, forcing my voice to remain even. Inside, though, a storm is brewing.

  “What?” Caesar drawls.

  “What did he do to deserve this?” I demand.

  "Hahahaha, oh, no, no, no," Caesar chuckles, then deepens his voice. "You Syners are an aberration, a pathetic imitation of true humanity.”

  “Your purpose is to be used, to fuel our advancement. He deluded himself, as you all do, with the notion that you were somehow… equal. How tragically mistaken." He muses.

  "He even clung to the naive notion that finding Kurtis Keyser would alter all of your fate. How… foolish!"

  “So… just because he’s a Syner?” I mutter, the pieces of what happened clicking into place.

  “You see him, and all Syners, as disposable?” I always struggle to understand human cruelty.

  Turbulent emotions and thoughts rage within me, as Caesar’s guards swarm me again, their shields glowing softly.

  A forcefield snaps into existence around me. Then a viscous liquid oozes into the enclosure, quickly hardening around my feet like cement.