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Emil paused, caught slightly off guard.
"But there's a difference," Ethan went on. "I'd rather hold power myself than let it fall into the hands of madmen. That way, I can stay safe."
Emil scoffed.
"I doubt that's the real reason," he said. "You just want everything for yourself. You want Arasaka to be the biggest dog out there."
Ethan nodded again, not offended in the slightest.
"Correct," he said. "Because the biggest dog doesn't get hunted."
He stepped closer to the glass.
"I don't want war. I don't want chaos," Ethan continued. "I want a world where no one can force me into either."
Emil stared at him, searching his face.
"And where does that leave me?" he asked.
Ethan's expression remained steady.
"That depends on you," he said. "Cooperate, and you're a resource. Resist, and you're a liability."
The words were delivered without malice—just fact.
Ethan turned away.
"Think about it," he said over his shoulder. "You already lost your freedom chasing power."
He stopped briefly at the door.
"I'm offering you a way to make that loss… useful."
The door slid shut behind him, leaving Emil alone in the softly humming cage.
Does he want to recruit me? Emil wondered as he leaned back against the reinforced wall.
On the other side, Ethan walked down the corridor, his expression neutral as a translucent system screen appeared before him. His eyes moved over the latest monthly gacha results.
[ Tyrant Project ]
[ Resident Evil ]
Ethan frowned.
"This is dangerous," he muttered. "If I make this recklessly, it could easily turn into a zombie apocalypse."
He paused, thinking it through carefully. Though he still end up getting the knowledge of it.
After a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Oh," he said quietly. "The antidote is included as well."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Still," Ethan said, dismissing the screen, "this stays locked away for now."
Some powers weren't meant to be used immediately.
Ethan dismissed the system screen and continued down the corridor. The elevator carried him up in silence, past the restricted levels, until the world above ground welcomed him back with soft lights and controlled calm.
By the time he arrived at his mansion, night had already settled in.
The moment he stepped inside, the lights adjusted automatically. He loosened his jacket and walked toward the living area.
Sharon appeared from the side corridor, tablet in hand.
"The military made contact," she said directly. "They want Emil Blonsky handed over."
Ethan stopped and looked at her.
"They're also requesting we sign an NDA," Sharon continued. "Stating that we can't reveal it was originally a military project."
Ethan nodded slowly, unsurprised.
"What was your response?" he asked.
Sharon tapped her tablet and looked up.
"I told them we're willing to cooperate," she said. "But only if they hand over all existing data on super soldier experiments—every version, every failure."
She paused for emphasis.
"And five hundred billion USD."
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"They didn't hang up?" he asked.
"They were quiet for a full ten seconds," Sharon replied. "Then they asked for time."
Ethan gave a faint smile.
"They'll come back," he said. "They always do."
He walked toward the window, looking out at the city.
"They can't afford Blonsky getting out," Ethan continued. "And they can't afford Arasaka keeping him either."
Sharon nodded. "So we set the price."
"No," Ethan corrected calmly. "We set the rules."
He turned back to her.
"If they agree, we get their research and their silence," he said. "If they don't, Blonsky stays exactly where he is."
"And if they try something else?" Sharon asked.
Ethan's expression didn't change.
"Then they'll learn," he said, "why Arasaka doesn't get pressured."
Sharon lowered her tablet.
"I'll wait for their reply."
As she turned to leave, Ethan added one last thing.
"And Sharon?"
She paused.
"Prepare a secondary proposal," he said. "One where cooperation benefits them just enough to think it was their idea."
A small smile crossed her face.
"Already working on it," she said.
When she left, Ethan stood alone, looking out over the city.
Next day
Rhodes arrived at Ethan's mansion as a representative of the U.S. military.
"Yo," Ethan said casually, sitting on the couch and eating breakfast.
Rhodes took in the scene—the relaxed posture, the plate in Ethan's hand, the complete lack of tension—and immediately understood this wasn't going to be easy.
Rhodes exhaled slowly and stepped inside, the doors closing behind him with a soft mechanical hum.
"You're aware this isn't a social visit," Rhodes said, folding his arms.
Ethan didn't even look up. He stabbed another piece of food with his fork and shrugged."Yeah. But it is morning. I'm hungry. Priorities."
Rhodes' eye twitched.
"You detained Emil Blonsky," he said bluntly. "That puts you on a very short list of people the Pentagon wants answers from."
Ethan finally glanced up, chewing thoughtfully."Detained is a strong word. I prefer secured responsibly."
"That 'thing' is a military asset," Rhodes shot back.
Ethan smiled faintly."Was."
The air shifted.
Rhodes straightened. "You're treading dangerous ground, Ethan."
Ethan set his plate down and stood, his casual demeanor still intact—but something colder flickered behind his eyes.
"So is pretending monsters belong to flags," he replied calmly."Coffee?"
Rhodes stared at him.
"…This is going to be a long day," he muttered.
Ethan walked past Rhodes toward the kitchen, completely unfazed.
"Black or with sugar?" he asked over his shoulder.
Rhodes hesitated, then followed. "You're avoiding the question."
"No," Ethan replied calmly as he grabbed a mug and pressed a button on the machine. "I'm delaying it. Big difference."
The coffee machine hummed to life.
Rhodes leaned against the counter. "Blonsky was under U.S. jurisdiction. You had no authority to—"
"I had every authority," Ethan cut in, his tone still mild. "He was unstable, weaponized, and five minutes away from leveling a city. I intervened."
" More importantly he tried to attack me" Ethan said looking at him " which gives me full authority to act however I want with him"