The feverish smile on Luthor's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a venomous, ice-cold gaze.
He raised his chin slightly and countered without yielding:
"What if I refuse?"
Solomon gave a cold chuckle, without a trace of warmth.
"If you refuse, I'll invade your brain directly. I'll crush that reason you're so proud of, bit by bit, forcibly rewrite your memories, and erase your personality. I'll turn you from a lofty genius into a dog that does nothing but wag its tail at me and drool."
Solomon stared at him with eyes like an abyss.
"So choose for yourself: live with dignity as a person, or be a dog with none."
The air seemed to freeze at that moment. Luthor stared fixedly at Solomon, his mind racing as he assessed the truth of those words.
A few seconds later, he suddenly burst out laughing, a neurotic nonchalance running through the sound.
He stepped forward twice of his own accord and extended his right hand to Solomon:
"Of course I choose to be a person! After all, a dog wouldn't know how to run a multinational corporation."
A dangerous gleam flashed in Luthor's eyes.
"First thing tomorrow morning, LexCorp will officially be renamed Vought International. As for the green ore you want, I'll issue the highest-level exploration orders immediately."
Solomon looked at Luthor's outstretched hand, smiled faintly, and reached out to shake it.
"Here's to a pleasant partnership. Of course, throughout all this, you're welcome to think about how to kill me."
Solomon held his hand, his tone as casual as if he were discussing tomorrow's weather.
"As long as you win, you can call this company whatever you like. You're welcome to come at me anytime, but... you only get one chance."
Feeling the muscles in Luthor's hand instinctively