"For centuries, our family has adhered to an ancient tradition: consuming the bodies of sinners to purify this tainted world." Kevin tried his best not to look at Roy and Penny as he spoke in a preaching tone.
Roy scoffed, feeling utterly contemptuous of Kevin's words. Could anything be more tainted than this cult leader?
Actually, at this point, Penny's body had already softened a bit because Roy had been constantly comforting her, easing her nervousness. However, Roy didn't draw his weapon. Doing so would only make the situation more awkward, and the current scene might make Kevin's people lower their guard.
"...Everyone who passes by this highway receives our invitation to come to this motel and sit at this round table to confront their sins. I will shoot those with lesser sins, while those who are truly wicked will become my food."
Hearing this, both Penny and Molly showed horrified expressions. Considering the motel's location on the border between New Mexico and Texas, and also between America and Mexico, the people traveling on this highway were either drug dealers or illegal immigrants. It seemed Kevin's group had a pretty good diet, judging by how fat the cook was.
"Now, I'm giving you a chance to voluntarily confess your sins. I can offer you lenient treatment."
Kevin stood in front of the round table, holding the open black leather book in his hands. Facing Roy, Penny, and Molly who were sitting opposite him, he spoke eloquently, his voice seemingly carrying some kind of special power.
Roy's Willpower stat was currently at 26, his second-highest stat, surpassing Strength and Agility, only lower than his Constitution. So, facing Kevin's almost hypnotic voice, he only felt a slight daze before snapping back to his senses.
But Penny and Molly were different. Both women were frightened and emotionally unstable at this moment. Being subjected to Kevin's hypnosis, they quickly started to become disoriented.
Roy quickly pinched Penny's butt hard, and then unexpectedly felt a surge of energy along with a system notification sound. \[Ding! Obtained Penelope Brown's Conquest Chest! Open it?] Hmm, can it really work like this?
Penny lay limply on Roy, her body still twitching slightly. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought she was terrified. But Roy knew that Penny had just experienced a life-altering moment.
Molly, sitting next to them, wasn't so lucky. Not only did she not experience that feeling, but under Kevin's hypnosis, she started spilling her wrongdoings like beans. It was mostly the kind of things a rebellious American teenager would do: learned to smoke at 15, stole things from a convenience store at 16 because she was broke...
Some petty theft and minor bad habits, nothing truly heinous. However, Kevin listened with great pleasure, and after Molly finished, he turned his gaze to Roy.
"Your turn." Roy pretended to be deep in thought. "After careful consideration, I feel like I don't have any sins. I'm practically as pure as a saint."
These words made Kevin's expression very unpleasant. He realized that Roy hadn't been hypnotized and prepared to strengthen his hypnotic power.
Kevin flipped through a few pages of the black leather book, muttering something under his breath, then continued to question Roy in a low voice. "I feel that there must be strong sins lurking within you. Open your heart to me now!"
Kevin's family seemed to possess some kind of witchcraft. No wonder they had been able to run this shady business for centuries without getting killed. However, Roy's willpower was now stronger than that of even highly trained agents. Kevin's enhanced hypnotic witchcraft only made him feel slightly sleepy.
After all, he had been driving all day, and he and Penny had just finished over an hour of rigorous biological experiments. It was perfectly normal to feel a bit tired. Seeing Roy start to yawn, Kevin thought his hypnosis had worked.
"Speak quickly, young man, confess the sins in your heart!"
"Ah, are you talking to me? Then I can only say, my heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, everything I do is just."
Kevin's face completely fell. He felt like his performance just now was like some green-haired nightmare from Gotham. Wait, why green hair?
Thinking about this made Kevin even angrier. He gave a signal with his eyes to his most loyal subordinate, the cook, who immediately understood and swung the butt of his shotgun towards Roy's head.
Roy felt the wind behind his head and immediately tilted it, so the shotgun butt struck his shoulder instead. Penny was startled and involuntarily flinched again, letting out a scream.
This blow actually didn't do much damage to Roy. After all, his Constitution stat had reached 31 points, allowing him to withstand some small-caliber handgun shots. But Roy was extremely unhappy, and his eyes turned dangerous.
However, everyone else's attention was drawn to Penny's scream. Her voice was just too alluring.
Clive's wife giggled. "Quiet, it's ritual time. Be serious!"
Kevin looked at Penny tenderly. Even though Penny was being held by another man and they were in very close contact, Penny was still his goddess. Goddesses, you know, their paths are lined with white frost every morning and night.
"I sold over 6,000 acres of my family's land and gained a huge fortune. I also have a big house on the mountain. They're both missing a mistress right now! Darling, are you interested?"
Penny didn't answer because her mind was blank. She hadn't heard a word Kevin said to her.
"How about I answer for her? She might be busy right now." Roy deliberately provoked Penny, wanting to taunt Kevin in this way. Penny cooperated perfectly, letting out another scream.
This time, Kevin completely lost it. How to put it? If he could still hold back after this, Kevin wouldn't need any special effects to play the Hulk in a Marvel movie.
Enraged, Kevin gave the cook a look, and the cook once again swung the shotgun butt at Roy's head. But this time, Roy was prepared. Just as the butt was about to hit him, he suddenly reached out and grabbed it.
The cook weighed much more than Roy, but his strength was no match. In the blink of an eye, the shotgun was snatched away. "Remington M870? My favorite model!"
Kevin's face showed utter horror. He never expected this to happen. In an emergency, Kevin ducked down to avoid Roy's gun and ordered another armed subordinate, "Clive, take him down!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
(End of Chapter)