Looking at the vial in front of him, Richard couldn't help but break into laughter. “Mr. Finn, you truly live up to your status as the head of the Gant family. Your prowess in matters of the soul is truly admirable.”

  The old man beside him wore a proud smile. “You flatter me, Mr. Charles. It’s merely a matter of cooperation.”

  But just as Richard forcefully pulled out the cork and prepared to drink, his fingers suddenly relaxed, and the glass vial shattered on the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.

  Both men froze, staring at the dark liquid spreading across the ground.

  Hearing the commotion, Elizabeth walked in. “Charles, what happened?”

  Richard suddenly moved, scratching the back of his head with a confused expression as he looked around. “Huh? Has anyone seen my fishing rod? It was right here! I need to go fishing; if I’m late, there won’t be any space left.”

  Charles’s expression twisted in disbelief as he roared in the cabin, “You want me to disappear?!”

  Realizing that Charles had truly awakened, Richard dropped the act and lunged toward the spilled liquid on the floor.

  Before his head could reach it, a tremendous force gripped his neck, slamming his forehead into the liquid.

  “Bastard! I must be blind to share my body with you! You’re just a copy created by 096!” Charles’s body began to convulse violently on the ground.

  “I’m Gao Zhimin, and you’re Gao Zhimin too! If I can do this, can you honestly say you’ve never thought about it? I can take the initiative; I just pay more attention to details when you’re busy with women!”

  The two personalities inside the body fought for control, their combined strength twisting the body into unnatural positions.

  Elizabeth watched anxiously, wanting to help but unsure how to intervene. She turned to Finn. “What’s going on? What’s happening to him?”

  As Charles’s body twisted violently, his revolver slipped from its holster and fell to the ground.

  Richard picked up the revolver and pointed it at his own temple. “If you move again, we’re all done for!”

  “Ha! You think I’m scared of you?” Charles’s face twisted into a sinister grin as he decisively pulled the trigger.

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  “Bang!” The gunshot rang out, but the bullet didn’t blow Charles’s head apart. Instead, as it left the barrel, it entered a void-like state, only to re-materialize on the other side of Charles’s head, striking the steel wall and sparking.

  This change was due to Elizabeth’s intervention; her short staff glimmered faintly in her hand.

  Taking advantage of the moment when both personalities were stunned by their continued existence, Elizabeth dashed forward, kicking the gun away from Richard’s grasp.

  Finn stepped in to help as well. With a wave of his hands, Charles’s body floated into the air, and they suddenly felt their limbs go numb. The standoff finally ceased.

  Elizabeth cupped Charles’s face in her hands, her eyes reddening as she looked at him. “Why are you doing this?”

  Two distinct voices emanated from Charles’s mouth.

  “This is none of your business; just let me down.”

  “Men’s affairs are not for women to meddle in.”

  “Smack!” Elizabeth’s large hand gripped Charles’s collar, and she slapped him hard across the face, revealing a side of her he had never seen before.

  Her white hair flared out like a lion’s mane, and her remaining blue eye glared at him with fury. “None of my business? What do you think your life is? Just some trash you can throw away?! Charles!!”

  As he met Elizabeth’s gaze, Charles’s twisted expression gradually returned to normal. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

  Elizabeth released her grip and walked coldly toward Finn. “What’s going on? You better not hide anything from me, or our cooperation is over!”

  Finn looked nervous, quickly explaining everything to Elizabeth.

  The new island’s twenty-five percent stake was a chosen settlement for the Gant family; if the cooperation fell through, it would be a significant problem.

  Meanwhile, Richard and Charles continued their mental exchange. “You madman, are you really going to commit suicide? Have you forgotten our goal? We’ve overcome so many hardships. If we die by our own hands, what was the point of the last nine years?”

  “So what? Even if it means dying, I won’t let you control my body again!” Charles’s voice dripped with hatred.

  “Fine, I admit I was wrong. I betrayed even myself; I deserve to be punished. But I want to return with a complete mind. We can’t go home and let our mother see her son with a missing arm, not to mention being a lunatic!”

  Charles retorted, “Oh, so I should thank you for that.”

  “We need to resolve this. Are we just going to waste time? Our goal is to get home, back to the surface. Can we set this aside for now?”

  “You tried to kill me, and now you expect me to set it aside? You’re something else.”

  “Then how about this: to punish me, I’ll let you have full control of the body except when I’m sleeping. How does that sound? No matter what happens afterward, let’s get back to the surface first.”

  Charles shook his head, glancing at Finn, who was quickly relaying information to Elizabeth. “Have him make me a potion that can make you disappear. Then we’ll call it even.”

  Now it was Richard’s turn to protest. “Why should I? If you get that and pour it down my throat while I’m asleep, I’d be done for!”

  Just as they continued to argue, Elizabeth approached with Finn, having learned what was happening with Charles.

  Gently stroking Charles’s face, her expression was filled with sorrow.

  She had never known that Charles had another personality. Did she not understand him well enough?

  Seeing Elizabeth’s expression, the two personalities in Charles ceased their argument.

  “It’s nothing; just a minor issue. Don’t worry too much.”

  “Why the long face? Smile! He’s right; it’s just a small matter. You’ve just never seen it before; we do this all the time.”