The queen was at a loss for words. She had never seriously considered what would happen if the experiment succeeded.She had imagined a utopian world where she held the secret to immortality, and others would revere Yudonians. Then her nation would no longer care about other countries, and she would have the final say on everything.However, the queen never considered how she would govern the world if it became entirely populated by Yudonians.Lily noticed her stumped expression and said, “Of course, these are hypothetical questions because it’s not going to happen.”“How are you so certain it won’t? Is there a problem with R10?” the queen asked thoughtfully.Lily shook her head.“I’m unsure if there’s any problem with R10 since I created it according to the formula. As I said before, no one knows if it works until we put it to use. However, there were side effects in all previous experiments.”“Side effects?” The queen frowned as it was her first time hearing such a thing.“Th
“Of course I do. After all, I studied you before.” Rhea revealed a mysterious smile. “Oh?” Alexander raised his brow, saying, “You studied me?”Rhea relaxed her shoulders and leaned back. “To be precise, it was the organization that studied you. They probably wanted to work with you or find some leverage over you.”“Oh, yeah?” Alexander said blandly. He did not bother about their motive and only cared if they planned to harm his family. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Tell me about R10.”Rhea was surprised that he had changed the subject and glanced at him, asking, “Don’t you want to know why the organization wanted to study you and what they found out?”Alexander shook his head. “Nope.”‘What’s the point of knowing what the evil organization was trying to do to me? Besides, who knows if she’s just messing with me?’Not expecting this, Rhea shrugged and looked somewhat arrogantly at him. “Why should I tell you about it?”“Well, you can choose not to.” Alexander got up and walk
It was not easy for Rhea to gather all this information. After all, R10 was practically a forbidden subject to discuss in the laboratory. She also discovered that even the “boss” knew little about it.“What else?” Alexander asked, trying hard to sound calm.“I told you that’s all I know about R10,” Rhea said, “It’s up to you to believe me or not.”However, Alexander said, “I’m not talking about R10. I’m asking about your creations. Also, will you guys abandon the vaccine development center just like that?”He had always wondered if the organization would give up on everything and everyone at the facility. After all, many of their creations were still there.After infiltrating the lab and seeing what they had created, he could not believe the organization would just forsake the place.‘If they did, then why bother going through all the trouble? Was it just for distraction?’“I have no idea.” Rhea shook her head with a hint of confusion. It was hard to tell whether she was telling
Rhea had a purplish-red mark on her palm. One might have thought it was a birthmark if one did not look closer.Although Alexander could barely see it, he did not go near Rhea. He knew how cunning she was and suspected she might do something to him if he went any closer. After all, the mark could be poisonous.He stood in place and asked coldly, “What are you doing?”Pursing her lips, Rhea turned her palm around and cocked her head, examining the mark. “I’m showing you my trump card.”“Trump card?”“This is the experiment I’m the most proud of,” Rhea waved and said, “My body is the most powerful vessel there is now. It would be a pity if you guys killed me now.”She clicked her tongue and shook her head, sighing as if distressed by such a scenario.“You’re experimenting on your own body?” Alexander was stunned.Although he had considered many possibilities, and she might not be telling the truth, he was astonished by what she said. Furthermore, he knew she had not painted the s
The “boss” and the organization focused on Lily, causing Rhea to live in someone else’s shadow again.‘Why must I always live in other people’s shadows? I’ve worked so hard, and I’m one of the brightest people around. Why won’t the organization pay attention to me?’Alexander looked at Rhea intensely and sighed, “How would you like me to help you?”Rhea looked surprised upon hearing his softened tone. She answered, “It’s as simple as taking me to the organization. I know you must’ve found and contacted them. If you help me contact them, you can leave the rest to me.”“You seriously don’t know who’s behind the organization?” Alexander looked at her suspiciously, unsure if she was feigning ignorance.“I know that a formidable entity backs them, but…” Rhea did not finish her sentence because that was all she knew. If she knew, she would have approached the entity long ago.Although the “boss” told her nothing, she used his body for her experiments. Ultimately, he suffered from vario
Alexander added, “Rhea’s extremely cunning, and her words are dubious. However, not everything she says is false.”“Aren’t you stating the obvious?” Mike stopped and gazed after Alexander.The latter stopped and turned to say, “But I know someone who might be able to tell if she’s speaking the truth.”Mike was surprised.…As efficient as Alexander was, he soon fetched Austin, who had been busy helping Dr. Blanc with his research. Although it had only been a few days, Austin had lost plenty of weight and developed dark circles under his eyes.Still, he seemed unusually spirited, and an air of confidence surrounded him."Did you have lunch yet?" Austin asked before Mike, who was approaching, could even offer to lead him to see Rhea.Taken aback, Mike said, “N-No, not yet.”“Then let’s eat. I’m starving!” Austin said as he strode inside the house. Mike was dumbfounded. He looked at Alexander, but the latter did not object.Then Mike turned around and chased after Austin, aski
“Hey, aren’t you guys even a bit anxious?” Mike could not believe how calm Alexander and Austin were.‘If it were up to me, I would’ve gone to see Rhea immediately! We can consider handing her to the organization to make a deal if she isn’t lying. At least we’re trying a new approach, right?’Mike had thought about it repeatedly for the past two days but could not devise a better solution.Alexander said he had an idea and brought Austin along, yet the duo seemed to be taking their time, which frustrated Mike.“Some things require patience. Sometimes we just have to wait.” Alexander approached and patted Mike’s shoulder. “Just chill out, all right?”Mike was speechless.‘I don’t want to chill out, damn it!’Meanwhile, Austin was in a deep sleep. However, he woke up half an hour later and glanced at the wall clock. “It’s about time.”Mike was crouching aside with his cheeks in his hands when he looked up in confusion. “Huh?”“It’s time. Come on.” Austin got up and straightened
Austin looked angry, but only for a moment.Suddenly, Rhea teased, “Why so upset? Is the virus inside you giving you mood swings?”Austin no longer allowed Rhea to mock him. After all, she had become the prisoner this time, and he did not care about what she said.Rhea snorted dismissively after seeing Austin unfazed.However, she seemed to realize something two seconds later and narrowed her eyes, saying, “They called you here to…”“It looks like the virus hasn’t affected your brain yet.” Austin approached and stood before her.“Fuck off! I don’t need you to examine me.” Rhea realized Alexander must have asked Austin to examine her to see if she was lying about experimenting on herself.Alexander and Mike were laymen in medicine, not to mention research work. However, Austin differed because he had worked as a physician for many years and spent countless hours in the laboratory, where the organization had treated him as s test subject.He would be the perfect person to examine
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