Chapter 168 Search for the essence

Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Search for the essence

The survivors at the safe zone finally realized, all too deeply, that the President wasn’t joking or playing around anymore. What had sounded like a speech before was becoming a reality.

From inside the facility, machines were being brought out—vehicles unlike anything ordinary, machines that looked far too advanced to have been created with the technology available to the rest of the world. Mr. Davis had apparently been hiding them all along.

The massive doors of the underground section opened with a heavy mechanical sound. The ground shifted beneath their feet, and a section of the floor slowly separated. Then, through the opening, something enormous began to rise.

A huge machine emerged from underground. The people standing nearby could do nothing but stare at it in complete disbelief. It wasn’t a normal vehicle. It was too large, too advanced, and too strange. Metal plates covered its exterior, and different mechanical sections moved independently as it rose from the underground chamber. Lights blinked along its sides while thick mechanical components shifted into place.

Mr. Davis stood beside it with a remote control in his hand. He pressed another button, and the machine gave a deep mechanical hum.

The President looked around the hall. His expression immediately changed. "Close the door."

One of the nearby workers quickly moved to obey. The large doors of the hall were shut, cutting off the room from the outside world. There was no one else around. The President clearly didn’t want anyone seeing what was happening inside.

He turned back toward Davis. "You had these technologies?"

Davis didn’t answer immediately. The scientist simply looked at the machine with an almost unreadable expression. He wasn’t interested in explaining where it came from.

The President narrowed his eyes. His gaze shifted toward Linda and Chris, who were standing side by side, both watching the machine.

Linda remained silent. She didn’t know what had come over her earlier when she had questioned the President. She had already learned what happened to people who talked too much. She had watched what happened to Thomas Hart. She didn’t want her own life to become another version of his. So remaining quiet was the safest thing she could do.

As for Chris, he was now the new leader. He was supposed to oversee the entire process.

Davis finally spoke. "It’s not something I feel like sharing previously," he said vaguely. "Let’s just say it’s one of my babies that I acquired."

The answer didn’t satisfy the President at all. "That’s the question," the President said. "How did you come into contact with them?" His eyes narrowed. "We are partners after all, aren’t we?"

The question carried more weight than it appeared to. The President stepped closer. "I trust you. That’s why I made you in charge of this experiment and procedure that could change our fate. That means we are supposed to be sharing information, doesn’t it?" He looked directly at Davis. "Isn’t that the purpose of trust?"

He was clearly trying to make Chris understand his side as well.

Chris seemed to get the message. He walked closer, slowly circling the table with his hands trailing along its edge. "Davis, we shouldn’t hide anything from each other, should we?" He stopped. "We’re partners in crime, unless you have another motive apart from what we’re doing. Because if that’s not the case, I don’t see a reason why you should keep your mouth shut."

The pressure in the room increased.

Davis only smiled. It was a dangerous smile. His white hair had fallen against parts of his face, and he curled his lips thoughtfully before giving a small shrug. "No, President. Of course you’re my master. Why would I go against you or try to become a barrier against this plan?" He spread his hands slightly. "You know the rule as well as I do. So I’m good."

The President nodded.

The rule. It was something they had established without announcing it loudly. Anyone who revealed their plans to someone outside the hall—regardless of who that person was—would die. There were no exceptions. No excuses. No second chances. The rule was absolute.

Linda knew it. She had known it for a long time.

But something inside her snapped. She didn’t even know where the courage came from. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was fear. Maybe she was simply tired of watching everyone pretend that the rules applied only to the powerless.

Her voice came out broken and uncertain. "Including you, President?"

The room immediately went silent.

Linda swallowed. "If you reveal the plan, you’re going to die too, isn’t that what you said and declared?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Every gaze turned toward her. Linda’s heart dropped. Only then did she realize what she had done. Too late. She had practically dug her own grave with her mouth.

She looked from one person to another, suddenly aware that everyone was waiting for the President’s response. Chris watched him. Davis watched him. Even the scientists nearby seemed to hold their breath.

Would he stand by his own words? Or would his position of power suddenly make him exempt from the rule he had created?

Linda’s chest tightened.

Then the President laughed. "Nice try..." His laughter quickly became louder. He laughed so hard that his shoulders shook, and he even giggled as though Linda had just told him the funniest joke he had heard in years.

