The three of them entered a room filled with weapon components.
There were a few sofas and a tea table set nearby.
Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and comfortable.
Several service personnel in military uniforms stood inside, responsible for preparing tea.
They used a traditional Asian tea-making method.
The woman making tea was beautiful, with a well-proportioned figure.
Ryden glanced at her a few extra times.
Schmidt noticed.
He nodded slightly.
So this man was a pervert.
A hidden one.
Not bad with women-just discreet.
After all, who would go around bragging about how many women they had?
Even if you did, you'd keep it to yourself.
Saying it out loud only invited trouble.
"Does Dr. Ryden like this woman?" Schmidt asked calmly. "If you want her, I can give her to you."
Schmidt had almost no interest in women.
His mind was filled with schemes and conspiracies.
Ryden snapped out of his thoughts and smiled.
"No need. If I want her, I'll say it myself." He looked at Schmidt. "What do you really want, Mr. Schmidt? You didn't bring me here just to offer a woman."
The female officer showed no reaction at all.
Being discussed like merchandise didn't bother her in the slightest.
One thing was certain.
She was definitely a Hydra agent.
Her mental fortitude was strong.
An ordinary woman would've reacted.
She didn't.
She continued brewing and pouring tea, movements steady and flawless.
"Dr. Ryden," Schmidt said slowly, turning the teacup in his hand. "You mentioned earlier that compared to true power, firearms are merely tricks. What kind of power made you say that?"
His tone was calm.
His expression grim.
He waved his hand, signaling the female officer to leave.
"Many kinds," Ryden replied easily. "Natural. Unnatural. For example-the power of a meteorite."
He leaned back slightly.
"A meteorite falling from high altitude, combined with acceleration and momentum, can destroy vast areas. It can trigger earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions. Another doomsday wouldn't be surprising."
He paused.
"That's how the dinosaurs died."
Ryden began to brag.
When dealing with a cunning man, the safest method was simple.
Brag until the other side thought you were impressive.
Dr. Zola was the same.
As a scientist, the Red Skull didn't kill without reason.
He only slaughtered enemies.
And civilians.
Everyone learned about the Jurassic period in school.
Dinosaurs supposedly went extinct due to volcanic disasters-magma everywhere, sulfur choking the air.
Creatures relying purely on physical strength naturally perished.
But the truth?
No one really knew.
Everything was speculation.
Maybe some people did know.
The Sorcerer Supreme.
The Ancient One.
But she wouldn't bother explaining it.
Such truths were only meaningful to the obsessed.
Ryden's words clearly caught Schmidt's attention.
He personally poured a cup of tea for Ryden.
"A good point," Schmidt said. "But that's common knowledge. Please continue, Dr. Ryden."
Ahem.
Ryden was delighted.
"Compared to nature, firearms are weak. Their destructive power is limited. Take my AK-47-it's powerful, yes. It outperforms most machine guns."
He smiled.
"But compared to rocket launchers? Large-caliber artillery? It's insignificant."
"There will always be weapons stronger than the AK-47." He continued. "And human potential is infinite. We haven't reached our limits-whether of the brain or the body."
He paused and finished his tea.
Schmidt refilled it immediately.
"Go on," Schmidt urged.
"There are studies," Ryden said, "showing that some people learn incredibly fast, while others struggle. Some build muscle easily. Others can't, no matter how hard they train."
He tapped the table lightly.
"This comes down to individual physical qualities-and undeveloped potential."
"There are countless mysteries in this world. Behind them are terrifying forces. Ordinary people can't see them."
Ryden looked at both men.
"But I believe people like us feel it. Confusion. Doubt. The sense that something isn't right."
He stopped there.
Letting the words sink in.
In truth, he wasn't just bragging.
He was layering theory upon theory, starting small and expanding outward.
Pulling his listeners into a framework he controlled.
Making them want to hear more.
...Why did this feel like a story written by this author?
Either way, it worked.
Both Dr. Zola and Schmidt were clearly intrigued.
Discussing natural forces made them feel like they'd found a kindred spirit.
Dr. Zola was a research fanatic.
Utterly loyal to Hydra.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have shifted allegiance from Schmidt to Pierce.
He only cared about developing weapons powerful enough to help Hydra rule the world.
Schmidt, on the other hand, pursued something else entirely.
Unknown powers.
Non-human forces.
His obsession with the perfect Super Soldier Serum proved that.
And his own strength was already four or five times that of an ordinary man.
"At the beginning," Ryden noted silently, "he lifted a coffin lid that four thousand men couldn't budge."
The serum had worked.
Just not as well as Steve's.
"What made you feel something was wrong?" Schmidt asked, interest deepening.
Finding a like-minded person was rare.
Someone who shared his perspective?
Even rarer.
"Hehe," Ryden chuckled. "Simple."
"There are rumors. People have seen aliens."
"I believe it."
"But that's not the strange part."
He leaned forward slightly.
"There's something else. Something right in front of us. Yet we refuse to believe it."
"What is it?" Dr. Zola asked immediately.
His curiosity was burning.
Ryden smiled.
"The Pyramids of Egypt."
"They were built using technology-or power-we don't understand."
"Without unknown forces, it's impossible."
Schmidt's eyes narrowed.
So there really were non-natural abilities.
Maybe mythology wasn't nonsense after all.
Dr. Zola fell silent, deep in thought.
His bald head worked overtime, imagining the construction of the pyramids.
Ryden was satisfied.
Bragging cost nothing.
He didn't know how the pyramids were built either.
As long as he could fool these two villains-
He was winning.
Every 250 Power Stones gets 1 bonus chapters!