Chapter 140
The moment Brandon spoke, the lab staff exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, the former head of the lab stepped forward, wiping sweat from his forehead as he forced a nervous smile. “Um, Commander, regarding the person you requested... She’s a key subject under observation and is currently on a mission, so… uh… ahh!”
His words cut off abruptly. The only thing left was his blood-curdling scream.
Brandon, with his slender frame, effortlessly lifted the 150-pound man by the throat, holding him suspended in the air. Despite the violent act, Brandon’s expression remained calm and polite, his smile almost gentle.
“It seems you didn’t take my words seriously,” Brandon said softly, his emerald-green eyes glinting with danger. “I told you I wanted to see Noelle when I arrived. Yet, here you are, giving me excuses. Hmm?”
“N–no, that’s not it,” the former head gasped, his legs flailing uselessly in the air. His face turned purple as he struggled to breathe, desperately trying to explain. “The subject is in a critical phase of emotional testing. Once she passes, we’ll have the perfect human. S–so…”
“…you decided to ignore my orders, is that it?” Brandon’s smile widened as his grip tightened.
“Ah, ah…” The man’s breathing grew more labored, his struggles intensifying. “Commander, please, have mercy…”
Before he could finish, a sickening crack echoed through the room. The man’s body went limp, his wide eyes frozen in terror, tears streaming down his face. He was dead.
The entire room fell into stunned silence. No one dared to breathe, let alone speak. No one had expected the young, seemingly delicate commander to kill their former head without hesitation.
Brandon casually tossed the body aside like garbage, his emerald eyes devoid of emotion. It was as if he hadn’t just taken a life but merely squashed an insect.
“Commander,” one of the black-clad guards stepped forward, handing Brandon a wet wipe.
Brandon took it, meticulously cleaning his hands as if removing a stain. Then, he turned to face the rest of the lab staff, his smile still in place.
The staff immediately lowered their heads, too terrified to meet his gaze. They didn’t want to end up like their former boss.
But Brandon’s smile never wavered. His emerald eyes scanned the room as he spoke in a calm, almost soothing tone. “If any of you think my youth makes me easy to fool, I suggest you reconsider. From today on, I’m in charge of the European regional lab. And anyone who dares to defy me will…” He paused, a subtle threat hanging in the air.
His eyes flicked briefly to the lifeless body on the floor, then back to the others. “Got it?”
The staff were deathly silent, their faces pale. No one dared to look at Brandon, as if he were a demon straight from hell. His beauty was lethal, like a dangerous, venomous snake.
“Cat got your tongue?” When there was no response, Brandon chuckled softly, his voice calm. “But if any of you are still dissatisfied and want to end up like your boss, I’d be happy to send you on your way.”
His words sent shivers down their spines. The staff nodded frantically, their faces pale. “Y–yes, Commander! We’ll follow your orders!”
Brandon’s smile deepened. “Good. I’m not a monster. As long as everyone behaves, we’ll get along just fine.”
The staff murmured their agreement, though internally, they were convinced Brandon was the devil incarnate.
“Now,” Brandon continued, his gaze sweeping the room, “aside from the former head, who else has the authority to manage the lab?”
All eyes turned to a plump, middle-aged man who stepped forward, trembling. “C–Commander, how may I assist you?”
Brandon’s smile didn’t falter as he approached the man. “Relax. I don’t bite.”
You don’t bite, but you sure as hell kill, the deputy manager thought, a chill running down his spine.
“I want all of Noelle’s past data and her current status,” Brandon said.
The deputy manager nodded eagerly. “Yes, sir! I’ll prepare everything for you immediately.”
Soon, Brandon’s office was filled with stacks of documents. The deputy manager stood by, bowing and scraping. “Commander, all of Noelle’s data is here. Additionally, our monitors track her real-time status. You can check it anytime.”
Brandon flipped through the files with interest, then casually asked, “Earlier, the former head mentioned Noelle is undergoing emotional testing. How’s that progressing?”
The deputy manager hurriedly replied, “It’s going well! We initially aimed to establish familial bonds, but unexpectedly, she’s developed a romantic bond first…”
At the mention of “romantic bond,” Brandon’s hand paused. He looked up, his emerald eyes narrowing. “A romantic bond? Already?”
“Y–yes.” The deputy manager stammered, suddenly feeling the room grow colder.
“With whom?” Brandon asked, his tone deceptively light.
“It’s with Nicolas Sawyer, the third son of the Sawyer Group. Their families have ties, and they were engaged as children. We previously restricted Noelle from romantic entanglements, but now that she’s at that age…”
Brandon let out a cold laugh. “Who currently has command over Noelle?”
“There’s no specific command. We’ve programmed her to respond to orders through her necklace. Any directive issued through it, she’ll obey.”
“Is that so?” Brandon’s smile didn’t falter as he spoke, his tone light but carrying an unmistakable edge. “From now on, I’ll be the one to give her orders.”
“Understood,” the manager responded quickly.
Shortly after, the deputy manager placed a small, silver-white oval device on Brandon’s desk. It emitted a soft green glow from its circuits.
Brandon picked it up, turning it over in his hands. “So this is how I’ll communicate with her?”
“Yes,” the deputy manager confirmed. “Just press the button, and you can speak directly to her.”
With a subtle shift in his gaze, Brandon found the switch and flicked it on. The game was just beginning.