The Great Medical Saint (Matthew) novel Chapter 996

Leander's heart raced with excitement as this was the moment he had been waiting for. He struggled to maintain his composure, trying to appear nonchalant as he gave a thumbs-up.

"You've got good taste! I knew you'd recognize its value when you saw it. Name a price," he said calmly.

Mikael looked at Leander with an amused expression as he took a long drag from his cigar. He seemed about to speak but held back, continuing to smoke one puff after another until only the stub remained.

After grinding the cigar butt into the sandy soil, he looked up at Leander and stated, "Five billion dollars—what do you say?"

Though his blood was pumping with anticipation, Leander maintained a calm smile while giving Mikael a meaningful look.

"I can see you're a man of vision, but do you really think it's worth so little? This technology represents the future itself!"

"I'll double it then—ten billion dollars!" Mikael offered with a grin.

Leander pressed on, "Let me remind you one more time what we're dealing with here. Picture a hundred special forces soldiers in mechanical exoskeletons, armed with machine guns, fighting their way across an entire city—can you imagine the impact?"

Mikael's eyes suddenly turned sharp, impressed that Leander had thought this through to such an extent.

A sinister smile crept across his face as he commented, "The mech suit is indeed valuable, but if you don't sell it to me, you won't be able to protect it."

"I'm not worried," Leander replied confidently. "You're the only one who knows about this right now, so it's safe for the moment."

Mikael shook his head. "Do you really know me?"

"Of course," Leander responded. "You're the most ruthless businessman in the world. With you, you get what you pay for."

Mikael laughed dryly and leaned back. "You think you know me? I don't even fully know myself. What makes you so sure you've figured me out?"

Leander frowned slightly, sensing a shift in Mikael's tone. "What do you mean by that?"

Mikael's smile had vanished. "I have an urge right now."

Leander frowned. "What kind of urge?"

"An urge to kill you," Mikael said coldly. "If I kill you, the mech suit becomes mine."

Leander's expression tightened. "Thanks for the hospitality, but I really need to get back. Besides, I prefer the women back home."

"You'll leave when my schedule is arranged. We'll go together," Mikael said, his smile unchanged.

"Are you... holding me captive?" Leander demanded.

"Until I have the exoskeleton prototype and all the technical specifications, you need to stay under my control," Mikael explained.

Leander gritted his teeth and argued, "Aren't you worried that once we're in Lambda City, I could do the same to you?"

Despite being on Mikael's turf, Leander hoped to turn the tables when they moved to his territory. He lacked the power to actually pull it off, but bluffing was his only option.

Mikael burst into laughter, pointing at Leander in amusement. "You're hilarious! From the moment you contacted me, I had everything investigated.

"Your company's employee count, family background, relatives, friends, bank accounts... everything. Do you think you can do the same to me? Do you have my resources?"

Leander felt completely exposed, like all his defenses had been stripped away, leaving him utterly vulnerable.