Nina pursed her lips and raised her voice, "Yes. Can you?"Mr. Joker didn't forget Micah's instructions and nodded, "Tell me, who are you looking for?"Nina replied, "One is a woman named Scarlett, and the other is a man named Scott. Can you help me find them?"She knew it would be ideal if she could personally search for them, but she also understood that the black card in her possession did not grant her that level of access. She wasn't sure about Mrs. Quintana's attitude, but it seemed more likely that Mr. Joker might help."Alright. Go back and wait. I'll inform you if there's any news.""Thank you."Nina expressed her gratitude. Despite Mr. Joker's role and allegiance, she was currently relying on his assistance.Mr. Joker was taken aback. In his time here, he had never received a genuine thank you. Most people cursed him daily. But Nina’s gratitude seemed sincere.Just then, a respectful male voice interrupted, "Mr. Joker. A new batch of slaves has just arrived. Do you wa
"I can get you out of here. I need someone who knows this place well. Have you been here a long time?" Nina placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, her expression sincere.The girl nodded. "I’ve been here for a long time. I have a resistance to some of the drugs they use. I’ve seen a lot of death, and that’s why I’m scared.""I understand. Have you ever heard of someone named Scarlett?" Nina asked. She was desperate to find Scarlett and Scott, unsure of their safety.The girl shook her head. "Only the overseers know our names. We’re thrown into this hellhole, facing constant torment and endless experiments. We don’t even have the chance to talk."Nina fell silent, realizing she was right to ask Mr. Joker for help. "You came here on purpose to find someone?" The girl wasn't naive.Nina bit her lip and replied softly, "Yes, but not entirely. If we can work together..."Before Nina could finish, the girl interrupted, "Work together? Just use your black card to get us out of here.
The man noticed her as well. Their eyes met, and Nina found his eyes striking. It was strange, because his face was unfamiliar, yet she felt a sense of familiarity she couldn't explain. But she quickly looked away.The man’s eyes, however, were full of emotion."Is he the Scott you’re looking for?" Mr. Joker asked, noticing the exchange of glances and frowning.From what Nina had said, Scarlett and Scott had been in the slave camp for a while, whereas this man, Ash, had just been brought in."No," Nina said firmly, shaking her head. The man in front of her and Scott were clearly not the same.Upon hearing Nina’s denial and the name "Scott," the man’s gaze darkened.The people in Sector A lined up, passing one by one in front of Nina, but Scott was nowhere to be seen."You’ve seen all six hundred people in Sector A. It's already late. If you want to continue, come back tomorrow," Mr. Joker reminded her."Alright," Nina agreed. For now, she had no choice. This wasn’t her territor
Being captured and brought here was bad enough. Leaving aside Micah's current intentions towards Nina, without his protection, she would have been tortured beyond recognition by now. Yet, Nash took the risk and infiltrated the place to find her!Nash cupped Nina's face, his voice hoarse, "Nina, you were taken. I can't just stand by and do nothing."So, whether it was the lion's den or the depths of hell, as long as Nina was there, he would stop at nothing to reach her.In Nash's eyes, Nina saw his determination, and her throat tightened with emotion. Nash had an entire unit, but he left it behind to find her.She recalled that before he left, Nash transferred all his assets to her, paving the way for her future."Nash, we're both being watched. You've probably already been discovered," Nina said, trying to push him away. But at six-foot-three, he stood like a mountain in front of her.Nash couldn't care less. He grabbed Nina's chin and pressed his lips to hers, prying her mouth
In the end, all he could do was silently hold her tight in his arms. Although he felt a pang of anger and frustration when he heard her mention looking for Scott. He knew deep down that Scott came here because of her. It made sense for Nina to want to find him.Now, with Nina in his arms, nothing else mattered. As long as she was safe, it was enough.Nina leaned against him, aware that they might not have a future. But at least for this moment, they were together....Meanwhile, just as Micah was about to leave to find the Pharaoh, Mr. Joker appeared before him and nodded, "Sir.""How is Nina doing?" Micah asked, his concern for her evident to Mr. Joker."Following your instructions to respect her wishes, she’s searching the slave quarters for someone. Also, a new slave caught my attention..."That man wasn't a slave. He had infiltrated the camp and wasn't ordinary. No common person would have such courage.Before Mr. Joker could finish speaking, Micah cut him off in a low vo
This starkly contrasted with the way Pharaoh bought Ivy cake and a dress, making him seem like two different people. Even when he saw Nina, he casually exchanged a few words, unlike now."No," Micah instinctively denied.Pharaoh's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then bring her to me.""Yes." The most dangerous place would be the safest. Bringing her to Pharaoh would at least keep Ivy from harming her.…Meanwhile, Seth came over to visit Ivy.Seeing him, Ivy instinctively greeted, "Uncle Seth, what brings you here?""I came to check on you."Seth kept his hands behind his back.Ivy was living better than he had imagined.Seth was not pleased. "I don't want you to be like a sheltered flower.""I know." Ivy's response was brief.Seth didn't stay long. After he left, Ivy remembered someone who had been suffering day and night."Wes, how is the woman in the secret room?" Ivy called out.Wes nodded respectfully. "Miss Ivy, that woman is still the same.""Oh, then she's of n
