Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday - Chapter 184

Chapter 184: A Good Offer (II)

Grace continued before Professor Neil could have even thought about saying anything.

“Even if you join the government, you won’t be able to keep your entire team with you. And the world outside is far from safe for them. Let’s say you succeeds in keeping them with you by some miracle, but how long will it take you to make your research a success? The government will provide you with nothing but a safe place where you can help them. As for me, I can help you a lot in this research.”

She took a break for merely a moment before she hit the last nail on its mark. Her voice and smile were so cold as she said the words – “Most importantly, you will only be able yo negotiate with the government when you will get the chance.”

She felt the temperature inside the unit dropping as her words rang loud and clear, taking each member of the research team by surprise.

“W-what do you mean?” Professor Neil asked, his voice breaking even though he tried to appear calm.

Grace stared right into Professor Neil’s eyes as she answered. “I’m not a saint, Professor. I saved you because I need your help. But if you are going to decline my offer, then you are no use to me. I will throw you and your team back in the mountains. It will be up to you and your luck to see who will find you first – those zombies or the government.”

Professor Neil’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. His face was a mix of anger and disbelief. “You can’t do that,” he hissed. “It’s illegal. You don’t own us, and we are free to leave. My team and I will find our own way, with or without your so-called offer.”

Grace’s expression didn’t falter. In fact, her icy smile only widened. “Illegal?” she echoed, tilting her head as though his words amused her. “Professor, I think you have forgotten what world you are currently living in. There’s no one left to enforce the law, no courts to hear your complaints, and no justice to rely on. Everyone is busy fighting the ongoing natural disasters and those zombies out there. Who do you think have the time and patience to listen to your complaints?”

Her words sliced through the tense air like a blade, leaving the research team visibly shaken. Still, Professor Neil stood firm with his jaw tightening in defiance.

“I will leave,” he said firmly, “and I’ll take my team with me. We don’t need you.”

Grace let out a cold laugh, and her eyes gleamed with mockery. “You think so? You think you have the power to walk out of here without my permission?”

Before he could respond, the sound of boots echoed down the hall, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Moments later, the door to the unit opened, and the rest of Grace’s team walked in. They were all clad in their combat gears while holding rifles in their hands. The sight of them was enough to drain the color from several of the researchers’ faces.

Her gaze met with Davian’s, who had been silently witnessing the whole exchange, and he gave a little nod.

Turning her attention back to the man in front of her, she gestured casually toward her team. When she spoke, her voice waa calm but deadly. “This is my team, Professor. These are the people who have survived things you can’t even imagine. Do you still think you are in a position to defy me?”

Professor Neil’s gaze darted between Grace and the uniformed men who had suddenly barged in. For the first time, uncertainty flickered across his face.

“You are wrong if you think I lack the power to control you and your team,” Grace continued, her tone turning colder with each word. “And let me remind you, Professor – if I wanted to force you, I wouldn’t be sitting here trying to convince you.”

The tension in the room was palpable, and the researchers exchanged uneasy glances. Profwssor Neil, however, straightened his spine, and his anger reignited. “Even if you intimidate me, you can’t stop me from exposing the truth. We saw what you did with those boxes. You have… magic, and I’ll make sure the government knows it. They’ll come for you.”

Grace’s smirk returned, but there was a new edge to it, sharp and dangerous. “Oh, you will tell the government, will you? That’s quite bold of you, considering you wouldn’t survive long enough to report anything. And even if you did, what makes you think they would listen to you? You are not exactly their priority, Professor.”

Professor Neil faltered but quickly rallied. “If they knew about you – about your power – they would hunt you down. People like you -”

From the corner of her eye, Grace noticed Davian and Rune straightening at the clear threat in Professor Neil’s voice. And while her team still carried an unreadable expression on their faces, she didn’t fail to notice hoe their hold tightened over their rifles.

They all were ready to end Professor and his team just for threatening her. She couldn’t let that happen… to have them waste all her efforts.

“People like me,” she quickly interrupted, her voice rising slightly, “are why you are alive right now. And let me make one thing perfectly clear, Professor – I don’t care what you tell the government, because they will never find me. You know why?”

She inched closer to him, her emerald eyes piercing through his resolve. “Because if I want to, I can erase every memory you and your team have of me. That’s why I and my people used our powers so openly in front of you. I don’t need to hide from people who won’t remember me when I’m done with them.”

The room fell into a stunned silence. The researchers looked at one another. Their faces were pale with disbelief and fear. Professor Neil was also taken aback, his lips parting as though he wanted to respond but couldn’t find the words.

“You are bluffing,” he finally said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Grace shrugged nonchalantly. “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not. Are you willing to risk it?”