Jonathan
Alex stared at Mira, utterly speechless.
The fact that her test had such an anticlimactic end left him baffled. His test had been a nerve wracking ordeal, and here Mira was, recounting how The Whisperer practically poisoned itself to death.
He internally cursed, thinking, 'Why couldn't my test have been so easy?'
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
Mira's success wasn't due to luck, but her own skill. She was clearly more analytically and strategically gifted than Alex. She had observed The Whisperer, understood its weaknesses, and devised a plan based on these insights.
The fact that it died in a way outside of her calculations didn't matter, as it would have been killed by the fires anyway.
In contrast, Alex had gone in blindly, relying on what he heard and saw, which led to a more convoluted and dangerous solution.
"You're telling me it just… died?" Alex asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.