Since Austin had been too busy, he made three simple burgers. His cooking skills had improved these past few days, and the burgers smelled delicious.Galen devoured his food, and Austin passed a burger to his granduncle, saying, “I’ve removed the virus from you completely, right? Your pulse has been good from yesterday till this morning. Could the virus be concealing itself again?”“I don’t think so.” Dominic shook his head and stretched his arms. “I feel energized all over my body now.”“That’s great! If so, we can draw out the virus using acupuncture. Still, I don’t know why the acupuncture needle could draw it out.” Austin was still puzzled whenever he recalled what happened the night before.Even though he removed the virus, he did not understand how it worked.Dominic shook his head and said, “It’s not about drawing it out. When the virus meets its rival, it’s unable to withstand it and simply dies.”“Rival?” Austin stopped eating his burger and cocked his head thoughtfully.
Alexander stopped sleeping after receiving Mike’s call. It was already dawn when his car reached the Moores’ house.“Stay here, sir. Leave it to us,” Edward said while looking over his shoulder. We’ll bring him to you in a flash.”After some thought, Alexander shook his head. “No, he won’t leave with you.”He knew how Cameron was, especially since the latter had his plans. Since that was the case, Edward and the others would not be able to make Cameron leave unless they had a good enough reason to persuade him.Besides, they had no time to lose and could not waste more time trying to change Cameron’s mind.Alexander found a mask inside the car and wore it before saying lowly, “Let’s go.”Edward followed closely behind and brought two other men. The quartet headed straight toward the garage.Since they already knew the way in, Edward and the others quickly reached their destination and carefully opened the garage door without alerting anyone.“It’s over there.” Edward found the
Edward soon returned to the car. Alexander sat and leaned into a chair instead of sitting straight as usual.“Collaborate with you? How?” Alexander asked calmly.“I have resources and expertise while you have money and workforce. Together, we can potentially outperform the organization." Rhea stood up, her eyes full of hope.Alexander chuckled. “Did you tell that to Mike too?”“Of course!” Rhea did not try to hide it and smiled disdainfully. “Still, he’s useless. You, on the other hand, are different. You’re wealthier, more powerful, and also smarter than him!”Her compliment failed to please Alexander as he asked, “Where’s Cameron?”“Somewhere safer, of course. The house isn’t some heavily fortified prison—anyone can easily break in. Keeping him here was just a temporary measure. Besides, I told that idiot, Mike, about this place.“It’s only a matter of time before you show up uninvited.” Rhea was smug, as if everything happened as she had expected.“You’re smart, all right,”
Alexander narrowed his eyes. “So you asked Mike to bury the body on purpose?”Rhea stared at him sideways for a moment before smiling. “Why else would I do that? Since he’s timid and cautious, he would worry about spreading the virus.“He knows how contagious the viruses in the lab were and how severe the consequences would be. Therefore, he’d naturally look for your help,” After a pause, Rhea continued, “However, I was curious whether you’d help him first or look for Cameron first.”She clapped and added, “Oh, I forgot you have helpers. You can always get help, considering how rich and powerful you are. Still, I’m surprised you personally came to rescue Cameron.”After a brief thought, Alexander asked, “So? Is that corpse contagious?”“No, no, no,” Rhea said, shaking her head, “I have no idea about that.”Alexander knitted his brows and looked at her in puzzlement.Rhea continued, “I only run the research. The outcomes, subsequent developments, and so on are often beyond my con
“You’ll find out when you cooperate with me. After all, Cameron is the best bargaining chip for our contact with the organization,” Rhea replied mysteriously, with a sly smile."Why would Cameron be the best bargaining chip for your negotiation with the organization?" Alexander quickly caught on to her words and pressed further. "What do you want to use him for, or does the organization need him for something?""You don't need to pry regarding that," Rhea swiftly changed the topic, "You'll find out soon enough. I need some leverage, too, don't you think?"Alexander took a step closer. He looked down at her and questioned again, "Are you refusing to tell me where Cameron is?"Rhea grew impatient with his constant questioning and said, “I already told you. You’ll find out when the time—”Alexander grabbed her by the throat before she could finish. His movements were swift, and she could not react in time. Alexander lifted her by her neck in the next second, and she struggled to brea
Alexander fell silent. He was not afraid but somewhat wary.Aside from everything else, he had witnessed the virus in Austin and had been staying at Domonic’s estate. He had also witnessed Dominic and his servants' pain during their infection.‘What about Austin’s family and those he had come in contact with? Even those with mild symptoms suffered greatly. Also, the long-term effects are unknown. Now, even Anastasia has gotten infected.’Alexander did not know how many more people the virus had infected. Still, he was not worried about his son, at least for now.‘Galen seemed fine, but what about the others?’Rhea triumphantly smirked when she saw his hesitation. She knew she had found his weakness and that he finally had something to fear.Alexander grabbed her collar and asked sternly, “What’s the antidote, and how does the virus transmit? What are the means of transmission?"After all, he had to understand the virus to find a solution.“Hehehe…” Rhea laughed and tilted her h
"Rhea, I can make your life a living hell! I know you faked your death once, but you might not be so lucky this time!""Mr. Russell, do you think I'm afraid of death? If I die, I’ll bring many people to the grave. It’ll all be worth it!” Rhea grinned, looking satisfied with herself."You—" Alexander was infuriated but could do nothing to her. At this moment, he finally understood what Mike meant when he said this woman was crazy.‘She’s not just crazy; she’s the epitome of madness! She fears no threat, no torture.’He realized he could not do anything to her at the moment."Why don't you consider cooperating with me? The world is progressing and constantly changing. When did people ever imagine airplanes, cannons, or rockets? Now robots can even replace humans.“Is anything impossible?" Rhea dismissed his disbelief. "Perhaps you think I'm making baseless claims, but I see further than you do.“Humans must evolve. It's a battle of strength. I'm helping the world eliminate weaker
Alexander assumed Austin was calling because he knew Dominic was ill. Rhea immediately looked over, seemingly waiting for Alexandefollowingnext words.However, Alexander froze as the phone call began. A familiar, somewhat weathered voice came through the phone, saying, "What did you just say? You rotten brat, don't you know your place?"Alexander was shocked when he heard that voice. He could not believe it was Dominic, and from the sound of it, he seemed to be in high spirits."Old…old man?" Alexander asked incredulously, afraid he had misheard."Just call me sir, no need to remind me that I’m old! I have a question for you. What the h*ll are you doing?! Have you given up on your son?" Dominic's usual criticizing tone came through.Although Alexander could not see him, he felt reassured that the older man was okay by listening to his voice."Have you finally recovered? Do you feel okay?" Alexander asked in a hushed voice."What do you think? I've seen it all. This little virus
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