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Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: You Can Do What You Want

"Beautiful! So beautiful! As expected of a super-evolved human! Is this the ultimate form of our evolution?" The exclamation rang out over the comms, filled with equal parts awe and excitement.

In the heat of the moment, voices erupted from multiple channels. One caller shouted, "We must arrest him! Once we do, all of mankind will usher in a bold new chapter!" Their tone was authoritative, almost prophetic—if only they had realized the true scope of the unfolding chaos.

From his position on the front lines, Hall had a different perspective. His eyes were fixed on Peter—the man who had become a living enigma. In Hall's view, there was only one undeniable fact: Peter's formidable power was on full display, far eclipsing any attempts to subdue him. It was only recently that Hall had come to understand the impossibility of capturing someone of Peter's caliber. Their elaborate plans, their high-tech gadgets, and their finely tuned strategies all seemed futile in the wake of his raw ability.

The person responsible for the military technology, whose hands trembled as he monitored the unfolding action, was struck speechless. "X! Look at this!" he cried out into his headset. "We were all sliced in half by the lasers emanating from the monster's eyes! And they still expect us to capture him?"

"Capture him? What are you even trying to do?" bellowed another voice from the command center. "You're a bunch of amateurs! It's like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands!"

Frustration and panic began to ripple through their ranks as one voice cut through the chaos, "Jim! You go negotiate with that creature... Mr. Peter, do try to stop this madness! Our entire military apparatus is willing to pay dearly for your forgiveness!" There was a note of desperation underpinning that appeal—a plea from someone whose only goal was damage control.

A moment later, another voice boomed, "Yes! I'll negotiate with this gentleman right now!" It was Gail Gibbs, whose normally cool demeanor had been replaced by a burning urgency as the calamity unfolded around them. Unlike before, her voice no longer carried the refined detachment of someone used to handling bureaucratic affairs; now it was laden with panic and raw emotion.

The military technology chief, sensing a sliver of hope in Gibbs' announcement, felt his heart race. Just yesterday, Gibbs had personally summoned him. He remembered her message clearly: to apprehend a target like Peter, they needed every man and piece of advanced technology at their disposal. In his mind, this could be turned into a lucrative contract. He had assumed that arresting one extraordinary individual would be a minor challenge—an easy way to earn a hefty bonus. Never did he imagine that the target in question would be someone who not only defied capture but obliterated any attempt at subjugation.

"Quick! Switch to our secure radio channel!" he commanded, his voice cracking under the pressure, as he darted around the command room. "Sir! Mr. Peter, we can talk! Please, just listen!"

At that very moment, Peter deactivated his thermal vision. His eyes, once glowing with otherworldly intensity, now narrowed as he regarded the feeble attempts at negotiation. "What are you doing?" he roared into the channel, his tone both dismissive and laced with barely concealed amusement. "Tell your men to keep firing the tranquilizers! They're our only chance to catch me!"

Hall, who had been observing the unfolding exchange with growing ire, couldn't contain his frustration. "Damn it—catch me yourselves if you're so eager to succeed!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room in disbelief.

Tempers flared. In a sudden, shocking motion, the person in charge of military technology swung his hand and landed a resounding slap across Hall's face. The sound of the impact reverberated in the chaos of the command center. Hall staggered backward, his eyes wide as he struggled to regain his composure, while his colleagues stared in silence at the unexpected act of violence.

Meanwhile, Peter strode forward, his steps measured yet devastatingly purposeful. He stood directly in front of the head of military technology, his presence a declaration of authority. "I'd love to see you all try to capture me," Peter said mockingly, a wry smile dancing on his lips as he regarded Hall—now humbled and sprawled on the ground.

"Give him the communication channel!" Peter demanded with icy precision. "I want to speak with him directly." His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable edge—a promise that the conversation would not be in vain.

A hesitant response crackled over the radio. "Sir… our president wishes to speak with you. Look—" the subordinate stammered, but was cut off as Peter effortlessly hacked into the encrypted channel used by the military technology team.