Nina knew she was nothing special to Micah. She was just trying to test him. Micah smiled, "I've already allowed you to search for your people. Once you find them, you can take them with you. But with the current turmoil, staying here is the safest option."His voice was soft and raspy, his gaze fixed on Nina. Behind her, Nash felt a surge of anger and a strong urge to pull Nina into his arms."Let's go," Micah said before Nina could respond. He did not mention where he was taking her, but she knew it meant being separated from Nash. Micah would not bring Nash along.Nina's mind raced. "Micah," she called.He turned to look at her, his expression waiting for her to speak."I'm not sure I want to go wherever you're taking me. Furthermore, going back and forth to search is quite troublesome."Nina knew she had no say in the matter, but she needed to test Micah's intentions. She couldn’t just go without knowing where she was headed. Micah’s expression remained neutral, but h
Pharaoh's voice deepened with anger as he asked, "What are your intentions with Micah?"His face hidden behind a mask, adding to Nina's growing unease. She lowered her head, "It was a chance encounter. I have no ulterior motives."Only Micah knew about her search. She was not sure if Micah had told Pharaoh about her situation, so she decided to take a gamble. She bet on Micah's kindness, remembering how he taught children to read and helped the villagers with medicine. She gambled that Micah was a good person.And she was right.Pharaoh let out a cold laugh, "What is a Birkhamese doing here?"With that, he drew a gun from his waist and pointed it at Nina's forehead. She had seen war and death, but this moment was different. She knew one wrong word and Pharaoh would pull the trigger."I'm looking for someone. I was poisoned with kA48, a toxin developed by your people. My friend came here to find a cure. I got caught in the conflict and was mistaken for an enemy. I just want to s
At the time, Wilfred had already guessed that this had everything to do with Harley and his mentor, Professor Zeller. “You and your so-called association don’t focus on benefiting patients. Instead, you spend all your time trying to monopolize everything. And now you want to turn me into one of you? Keep dreaming.” Wilfred’s tone was filled with disdain, his eyes cold with contempt. The smug smile on Harley’s face slowly faded. With a sneer, Harley’s voice turned bitter. “You know what I despise most about you? That self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude of yours. I was offering you advice, but if you don’t want to hear it, fine. There’s nothing more to say. After all, if the surgery fails—” Before he could finish the word “fail,” the surgical light outside the operating room flicked off. Clack!The sliding doors parted, and Karina burst through, her face flushed with emotion. She didn’t even notice Harley. Her focus zeroed in on Wilfred. “Wilfred!” Her voice trem
As the surgery approached, Karina worked overtime, meticulously double-checking for any possible oversights. Before stepping into the operating room, she took a deep breath."Karina, you’ve got this!" a nurse beside her encouraged.This surgery was particularly significant, and the assistants and nurses weren’t from her hospital. They were brought in by the project, specifically by Harley’s team. Without a single familiar face around, Karina felt a twinge of anxiety. Opportunities to lead surgeries were already rare for her, let alone under circumstances like this, with no one she could truly rely on.But there was no turning back now. Gritting her teeth, Karina donned her gloves. As she was about to enter the operating room, her peripheral vision caught sight of a figure standing silently in the distance. It was Wilfred. His steady gaze met hers, his eyes carrying something profound she couldn’t quite decipher. When their eyes locked, a faint smile curved his lips.In th
“Ava.”A deep voice cut through the air, and Karina turned to see a man in a black suit, wearing a hat and a mask, striding toward them. But the man’s white eyelashes and distinctive eyes were all Karina needed to recognize him. He was her albino patient, Xavier Jasper!Xavier also didn’t expect to run into both Wilfred and Karina here. “It’s you two,” he exclaimed in surprise.Wilfred’s gaze sharpened as he calmly addressed Xavier. “Keep your sister in line. Apologize.”Before Xavier could respond, Ava stepped forward and, to everyone’s surprise, said, “I’m sorry. I was too impulsive. Please forgive me.” Karina was taken aback by how quickly Ava apologized. Even Xavier, who knew his sister’s arrogant tendencies well, looked stunned.Karina nodded, her tone steady but firm. “I forgive you, but that doesn’t mean everyone else will. You should work on your attitude. Stop acting so entitled everywhere you go.” With that, Karina turned on her heel and walked away. Although Xavie
