From Idler to Tech Tycoon: Earth
Chapter 121: Spark of Human Supremacy

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Spark of Human Supremacy

The black sedan purred softly, gliding away from the Purnas Mansion. In the back seat, Jack was a slumped form, deep in a comfortable sleep, his soft breathing a rhythmic counterpoint to the hum of the engine. Beside him, Richard sat, outwardly composed, his new, pale features illuminated faintly by the passing streetlights.

Up front, Ciano, Richard’s personal security, kept his eyes on the road, but his gaze flickered almost imperceptibly to the rearview mirror. He stole discreet glances at his boss. Ciano prided himself on his observation skills, a honed instinct cultivated over years in dangerous, often bizarre, situations. But something about Richard now... it was different.

Boss... he’s changed again, Ciano thought, a subtle unease coiling in his gut. Not just the hair. There’s an... air about him. Different. Suppressing, almost. Like the world itself holds its breath around him. He feels... larger. Not physically, but in presence. He must have undergone another transformation. Something... not human. He’d seen strange things in his line of work, but this quiet, almost intangible shift felt profound, unsettling.

Richard, meanwhile, allowed himself a small, private smile. The threads of Ciano’s thoughts, clear as spoken words, unfolded in his mind. The enhanced control over his telepathy was exhilarating, a new dimension added to his already burgeoning powers. He felt Ciano’s apprehension, his awe, his fear.

Richard’s gaze met Ciano’s in the rearview mirror, a subtle, knowing smile gracing his lips. He decided to test the waters, to offer a glimpse of his new reality.

"You’re not wrong, Ciano. I did experience some transformation." The words weren’t spoken. They simply were, a voice blooming directly inside Ciano’s skull, as clear and distinct as if Richard had whispered them into his ear.

Ciano gasped. His eyes, wide with sudden, raw terror, snapped open fully, frantically darting around the car. "Wha—?!" His hands, white-knuckled, jerked the steering wheel, and the sedan swerved violently across the lane, tires squealing in protest. He corrected it sharply, heart hammering against his ribs, his breath ragged. He scanned the backseat, the front, the very air, searching for the source of the impossible voice. It wasn’t through the comms. It wasn’t from the speaker. It was inside.

Richard’s voice, calm and steady, flowed telepathically into Ciano’s frantic mind again. "Calm down, Ciano. It’s just me."

Ciano gripped the wheel, sweat beading on his forehead, his jaw tight. Just him? Just him?! Mind reading? Powers? His mind raced, struggling to process. Not... not just magic. This is... impossible. I’ve seen things, yes, I’ve seen the mystical, the bizarre. But this is different. This is... intimate. My own thoughts... he heard my own thoughts. A profound, chilling realization settled over him. I have to be silent about this. Absolutely silent. For my own sake. For everyone’s. The implications of such a power, in the hands of his already extraordinary boss, were terrifying.

Richard’s subtle smile remained. His telepathic voice, now a gentle but firm command, echoed in Ciano’s mind. "Ill trust you about it, Ciano."

Ciano didn’t speak. He couldn’t. His throat felt dry, constricted. He just nodded, a single, strained movement of his head, his eyes still wide in the rearview mirror, acknowledging the new, terrifying secret he now shared. The car continued its journey, an eerie silence filling the cabin once more, now punctuated only by the soft purr of the engine and Jack’s oblivious, peaceful breathing.

Approximately an hour later, the black sedan was proceeding along a tree-lined road, en route from Marawi to Iligan City. Its armored panels glinted in the fading light. Within the vehicle, silence prevailed, save for the faint hum of the engine and Jack’s soft, regular breathing as he slept in the passenger seat. Richard sat beside him, appearing composed and serene, his new pale countenance barely discernible in the dimness.

Ciano, ever vigilant, was the first to detect the obstruction. A barricade of felled trees abruptly blocked the road ahead. He brought the sedan to a smooth, controlled stop, his hand simultaneously reaching for the MP5K concealed beneath his seat. He recognized the immediate threat – they had entered an ambush zone.

