Rhea’s response was quick. She stepped aside and dodged, but the man reacted quickly and whipped around, throwing himself over with his arms open. He chased after her in circles in the small room as if it was a game.Just as the man closed in, Rhea spun around and threw a handful of powder onto his face. She quickly jabbed him with an anesthetic syringe as he winced and halted in his path. Within seconds, he slumped onto the floor and could no longer move.Although he felt limp, his mind grew awake. He rubbed his eyes hard, and his roar turned into a whimper. When he opened his eyes again, he felt dizzy for a moment.“Rhea?”“I haven’t seen you for a few days. Do you miss me?” Rhea curled her lips into a smile.The man might find her smile rather charming under different circumstances and if they were in another place.Austin snorted twice and wanted to chastise her, but he had no energy for it and could only flutter his eyelids and roll his eyes.However, Rhea was pleased with
“What a shallow view!” Rhea snorted dismissively.She put her phone back into her pocket and stowed her notebook and pen. Seemingly not wanting to go yet, she took two steps forward and knelt before Austin to match his eye level.She asked, “Do all herbal medicine practitioners like you think you’re so great that you could save people from illness and contribute to humankind?”Austin chuckled coldly and retorted, “Do all mainstream doctors like you think our world is not chaotic enough that you try to prove yourselves using various viruses? What do you have without your equipment?”“You are right, but can you conduct your experiment without the equipment?” Rhea remained calm and clucked her tongue before stumping him with her words.Austin was at a loss for words but thought he was right and snorted.“I’m only curious how many people would risk their lives and act selflessly in the face of the virus during doomsday,” Rhea said thoughtfully, her arms dangling naturally and lying o
Lily has been exhausted since yesterday. Since Alexander’s condition was unstable, and for the sake of confidentiality and containment of the virus, she insisted on having only a doctor and two nurses attend to him besides her and Greg.She was bewildered by Greg’s ability to stay healthy, as he had been in close contact with Alexander for a long time without showing the slightest sign of infection. She asked him to make sure he was safe for his own sake, and she herself was careful.Judging from what she could tell from Alexander’s pulse, the virus would conceal itself and evolve fast. That was why he seemed to have recovered and would suddenly throw up blood.She was also careful when handling the vomited blood. She now understood why the pandemic spread so fast in Burnkwen.Now the small countries in Burnkwen were in a terrible mess, and Hyderland had tightened its border control so that no one could freely enter the country. If they didn't find a way to stop or protect against
Dominic chuckled. “Why? Don’t you miss your son? Giving him the cold shoulder, huh?”“The pandemic is worse than we imagined. Although I would take every safety measure, better be safe than sorry,” she said thoughtfully, having no mood to joke about such a matter. More accurately, she had not been in the mood to joke around recently. The spread of the virus would be unimaginable if they couldn't find a way to contain it. “Okay.” Dominic knew it, of course, and simply wanted to tease her. However, he stopped joking about it after hearing how serious she was. “Then do what you think is necessary. Actually…” After a pause, he chuckled. “Nothing. You’ll know when you’re here.” Lily was puzzled. “Be punctual, okay? Time is precious for them too!” He reminded her before hanging up. It was highly unusual, as Dominic had become somewhat arrogant after being famous in the herbal medicine field and flattered by everyone for many years.As the leading figure in the field, he rarely m
Leaving the hospital, Lily drove toward Dominic’s estate wearing a hazmat suit. Although she had taken full disinfection measures, she wanted to be safe. As Dominic was old and her son was there, she could not afford to make any mistakes. Lily did not drive fast, but she felt she was being followed not long after she departed. She did not expect that she would be tailed as she had not come back for a long time, and she had tried her best to keep her whereabouts from others. She glanced at the rear-view mirror and saw the car keeping a distance behind.She could vaguely see that the driver was a woman, but she could not see her face clearly as she was wearing a baseball cap and a mask, not to mention she was far away. ‘A woman? Could it be Rhea?’ Thinking so, she slowly sped up. The other person increased the speed as well. It was rather conspicuous, as her skill at tailing people was not good. Curling her lips, Lily narrowed her eyes and slowed down. She saw the traffic li
Lily was surprised.‘Looks like there are people who think likewise!’“Ahem…” Dominic coughed twice and said, “You’ve come at the right time. These two gentlemen are whom I want you to meet.”Catching herself, Lily quickly walked over and stood beside him.“This is the chief physician, Dr. Blanc, and Dr. Morris from the National X Department.” Dominic gestured, introducing them. “They are experienced doctors and experts in virology.”Lily was bewildered.‘X Department? What kind of department is that? I’ve even never heard of it! I’ve seen movies like X-Men and Project X. Is there an X Department in our country? Anyway, if there is, what have I got to do with it?’“Please join us.” The older man, Dr. Blanc, spoke first.They looked strange sitting together with Dominic wearing a jacket over a loose T-shirt and a pair of shorts while the other three were in hazmat suits.“Then…” Clearing his throat, Dominic spoke first to break the ice. “Let me introduce you guys. I’ve already
