Upon hearing that, Boss suddenly laughed.
He pinned his eyes on Kenneth, seemingly with understanding in his gaze.
At his laughter, Kenneth tightened his grip slightly. “You're laughing?”
“If you dare, go ahead and kill... me!” Boss enunciated.
The look in Kenneth's eyes was sharp and dark. Quirking an eyebrow, he looked at the man as he asked in a low voice that seemingly came from a siren in the night, “Do you think I wouldn't dare?”
“L-Let go!” the subordinate beside Boss turned to Kenneth and demanded right then.
However, Kenneth seemed wholly oblivious. It was as though he hadn't seen or heard anything. His gaze was fixed intently on Boss, and the force of his grip increased steadily as though he was betting on something.
Boss' face turned red, and his eyes started to lose focus. He stared at Kenneth while struggling to breathe. In the next second, a dagger suddenly slid out from his sleeve and headed right toward the latter's wrist.
“Watch out, Boss!” Luke abruptly shouted from the side.
Seeing that, Kenneth made to withdraw his hand. Alas, the blade had already grazed his wrist.
“Are you okay, Boss?” Luke asked, stepping forward.
Kenneth glanced at his nicked wrist, where fresh blood was oozing out. He looked up at Boss, clutching at his arm and breathing heavily.
Both sides had their guns drawn and aimed at each other, not daring to let their guards down for even a moment.
At that turn of events, Luke grew frantic. “Kill them all!”
“Even your boss doesn't dare kill me. What gives you the right to bluster here?” Boss questioned with his gaze on Luke, having regained his composure after catching his breath.
“How dare you!”
“What, you disagree? Am I not right?” As Boss spoke, he turned his gaze to Kenneth, his eyes filled with provocation.
Kenneth looked at the man, his voice gloomy. “It's not that I dare not, simply that I cannot!”
Upon hearing that, Boss burst into raucous laughter.
“Since that's the case, Kenneth, why bother?” he drawled.
Kenneth looked at him, neither hurried nor agitated, as though waiting for something.
Likewise, Boss held his gaze. Seeing the man's silence and stillness, he surmised, “So, you want the antidote because of her, and she's still alive.”
Kenneth remained silent.
However, his silence was the best answer.
“Where's the antidote from the previous time?” Boss asked.
Still, Kenneth said nothing.
“The previous time, you took the antidote. Generally speaking, she should be fine as long as she takes it,” Boss murmured. “What on earth happened?”
“You don't need to know so much!” Kenneth said, looking at him.
Boss narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him. “If you want the antidote, J, you've got to show some humility. Perhaps I might consider giving it to you for Natash's sake.”
“I've told you that you're not worthy of saying her name!” Kenneth snarled, emphasizing each word.
However, Boss didn't seem to mind. He looked at the man and said softly, “If someone is to be blamed, J, it's you for showing your hand too early. Of course, you wouldn't hesitate to kill me. But if you do, the person you love will also be doomed.” He spoke slowly, accentuating every word as he laid out the facts.
In spite of that, Kenneth merely stared at him in silence.
His gaze held no fear or worry. Instead, there was an indescribable sense of calm in it.
Thus, Boss did the same without uttering a word. In a showdown between two geniuses, it was all about who could keep his cool the longest.
At the side, Boss listened, flexing the wrist of the hand he had just used to hit Kenneth. Then, he leaned in satisfactorily, pinning his gaze on the latter. “You never thought this day would come when you'd fall into my hands, did you, Kenneth?”
Kenneth looked at him with his lips pressed together in silence.
“You can't kill me, but I can kill you.” While saying that, Boss' face turned grim. He then pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man. “You'll pay the price now as how you killed Gavin back then!”
Kenneth's eyes were fearless. The more he appeared unafraid, the angrier Boss grew.
“If you show a bit of fear right now, J, I might consider leaving you intact in death.”
Kenneth looked at him. “I don't care about my body after death, but I do have a question.”
Seeing that, Boss raised an eyebrow slightly. “Well?”
“What exactly is the poison you used?” Kenneth asked.
Speaking of that, Boss cackled. “You'd like to know?”
“I've tried a thousand methods and sought many people out to attempt to find an antidote, but we just can't develop it. We're always missing one ingredient... What exactly is it?” Kenneth pressed, staring at him.
At his question, Boss pursed his lips. A glint of brilliance flashed in his yellow eyes. “You naturally can't develop it because it's something only I possess. Without it as an enhancer, your efforts are nothing but wishful thinking.”
“So, what exactly is it?” asked Kenneth.
“You're interested to know?” Boss drawled.
“Of course.”
“It's simple. Kneel down and prostrate yourself to me three times while admitting to your mistake. Then, I'll tell you,” Boss said darkly.
Listening at the side, Luke was so furious he almost burst a blood vessel. He glared at Boss and shouted, “Don't take it too far!”
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