"As long as the test proves it's genuine, we'll definitely buy!"
The seven of them each gave their word.
They were here to buy super weapons—as long as they were authentic, there was no question they'd make the purchase.
"Good, straightforward." Sol pushed the eight silver short rods across the table. "Pick one, any one, for the test."
The seven whispered among themselves for a moment, then pointed to the one in the middle.
Without hesitation, Sol picked up the chosen silver rod and aimed it at the ceiling.
In an instant, a powerful electromagnetic surge burst forth from the rod. Blue-violet lightning danced and pulsed across the etched lines of the weapon.
The current arced through the air, forming a breathtaking tree of thunder, every branching spark radiating danger.
"Hiss! What a powerful weapon!"
"It's the real deal! The power's no joke!"
Everyone present was an expert. The moment they saw the reaction in Sol's hands, their eyes blazed with greed.
To harness such fierce lightning within a rod thinner than a man's arm—this was a masterpiece of engineering.
Compared to their own bulky weapons, this was on a completely different level.
Within seconds, the electric current grew stronger. The air filled with a sharp stench—ozone, formed as oxygen was split by the electricity.
Some of the metal objects in the room were drawn into the current, forming a cluster of deadly, unstable projectiles.
Seeing the growing intensity, everyone except Sol, Anby, and Jane began to feel their hearts pound in fear.
They had no doubt that even the smallest mistake could turn this room into a graveyard.
"Stop, Mr. Pantalone! We've seen the weapon's power—no need to test further!" Chekkat and the others pleaded all at once.
They were genuinely terrified—this wasn't something to play with while standing inside a closed room.
And from what they'd seen, there was no longer any doubt about the weapon's authenticity.
"Stop?"
Sol flipped the rod horizontally, the air crackling around him.
The fragments of metal drawn in by the electric field hovered ominously.
"Hiss-huff… hiss-huff…" Chekkat and the others went pale, scrambling backward in panic. "Mr. Pantalone, please! Stop! Stop it now!"
Sol gave them an innocent smile. "Sorry—this thing can only be turned on, not off."
"What?"
Chekkat and the eight others were dumbfounded, their faces as pale as corpses.
You've got to be kidding us—if it can't stop, why didn't you say so earlier?! We could've tested it somewhere wide open!
Testing in an underground garage? That was practically suicide!
"Everyone, watch closely. Let me show you what this super weapon can really do."
Sol pointed the rod toward the ceiling.
Instantly, the gathered current surged upward, dragging the metal debris into a roaring storm.
BOOM!
Under the tremendous force, the several-meter-thick concrete ceiling exploded open, leaving a massive hole.
Fortunately, the building above the garage was already a ruin, so there was no risk of collapse.
The debris and dust were blasted skyward, not falling back down into the room.
The ground shook violently, the tremor rivaling a small earthquake.
"We're doomed!"
Chekkat and his allies dove to the floor, crawling desperately under the table for cover.
The electric torrent pierced the heavens, its height surpassing even the Hollow's upper boundary.
A towering tree of lightning erupted through the Hollow's ceiling, blooming in the sky above.
Far outside the Hollow, armed vehicles from the New Eridu Public Security raced in from all directions, their warning lights flashing silently in the heavy air.
From the passenger seat of one of the vehicles, a girl with twin green ponytails leaned out the window, staring at the lightning. "Zhu Yuan, Jane's intel was accurate—they're inside that Hollow."
"Understood." Zhu Yuan nodded, gripping the wheel and slamming down the accelerator. She spoke into her communicator: "All units, accelerate. Do not let any suspects escape!"
"Unit 1547, copy!"
"Unit 6753, copy!"
"Seth, copy! We'll get it done!"
The officers were ready—weapons primed, resolve hardened.
...
Meanwhile, in the underground garage's temporary office.
The chaos gradually subsided. Beams of golden sunlight streamed through the hole in the ceiling, brightening the once-dim room.
Chekkat and his seven partners crawled out from under the table, disheveled, brushing off their clothes and checking themselves over.
After patting down their bodies a few times, they finally confirmed they were alive—and miraculously unharmed.
Sol and his companions sat calmly in their chairs, smiling as they watched the others stumble about.
The seven men couldn't help feeling a little resentful. This man was really something—a bit too playful for comfort.
"Well, gentlemen, the inspection's done. Time to pay up, isn't it?"
Sol smiled lightly and pushed the eight silver rods toward the center of the table.
"Yes, yes, of course—time to pay."
Chekkat's partners nodded quickly, swallowing their frustration.
"A brand-new rod can be used three times. Price: twenty-five billion Denny each. The one you just tested—and the one I used once before—go together for thirty billion." Sol said matter-of-factly. "Don't call it expensive. Chekkat's rod had one use already, so I sold it to him for twenty billion—that's ten billion per use. By comparison, you're actually getting a bargain."
He went on, smiling. "No haggling. You either buy, or you don't. But if you don't, you'll have to withstand one blast before leaving."
"Uh…"
The seven men exchanged uneasy glances. Their faces went pale again.
No negotiation, and refusal meant facing a super weapon strike?
That wasn't a sale—that was extortion!
After a tense round of whispering with Chekkat, they finally said, "Fine. We accept the price."
The original price had been twenty billion Denny each—they had come prepared.
But Sol's sudden price hike left them short. The logic was sound, the product flawless—but their wallets weren't ready.
They made several calls to their subordinates outside to gather the remaining funds.
As for the two rods bundled together, none of them could afford them alone, so they pooled their money to buy them jointly for later division.
"Good, very good! Decisive men like you—you're the future of New Eridu's underworld." Sol said, collecting each of their bank cards and solemnly handing over the silver rods in turn.
Six rods at twenty-five billion each, plus two together for thirty billion—a total of one hundred eighty billion Denny.
He was very pleased. It wasn't every day someone appreciated his craftsmanship this much.