โEdward?โ Sure enough, Mike also recognized Edward.Edward had been working for Alexander for many years and was always next to Alexander wherever he went. Mike had many encounters with Edward in the past.However, Mike did not think in that direction. But with Lilyโs question, he looked closer at the other man and realized he looked highly similar to Edward. Even the manโs build appeared to be the same.โTurns out itโs a friend of ours!โ Mike smiled, breathing out a sigh of relief.After relaxing, Mike was no longer as wary as before. He shook his head and said, โWhy are you here? Did you fight with those four men out there? Good job, man! But then, why are you here? Did Alex ask you to come?โHe asked a series of questions but did not realize there was an invisible tension between the other two. Edward did not respond to Lilyโs question from earlier. He neither denied nor admitted he was Edward. He just stood there in silence, his gaze deep.โWhy donโt you remove your mask?โ Li
โI knew you were not being controlled.โ Sure enough, Lily was not concerned about what he was saying. She was just staring at Edward intensely.Only his eyes were visible, and he appeared to be exhausted. However, there was no malice in his gaze. His eyes were clear instead of blank, indicating he was not under control.โIf Edward isnโt under control, why would he say such terrible things to Liv? Why would he have a falling out with Alex? Most importantly, when did Edward get here?โWas he here long ago, or did he just infiltrate the area? It could be something Alex arranged, or Edward couldโve come here of his own accord.โโWellโฆโ Edward sighed heavily, appearing to be helpless. โYeah.โโWait a minute. What are you guys talking about? Why donโt I understand anything?โ Mike interjected. He thought the two were using code to communicate and could not understand what they said. He felt like an outsider.Back then, Mike felt he had many secrets he could not tell others. But now, it
Mike was astonished upon hearing that and glanced in Edwardโs direction. He waited for an answer.Edward said nothing, but his silence confirmed their thoughts.โYouโre insane,โ Lily said lightly. Her voice was calm and without emotion. She sounded like she was reading a fact.Mike agreed with her, adding, โIf thatโs your plan, then youโre crazy. Do you know how many people are here and how tight the security is? Also, many types of viruses exist here, including those well-developed and still developing. Are you aware of all that?โA moment later, he continued, โHow will you bring this place down by sacrificing yourself? Tell us. Donโt you know this place isnโt a vaccination development center? Thatโs just a cover-up for what theyโre doing?โDo you think you can leave here alive after destroying this place? Even if you sacrificed yourself and died, no one will know you for your good deeds. People will only remember you as a sinner!โโI know that.โ Edward was also calmโeven slight
Perhaps it hurt him, or Lily had pressed the right spot, but Edwardโs expression changed as he loosened his grip on Mike.Mike saw a chance to escape and quickly broke free before moving aside. He thought he was not far enough to be safe and took a few more steps backward a second later. He escaped Edwardโs grip, but Edward did not bother chasing after him.Instead, Edward tried breaking free from Lilyโs grasp. Although Lily was much weaker than him, he could not break free from her even though she held his wrist with only two fingers. Sure enough, Edward dared not forcefully break free from her. Hence, he could only stand rooted.โI admit my faults and can only repay her in our next lives,โ Edwardโs voice was low. With his gaze lowered to the ground, he appeared lonely. Edward knew he would hurt Olivia the most, but he had no choice.He unknowingly got involved in these things and learned about all the horrible things the organization did. Due to that, he could no longer return to
Lily was puzzled.โWe donโt have time to dwell on this now. Iโm serious.โ Edward sighed helplessly. โPlease. Iโm begging you two to leave. Now!โโDid you place bombs in this place?โ Lily asked after some thought as he urged them to leave.Mike became wide-eyed. โBombs?โThen he rummaged around, unsure if Edward had placed a bomb there.โHe would be crazy if he did!โโNo,โ Mike sighed. โWe shouldnโt stay here any longer. IโฆโBefore he could finish, a banging sound came from inside the bookshelf. Lily glanced over subconsciously while Edward became increasingly anxious. โMrs. Russell, please listen to me this time!โโYou listen to me. Bring us inside to meet him!โ Lily said severely.After a momentary hesitation, Edward nodded. Although they knew he was unwilling, he always obeyed Lily.Lily noticed it and slowly loosened her grip on Edward. Upon regaining his freedom, Edward moved his wrist a little. Although it still hurt, his skin had no marksโnot even a red mark from being
The secret room was not large but had a bed, sofas, bedding, tables, a coffee maker, etcetera. The eeriest thing was a row of transparent jars on the left-hand side tables. It was hard to distinguish the things submerged in the murky liquid inside these jars, but their shapes and colors were unsettling.Heavily tied up on the floor on the right was the mysterious and vicious man who had been bossing them around.Completely still, he seemed asleep or passed out, but the banging just now had come from here.Lily raised her eyebrows and asked, โIs he dead?โEdward shook his head.Mike went over and lowered his head to take a look. โI donโt think so.โThen he looked toward Edward. โHow did you catch him? Were you the one who struck down the bodyguards outside?โEdward nodded slightly. Although those people were not easy to deal with, they were not his match. Mike gave him a thumbs-up and lowered his head to stare at the man on the floor conflictedly.Since the man had kidnapped his
