Biwa Juzo swallowed hard, the dry lump in his throat making it difficult to breathe. He had just witnessed something that chilled him to his core—the instant the heavy lid fell shut, the Red Sand Scorpion had fallen into a coma without a single sound. It was as if his entire being had been snatched away in an instant, leaving behind only an empty shell.
The sight shook Biwa Juzo deeply. He could not shake the bitter realization that the Scorpion had been utterly cheated by his boss, Peter. Not only had the man spent a staggering 30 million taels on the procedure, but he had also seemingly lost his life in return. The cost was far greater than mere money; it was a debt paid with blood and flesh.
Biwa Juzo's eyes flicked toward Peter's back. Standing calmly in front of the transformation machine, Peter looked oddly serene—almost casual, as if all this were just a routine operation. The beheading sword strapped to Biwa's back suddenly felt heavier in his hands. A violent impulse surged through him—he wanted to spring forward, attack Peter suddenly, and catch him off guard. Maybe, just maybe, he could escape this nightmare or even turn the tables.
But just as quickly, doubt crept in. Peter was not like anyone Biwa had ever faced before. There was something unnerving about him—something that screamed danger despite the calm exterior. The flaws and imperfections that marred Peter's body were there, visible to the eye, but his aura was undeniable.
Damn it! This man was clearly flawed, but Biwa Juzo was terrified. If he dared to attack now, he was certain Peter would kill him in mere seconds.
With a trembling sigh, Biwa Juzo lowered his hands and gave up the reckless thought. Peter was too powerful, far beyond what he could challenge.
Peter turned slowly, catching Biwa Juzo's fearful gaze, and spoke quietly, "The transformation takes some time. Please wait a moment."
His calm voice sent a fresh wave of anxiety through Biwa Juzo. He flinched, half-expecting Peter to attack him on the spot.
Peter's words seemed so innocent, yet to Biwa Juzo's paranoid mind, they carried a sinister undertone. He thought bitterly, The Red Sand Scorpion's body must be completely hollowed out by now…
If Peter could hear him, he might have smiled and said, "So smart!"
Indeed, Biwa Juzo wasn't far from the truth. The Scorpion's internal organs had already been removed—only his heart remained intact. The current step was to replace all his flesh, blood, and bones with mechanical parts.
Peter glanced at Biwa Juzo and asked with a light smile, "Do you need anything else besides cold weapons?"
To Peter, it was a casual question, but to Biwa Juzo, that smile was like the grin of a demon. It felt like a trap—an attempt to lure him into some mechanical prison from which there would be no escape.
Panicked, Biwa Juzo shook his head rapidly. "No… No… I don't need anything else…"
Peter's expression shifted slightly to one of disappointment. He patted Biwa Juzo's shoulder gently. "Alas, you're already an adult. It's time to save some money so you can marry a wife and live a good life."
That simple sentence slammed into Biwa Juzo like a thunderbolt. His eyes widened in horror. Not only had Peter seen through his lack of money, but he also knew—somehow—that Biwa Juzo was unmarried!
Biwa Juzo's legs began to tremble uncontrollably. His privacy felt invaded. He silently cursed his luck and the meddling Uchiha family. If it hadn't been for their cryptic words earlier that piqued his curiosity about this place, he would never have walked into this nightmare.
He now understood why the leader and Konan had fled so swiftly at the door earlier. At the time, he had been curious why they ran so fast, but now the reason was clear—they had sensed danger, imminent and deadly.
But stupidly, he had followed the Scorpion inside the store, lighting a beacon for death.
Biwa Juzo wanted to slap himself, wishing he could undo the foolishness that curiosity had brought upon him. Curiosity truly kills the cat, he thought bitterly.
He vowed that if he survived this ordeal, he would never let curiosity lead him astray again.
Peter watched Biwa Juzo's face turn pale, his expression growing ghastly as cold sweat beaded and trickled down his forehead. "Are you feeling unwell?" Peter asked with genuine concern.
Biwa Juzo was startled by the sudden question. Does this boss really care? he wondered. In the original story, there was no mention of Biwa Juzo having any health issues.
Peter's eyes lingered on Biwa's ashen face, and he fell into deep thought. Something about Biwa's reaction troubled him.
Meanwhile, Biwa Juzo felt his heart pounding wildly. Is Peter going to act now? Will he attack me and end my life? he thought, fear gripping his entire being.
Biwa Juzo knew well enough by now: anyone capable of forging a blood demon sword like Peter's could never be a good man.
With a resigned sigh, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the worst. He wished Peter would end it quickly so the pain would not last long.
Suddenly, a strange noise broke the tense silence. The transformation machine, which had been quiet all this time, suddenly rose up.
Peter blinked in surprise. "I didn't expect it to be so fast," he muttered as he opened the cover of the device.
The mechanical lid lifted, revealing the interior—and what lay within horrified Biwa Juzo so much that he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
The Red Sand Scorpion's body was no longer whole; it was divided into several segments inside the instrument.
Biwa Juzo could not believe his eyes. Peter had actually dismembered the Scorpion's body!
Peter's mouth twitched involuntarily. Clearly, the automatic transformation machine was far from perfect.
Since the machine could not assemble the scorpion properly, Peter had to do it manually.
He picked up his tools and began the painstaking process of putting the Red Sand Scorpion's body back together piece by piece.
By now, the Scorpion's flesh and blood were completely replaced by dense mechanical parts—cold metal and intricate gears filled every inch of his body.
Watching Peter work, Biwa Juzo felt his eyes darken, and terror overwhelmed him until he fainted.
He never imagined that Peter could be so cold and perverse as to not even release the "corpse" of the Red Sand Scorpion for a moment.
Lost in his own fear, Biwa Juzo barely noticed the world fading into blackness.
Peter, meanwhile, remained focused on his task. Without even realizing it, he continued assembling the mechanical body as if it were a curious toy.
When Biwa Juzo finally regained consciousness, his heavy eyelids fluttered open to a blurry scene.
His vision slowly cleared, and what he saw nearly made him scream in terror.
Peter was holding one of the Red Sand Scorpion's broken legs, waving it in the air like a plaything.
Biwa Juzo's heart nearly leapt from his chest, but he quickly covered his mouth with trembling hands, afraid any sound might attract Peter's attention.
Relieved to find Peter's focus entirely on the leg, Biwa Juzo carefully began to crawl toward the door, moving as silently as possible.
The beheading sword that had slipped off his back when he fell lay just out of reach, but escaping was his only thought now.
If he did not seize this rare opportunity to sneak away unnoticed, his life would surely be over.
Despite the crippling fear and exhaustion, Biwa Juzo pushed forward with slow, cautious movements.
Every few seconds, he glanced back nervously, making sure Peter had not noticed his awakening or his escape attempt.
Closer and closer he crawled toward the exit, a small spark of hope lighting his heart.
Tears of relief and joy pricked his eyes. "I'm finally going to escape this terrible place," he thought silently, almost cheering inside.
Just as he was about to reach the door, the sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Someone was coming in.