Everyone knew Vincent was the foremost among those just below the semigod-tier powerhouses.
Yet, what exactly his thoughts were, or what extraordinary abilities he possessed, they had never truly witnessed.
But now, things were different.
Upon seeing the display of his prowess, they all couldnât help but inhale sharply in awe.
My goodness, this was incredible!
To think a ship, though referred to as an airship, was indeed enormous.
Scanning the entire vessel with mind power was surely an impossibility.
Only someone immensely powerful, like Vincent, could accomplish this without merely wasting their mind power.
After his scan, Vincent looked at Benjamin with a smile that was not quite a smile.
"Are you sure this airship was prepared for us? Why do I sense things aboard that shouldnât be here? Maybe you should check it again?"
Francisâs expression was also less than pleased.
Honestly, they couldnât possibly let John and his group leave so easily, so it was normal to leave something behind. Enjoy exclusive content from empire
But unexpectedly, Vincent had detected thisâfeeling even the specifics of what was added was quite extraordinary.
A faint smile appeared on Francisâs face.
"What are you talking about? Iâm afraid I donât quite understand."
Benjamin managed a strained smile, suggesting that they would never place anything inappropriate inside.
Vincent slightly raised an eyebrow; these people really wouldnât relent until they saw the coffin close.
"Are you sure? If I were to reveal certain things, the scene might turn quite unsightly. Iâd rather preserve some dignity for you."
A subtle upward curve played at the corners of Vincentâs mouth as he used his mind power to levitate a small box from the cockpit and fly it out into view.
The others were baffled by the appearance of this small box, but only Francis and Benjaminâs expressions turned sour in an instant.
They had merely intended to test the waters, so naturally, they had placed a tracker.
More critically, it was a compressed bomb!
The plan had been simple: once they left, the bomb would detonate, leaving them to perish in the vastness of space, buried without a trace.
Escaping unscathed from such a place was not an easy feat.
Yet, they hadnât even departed, and the troubling elements were already discovered, glaringly obvious.
"Oh, whatâs this? How did this end up in the airship? My people must have been quite careless to let something like this slip throughâcould lead to an unfortunate misunderstanding," Benjamin said with a smile, seemingly undisturbed by the discovery as if it had nothing to do with them.
Francis made a perfectly timed expression of surprise and then spoke with a touch of embarrassment.
"Ah, Iâm truly sorry. My people arenât always the most efficient, and it seems weâve left a poor impression. I really apologize for this. But rest assured, there wonât be any issues. Iâll make sure to give them a proper talking-to when I return!"
As the two spoke with smiles, Johnâs mouth curled into a mocking smile.
Some things indeed didnât need to be spelled out; a mere glance was enough, and it certainly didnât mean they were fools.
"Really just an oversight by your subordinates? If thatâs the case, then perhaps itâs time for a serious reprimand."
John said this nonchalantly.
"Today, itâs just a few misplaced items in our airship, perhaps due to negligence. But if one day something inappropriate appears in your own rooms, that would be a different matter entirely."
Benjaminâs smile remained unchanged, still as serene as a Buddha.
"Exactly, exactly, youâre quite right. I think itâs definitely time to discipline my people properly."
As he spoke, he glanced at someone nearby.
The man turned pale with fright, and with a thud, he fell to his knees, repeatedly bowing his head in supplication.
"Itâs all my fault, I deserve to die. It was an accident when I was cleaning, I accidentally dropped that thing in there. Iâm sorry, please, just let me go."
"Commander, brother, itâs all my fault, all myâah!"
He was still kneeling and begging, but the next moment his eyes bulged and he began to float uncontrollably.
Desperately clutching at his neck as if in agonizing pain, the man struggled.
Yet, Benjamin remained unsympathetic, his smile unwavering as he spoke.
"I would like to forgive you, but a mistake is a mistake, and some things canât be resolved with just an apology. You might as well apologize in hell."
With a pop, like a water-filled balloon being burst, the manâs body exploded into a mist of blood, scattering in the air.
The air was instantly filled with a strong scent of blood, almost making one nauseous.
Yet, no one around seemed disturbed by the gruesome scene; it appeared all too familiar.
The mist of blood did not dissipate but slowly coalesced into tiny beads, floating in the air.
Sunlight hit these beads, reflecting a crystalline red glow, casting patterns on the ground that were somewhat beautiful, if one did not know what they truly were.
But if they knew the origin of these beads, it would likely only induce revulsion.
"These things are trivial, but are you sure youâve checked everything thoroughly? Thereâs nothing else that shouldnât be there, right? It would be quite problematic if something else were discovered."
Johnâs mouth curved into a slight smile as he spoke in a casual tone.
He was well aware that these people might have other intentions and were likely up to something, but it didnât matter to him.
After all, once they left, they would be in control of everything aboard the airship.
Dealing with any issues then would be simple, provided they could leave safely.
"Of course, thereâs nothing left. Since you are departing, we certainly want to host you well this time. Who knows, you might even decide to come back. If we left something unpleasant behind, that really would ruin things for everyone."
Francis said this with a radiant smile, appearing as if he were a friend bidding farewell.
But what he truly thought, only he knew; matters werenât as simple as he made them seem.
After ensuring nothing else was amiss, they slowly boarded the ship.
However, Victorâs condition was already dire, his complexion so pallid he barely looked human.
Silver Tear and her group deftly helped the person aboard, aware that if they did not leave quickly, greater difficulties awaited them.
Once everyone was on the airship, Johnâs gaze shifted towards Scarlett.
With a smile, Scarlett looked back at him and then shook her head slightly.
"You go ahead. I still have some matters to take care of here. Iâll come find you at Capital Star later."