Martial Era: Starting With The Strongest Talent-Chapter 161: Launch Date

Lyon Tusk sat alone in the waiting room, as one dim bulb flickered overhead and the ticking of a clock echoed far louder than it should.

Each second tightened the knot in his stomach.

He wiped sweat from his brow and tried to steady his breathing.

But that calm vanished as in the next moment the floor suddenly trembled.

Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, as Lyon’s throat went dry and a massive figure emerged from the darkness.

It had grey skin stretched over a grotesquely enlarged frame, its veins were bulging and its eyes were lifeless.

An obvious user of Reliance.

The creature tilted its head once.

Follow.

Lyon gulped and rose to his feet.

He followed it down a long, narrow hallway and the air grew colder with each step.

They finally stopped before a single metal door.

The creature opened it as Lyon stepped inside slowly and when he was completely in the door slammed shut behind him and darkness swallowed the room.

Only one thing glowed, the burning tip of a cigarette belonging to Agent Ross.

Lyon swallowed and forced the words out.

"You called for me, sir?"

There was no response, as the cigarette ember brightened.

Then...

A pressure crashed down on Lyon like a collapsing building.

BOOM!

He was driven to his knees.

The floor beneath him cracked, his lungs struggled and his bones creaked.

Ross finally stood.

He crushed the cigarette into an ashtray, as soft lights switched on around the room.

As if the man disliked being seen while smoking.

Ross stepped forward. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Purple sclera gleamed faintly in the low light.

"There are many things I cannot tolerate," he said calmly.

The pressure intensified.

"And one of them... is incompetence."

Lyon gritted his teeth.

"I—I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

Ross tilted his head slightly.

"You don’t know?"

The pressure vanished instantly, as Lyon gasped for air.

Ross then gestured to a chair.

"Sit."

Lyon obeyed immediately.

His legs trembled as he lowered himself into the seat.

Ross walked around the desk slowly.

"Since you don’t know..." Ross said softly, "let me jog your memory."

A holographic image flickered to life between them.

It showed Remedy.

Taking a selfie of her and Lyon unconscious.

Ross’s purple eyes locked onto him.

"This has been trending for hours."

His voice dropped.

"You cannot possibly tell me you were unaware."

Lyon’s gulp was audible in the silent room.

Ross leaned slightly forward.

"Your excuse, better be worth your life."

Silence stretched between them.

And Lyon realized if he said something wrong at this moment losing his head would be the least of his problems.

****

Lyon stared at the image, with a dry throat.

"I underestimated her, sir."

Ross’s voice echoed coldly.

"You underestimated her?"

CRACK.

A backhand struck Lyon across the face, as he flew sideways and slammed into the wall.

Dust shook loose from the ceiling and Lyon hit the floor while coughing up blood.

"I—I’m sorry for the disgrace—"

Ross was already there.

He grabbed Lyon by the hair and yanked his head back.

"I don’t give two fucks about your shame," Ross said flatly.

His grip tightened.

"What concerns me... is that you were unguarded."

Lyon’s scalp burned under Ross’s fingers, as Ross leaned closer.

"Who knows how much she extracted from you?"

Lyon’s eyes widened.

"There’s nothing there to implicate us!"

Ross went quiet.

That silence was worse than the pressure earlier.

He released Lyon slowly.

Then looked down at him like something unpleasant stuck to his shoe.

"You still haven’t given me a reason to let you live."

The words dropped like a verdict.

"I’ll give you time to think," he said calmly. "While I enlighten you."

Lyon flinched and squeezed his eyes shut, expecting pain.

However he found himself sitting upright in the chair across from Ross’s desk.

As if he had never been thrown.

Ross now composed sat opposite him.

Leg crossed over the other.

As though he hadn’t just nearly killed him.

"You believe," Ross continued conversationally, "that whatever she might have taken from you isn’t incriminating."

He tapped a finger lightly against the desk.

"That would be true."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"If Miss Eve were an ordinary person."

Lyon felt cold, as Ross leaned back slightly.

"But she isn’t."

Lyon was stunned.

Miss Eve?

He hadn’t expected the organization backing Agent Ross to take her that seriously.

Truth be told, he didn’t even know the name of the organization.

One day, two men had shown up with two options.

Join.

Or die.

He chose wisely.

Up until now, that choice had come with benefits.

Protection, Profit and Influence.

Aside from the occasional "disciplinary correction," life had been comfortable.

Ross threatening to kill him?

That wasn’t new.

He just had to survive long enough to wriggle out of it.

Ross’s voice dragged him back.

"The organization I serve has classified her as a high elimination priority."

Lyon blinked.

If that was the case, why hadn’t they acted?

If someone else eliminated that nuisance, it would solve half his business problems overnight.

Hope flickered briefly.

Ross extinguished it instantly.

"But," Ross continued calmly, "she has the backing of a Saint."

Lyon felt his throat tighten.

A Saint wasn’t just another powerful martial artist.

They were behemoths.

Living disasters.

Entities the Alliance itself treated carefully.

And one of them was backing Miss Eve.

Cold sweat slid down his spine.

If he had ever truly been a threat to her...

He wouldn’t even know how he died.

Ross watched him carefully.

"Now you understand how dangerous she is."

Lyon nodded automatically.

"Yes... yes, of course."

He swallowed.

"So... are we shifting the launch date?"

Ross glanced at him.

"No."

The single word fell flat.

"The higher-ups want it left as is, since they want to observe how close the Saint truly is to Miss Eve," Ross said calmly. "And whether they would intervene."

Realization dawned.

"The launch is a test..." Lyon muttered.

"Exactly."

Then the air grew cold again, as Ross’s gaze sharpened.

"So," he said quietly, "have you thought of a reason I should keep you alive?"

Lyon’s heart slammed against his ribs.

He moved quickly and from his storage ring, he pulled out a sleek black package and placed it carefully on the desk.

"Our company, Herbal X, has been developing a premium brand," he said with forced composure. "I believe it will suit your tastes."