{Chapter: 318 Kneeling}
William let out a mocking laugh. "You're the representative of Korea? Truly bold of you to speak so arrogantly. That takes a special kind of confidence. Since you're so eager, I'll give you a chance to speak. Go ahead, I'm listening."
The Korean delegate stood up, chest puffed with misplaced pride. "According to our investigation, your ancestors came from the Korean peninsula two hundred years ago. That makes you a descendant of Koreans. However, even though you share our bloodline, we Koreans will not show you any special treatment. We will stand firm with the United Nations and see to your elimination."
A hushed silence fell across the hall. The other representatives looked at each other in confusion and disbelief.
"Wait, what?" someone muttered.
"William's Korean? Is that even remotely true?"
A beat passed—then William erupted into laughter so wild it echoed across the chamber. "Unbelievable. Shameless people really are unbeatable. Now I'm suddenly your descendant? What next? You going to claim I was born in a Korean temple and raised by monks? Why not go all the way and say I'm your long-lost king while you're at it?" He scoffed. "Why don't you eat something more honest—like a pile of garbage?"
Unfazed, the Korean delegate straightened his tie and spoke shamelessly, "No matter how much you deny it or insult us, it won't change the truth. You are our descendant. If you repent before the people of the world, we, the people of Korea, will even consider burying you with honor in our land."
William nearly gagged. "Disgusting. Are you serious right now? You're on a whole new level of delusion. Talking to you is like arguing with a wall that's proud of being stupid."
He turned his head and said lazily, "White Queen, he's had enough. Give him a little zap for wasting everyone's time."
Crash!
A thick wire of electricity, crackling with blinding intensity, fell down from the chandelier above. It struck the Korean delegate like divine judgment, and he let out a high-pitched scream as his body convulsed violently and collapsed to the ground in a smoking heap.
The room erupted into chaos once more. Panic swept through the chamber like wildfire. Delegates tripped over one another, pushing and scrambling toward the sealed doors. But as before, the exits refused to budge.
William raised his hand calmly and waved it. "Relax, everyone. Take a deep breath. He was just an idiot. I've simply removed him from the conversation. As long as no one else behaves like a fool, we should all get along just fine."
"You—you said you were only a projection," one of the trembling delegates stammered.
William smiled, amused. "That's absolutely right. What you see before you is just a projection of my real self. I'm not actually here."
"Then… then how did you…?"
"You're referring to the gentleman I just turned into a well-done side dish?" William said casually. "Yes, this is just a projection, but don't let that fool you. A projection doesn't mean you're safe. If I really want someone dead, I can make it happen from anywhere. Consider it remote execution."
"You've crossed a line!" one delegate screamed. "This is terrorism! It's barbaric! The world will condemn you for this!"
The Chinese representative stepped forward, red-faced and trembling with fury. "William, your actions today are reprehensible. This behavior is a disgrace—not only to humanity but especially to China. You bring shame to your own heritage."
William's eyes narrowed, and his tone turned ice-cold. "Since I used to be half Chinese, I was going to let you off with a warning... but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"
The Chinese delegate's face turned pale. "You dare—"
"Shame on you, you annoying windbag!" William snapped.
CRACK!
Another searing electric current wire burst from the chandelier, lighting up the room for a split second before slamming into the Chinese delegate. His body spasmed grotesquely, then crumpled into a charred, lifeless heap on the floor.
The rest of the chamber fell into an eerie, petrified silence. Nobody moved. No one dared speak. Dozens of national representatives stood frozen in place, their faces pale, sweat dripping down their necks. All their earlier boldness had vanished—replaced only by dread.
William looked around, his expression flat. "Anyone else have something smart to say?"
Nobody answered. They had seen enough. Fear now held their tongues hostage.
William smiled coldly as he scanned the terrified faces before him. "It seems... none of you have anything left to say," he said slowly, savoring the silence. "Just a few moments ago, you were all so proud, so arrogant. But now? Now you're as quiet as frightened lambs."
He let the moment hang in the air, then continued with a voice full of menace, "You are the representatives of your nations. Each of you carries the dignity, the image, and the will of your people. So let me ask this—what will happen if I command you all to kneel before me? What message will that send to the world?"
He raised his voice suddenly, and the sound echoed like thunder across the massive hall.
"Kneel!" he roared. "Kneel, or die!"
