My Hermes System (Web Novel)

"This…"

With them now out of harm's way, Bezios's voice once again returned to its previous trembling tone filled with distress. The trails of sweat that were trailing from his bald head all the way to his neck, almost shining as the flickering lights of the tunnel reflected on it.

"!!!"

Both Bezios and Maria then took a few steps back, as a small creaking noise whispered behind them; they looked, only to see their driver slowly stepping out of the car.

"Is… is it over?"

"What do you mean 'is it over'!?"

Unfortunately for the driver… as soon as he stepped out, he was welcomed by Maria's wrath, "Why did you just hide throughout the whole ordeal instead of helping us escape the situation!?"

"I'm… I'm just a driver, ma'am," the driver slightly backed away in fear as Maria haughtily approached him, "I'm… not a bodyguard."

"Why, this little–"

"Maria," Bezios raised his hand as he got in between the two, "He has a point."

"What do you mean he has a point!?" Maria's wrath was then quickly transferred to Bezios; slapping his defenseless bald head once again, "This is why all our employees and people are so lax, you keep tolerating this kind of behavior!"

"W… well, I'm tolerating you."

"What did you just say!?"

"N… nothing," Bezios quickly towards Van, moving behind him to hide from his wife.

"..." Van could only furrow his eyebrows– these people, do they really not fear him even after he already showed them what he could do?

As for Maria, she could only let out a small and deep sigh as she looked at the men that tried to kill them.

"These men…" Maria said as she lightly covered her mouth and nose. Although they almost died by their hands, she still could not help but feel slightly uncomfortable, seeing half of them wriggling on the ground without limbs; almost like worms that were suddenly exposed to salt.

Granted, half of them still had their legs, but without their arms completely cut off, it would seem that most of them have already given up hope as not even one was trying to escape.

"... were they sent by Bishop Job?"

"Let's ask them, shall we?" A small but deep breath then escape Bezios's mouth as he nodded at Van,

"Good work, son," a slightly cheeky smile appeared on his face before he walked towards the nearest men.

"Eek!"

He, however, almost jumped where he stood as the man he was approaching suddenly squirmed on spot; getting a little blood on his luxurious pants.

"..."

"..."

Bezios then subtly looked at his wife, who already had a trace full of disappointment on her face. He was trying his best to look cool; but alas, his coolness was short-lived as everyone heard him scream. Bezios could only clear his throat, before finally turning towards the man.

"Tell me, were you sent here by Bishop Job?" Bezios muttered as he looked the dying man straight in the eyes, "I will make sure you recover from this if you tell me, I will have them attach your limbs back."

"..."

"Did you really think that I, the richest man in all of the 40 Vessels did not bring security with me?" Bishop Bezios then let out a loud and deep sigh as he shook his head, "You should have chosen your target well."

"..." Van could only blink a couple of times, before turning his eyes towards Maria and the driver. And judging by the sighs that were escaping their mouths, they were also thinking the same thing– they actually didn't have any security with them, so what was Bezios spouting right now?

Although Van knew why he didn't need one in the first place. The car practically survived more than a thousand bombs being thrown upon it. Even the road beneath their car cracked.

…But seeing as how strong the impact of the bombs was in his hands when he caught it, it should've actually caused more damage to the terrain. Does that mean the tunnel and the roads were actually made of some kind of strong material capable of withstanding a rain of bombs?

Van thought the planet was fairly simple… but more and more, the technology that Van was initially expecting was starting to reveal itself.

"Tell me," Bezios continued to talk to the dismembered man, "I will make sure you get out of this alive."

The man, however, only laughed at Bezios's attempt to interrogate him.

"I promise you," Bezios sighed, "You will liv–"

And before he could finish what he was going to say, a foot suddenly replaced where the man's head used to be.

"!!!"

"He wasn't going to answer you. Let's move on to the next one."

"Wha…" Bezios could only breathe in deeply as Van casually moved his foot away from the man's… completely squashed head; swinging his leg to dust off the mercenary's brain matter.

"There's still more than 30 of them," Van then said as he moved away. As for Bezios, he could only look at his wife, who was gesturing to him to follow Van. Just… what kind of scenario is this, he thought.

Just hours ago, he was in a conference in a fancy hotel; discussing his plans for the vessel once he completely buys all of it. And now, he was out here interrogating people that just tried to take his life… and would have probably succeeded without the alien that currently had him and his wife as a hostage.

There was also–

"Can you stop killing them before they answer!?"

Bezios's thoughts were then disrupted as Van once again killed a mercenary as soon as they tried to open their mouths.

"He wasn't going to say anything," Van just shrugged his shoulders as he moved to the next one.

"How would you know that!?"

"I don't," Van sighed,

"So the next one better tell us what we need to know," he then turned his head towards the mercenaries, who were either lying on the ground without legs and arms; or kneeling and waiting for their fate without any signs of fighting back. They flinch, however, whenever their eyes met with Van's.

"Can you stop taking lives like it's nothing!?" Bezios then bellowed, "Even if they are evil people, they still have families waiting for them!"

"These people were just here to kill you."

"B… but even so," Bezios shook his head, "Every life is precious… you even killed my bodyguards whose only job was to protect me. Does life have no meaning in this universe of yours!?"

"..."

Van only looked to the side as he heard Bezios's words. But after a few seconds, he looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Life means everything here… I just grew up on the wrong side of the universe. And don't forget…

…you're also on the wrong side now."

"What does that even–"

"That means you are in my home. You are an invader," Van did not let Bezios finish what he was going to say as he slowly approached him, "Billions of lives will be lost if the Ark goes through that Portal. Just be glad that I still need you, dad…

…or you would have already joined these people."