Chapter 46: The Mind Game

I sat in the mansion's study, the soft glow of my laptop illuminating my calm yet calculating expression. Representative Rachel Duvall was no amateur. Unlike the others, she wasn't merely entangled with Cassandra; she was an independent power player with her own empire to protect. Her network of spies and informants wasn't surprising—it was expected.

"She's smart," John commented, sitting across from me with a cup of coffee in hand. "But not smart enough to avoid stepping into your trap."

"She doesn't have to be smarter than me," I replied, leaning back in my chair. "She just has to think she is."

The plan was already in motion. For the past week, I had noticed the same figure trailing me—a spy, undoubtedly working for Duvall. Instead of exposing the man outright, I let him linger, feeding him carefully crafted breadcrumbs.

One evening, as I made my way through a bustling plaza, I purposefully stopped at a small café, ordering tea and sitting near the window. The spy sat two tables away, pretending to read a newspaper.

I glanced at my watch, waited for the perfect moment, then dropped my phone "accidentally" under the table. I bent down, signaling John and two other operatives stationed nearby.

Moments later, the spy found himself cornered in a dimly lit alley behind the café, John holding him in a tight grip.

"Let me go!" the spy shouted, struggling futilely.

"Quiet," I said, stepping into the alley. My calm voice carried an edge that silenced the man instantly. "You're going to help me now."

The spy glared at him. "I'd rather die than betray Duvall."

"Relax," I smirked. "I don't need you to betray her. I just need you to give her the wrong information."

After injecting the spy with a [Persuasion Serum]—a low-grade concoction meant for short-term compliance—I planted false information. I made the spy believe he was still loyal to Duvall, with instructions to report back a fabricated narrative:

William had uncovered damaging evidence against Duvall and was preparing to leak it publicly. He would be at a specific location to finalize his plan.

"Tell her I'm meeting an informant in the old industrial district," I instructed. "Make her believe it's her last chance to stop me quietly."

The spy nodded, the serum ensuring his cooperation for the next 24 hours.

I bought this serum as soon as I know that someone is following me to the cafe. Hathor recommend me this in case the spy didn't want to talk.

Two days later, Duvall's black SUV rolled into the industrial district. She had come alone, as instructed by her spy. I watched from a concealed vantage point with my operatives stationed nearby to ensure no reinforcements arrived unnoticed.

Duvall stepped out of the car, her expression sharp and wary. She carried a small handbag, likely concealing a weapon. The spy stood nearby, fidgeting nervously under her scrutinizing gaze.

"You've been acting strange," Duvall said coldly, her eyes narrowing. "What aren't you telling me?"

"N-nothing, ma'am," the spy stammered. "I-I swear, this is legitimate. He's inside."

Her suspicion deepened, but before she could act, I stepped out from the shadows, clapping slowly.

"Representative Duvall," I said, his voice calm and steady. "It's an honor to finally meet you in person."

She turned sharply, her hand moving instinctively toward her bag. "William Right," she said, her voice laced with contempt. "I assume you're here to gloat."

I smirked. "Gloat? No. I'm here to talk."

"Talk?" she scoffed. "You've taken down everyone else on Cassandra's payroll, and now you've come for me. Let me guess—you want me to join your little rebellion?"

"Not exactly," I replied while I was stepping closer. "I'm here to give you a choice: stay loyal to Cassandra and watch your career crumble, or align yourself with me and protect everything you've worked for."

Duvall laughed, a sharp, humorless sound. "You think you've got me cornered? You're a child playing a dangerous game. Cassandra has more power than you can imagine."

"Does she?" I countered while tilting my head. "Because from where I'm standing, she's losing grip. One by one, her allies are falling. And you know what's worse? She's doing nothing to stop it. Where is your queen now, Representative?"

Duvall's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond.

I activated [Master Manipulator] to weave words with calculated precision.

"Do you know why Cassandra is losing?" I asked. "It's not because of me. It's because she doesn't value her people. You're just a pawn to her, Rachel. Disposable, replaceable. But to me? You're an asset—a partner."

Duvall's eyes flickered with doubt, but she quickly masked it. "And what happens when I outlive my usefulness to you?"

"You won't," I said simply. "Because unlike Cassandra, I don't burn bridges. I build alliances. But you have to decide: do you want to stand on the winning side, or be dragged down with her sinking ship?"

Just as I finished speaking, Duvall's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her eyes widening slightly before she schooled her expression.

I frowned. Had she been tipped off? I glanced at John, who was stationed nearby, and signaled subtly.

Duvall smiled, a predatory glint in her eyes. "You're good, I'll give you that. But you made one mistake."

"And what's that?" I asked, keeping my voice calm.

"You underestimated me," she said, stepping closer. "You think I don't know how to play this game? I've been watching you, William. You're not as untouchable as you think."

My mind raced, but I kept my composure. "Maybe," I said with a faint smirk playing on my lips. "But you still came here. Alone. Which means, deep down, you know you can't beat me."

Duvall hesitated, her confidence faltering for just a moment.

