Mastermind Behind The Scenes

It was a rainy summer evening. The sky was painted in shades of crimson, and the soft drizzle tapped against the windows. Inside an old tavern, Ethan glanced outside, deciding there wouldn't be any customers today. He closed the creaky wooden door, returned to his small attic room, and sat down with his phone to pass the time.

While scrolling, a video caught his eye:

"Shocking: Is the world we live in real?"

The video began with a news report:

"Two horrific murders rocked Riverton last night. The first occurred at a villa in the northern part of the city, where fifteen people were brutally killed, leaving only a young girl as the sole survivor. The second took place at the laboratory of Brightpath Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., resulting in the deaths of two individuals, including Dr. William Carter, a renowned scientist.

Authorities revealed that both crimes happened within an hour of each other, with strikingly similar and disturbingly cruel methods. Both cases remain under investigation.

Adding to the shock, surveillance footage from both scenes shows a lizard-like creature—now infamously referred to as the 'Lizard Man.' The video, widely circulated online, has sparked heated debates. However, it has since been removed by authorities, citing concerns over spreading misinformation and causing panic."

As Ethan scrolled to read the comments, the video abruptly disappeared with a notice:

"This content has been removed for violating community guidelines."

He leaned back and muttered to himself, "It seems the authorities are already on to him."

Though Ethan didn't know the full details of the murders, he recognized the lizard man in the footage. Still, he wasn't particularly interested in the creature's troubles. What truly caught his attention was the reminder to check his emotional points.

"System, how many emotional points do I have now?"

[Ding! The host's current emotional value is 287,651.12.]

"Nearly 290,000?" he murmured. "Each blind box costs 10,000, so I'll save some for those. The rest… I'll exchange for the lizard man's powers."

"System, show me the lizard man's abilities."

A list appeared before him:

Strength: 50,000 points

Speed: 50,000 points

Defense: 30,000 points

Reaction Time: 60,000 points

Vision: 10,000 points

Sense of Smell: 10,000 points

Wall Climbing: 5,000 points

Recovery Ability: 500,000 points

Brain: 200,000 points

Total: 915,000 points

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "The lizard man's brain costs 200,000? Must be something special about it—or maybe it's connected to Dr. William Carter. A scientist like him wouldn't be involved in this for no reason."

Shrugging, Ethan brushed the thought aside. "Not my problem," he muttered.

"System, exchange points for strength, speed, defense, reaction time, vision, sense of smell, and wall climbing."

[Ding! Confirming exchange for 215,000 points. Confirm?]

"Confirm."

[Exchange complete. Remaining balance: 72,651.12 points.]

A sudden heat coursed through Ethan's body, intense but fleeting. As the sensation faded, he realized his body felt stronger, sharper.

He could hear the faint clatter of dishes from the neighboring houses. Looking out the window, he spotted a bird perched on a branch, its feathers soaked in the drizzle, as though it were only a few feet away.

Clenching his fists, Ethan grinned. "This feels incredible."

His grin faded as he turned toward the open window. "Come out. I can smell you," he called.

Moments later, a strange, green-skinned head peeked through the window. Brown spots dotted its surface, its eyes were yellow with vertical pupils, and its horned, hairless head gave it a distinctly reptilian appearance.

The creature—a towering, two-meter-tall figure—climbed inside. Ethan sat back on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and exhaled a puff of smoke, studying the lizard man through the haze.

Alex, the lizard man, stood awkwardly, his hulking form cloaked to conceal most of his body. He stared at Ethan, his mind racing. He had spent an entire day combing the city to find this man.

Yet now, standing before him, Alex couldn't shake an inexplicable compulsion to obey Ethan. It was as if an unseen force bound him, an instinct deeper than thought.

Finally, Alex broke the silence. "Who are you?"

"I'm the owner of a tavern," Ethan replied coolly. "You can call me Mr. Ethan."

"Can you… change me back?" Alex's voice trembled with desperation.

Ethan stood, retrieving two glasses from a nearby cabinet. He placed them on the table and poured red wine from a decanter.

"I told you there'd be a price for my help. You agreed to this, didn't you?"

Alex's hands clenched as frustration bubbled up, but he restrained himself. Then, as if a dam broke, he fell to his knees.

"Please," he begged, his voice cracking. "If you can change me back, I'll do anything. I'm a scientist. I can…"

His voice trailed off as tears welled in his eyes. From the cloth draped around his body, he pulled a bundle of papers and placed them on the table.

"This is research for a nearly complete leukemia treatment. I was so close to finishing it. Take it—all of it. Just… please, make me human again."

Tears streamed down Alex's face as he bowed his massive head to the floor.

"I have a wife. A 5-year-old daughter. I can't let them see me like this. I just want to be normal again. Please… I'm begging you."

Ethan watched silently, the lizard man's pleas echoing through the room.