The voice on the other end was unmistakable. Gail Gibbs recognized immediately that she had crossed a line. They had unknowingly provoked a true monster—a being with a malice far beyond the boundaries of any human adversary she had ever encountered.

The situation escalated further when reports started coming in from Night City. At the very top of the Araban Tower, a new crisis was unfolding. "Master Lai Xuan, our satellites have detected severe disturbances at the military base of the military technology division," reported Takemura Goro as he entered the command office. "It appears a full-scale battle is underway!"

Arabata Laixuan, absorbed in reviewing documents for a crucial project, looked up in alarm. "A battle at the military base? Who could dare attack it? Have the seven homeless states joined forces?" Her voice was low, laced with confusion and concern as she tried to piece together the unfolding events.

Takemura Goro, though equally perplexed, quickly added, "Based on the satellite images, it doesn't look like an attack by a coalition of disorganized rebels. In fact, the imagery suggests someone responsible for assisting us in reclaiming Herman—someone with significant capabilities—is at the center of this conflict."

"Who?" Arabata Laixuan's eyes narrowed as she reached out to the console. "Show me the live feed."

A few tense seconds later, the projector flickered to life. The scene was both mesmerizing and horrifying. Peter stood amidst the ruin of the military base, his heat vision cutting through the defenses like a scythe. Cars and personnel alike were reduced to twisted metal and smoldering debris. Despite the devastation surrounding him, Peter walked calmly as if taking a leisurely stroll through a park.

Arabata Laixuan's face went pale. Even the normally unflappable Takemura Goro couldn't hide his shock. "I've seen wars, but nothing compares to this…" he murmured, his voice heavy with disbelief.

For years, military analysts had painted Peter as a potential threat—their caution was not unfounded. Now, confronted with incontrovertible evidence of his overwhelming destructive power, the realization set in. Peter's seemingly casual ambivalence was underpinned by an absolute, crushing strength that left everything he touched in ruins.

At the same time, across the city in a high-rise adjacent to the Araban Tower, the mood inside Kangtao Company's building was equally somber. Ling Xiaohan and Xu Xinyue had gathered in the lobby, eyes glued to a large broadcast screen displaying the live images from the military base. Their expressions were a mix of horror, disbelief, and reluctant admiration.

"Is… is this really a human being?" Xu Xinyue's voice was nearly a whisper as she struggled to reconcile the image of the Peter she had seen laughing and casually discussing mundane details at dinner just hours before with the monstrous force that now ravaged the base.

Ling Xiaohan placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and replied, "Xinyue, now do you see why our board is so keen to align with Peter? He may indeed be the first superhuman evolution in our world. Look at his speed, strength, and extraordinary intellect. Today, he has shown us the full extent of his capabilities."

Her words carried a dual-edged message. While the sight before them was horrifying, it was also an irresistible demonstration of power. "If we can earn his trust," Ling Xiaohan continued, "we might spearhead the next era in our industry—and perhaps even the world. But if we are to cooperate with him, we must first prove that we can offer him what he truly deserves."

Xu Xinyue's eyes never left the screen. "Yet, why target the military technology base? Surely such an overt act of hostility would attract every agency and global power's attention."

Ling Xiaohan shrugged, her face thoughtful and calculating. "Politics aside, Peter's actions may indeed be a calculated move—a provocation to draw out the entire network of military technology and their backers. If Kangtao Company wants to secure a future with him, we must be prepared to contend not only with him but also with the full force of our competitors."

The broadcast continued as images of the destruction narrated their own story. Military bases across China were rapidly falling under the relentless onslaught of Peter's power. In one image, a bunker—where a handful of soldiers and officials had taken refuge—remained stubbornly intact, its thick reinforced walls providing the only semblance of security. Yet even this solitary stronghold was a temporary respite from the onslaught of his heat vision.

By now, every channel in Night City was buzzing with updates. The chaotic blend of radio chatter, official announcements, and panicked civilian calls painted a stark picture. "This is no longer just a military exercise," one news anchor declared with a grave tone, "but a fundamental shift in power—one that shakes the very foundations of our world."

