บท 116: Try To Kill Me?

In a dimly lit study filled with sleek, futuristic furniture, the air holds a unique mixture of metallic and sterile scents. Holographic screens flicker on the walls, casting fleeting illuminations that dance across the old man's face. His eyes glint with a complex mix of excitement and wariness.

He clears his throat, and his stern, unwavering voice fills the room, reverberating off the walls without the need for any technological amplification. "Viktor, your purpose in life is to marry the Tripod granddaughter, Kelly!"

Viktor, a 10-year-old boy, stands in the room with the elder. His small form seems even tinier amid the towering people surrounding him. A flicker of fear lights up his youthful eyes, yet he steadies his voice, tinged with a blend of resignation and hesitancy, and responds, "Yes, Grandfather."