"You don't trust Cassandra," I continued, seizing the opening. "And you don't trust me. But one of us has your best interests in mind. Ask yourself this: when the dust settles, who will stand by you? The one who sees you as a liability? Or the one who sees your potential?"

Duvall's hand twitched toward her bag, but she didn't draw the weapon. Instead, she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"You're insufferable," she muttered.

"Is that a yes?" I asked with a tone light but edged with purpose.

Duvall glared at me but didn't deny it.

System Notification:

Representative Rachel Duvall's loyalty meter: 50%.

Hidden mission: Earn her full submission without violence or system items.

I smirked. "We'll talk again soon, Representative."

The game wasn't over, but I was already several moves ahead.

When it comes to people like Rachel Duvall, you don't win with brute force or flashy moves. You win with subtlety, patience, and a needle-thin blade aimed at the insecurities they hide from the world. She had power, yes. But power breeds paranoia, and paranoia was the crack I needed.

She was standing in front of me now, her hand still twitching toward the bag at her side. A gun, probably. Or a recording device. Either way, it didn't matter. The battle wasn't going to be fought with weapons—it was going to be fought in her mind.

I smiled, letting a hint of amusement slip into my expression. "You don't trust me, Rachel. That's fair. I wouldn't trust me either if I were in your shoes. But tell me this—how much do you trust Cassandra?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at, Right?"

I shrugged, taking a slow step closer to her. "You're smarter than most of the people she's surrounded herself with. I'm sure you've noticed things… inconsistencies. Little moves that don't quite add up. Haven't you ever wondered if she's already started cleaning house?"

Duvall's lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't say anything. Good. That meant I'd struck a nerve.

"You're lying," she said finally, but her voice lacked conviction. "Cassandra wouldn't—"

"She wouldn't?" I interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "Rachel, you've been in politics long enough to know how this works. The moment someone becomes a liability, they're expendable. And right now, you're looking like a liability."

Her eyes flicked to her phone, still buzzing intermittently with messages she hadn't read yet. Probably her handlers or Cassandra's lackeys trying to feed her information—or disinformation. I needed her to question everything.

I took another step forward, lowering my voice. "You think she doesn't know about this little meeting? You think she doesn't have people watching you, just like you've been watching me? Hell, for all you know, she sent someone to follow you here. To see if you're still loyal."

Duvall's hand clenched around her bag. Her poker face was good, but not perfect. There was fear in her eyes now, buried deep but unmistakable.

"You're bluffing," she said, but her voice wavered.

"Am I?" I tilted my head, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably. "Let me ask you this—when was the last time you spoke to Cassandra directly? Not through an intermediary, not through one of her people. Face to face."

Duvall hesitated. That was all the answer I needed.

"She's distancing herself from you," I said, pressing the advantage. "Cutting ties. You're a loose end, Rachel. And you know what happens to loose ends."

I activated [Master Manipulator], weaving my words into the perfect storm of logic and doubt. "She's probably already started feeding information to the press. Setting the stage for your downfall. When the hammer drops, it won't just be your career—it'll be everything. Your reputation, your connections, your family. Gone."

"That's ridiculous," she snapped, but there was panic in her voice now. "I've been loyal to her since the beginning. She wouldn't—"

"Wouldn't she?" I interrupted again. "Think about it, Rachel. Who benefits if you go down? Not me. Not you. Cassandra. She gets to paint you as the scapegoat, the corrupt politician who went rogue. She saves her empire, and you take the fall."

Duvall's breathing was uneven, her composure crumbling piece by piece. I could almost see the gears turning in her mind, replaying every interaction with Cassandra, every conversation, every slight deviation from the norm.

I stepped closer, close enough that she couldn't ignore me. "But it doesn't have to end that way. You still have a choice. You can align yourself with me, and I'll make sure you come out of this unscathed. I'll protect you, Rachel. But you have to trust me."

Her silence was deafening. She looked at me, then at her phone, then back at me. Finally, she sighed, the fight draining out of her.

"What do you want from me?" she asked quietly.

"Your loyalty," I said simply. "And your cooperation. Together, we can dismantle Cassandra's empire and build something better. Something stronger. But I need to know that you're with me completely."

She hesitated again, but eventually nodded. "Fine. I'm in."

System Notification:

Representative Rachel Duvall's loyalty meter: 80%.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the vial of loyalty bind serum. "One last thing," I said, holding it up. "This is insurance. For both of us. Drink it, and I'll know you're truly committed."

Duvall stared at the vial, her expression unreadable. "What is it?"

"Call it a safeguard," I said. "It won't hurt you, but it ensures you can't betray me. Think of it as a symbol of trust."

She hesitated, then took the vial from my hand. Without a word, she uncapped it and drank.

System Notification:

Representative Rachel Duvall's loyalty meter: 100%.

Hidden mission completed: "Turn the Spy Against Her Master."

Rewards distributed: +20 on all stats!

I smiled, stepping back. "Welcome to the winning side, Rachel."

She didn't respond, but the look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know. Another piece of Cassandra's empire had just fallen, and the board was mine to control.