Chris watched him with an uncomfortable expression. He wasn’t used to seeing the President laugh like that.

Then the laughter stopped. The President’s face became completely emotionless. "Servant, aren’t you just a useless worker around here?"

Linda’s body stiffened.

"Well, thanks for your worthless opinion. But as you must know, I don’t joke with my words." His eyes hardened. "And that means anything I said includes me as well."

Linda’s face went pale.

"And you?" He pointed toward her. "For questioning my authority and trying to make me look bad?" His voice became colder. "That’s treason."

Linda’s knees nearly gave out.

"Your punishment is beheading."

She immediately dropped to the floor. "Please don’t kill me!" Her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes. "I was just curious. It was only out of curiosity. Please!"

She wanted to look toward Davis. Perhaps he would help her. Perhaps he could say something. Anything.

But when she turned her head, the malicious expression on the President’s face made her stop. That terrifying look had returned to his eyes. Linda’s stomach twisted. This was another nightmare. Somehow, her stupid mouth had dragged her into it.

"Davis." The President didn’t even look away from her. "You know what to do with her."

But Davis didn’t move. For a moment, Linda’s heart lifted. Was he going to defend her?

"Davis?"

"I can’t do that, President."

The President finally turned toward him.

"Not that I can’t," Davis clarified. "What I’m saying is that she’s useful for my work schedule." He looked toward Linda. "And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but she’s the only one who can handle the kind of work I do."

Linda stared at him. She had thought he was going to defend her. For one foolish second, she had actually believed he cared enough to stop the President. But now she understood. It wasn’t about her. It was about his work. It wasn’t kindness. It wasn’t compassion. It was convenience.

Davis continued. "We’re supposed to be going after the energy that can help us with our cause. We need to find the person who possesses that kind of essence." He looked at the President. "So we can’t afford to get distracted by my useless servant. It’s not worth it."

Chris looked toward Linda, then he smiled. "Supported." Linda’s heart sank. Chris continued calmly, "Remember, we’re supposed to do this immediately and go after that energy source as fast as possible. We shouldn’t be wasting time on useless people."

The President nodded. That was apparently enough.

Linda was spared. Not because anyone cared about her. Not because she was forgiven. She had simply been deemed useful.

The President gave her one last venomous stare before turning away.

Outside, the enormous vehicle was ready.

Davis walked toward it with the remote still in his hand. "That’s one of my tools that I have stored in my circle," he said. "It should help us accomplish this faster." He moved toward the back of the vehicle and looked at the large compartment. "Inside that back boot is the tank where the experimented awakened humans are."

The President’s eyes shifted toward him.

Davis continued. "They’ll help me track down the figure we’re looking for." His smile returned. "And nothing will be able to beat them."

He raised the remote again. One final button was pressed. A section of the wall suddenly shifted. The massive wall that had appeared completely solid began separating, revealing another hidden passage. It opened like a secret gate. Beyond it was darkness—a path leading somewhere far beyond the facility.

Davis stepped toward the vehicle. "I am ready to lead humanity to freedom." His voice carried through the hall. "And I’ll bring back our final ingredient so we can complete this phase and move into the next."

He glanced toward Chris, then toward the President. "See you on the other side, President." His eyes shifted to Chris. "And the new ruler."

Chris smiled.

The President clapped his hands slowly, clearly impressed. "Good work, Mr. Davis." His expression became serious again. "Don’t disappoint me."

Davis stopped.

"Bring back good results." The President’s voice lowered. "And bring back the figure we’re looking for." He stared directly at Davis. "No matter what happens, make sure he doesn’t escape." A pause. "Even if it means taking darker measures."

Davis’s expression immediately changed. The smile disappeared. A deep scowl settled across his face. He didn’t answer. He simply turned around, climbed into the massive vehicle, and slammed the door shut.

The machine roared to life. Its lights flashed. The underground floor trembled beneath it.

And as the vehicle slowly moved toward the hidden passage, the people inside the hall could only watch.

The search for the mysterious energy had officially begun. And somewhere out there was the person carrying the power they desperately wanted—the final ingredient, the one thing they believed could change the future of humanity.

But they had no idea who they were truly hunting. And they certainly had no idea what would happen if they actually found him.