I Control the World

"The power of psychological suggestion is immense," Sam explained, his voice steady and composed. "So immense that if you believe you've been poisoned, under the influence of mental hypnosis, your body will start to exhibit the symptoms. In Ethan Reed's case, once he thought he was poisoned, the symptoms manifested naturally."

Ryan Cole's jaw dropped, his expression blank with awe. He didn't fully understand, but he was thoroughly impressed.

Sam frowned slightly. "Is it really that hard to grasp?"

"But… Chief," Ryan stammered, "Ethan believing he was poisoned was the key. But what about his initial dizziness and fatigue? That couldn't have been psychological suggestion, could it?"

Sam's brow furrowed further, a sigh escaping him. "Think about it. You're frantic with worry, sprinting at full speed, fighting through a gauntlet of enemies. You take multiple grenade hits, endure being burned alive—and during that fire, calming candles melt completely, releasing a significant concentration of tranquilizing fumes into the air.

"Then, you hold your breath for a full minute in a poison gas chamber and follow that with a one-minute kiss. After all of that, do you think you'd feel lightheaded?"

Ryan paused, his eyes narrowing as he gave the scenario serious thought. Finally, his face lit up with an epiphany. "I'd be dead."

"You absolute—!"

Thwack!

Sam brought down his snakewood cane on Ryan's bald head with a sharp crack. "I should've known better than to explain it to you."

Ryan Cole clutched his head, wincing in pain, but his face still wore an ingratiating smile. "Chief, it's my fault for being so dense. But I swear, I'm doing my best to understand your profound wisdom! Your strategy, your… divine foresight—it's simply… simply like a god descending to Earth! Please, enlighten me further!"

He strained his brain to conjure up a couple of idioms, tossing them out in a single breath to shower his praise.

Sam stared at Ryan's obsequious expression and suddenly felt a headache coming on. He had just managed to soothe it earlier with a bit of wine, but now it was flaring up again.

If only hypnosis could make people smarter, Sam thought to himself with a sigh. But he knew it wasn't possible. A mediocre student couldn't solve a math problem they didn't understand, no matter how much hypnosis was involved.

Math was brutally fair—if you couldn't do it, you simply couldn't.

"Since you can't grasp the transcendent version," Sam said with a resigned tone, "let me give you the simpler version: I did use poison."

What!?

Ryan was momentarily dumbfounded. One moment there was no poison, and now suddenly there was?

"Chief, so… was there poison or not?" Ryan asked hesitantly, his confusion evident.

Sam ignored the question and continued, "The meal Lily prepared for Ethan was indeed poisoned. But that type of poison doesn't activate without a chemical reaction.

"The wine glass Lily drank from was also poisoned—but that poison itself is harmless. However, it serves as a catalyst for the first poison.

"So, when the two kissed, the poison in Ethan's body met the poison on Lily's lips, triggering a unique reaction… and voila, true poisoning occurs."

Ryan was stunned, but then a thought struck him. "Wait, Chief, but Lily ate the meal too—oh, right! She threw up earlier."

"So, does that mean her earlier vomiting while watching the surveillance footage… was also caused by your hypnosis!?"

At this revelation, Ryan Cole felt his scalp tingle with dread.

Sam chuckled lightly. "Would you like to hear the third version?"

"What!? There's a third version!?"

"Yes, the third version is a combination of the transcendent and the ordinary. I used poison, but I also employed psychological suggestion. Ethan was poisoned through a dual effect—without both working in tandem, do you think a transcendent would succumb so easily?"

Ryan's mind spiraled into complete disarray. He scratched his head furiously, almost feeling like he might grow a new brain from the strain.

"Chief… which version is the real one?" he finally asked, exasperated.

Sam said nothing, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. He leaned on his cane and walked away, leaving Ryan behind, still scratching his head in utter confusion.

Sam wasn't about to shoulder the headache alone.

"Chief! Chief! Wait for me! Which one is the truth? Just tell me!" Ryan called out, chasing after him.

"Chief! Okay, how about a different question? Why didn't you just hypnotize Lily directly and make her carry out your orders? Why go through all this effort and even sacrifice a decoy?"

Sam stopped in his tracks. In the dimly lit corridor, he didn't look back, his voice calm and steady, carrying a faint echo as it reached Ryan's ears.

"Because I enjoy surprises."

Ryan froze, staring blankly at Sam's figure as it disappeared into the shrouding darkness, unable to grasp the meaning behind his words.

"Don't you think the struggle of human nature is fascinating?"

"A life where everything is controlled… would be unbearably dull."

Sam's faint voice echoed down the corridor, growing fainter as he walked away.

In the Vipers' dungeon.

Ethan Reed sat restrained, his body bound tightly by iron chains as thick as a child's arm. The chains were fixed to a heavy steel chair, welded firmly to the ground, leaving no chance of escape.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man in a white lab coat, his demeanor eager and subservient.

When Sam entered the dungeon, the man immediately greeted him with fervor. "Chief!"

"How is he?" Sam asked, completely ignoring the blazing fury in Ethan's eyes.

The man in the lab coat straightened up and reported eagerly, "Just as you ordered, we've been administering paralytic gas every hour. I assure you, he doesn't even have the strength to lift a finger now."

"Good." Sam nodded, his expression calm as his gaze shifted to Ethan, chained and immobilized.

"You vile scum, Sam! Even if I die, I will never answer your questions!" Ethan Reed roared, his voice filled with defiance.

"Oh?" Sam adjusted his tea-tinted glasses, a sly smile curling on his lips. "You may not fear death, but what about Miss Lily?"

Ethan's entire body froze for a split second before erupting in fury. His eyes turned blood-red, and his muscles bulged unnaturally.

The chains binding him groaned under the immense pressure, the sound of straining metal filling the room.

"If you dare lay a finger on Lily, I will tear you apart limb by limb!" Ethan bellowed, his voice shaking the very walls.

Sam turned to the man in the white lab coat, his expression calm yet chilling.

The scientist broke into a cold sweat, his hands trembling. "Th-this is impossible! He just inhaled a full dose of paralytic gas! Not even an elephant could move so soon after exposure!"

"C-Chief, I'll increase the dosage right away. Please, put on your gas mask!" the scientist stammered, rushing to act.

Moments later, both men donned their masks. The scientist pressed a button, and a soft hiss filled the room as thick white vapour poured in through the vents.

Within minutes, Ethan's struggles weakened, and his body slumped back into the chair, completely drained of energy.

Through the lens of his mask, Sam observed Ethan with keen interest, his mind churning.

It seems his strength is tied to his emotions—or perhaps his willpower?

When Lily's name had been mentioned, Ethan's fury had ignited, and despite the paralytic gas, his body had managed to summon a burst of strength.

To push the experiment further, Sam walked slowly to Ethan Reed's side. He studied Ethan's face, noting the faintly glazed look in his eyes, his pupils beginning to lose focus.

Leaning down, Sam whispered softly into his ear, his voice low and deliberate:

"Lily… is so silky."