Coming Knocking on the Door

South Africa, Cape Town, Red Mountain Group headquarters.

In the president's office, Weitzler received a call from the secret port laboratory.

"You said a mage knocked you unconscious and stole the test subject's corpse?"

Weitzler said with an absurd expression.

"Y-Yes, boss!"

On the other end of the phone, head of security Richard replied cautiously.

"Are you joking with me, Richard?"

Weitzler suppressed his anger and asked.

"No, boss, I swear, everything I'm saying is true!"

"My two subordinates can vouch for it, they were also knocked out by that mage using magic!"

"Right, and there's Dr. Helen from the lab!"

"Dr. Helen, speak up!"

Dr. Helen's voice came through the phone: "Yes, boss, I saw that mage too, it was incredible!"

Weitzler believed Richard wouldn't, and didn't dare, deceive him.

Now Dr. Helen had also come forward to testify, which meant such a person truly existed. Whether it was real magic or some sort of trick, someone was provoking Red Mountain Group.

"Listen, Richard, I don't want any more test subjects escaping."

"Rest assured, boss, I stake my head on it, this problem won't happen again!"

Overjoyed, Richard hurriedly puffed out his chest and made a firm, decisive guarantee.

"Transmit the mage's detailed information back to headquarters."

Weitzler hung up the phone, his fingers tapping "tap, tap, tap" against the desk.

Magic... does such a supernatural existence really exist in this world?

"Of course it does, President Weitzler~"

A voice suddenly rang out.

Startled, Weitzler rolled over and hid beneath the desk. When he stood back up, he gripped a pistol tightly in his hand.

"Who? Who's speaking?"

"The mage you were just talking about~" Richard's voice came again.

Weitzler looked all around, finding no sign of a stranger.

"Mainframe, scan the office."

"Understood, sir!"

A mechanical female voice sounded, and a blue scanning beam swept rapidly across the entire office.

"There is only you in the president's office, sir."

Weitzler gripped the pistol, looking cautiously around while calling out, "Mister mysterious mage, why don't you come out and talk face-to-face?"

"As you wish."

The moment the words fell, a Portal flickering with gold-red sparks slowly opened.

Hooded, Richard walked out unhurriedly. He removed his hood, revealing a gentle smile.

"Hello, President Weitzler."

Weitzler stared at the sight, dumbfounded: "Magic really exists!"

The Red Mountain Group headquarters AI emitted an alarm.

"Unidentified human signal detected, shall I broadcast an alert?"

"NO! Don't broadcast!" Weitzler immediately reached out to stop it.

He laid the pistol on the desk, raised his hands, walked around to the front of the desk, and squeezed a stiff smile onto his face.

"Welcome, esteemed Mister Mage!"

"I am Weitzler, the president of Red Mountain Group. May I boldly ask how you are addressed?"

"Richard. You can call me Richard." Richard pressed his right hand to his chest, bowed slightly, and offered an elegant greeting.

"Respected Mister Richard, if Red Mountain Group has offended you in any way previously, I offer you my most sincere apologies here." Weitzler's expression was deeply respectful, and his attitude was extremely earnest. "Red Mountain Group will make generous compensation, guaranteed to satisfy you."

Richard shook his head: "Red Mountain Group has not offended me, President Weitzler."

Hearing this, Weitzler was instantly overjoyed. He immediately seized the opportunity to invite him: "Then perhaps you can cooperate with Red Mountain! Rest assured! Our Red Mountain Group is exceptionally powerful, with influence spreading across the globe! Whatever you need, just name it."

Richard shook his head again: "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm sorry, I don't have anything that requires Red Mountain Group's help."

"Then why did you come here?" Weitzler was somewhat puzzled.

Since there was no enmity, nor was he here to cozy up and seek cooperation, what did this mysterious mage come for? A one-day tour of Red Mountain Group headquarters?

"To eliminate Red Mountain Group~" Richard smiled, but the words he spoke truly shocked Weitzler.

"What?" Weitzler was greatly startled, and he hurriedly pressed, "Why, Mister Richard?"

"Didn't you just say that Red Mountain Group hadn't offended me?"

His mind spun frantically, and he suddenly thought of the phone call from Richard, the head of security at the hidden port laboratory earlier.

A mage had snatched a test subject's corpse from the secret laboratory!

Could this mage be one of those superheroes from the movies who couldn't stand human experimentation?!

Weitzler hurriedly explained, "Mister Mage, Red Mountain Group's experimental resurrection technology is a medical scientific experiment for the benefit of all mankind. The human experiments are merely a necessary process for this technology to mature..."

"You don't need to explain these things to me, President Weitzler." Richard sighed and said, "I told Dr. Helen earlier, my primary profession is also a doctor."

"Then why did you say you wanted to eliminate Red Mountain Group?" Weitzler truly couldn't fathom it. If it wasn't because of the experimental resurrection technology, then what on earth was it for?

"A friend of mine, also named Richard, asked me to eliminate Red Mountain Group." Richard shrugged, sounding as though he were discussing a casual, trivial matter.

"What?" Weitzler was dumbfounded once more, and he hurriedly pressed, "Then this friend named Richard..."

"Dead. Died twice, both times at the hands of Red Mountain Group."

Weitzler:...

Weitzler opened his mouth, inwardly cursing a blue streak with utter frustration!

How the hell was he supposed to smooth this over?!

"His first death should have been at the hands of mercenaries dispatched by Red Mountain Group, while he was escorting some important figure."

Richard recounted the two causes of death of his Alter Ego one by one.

"The second time he died in Cape Town port. He was resurrected and escaped from the laboratory, but was riddled with bullets on the spot by the pursuing forces behind him."

[...] Weitzler wore a pained expression. Faced with this situation, no amount of silver-tongued eloquence on his part could dissolve the hatred.

"If I say sorry now, is it a bit too late?" For the sake of his own little life, he still decided to give it a desperate try.

"It probably is a bit too late~" Richard smiled and nodded.

"Mainframe, broadcast the alert immediately!" Weitzler snatched the pistol back into his hand, vaulted over the desk, gripped his only counterattack tool tightly, and continued ordering, "Call up all tactical personnel at headquarters! Everyone!"

"Understood, sir!" The moment the mechanical female voice finished, a shrill alarm sounded.

"Intruder detected in the president's office, all tactical personnel move out immediately!"

"Intruder detected in the president's office, all tactical personnel move out immediately!"

"Intruder detected in the president's office, all tactical personnel move out immediately!"