Based on what they said, Lily grew slightly relaxed as she felt they might not know about Alexander and had not come for that.“I’m sorry, I haven’t come in contact with the pandemic disease, so I don’t know much about it. Besides, mainstream doctors have done a more thorough and professional job researching the virus. I don’t think I can be of much help.” She smiled and spoke apologetically.Dr. Morris went straight to the point, “That’s not the case. Although we’re doctors, we don’t disregard herbal medicine. Besides, we’re here to seek cooperation. Of course, we initially wanted to ask Mr. Fike to join us, and it would be best if he could.” He looked toward Dominic. It was clear he did not take Lily seriously.Dominic said he would introduce them to his last apprentice, who could be of help, claiming she was as good as him. Therefore, they had high expectations and were surprised to discover that she was such a young woman.‘Since it’s widely known, it takes many years of expe
Lily was surprised. She was genuinely stumped, having forgotten that it was highly unusual for her to come to Dominic’s place wearing a hazmat suit.She coughed and looked toward Dominic. “Actually… he’s the one who asked me to do so.”Dominic was nonplussed. He wanted to avoid the affair and become a referrer, but it was challenging to handle these two parties. Lily seemed not to want him to enjoy his peace by cueing him so soon. “Oh?” Dr. Blanc said blandly.Lily said, “He said the pandemic is serious. Although our country is okay for now, knowing that the virus could spread fast and is hard to detect, he told me to be careful if I came here. So, the one who knows about the pandemic disease is not me but Dominic. I also feel you should help them, Dom. You shouldn’t stay out of this!”Dominic was speechless.Dr. Morris repeatedly nodded in agreement. “That’s right! Mr. Fike, you can’t continue living as a hermit. I hope you can work with our department to solve the problem! Don
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, “There’s something I find strange.”“What is it?” Mike asked after comforting his son.“Instead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldn’t we reach him?”After some thought, Mike answered, “There are two possibilities. It’s probably due to poor signals, or he doesn’t want us to contact him.”The two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.‘Why can’t we contact Ross? Is he planning something?’…Three days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queen’s leg and looked up at her, saying, “You should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, it’ll take some time before you can stand.”Suddenly, Lily chuckled.“Why are you laughing?” Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, “Of course, you wouldn’t.”“That’s… quite a pity,” the queen murmured thoughtfully.“Well, there’s a price to pay for everything. That’s how the world balances itself,” Lily continued, “I can’t stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I won’t witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isn’t something you’ll regret.”Lily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasmin’s legs. “Your Majesty, those needles—”The queen waved dismissively. “It’s okay. Lily will remove them later.”Even so, Rick was wary. “You’re being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that woman—”“She wouldn’t,” Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.“Tell me. What do you want?” The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lily’s request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you don’t punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasn’t sure if you’d blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didn’t you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.“That’s it?!” Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.‘I haven’t felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldn’t mind waiting for three more days.’“Are you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?” Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, “I can’t guarantee that you’ll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you haven’t used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, you’ll recover slowly.”Yasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
“Because only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""I… don't trust anyone." Yasmin’s expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? You’ve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Aren’t you tired of living a lonely life?”Lily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasmin’s back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, “Sightsee, huh? I’ve forgotten what that’s like.”Yasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lily’s suggestion.Lily asked, “What if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldn’t bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father who’s willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against you— Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.“However, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""You…" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, “Bring Lily over. I’d like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.”"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must you—"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, “Her Majesty wants to see you.”Lily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. “You stay.”"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesn’t wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queen’s attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, “If any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They won’t do that to me. It’s natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. I’m the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.”After a short silence, Lily said, “You’re right.” She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, “Me too.”Dominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, “Thanks, you guys!”"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and don’t be rash like you promised," Aust