The manโs initially curled-up body slowly stretched as he moved his legs. Then he turned around and sat upright before crossing his legs to face Lily. He looked up, still wearing his mask.However, his eyes seemed even creepier and more intense as they glowed with malice. He cocked his head and looked at Lily, then glanced briefly over his shoulder at Mike before fixing his gaze on Edward.After that, he burst into a peal of giggles again. โI truly underestimated you, huh?โEdward gazed back grimly without a word as he stood beside the man.Lily chuckled coldly. โYouโve underestimated a lot of people, havenโt you?โโTell us. Who do you work for? What kind of organization is this? What are you guys up to? How many people are in your organization?โ Although she knew he would not tell the truth, she still had to try.The man tilted his head and looked back at Lily. To her surprise, he answered readily, โOur organization is beyond your imagination. What do you guys know? You think yo
โHow many viruses have you released?โ Edward asked grimly.โEdward Sullivanโฆโ The man called out his name, paused, and cocked his head thoughtfully before continuing. โOh, no. I should call youโฆR16, right?โEdward became wide-eyed when he heard that. Then he kicked the manโs stomach hard. The man grunted and bled from the corner of his mouth, but he continued to laugh as if he enjoyed upsetting them.Lily looked at Edward conflictedly. Although she did not know what type of virus was inside his body, she knew he was one of the experimental subjects after hearing his codename. โThis experiment is inhumane!โShe knew the organization experimented on humans, but she felt terrible whenever she heard about it and that it was happening to the people she cared about.โEdward must feel much worse as an experimental subject since he experiences it first-hand. However, he quietly bears it all, even attempting to sacrifice himself to destroy the place.โ Lily looked at him profoundly and pu
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, โThereโs something I find strange.โโWhat is it?โ Mike asked after comforting his son.โInstead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldnโt we reach him?โAfter some thought, Mike answered, โThere are two possibilities. Itโs probably due to poor signals, or he doesnโt want us to contact him.โThe two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.โWhy canโt we contact Ross? Is he planning something?โโฆThree days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queenโs leg and looked up at her, saying, โYou should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, itโll take some time before you can stand.โSuddenly, Lily chuckled.โWhy are you laughing?โ 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, โOf course, you wouldnโt.โโThatโsโฆ quite a pity,โ the queen murmured thoughtfully.โWell, thereโs a price to pay for everything. Thatโs how the world balances itself,โ Lily continued, โI canโt stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I wonโt witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isnโt something youโll regret.โLily 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 Yasminโs legs. โYour Majesty, those needlesโโThe queen waved dismissively. โItโs okay. Lily will remove them later.โEven so, Rick was wary. โYouโre being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that womanโโโShe wouldnโt,โ 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.โTell me. What do you want?โ The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lilyโs 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 donโt 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 wasnโt sure if youโd blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didnโt 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.โThatโs it?!โ 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.โI havenโt felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldnโt mind waiting for three more days.โโAre you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?โ 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, โI canโt guarantee that youโll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you havenโt used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, youโll recover slowly.โYasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
โBecause only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""Iโฆ don't trust anyone." Yasminโs 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? Youโve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Arenโt you tired of living a lonely life?โLily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasminโs back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, โSightsee, huh? Iโve forgotten what thatโs like.โYasmin 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 Lilyโs suggestion.Lily asked, โWhat 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 couldnโt 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 whoโs willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against youโ Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.โHowever, 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?""Youโฆ" 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, โBring Lily over. Iโd like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.โ"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must youโ"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, โHer Majesty wants to see you.โLily 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. โYou stay.โ"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesnโt 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 queenโs 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, โIf any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They wonโt do that to me. Itโs natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. Iโm the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.โAfter a short silence, Lily said, โYouโre right.โ She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, โMe too.โDominic 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, โThanks, you guys!โ"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and donโt be rash like you promised," Aust