Before Ciano could fully grasp his weapon, gunfire erupted from the surrounding trees. Bullets hammered against the vehicle’s armor, producing a percussive, metallic sound. The entire sedan rocked violently under the assault.

Jack awoke abruptly, his eyes wide with terror. "What the hell?! We’re hit! Rich! Ciano! What’s happening?!" he exclaimed, frantically attempting to make himself smaller as projectiles impacted the vehicle.

Richard, however, remained remarkably calm. Amidst the terrifying din, he did not flinch, his breathing remaining steady. His silver eyes closed. The gunfire and impacts were processed as clear data within his mind. He scanned the tree line, identifying at least fifteen armed assailants, positioned strategically and firing with intensity. Ciano, his expression grim, maintained his grip on the MP5K, anticipating a lull in the barrage before initiating his counter-response.

From within the shadows of the trees, one of the NPA gunmen, a former leader, continued to discharge his weapon at the sedan. His face was taut, streaked with mud and perspiration. He earnestly wished for a swift conclusion to this engagement.

Even amidst the intensity of the ambush, his mind reverted to a nightmare from previous weeks. A "tall monster," speaking English in an unsettling manner, had materialized. It moved with unnatural speed, decimating half of their unit in a terrifying blur. He recalled the screams, the bodies. The creature had left them drained, desiccated husks, "like vampires." The memory continued to induce a visceral fear.

Their orders, received after their surrender, mandated the capture of the two individuals depicted in the provided image – the muscular man with dark hair and his robust companion. Successful execution would supposedly free his men from the creature’s grasp. A Krill, in fact, had held his men hostage, thereby necessitating rapid action. Expediency was crucial, as the entity exhibited a profound craving for human blood, akin to a ravenous beast. He desperately hoped this assignment would conclude swiftly, allowing their escape from this perilous location before the creature could rediscover them. Continue firing. Complete the objective. That entity... it drained them completely.

Suddenly, the deafening gunfire ceased. An abrupt, unsettling quiet descended, broken only by the chirping of insects and the faint sounds of the distant road.

Richard’s eyes remained closed. His voice, calm and clear, resonated directly within Ciano’s mind. "Do not. I will handle this."

Ciano’s hands, still gripping the MP5K, froze. An unusual pressure, a subtle ripple, manifested in the air. Then, faint pings became audible just outside the vehicle. All fifteen bullets, intended to inflict lethal harm, had abruptly halted. They hung suspended in mid-air, inches from the sedan, shimmering with an anomalous energy.

With a soft click, Richard opened his door, stepped out, and gently closed it behind him. His eyes remained closed, his demeanor utterly composed. He did not touch the ground; instead, he hovered a few inches above the road surface, his white hair subtly displaced by the breeze. The bullets, now suspended above his outstretched hands, pulsed with the faint glow of his silver aura.

Then, with a subtle flick of his wrists, the bullets reversed their trajectory. They did not merely turn; they swerved with uncanny precision, like miniature guided projectiles, aiming directly for the assailants’ legs. The NPA individuals cried out. "Ah! My leg! What the hell?!" "No!" "They’re coming back!" No gunfire was heard from Richard, only screams of pain and the soft thuds as bodies fell. All fifteen men were immediately incapacitated, immobilized by painful but non-lethal leg wounds.

Richard opened his silver eyes, a faint, contented hum emanating from him. "Much better," he stated. Subsequently, with another surge of power, he levitated all fifteen individuals from their positions. They floated, groaning, bundled together, and were deposited in a disorganized pile in the center of the road.

Richard hovered above the apprehended individuals, his expression impassive. He did not intend to terminate them. His objective was distinct. He closed his eyes once more, delving into their minds, sifting through their fear and confusion.

Images and thoughts inundated his consciousness. He perceived fragments of their terrorist group’s history, their audacious plan: to abduct Richard and Jack for a substantial $100 million ransom. Their aim was to destabilize the Philippine economy, thereby generating chaos for their true benefactors.

Subsequently, a disturbing vision emerged: a reptilian entity. This creature, taller than the human terrorists it commanded, was notably shorter and less formidable than the larger reptilians he observed in Lina’s intercepted files. It assumed a "king-like" role among them, issuing directives, its scales glinting. Likely a low-ranking reptilian, or similar, Richard surmised, experiencing a cold disdain.

