The silence that followed was absolute, as if the room itself had forgotten how to breathe. Even the faint hum of the air conditioner seemed to pause, its rhythmic drone reduced to a barely audible whisper, as though it too was waiting for someone to speak.
"You know that we don't have the time to hike around with this," Mr. Jin said sharply, his voice cutting through the stillness. It was a voice honed by decades of commanding others, a voice that brooked no nonsense. Yet, there was an edge to it today, a subtle tension that betrayed his usual composure. "I am a busy man."
"As I said, I made it. You can check it yourself, right?" Kael Vi-rel replied calmly, his tone measured, almost casual, as his eyes traced over the assortment of gadgets and items neatly laid out on the table. Each piece glinted under the fluorescent lights, reflecting patterns of color and light as if eager to announce its secrets.
