The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere froze. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, with only the faintest whisper of air from the climate control system hidden in the ceiling.
Esnie's gaze turned dangerous. Her voice came out dry, as though she were struggling to keep it under control:
"I don't understand what you're saying..."
Ignoring the girl's words, Jonas looked into her eyes and began:
"Ellison muscular atrophy. Patients suffer from progressively worsening muscle atrophy.
As the condition worsens, the nervous system also gradually deteriorates, and the patient eventually succumbs to brain death..."
Then, as though talking to himself, he mused in a voice just loud enough for her to hear:
"For an underage girl to develop a disease like that... she must be in utter despair."
As he spoke, Esnie finally seemed unable to hold herself back. She fixed him with a hard stare and interrupted:
"How did you find out?"
She had concealed Celine's identity. Even the account she used to send money to the hospital had been opened under another name specifically for that purpose.
Without deliberately investigating her, he could never have known that she had a younger sister.
Working under a conglomerate, how could she possibly leave her weaknesses exposed?
But now, it seemed this man-eating beast had still found what she had taken such pains to hide.
It was a situation that left her feeling... hopeless.
"Living somewhere like the slums without anyone to rely on must be hard... You've depended on each other since childhood. Even if you aren't related by blood, Miss Celine must be the most important person in your life."
Jonas spoke with a smile.
Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that he had learned all this from the plot.
Esnie took a deep breath without dwelling on the holes in his account.
Finding someone was all too easy for the Wetting Conglomerate. He had no reason to deceive her about that.
Once she realized that he truly had leverage over her, Esnie could no longer remain calm. A dangerous air settled over her, and the alloy blade at her waist seemed to sense its owner's emotions, giving off a faint hum.
She took a deep breath, abandoned any hope that this was a bluff, and asked:
"What are you going to do to her?"
At that, Jonas waved a hand with an almost amused smile:
"It's not about what I'm going to do to her..."
Malice flashed in his eyes. Like a hunter holding every advantage in a confrontation, he said slowly:
"Even if I do nothing, she doesn't have long to live."
The girl's menacing aura faltered, then surged back like a raging tide.
Having someone tell her to her face that her sister was going to die would have tested even Esnie's considerable composure. She glared angrily at the black-haired young man before her.
The alloy sword at her waist was now humming audibly, the energy stored in its hilt reaching maximum capacity. Coupled with the menace radiating from her, it left no doubt that she might draw the sword the very next second and cleave the conglomerate's tower in two.
As though the danger had reached a critical threshold, the security system hidden in the room activated.
The hovering cannons in the corners aimed at the girl's limbs, while the miniature machine guns concealed behind the spider plants covered every hiding place she could retreat behind.
The situation was on the verge of erupting.
Of course, Esnie was at an overwhelming disadvantage.
No matter how formidable her physical abilities were, she could not threaten Jonas with every angle covered like this.
Even a fully armed Mecha Corps unit could not breach the Wetting Conglomerate's security system, much less Miss Esnie with nothing but an alloy sword.
One wave of Jonas's hand, and Esnie would undoubtedly be riddled with bullets.
Fortunately, Jonas's next words defused the tense standoff.
"Don't look at me like that, Miss Esnie."
Even faced with such menace, Jonas remained unfazed. His lips curled into a grin as he asked with undisguised malice:
"Or do you intend to keep lying to yourself?"
At those words, the alloy sword at the girl's waist stopped humming.
Seemingly realizing that she had lost her composure, she remained silent for a long while before asking:
"What do you want?"
She knew that before long, he would join the Wetting Conglomerate's board of directors and become one of the people who truly controlled it.
Someone of his standing lived in an entirely different world from hers... She did not think she had anything he needed, nor that she was worth the effort of laying such an elaborate trap.
After all, she was only a mercenary. The Wetting Conglomerate could find as many people like her as it wanted.
But what he had just said...
"If I told you I had a way to save your sister's life, what would you do?"
While the girl's thoughts were still racing, Jonas suddenly spoke. It took her a long moment to register what he had said, her mind all but grinding to a halt.
"What... did you say?"
As though he had expected her reaction, Jonas said calmly:
"Just as I said. I've put my offer on the table. Whether you're willing to pay the corresponding price is up to you."
The girl's mind worked sluggishly. Even now, she could hardly believe it, but she did not hesitate. Taking a deep breath, she asked:
"What do you want me to do?"
She knew full well that the people who controlled these conglomerates never made a deal at a loss. If he saved Celine's life, the price could only be her own.
A faint unease rose within her. Whatever he needed her to do might leave her no chance of survival, but she had no intention of backing down... After all, this might be her only chance.
At her response, the corners of Jonas's mouth lifted.
The collar in his hand gleamed silver, deepening Esnie's unease.
Jonas spoke unhurriedly, as though he were stating something perfectly ordinary.
"I want you to put this on..."
"And then pledge your loyalty to me."
Before you continue