Humanity

The evening sun washed Manhattan in a soft orange-red glow.

A jet-black SUV traveled smoothly along the highway to Long Island.

The cabin's excellent soundproofing shut out the clamor of New York's evening rush hour completely.

Buddy, the golden retriever who weighed over seventy jin, had completely worn himself out running around Central Park that day. Now he lay sprawled belly-up, his stomach rising and falling with his breathing, most of his body weighing down John's lap. He was even snoring softly.

Eight-year-old John leaned quietly against the premium leather seat, his head tilted as he watched the scenery retreat outside the window.

The sweetness of that strawberry-filled gummy still lingered in his mouth.

Lynn sat beside him, holding a glass of soda water, his gaze occasionally falling on John's profile.

"What are you thinking about?" Lynn softly broke the silence.

John did not turn immediately. He gazed at the fiery clouds on the distant horizon.

"About that candy, Lynn."

John's voice was quiet, carrying a trace of childish confusion. "It was really cheap, not even worth a dollar. Every bite of those special nutritious meals the big boss gives me costs ten thousand times more. But..."

John turned to Lynn, his blue eyes filled with deeply earnest thought:

"But the big boss's food is meant to make my muscles stronger so I can help him fight bad guys. That lady gave me candy just because I pulled her daughter out of the way. She didn't ask me to do anything else for her."

"That's called simple kindness."

Lynn smiled as he explained, "In the world of ordinary people, not everything is a cold exchange of equal value like it is at Vought International. Sometimes, people thank you simply because you did the right thing."

John nodded thoughtfully, gently stroking Buddy's soft belly.

He felt that this was not a bad feeling.

In fact, it made him feel more at ease than those fans screaming wildly at him in front of their televisions.

Half an hour later, the SUV slowly decelerated.

The tall, black-painted wrought-iron gates silently slid apart after detecting the license plate.

The car entered a private drive lined with tall plane trees.

At the end of the drive stood a sprawling, luxurious estate in a vintage Victorian style.

An enormous lawn trimmed as evenly as a carpet and a marble sculpture fountain gushing clear water looked tranquil and luxurious in the twilight.

This was the premier property Stan Edgar had specifically allocated to appease this "god."

The car door opened, and an evening breeze carrying a faint scent of sea salt blew over them.

As soon as Lynn stepped out, he saw two neat rows of people standing before the main building's enormous double oak doors.

At their head stood a white-haired butler in a tailcoat, his hair meticulously groomed.

Behind him were four maids, two gardeners, a private chef, and six security personnel in black suits with bulges at their waists.

"Welcome to the Long Island Estate, Director Lynn, young master John."

The old butler bowed slightly, his manner impeccably respectful. "I am your personal butler, Alfred. The president has already instructed us that, from now on, every member of staff here will provide both of you with the highest standard of service."

Lynn swept an impassive gaze over the group.

Enhanced by the Blood Jade, his eyesight was exceptionally keen.

He could see the miniature communicators hidden beneath the security personnel's suit collars, and the intense fear and wariness flickering in the servants' seemingly lowered eyes.

Clearly, before they came here, Vought International's senior executives had warned them just what kind of terrifying "human nuclear weapon" they would be serving.

John stood beside Lynn. He did not even need to use his eyes.

His super hearing easily picked up their wildly pounding hearts-they were afraid, so afraid that even their breathing trembled.

The old John would have considered this fear only natural. He might even have deliberately exerted a little pressure to let them know who was in charge here.

But now, John remembered that afternoon in Central Park, and the mother's heartbeat gradually steadying as she held him tightly.

He no longer liked hearing heartbeats filled with such fear. They were too loud, and they sounded unpleasant.

John released Buddy's leash and took a small step forward on his own.

He removed his baseball cap, revealing his brilliant blond hair, and gave the old butler, whose forehead was sweating with nerves, an utterly natural, innocent smile.

"Hello, Mr. Alfred. My name is John."

The boy's voice was clear and polite, without a trace of arrogance. "You don't have to be so nervous. Lynn taught me to be a good, polite boy at home. If you ever need help moving anything heavy, you can ask me. I'm really strong."

The old butler visibly froze.

He had prepared countless responses for dealing with a tyrant's rage, but he had never imagined receiving such an innocent greeting.

"It... it is our honor, young master John."

The old butler's tone relaxed involuntarily. Much of the fear in his eyes dissipated, and there was even a hint of the surprise an elder might feel on seeing a well-behaved child.

Even the security personnel behind him, who had looked as though they were facing a formidable enemy, relaxed their taut shoulders a little.

Watching this, Lynn's lips curved into a gratified smile.

He did not interrupt, instead allowing John to handle these "spies" in his own way.

After entering the main villa and dismissing the servants, Lynn and John went to the spacious sitting room on the second floor.

The door had only just closed.

John walked over to the soft upholstered sofa and sat down, tipping his head back to look at the enormous crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

"Lynn, there are three listening devices making faint electrical noises behind this room's wallpaper. There's a camera behind the oil painting in the living room."

John's tone was calm, as natural as if he were stating what they were having for dinner.

Lynn went to the bar, poured two glasses of warm water, and handed one to John.

"Then what do you think we should do about them? And those people outside the big boss sent to watch us?" Lynn asked tentatively.

John held the glass in both hands, looking down at his face reflected on the water's surface.

"If we crush the listening devices, break the security guards' legs, and throw them out, the big boss will know we're unhappy. He'll send more people and make this place even noisier."

John raised his head, his clear blue eyes shining with his own exceptionally intelligent logic.

"They're just ordinary people too, like that man riding a bicycle this afternoon. They're only doing what the big boss told them to do, and they're really scared of me too."

John took a sip of water. "Since we can't kill everyone, let's leave them here. As long as I act like an ordinary kid every day, they won't be afraid, and all the listening devices will record is me playing with Buddy."

"Once the big boss has listened to those boring sounds long enough, he'll think it's all very dull, and he'll stop worrying."

Lynn stared at John on the sofa, suddenly overcome by an indescribable sense of accomplishment and emotion.

This kid really took my words to heart.

He had not chosen to counter surveillance with the threat of violence, nor had he chosen to manipulate people through calculating hypocrisy. Instead, he had chosen the most sophisticated response.

Tolerance and restraint.

Because he was strong enough, he could disregard that clumsy surveillance;

Because he understood ordinary people's vulnerability and helplessness, he chose not to hurt the low-level employees carrying out orders.

"You handled that perfectly, little champ."

Lynn walked over and vigorously ruffled his blond hair. "Come on, let's go downstairs. It's our first day in our new home, so I'll cook you spaghetti with tomato meat sauce myself."

"Yay! I want extra meat sauce!"

John cheered, the gravity on his face vanishing instantly as he turned completely back into a food-loving eight-year-old boy and dashed out of the sitting room with Buddy.

Watching the boy's cheerful retreating figure, Lynn let out a long breath.

Here on Long Island, in this enormous cage bathed in sunshine yet filled with invisible surveillance, they had finally gained a firm foothold.

More importantly, with his own hands, he had finally fitted this peerless weapon, with its power to destroy heaven and earth, with a resilient sheath called "humanity."