”Those were her meticulously compiled notes, the result of hours of hard work—and now they were ruined just like that?” Karina thought.“I’ve never wronged you. Why would you do something like this?” she demanded, her voice trembling with indignation. Something about the situation felt off, and Karina’s sharp intuition told her this wasn’t a simple misunderstanding.Under Karina’s intense gaze, the nurse finally broke down, revealing Ava’s role in orchestrating the whole thing. Karina’s anger turned into a mix of rage and incredulous amusement. “Really? Rich people—did they all enjoy throwing money around like this?”All this trouble, just to ruin her hard-earned work over a seat?Her carefully compiled notes were gone, and there wasn’t a second copy. Arguing wouldn’t bring them back, but Ava wasn’t going to let this slide without giving someone a piece of her mind.Finding Ava wasn’t difficult. In fact, Ava didn’t even try to avoid her. She seemed to be waiting, eager to see
Just as Ava was about to cause a scene, the sound of steady footsteps filled the room. Wilfred strode in, his white coat enhancing his composed, almost ethereal aura. Ava shot Karina a glare, silently committing her to memory, then begrudgingly found another seat. Wilfred’s gaze swept across the room, pausing ever so briefly on Karina before moving on. She wasn’t sure if it was real or just her imagination. “Today, we’ll discuss cellular structures. I’ll start with an example from my doctoral thesis,” Wilfred announced, adjusting the projector. To Karina’s surprise, he was an exceptional lecturer—clear, engaging, and far more comprehensible than many university professors. She listened intently, taking meticulous notes. Yvette peeked over at Karina’s notebook, wide-eyed at the densely packed writing. “Karina, when you eventually get promoted, land a big raise, or go for your doctorate, I promise I won’t be jealous. Truly.”Karina chuckled. “If you need these notes, I can len
Karina glanced at the time and quickly gestured for Yvette to sit down as well. However, barely had they taken their seats when a haughty woman marched up to Karina, her sharp gaze fixed on the chair she was sitting on. “You, get up. I want that seat!” Karina frowned, studying the unfamiliar woman. She didn’t recognize her from the hospital, but the designer jewelry around her neck and the branded bag on her arm screamed wealth. She seemed like the kind of entitled socialite who rarely had to fight for anything, let alone a seat.Unsure if the woman was trying to pick a fight or genuinely wanted the chair, Karina pointed to the open seats nearby. “There are plenty of seats over there. Take one of those.”Then, she lowered her head, dismissing the woman entirely.The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me? I said I want your seat. Get up. Now!” Not content with words alone, she reached out to pull Karina up by force. Karina, now genuinely angry, shook her off. “I was h
Karina looked slightly surprised. She distinctly remembered that Wilfred wasn’t a drinker. “I thought you avoided alcohol?” Wilfred, ever the epitome of control and composure, preferred to steer clear of anything that dulled his sharpness. Back when they worked at the Birkham Central Hospital, she had seen him reject bottles of expensive wine from people trying to curry favor with him. He sipped his tea slowly before replying, “You’ve started at a new hospital. As your former mentor, I haven’t given you a proper congratulatory gift yet.” “This is… for me?” Karina asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Wilfred’s gaze was steady as he replied, “Don’t like it? If not, I can send it back and we can find something else later.” He raised his hand to call the server over. “Wait! No need. I like it a lot,” Karina interjected hastily, stopping him in his tracks. The idea of going gift shopping with him later felt uncomfortably like a date. And knowing Wilfred’s personality, w
Wilfred’s gaze swept over her without a word, and Karina climbed into the car on her own. When choosing her seat, she instinctively moved toward the back, but before she could get in, Wilfred spoke, “Sit in the front. It’s more convenient.” Karina hesitated briefly. Not wanting to appear overly particular, she complied and took the passenger seat. Although there was a saying that the front seat was reserved for a girlfriend, Wilfred didn’t strike her as someone who cared about such details. She decided to pretend she didn’t know. After buckling her seatbelt, a phone suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up, her face full of confusion and surprise. Wilfred glanced sideways at her, one hand on the steering wheel, the car still stationary. “I haven’t decided on a restaurant yet. I’ll be driving soon. You pick something.” Karina took the phone. As Wilfred drove, she scrolled through the options, narrowing it down to three restaurants. But her mild indecisivenes
Karina forced a smile. “Really, it’s fine. You all go ahead.”Yvette pouted, her disappointment clear as she relented. “Alright then.”Once the others had left, Karina tried to refocus on work. She pulled out her research materials, determined to get something done. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept wandering. The cheerful chatter from outside finally snapped her out of it, making her realize just how distracted she had been.Karina gave a wry smile and muttered to herself, “This is why you don’t get ahead of yourself. Seriously, one of life’s biggest delusions.”For a fleeting moment, she had thought Wilfred might feel something for her too. But it was better this way, she told herself—better to wake up now than to fall in too deep later. Romance wasn’t her strong suit; focusing on her career was safer.While others might drown their heartbreak in food or a night out, Karina chose the most grueling outlet: work. It might be exhausting, but it was effective. S