His voice carried terrifying authority. The air itself seemed to crackle with tension. At once, several representatives from smaller nations fell to their knees without hesitation. Their expressions were full of terror, their hands trembling as they pressed their foreheads to the floor. Pride had no place in their hearts when death loomed so close.
But others—those who represented powerful countries, members of security councils, nuclear powers, global superpowers—stood frozen. Kneeling would be a stain on their national honor. The moment it was caught on camera, the footage would spread like wildfire. Their people would lose faith. The press would tear them apart. How could they kneel before William, the most wanted terrorist and public enemy of mankind?
Still, as their eyes darted toward the already-kneeling figures, uncertainty crept into their hearts.
Then, a bold voice rose above the crowd.
"William, how dare you!" It was the representative of Japan, his voice full of righteous indignation. "How could I, a diplomat of the great Japanese nation, kneel to a madman like you—an island-born criminal? You bombed Tokyo with atomic—"
Before he could finish his words, a thick wire full of electricity surged down from the chandelier above and struck him with a violent hiss.
The Japanese representative let out a shriek, and his body jerked unnaturally before collapsing into a smoldering, lifeless pile of flesh and bone. The air was filled with the acrid stench of burnt flesh.
William didn't even blink. "National pride is commendable, but I have no interest in your speeches. From this moment on, I will kill one person every three seconds until everyone kneels."
His lips curled into a sinister smile.
"One."
As soon as the word left his mouth, nearly half of the remaining representatives buckled and dropped to their knees in a panic. Some didn't even think—fear took over, and they collapsed instantly, faces twisted in shame.
"Two."
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Some representatives clenched their fists, others trembled visibly. The tension was unbearable. A few exchanged desperate glances. A few drops of sweat trickled down the sides of their faces. Several began breathing heavily. One man whispered something that sounded like a prayer.
"Three!"
The word cracked like a whip, and in its wake, a wave of submission followed. Another group dropped to the ground, their faces pale as they lowered themselves slowly and reluctantly. The fear of death drowned any sense of duty or pride.
In the end, only a dozen or so delegates remained standing.
William stared at them in silence for a moment, then gave a mocking thumbs-up. "Now that's what I call national spirit. You twelve still standing—you've endured fear, resisted panic, and upheld the pride of your respective countries. Such remarkable courage."
He smiled—but it was the kind of smile that made the skin crawl.
"And now, you may go... to her great embrace."
A moment later, a dozen thick wires of electric current surged down from the chandeliers above, aimed precisely at the remaining delegates. Their eyes widened with horror.
"No! Wait! We kneel! We kneel now, don't kill—"
Their screams were cut short. Their bodies convulsed violently as the electric currents tore through them. In less than ten seconds, all that remained were blackened corpses and the scent of scorched clothing.
William slowly shook his head. "Too late. I gave you a chance. You insisted on playing the hero, on showcasing your so-called dignity. And now... you've paid the price."
The surviving delegates—those who had kneeled early—trembled as they glanced around at the smoldering remains of their colleagues. Horror clung to their faces. Many had tears in their eyes. But in the deepest corners of their hearts, they were also relieved.
They were alive.
William laughed heartily. "Congratulations to all of you. You made the right decision. You chose survival over pride. You knelt before me—and now, you get to live. Tell me..." He paused, letting the tension build. "...Are you happy?"
A weak voice rose from somewhere in the crowd, barely audible. "Happy..."
William tilted his head mockingly. "What was that? Are you all mute? I said—are you happy? Speak louder."
A chorus followed, louder this time. "Happy."
He still wasn't satisfied. "LOUDER."
"HAPPY!" The word rang out as one. A forced, trembling roar of submission.
William gave a satisfied nod. "Excellent. That will do."
Then he gave a casual wave of his hand toward the ceiling. "From this moment, the global live broadcast has begun. And your enthusiastic chant of 'happy'—that was the opening ceremony. The entire world is watching you right now. Your families, your citizens, your presidents and kings. Every television channel, every live feed, every news app, every social media app—they're all broadcasting your performance."
Shock spread across the delegates' faces. Some gasped audibly. Some looked like they were about to throw up. One woman broke into quiet sobs.
"You… you didn't…" one of them stammered.
William smirked cruelly. "Oh, but I did. And it's already too late to erase it. Your people just watched you kneel, scream 'happy', and beg for your lives. Congratulations. You've just gone viral."
******
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