A chilling realization pervaded him. Therefore, they are already active? Engaging in even minor human terrorist operations. This extends beyond Wallenbern’s schemes. This constitutes a pervasive infiltration.

He opened his silver eyes, a cold glint evident within them. "They are already active?" he queried, his voice low and menacing.

Strategic Reinforcements and Logistics

Richard activated his commlink, the minuscule device a subtle presence against his temple. "Lina, identify a high-altitude lake. Proximity to my current location is preferred. Remote access."

Lina’s composed voice responded promptly. "Confirmed, Sir. Analyzing terrain. Lake Duminagat on Mount Malindang appears to meet your criteria. Approximately 43.4 miles from your coordinates. Do you wish for the Prometheus Mark 8 to be dispatched to your position?"

"Affirmative. Dispatch Butler Jimmy with it. Additionally, notify local law enforcement. Instruct them to sweep this area and apprehend these individuals for attempted kidnapping."

"Understood, Sir. Orders are being executed." Lina’s voice maintained its professional composure.

Miles distant, concealed within the dense Cabingan Forest near Marawi, a discreet opening, shimmering faintly, manifested on the ground. A puff of smoke, akin to a gentle exhalation, drifted into the air.

From this opening emerged Butler Jimmy, the impeccably dressed android butler. He carried a substantial, armored case, its blue surface glinting subtly. Inside, the Prometheus Mark 8 armor remained in its folded, ready state.

Subsequently, both Butler Jimmy and the heavy case ascended into the sky. They moved with extraordinary velocity, resembling a blurring comet, leaving only a faint hum and a receding whoosh as they streaked towards Richard’s coordinates.

The apprehended NPA individuals lay incapacitated, a terrified and wounded mass in the middle of the road. Their eyes, wide with shock, were fixed upon Richard. The individual who had emerged unscathed from a hail of bullets, disarmed them without a sound, and subsequently relocated them telekinetically, had utterly confounded them. Their palpable fear of him was overwhelming. His glowing silver eyes appeared to penetrate their very essence, paralyzing them.

Richard focused, his gaze intently fixed upon them. Then, without audible articulation, he projected raw, horrifying visions into their minds. The nightmares he had observed in intercepted files became their own traumatic experience: human mutilations, bleeding bodies, individuals transformed into puppet soldiers, subjected to grotesque experimentation by reptilian entities. Gruesome images, the metallic tang of blood, the vacant stares of the controlled individuals – all inundated their consciousness, an inescapable psychological torment.

Concurrently, he imprinted his own fervent rage directly into their minds. He desired for them to experience his fury towards the reptilians. He intended for them to comprehend the monstrous injustice confronting them.

Richard’s objective was clear: to transmit a message. To demonstrate the futility of internecine conflict and trivial human disputes when a far more formidable adversary preyed upon all of humanity. He sought to foster unity among them as a singular species.

The assailants writhed and screamed on the ground, some expressing pure rage, others exhibiting profound shock. "No! No! The blood... the blood! These monsters!" "The bastards! How could they do this to us! These fucking bastards!" The vision burned within their minds, unequivocally clear: the ’monster’ from their camp was not an isolated anomaly. He was complicit in this. A disposable pawn, an early subject for these true horrors. It became unequivocally apparent that the reptilian commander they met was one of the perpetrators behind these atrocities.

Disregard trivial conflicts. Absolve past transgressions. This is the true adversary. Achieve cohesion. Or face annihilation, Richard’s internal resolve solidified.

However, unbeknownst to Richard, his actions inadvertently initiated an unforeseen development. The profound terror, combined with the implanted rage, catalyzed the emergence of a dangerous new ideology within their consciousness: human supremacy.

A virulent, xenophobic conviction that humanity held dominion over all ’xenos’ – all alien species. This doctrine originated directly from the profound, traumatic revelation. Richard’s benevolent intent to unify humanity against a common enemy had inadvertently set them upon a more perilous trajectory. This represented a significant, ironic consequence of his formidable, uncontrolled power.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.