“How many viruses have you released?” Edward asked grimly.“Edward Sullivan…” The man called out his name, paused, and cocked his head thoughtfully before continuing. “Oh, no. I should call you…R16, right?”Edward became wide-eyed when he heard that. Then he kicked the man’s 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. ‘This experiment is inhumane!’She 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.‘Edward 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.’ Lily looked at him profoundly and pu
Half of the man’s face was visible when the mask cracked, and everyone else gasped. Although they had anticipated it, they were still terrified by what they saw.Lily instinctively put her hand over her stomach, worrying the sight would frighten her unborn twins. The man’s face was indescribable.They knew not to discriminate against anyone based on looks, but it was terrifying. Not only was the man’s face full of dense scars—his mouth and nose were skewed in different directions.The man’s skin was not only burnt, but there were also traces of knife scars. It seemed like many wounds had accumulated in one place, twisted and tangled, giving people the creeps just by looking at his face.His face alone was scary enough. Coupled with his vicious gaze and wicked mind, he looked like a devil who lived on earth and never ceased to do evil. The fresh bloodstain on the corner of the man’s mouth made his face so eerie that it was hair-raising.“Aargh!” The initially calm man suddenly scre
The man bit down hard on Mike’s thigh and continued to let out muffled screams like a madman. His horrifying face was undoubtedly his sore spot, and he went amuck without the mask to hide it.“Let go, you nutcase! Let me go!” Mike continuously punched the man’s head as he yelled.However, no matter how hard he hit the man, the man refused to yield and continued biting down with all his might. Blood seeped from Mike’s pants, staining them red.The other two knew how hard the man’s bite was. The crazy man lost control and had no regard for his life. Mike hit him incessantly, and the unyielding man looked like he would get beaten to death.Lily hastily looked at Edward.Edward caught himself, raised his hand, and struck the back of the man’s neck with a hard chop. The man grunted and passed out. However, he continued to bite down on Mike.“F*cking nutcase!” Mike scolded but could not remove his leg from the man’s mouth.Edward pinched the man’s cheeks, and with his help, Mike final
Edward fell silent after hearing Lily’s question. He balled up his fists, then slowly unclenched them. “I…. couldn’t care that much,” he said, sounding like he was holding back his emotions.‘Yes, I didn’t have time for that! Although many innocent people are here, I can only sacrifice them to save many others.’Lily asked, “We’re not that desperate yet! How could you not have talked to us about such an important decision? Did you even discuss it with Alex? I highly doubt it!”She looked at Edward. She did not mean to blame him but sounded slightly upset.‘He worked for Alex for many years, and Alex treated him like a brother. Yet, he kept such a critical thing from Alex and decided independently. He’ll sacrifice not just many innocent peoples’ lives but also his. If Alex finds out about this, he’ll be heartbroken!’Edward did not know how to respond to Lily. Given his situation, he could not have thought ahead that much.He only made it back from Burnwken because someone had sav
Edward did not know what else he could do.“Listen to me, and don’t do anything rash,” Lily said, “Do you think we couldn’t just catch him? It’s easy to do that, but what about those he’s working for and their network?”“Have I…made a mistake?” Edward hesitated. He did this and stuck to his plan since regaining his volition. However, he now realized he might be making a massive mistake. “Nothing has happened yet, and you can still stop this,” Lily consoled him, “However…”She quietly sighed while looking at the man who had gotten knocked out cold. She never expected Edward to be here and do all this before she and Mike could carry out their plan.Lily palmed her forehead, rubbed between her brows, and felt it was tricky to solve the current problem. Meanwhile, with his thigh in great pain, Mike looked pale as he breathed heavily. He sat weakly aside as he glared at the man on the floor.The man looked genuinely ugly, and Mike wanted to kill him after thinking about what he had s
The small room suddenly became stuffy after the bookcase door closed. It was hard to breathe without a single window. However, it was a perfect hiding place for Lily and Edward.The two looked at each other without a word, then heard footsteps and someone talking outside.Someone seemed to have discovered the bodyguards lying at the doorway and rushed into the office, yelling, “Sir?! Sir!”Lily tensed up and gripped the desk corner beside her as she listened intently.“What took you guys so long?” Mike’s voice was tinged with anger and sounded authoritative.“Mr. Corden?” Those grunts knew him and were shocked when they saw him.Mike said, “You imbeciles! Where were you?!”“Mr. Corden, what the hell happened?”Mike said solemnly, “Someone barged in and kidnapped the boss, but I got wounded and couldn’t stop them. They’re a bunch of losers!”Although Lily was not outside and could not see him, she knew he referred to the bodyguards lying outside in the last sentence.“Who were
After getting an earful, the grunt no longer dared to utter another word. Still, he did not leave.“What the f*ck are you waiting for?”“Y-You’re injured. Would you like me to send you to the hospital?” The grunt asked tentatively, probably trying to please Mike.“Thanks, but no thanks! If we can’t get our boss back, we’ll all die. You might as well send me to the morgue!” Mike sneered. “Oh, by then, you’ll also get sent there with me, won’t you?”The grunt was terrified by what he had heard and hastily said, “I’ll go right away!”Then he ran off. This time, there were no more noises. However, Mike did not return to the secret room, probably for safety’s sake. Lily also remained inside, seemingly thinking about something.After five minutes, the bookcase door made a sound and slowly opened. Mike appeared at the doorway and said solemnly, “You can’t hide here for long.”Lily nodded, wanting to leave as well.“What about him?” Mike pointed his chin to the man on the floor.Lily
Lily stepped out from the secret room with Edward in tow. Then she turned to him and said, “You should leave this place.”Edward was puzzled.“Whatever your goal is, you can’t help much by staying here, not to mention the danger you’ll put yourself in,” Lily added, “Just go!”“I can’t!” Edward said, “This place is dangerous!”“All the more reason for you to leave.” Lily put her hand on his shoulder and said solemnly, “They forced me and Mike to stay, but not you! Just leave. There are people outside this place who need you more!”After a pause, she said meaningfully, “Someone is waiting for you back home!”Edward became misty-eyed. He knew who Lily referred to but could not leave the place, knowing how dangerous it was.“Mrs. Russell, I want to stay here and protect you,” he said. “I disrupted your plan, and if anyone finds out what happened, you two will be in grave danger!”Lily noticed his sincerity and smiled. “Edward, when it comes to fighting, do you honestly think I need
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