Chapter 58: The Unseen Threat

David leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly against the polished mahogany desk. His eyes remained fixed on the glowing notification in front of him.

[Warning: Vincent Langley has lost connection. Subject is no longer under system control.]

He let out a slow exhale. Lost connection? That shouldn't have been possible. He had created Langley, handpicked him, stripped him of his identity, and rebuilt him into the perfect agent—one who existed solely to serve him. His control was absolute.

Yet, somehow, someone had severed that leash.

No, not someone. William.

A smirk curled at the corner of his lips. He had underestimated him. Langley's betrayal wasn't an accident; it was engineered. Planned to perfection. William had managed to do it so cleanly, so discreetly, that even the system had failed to detect the severance until it was too late.

David sat up straighter, his gaze sharpening.

"System," he said, his voice calm but laced with cold curiosity. "How did I lose control of Langley?"

[ERROR: No traceable interference detected. Subject severed through unidentified means.]

His fingers stopped tapping. Unidentified? That meant it wasn't done through any conventional method. If William had a system, the notification would have flagged a forced takeover. But what if…

He narrowed his eyes.

"What is the likelihood of other system users existing?"

The screen flickered.

[Searching…]

Seconds passed in silence. Then—

[CONFIRMED: There are other system users.]

David's smirk faltered, but he quickly composed himself.

"How many?"

[Exact number cannot be determined. Some systems remain undetected.]

That was unsettling. If there were others, then he wasn't the only one with power.

"What about their strengths?" he asked, voice steady. "Where does my system rank?"

A pause. Then—

[Your system is ranked #2 in overall power and potential.]

David's fingers curled into a fist.

Second.

That meant there was a first.

His voice remained controlled, but the air around him grew colder.

"Who holds the strongest system?"

The screen flickered again.

Then, two words appeared.

[William Right.]

David's smirk vanished.

For the first time in years, a cold chill ran down his spine.

His fingers tightened around the chair's armrest, the weight of that name pressing down on him like an unseen force.

William Right.

Not only had he stolen Langley, but now the system was telling him that William possessed something even greater than his own.

"…Explain," David commanded. "Why is William's system stronger than mine?"

The system processed his request before responding.

[The Dominance System is unique among all known systems. Unlike other systems that grant power based on predefined functions and categories, the Dominance System allows its host to establish absolute control over others—beyond physical, mental, and even systemic limits.]

David's breath slowed.

Absolute control?

[Your system, the Supremacy System, is ranked second due to its unparalleled ability to manipulate people, organizations, and structures. However, its influence relies on external leverage—resources, reputation, and psychological manipulation.]

David leaned forward, his mind racing. "And William's?"

[The Dominance System does not require leverage. It does not persuade or manipulate—it commands. If a target is brought under the system's control, their free will ceases to exist. The more people the host dominates, the more powerful the system becomes. Its influence is not just psychological, but metaphysical.]

David's heart pounded against his ribs.

Not just psychological, but metaphysical.

That explained everything. William hadn't just turned Langley against him—he had erased Langley's connection entirely.

It wasn't about loyalty. It wasn't about persuasion.

William had simply rewritten the rules.

David clenched his jaw.

"Are you saying that if my system were to go against his… I would lose?"

A long pause.

[Affirmative.]

His nails dug into the leather of his chair.

For the first time, David Lawrence was not the most powerful player in the game.

Back at the Hideout

I leaned back in my chair, watching Vincent Langley across the dimly lit room. He had finally stopped shaking, though the tension in his shoulders hadn't faded. His eyes flickered with the remnants of disbelief and fear. He still couldn't fully grasp what had happened to him.

Good. That made things easier.

"Now that you're mine," I began, my voice calm but firm, "I need to know everything about David Lawrence."

Langley hesitated. A foolish reaction. His instincts probably still told him that betraying Lawrence meant death. He was partially right—except now, he wasn't afraid of the right person.

I sighed and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "You should understand something, Langley. I don't ask for information—I take it."

His breath hitched. That was enough of a push.

He exhaled sharply and nodded. "David… He isn't normal."

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"He's… meticulous. Cold. But what makes him dangerous is that he doesn't rely on brute force or intimidation. He's a planner. A master manipulator. He sees people as tools, and he's very good at using them."

I already knew that much. "And his system?"

Langley swallowed hard. "He calls it the Supremacy System. It allows him to control people—not like you do, but through influence, power, and manipulation. He can twist people's emotions, their desires. He can make them feel like they have no choice but to follow him."

I nodded slowly. "And weaknesses?"

Langley hesitated again, so I tilted my head. "Langley, you've seen what I can do. You're standing here because I decided to spare you. Don't make me regret that decision."

His face paled, and he immediately spoke. "H-He's obsessed with being in control. That's his biggest flaw. He hates unpredictability. Anything that doesn't go according to his plan makes him lose his composure."

Interesting. So, David wasn't as unshakable as he wanted people to believe.

"Anything else?"

Langley nodded quickly. "He doesn't trust people. He relies on his system to maintain control, but he doesn't have true loyalty from anyone. They follow him out of fear, out of manipulation—but if he ever loses his grip on them, they'd turn on him in an instant."

I smirked. Now that's useful.

I stood up, towering over Langley. "Good. You're proving yourself useful."

He exhaled in relief, but I wasn't done yet.

"Tell me," I said, my voice dropping slightly, "if you were David, what would you do next?"

Langley hesitated, then whispered, "He'll come after you. Hard."

I smiled. "Let him try."

Meanwhile, David's screen flickered again.

Another notification appeared.

[WARNING: Supremacy System Influence Detected in User's Subordinates—Stability Level Dropping.]

David's eyes darkened.

William wasn't just taking one of his pawns.

He was coming for the whole board.