Back in the command center of the military technology division, the person in charge, still reeling from the earlier altercation with Hall, tried desperately to salvage control of the situation. "We must coordinate our remaining assets—redirect the reserves, establish a defensive perimeter, and try to contain this aberration," he barked orders, but his voice betrayed the tremor of uncertainty.

As the chaos unfolded, Peter's presence remained a constant reminder of the futility of resistance. His tone over the hacked channel took on an almost conversational cadence. "Listen well, all of you," he said evenly, his words slicing through the static of the channel. "I am not here for petty hostage negotiations. I am here to demonstrate a new order. If you insist on challenging the inevitable evolution of our kind, be prepared for the consequences."

His pronouncement sent an icy chill down the spine of every listener. The once-hopeful promises of retribution and rewards seemed utterly insignificant in the face of this overwhelming power.

Meanwhile, in the corridors of Night City's power brokers, the elite—leaders like Arabata Laixuan, Takemura Goro, and even Ling Xiaohan—gathered in somber meetings to reassess their strategies. Arabata Laixuan, rubbing his temples in exasperation, sighed deeply as he addressed his colleagues. "We underestimated him. This isn't simply about capturing a dangerous criminal—it's about reordering the balance of power in our society. Our technologies, our strategic alliances, even our national security policies—all will have to be reevaluated in light of Peter's actions today."

Takemura Goro added, "I fear this may well be the turning point. Once a man like Peter makes his mark on the battlefield with such unbridled power, history will not regard us kindly if we do nothing to adapt. Perhaps we should consider negotiating terms—if not with him directly, then by aligning our interests with those who have already seen reason."

In the aftermath of what could only be described as a massacre, every faction began to consider its future. For some, the idea of forging alliances with this super-evolved human offered a glimmer of opportunity. For others, it only deepened their resolve to oppose him, even as they questioned their own capabilities. Even as Peter's presence loomed as a harbinger of radical change, the world itself seemed to pause in collective breath, uncertain whether to collapse in terror or rise anew in defiant hope.

As the sun began to set over the smoldering ruins of the military base, a quiet determination took root among the survivors. Peter's words, though delivered with a chilling confidence, had left open the possibility of a new way forward. In hushed tones, leaders debated the potential of entering negotiations—of seeking an understanding with the very force that had nearly destroyed them. After all, when confronted with an evolution that defied conventional understanding, what choice did they have but to adapt or perish?

In the darkened conference room deep within a secure facility, Colonel Hargrove meticulously reviewed intelligence reports. His fingers traced lines of data on his tablet as he pondered the implications. "We are witnessing the birth of something unprecedented," he remarked quietly to his aide. "Peter's power could either be the catalyst for our transformation or the spark that ignites our destruction. It is our duty now to navigate this treacherous new world."

Outside, in a narrow alleyway lit only by flickering neon signs, a group of citizens huddled together, watching the images on a small portable screen. Their whispered conversations mingled with distant sirens and the hum of emergency vehicles. For them, the chaos represented both terror and hope. In the midst of devastation, a future might emerge that redefined the very nature of humanity—one in which the super-evolved were not villains to be feared, but harbingers of progress to be understood.

And as the night deepened, Peter's silhouette could be seen walking steadily along a boulevard, utterly indifferent to the panic he had set in motion. His calm, measured pace contrasted sharply with the hysteria behind him. With each step, he carried the weight of a new era—an era where old rules were being shattered and the possibility of a transformed world beckoned on the horizon.

The chapter ended not with a definitive resolution, but with the lingering question of what the future held for all involved. The world had been irrevocably altered by the presence of one man, whose strength and vision defied everything that had come before. In that twilight between the old order and the coming storm, every faction was left to wonder: What did it mean to be human when the limits of evolution had been so dramatically redefined?

For now, amid shattered systems and broken promises, all anyone could do was brace for the next chapter—a future where, indeed, you could do what you want, even as the world watched and waited to see if humanity was ready to rise anew.

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