The little guy squinted, and his expression was surprisingly similar to his father's. "Daddy, are you leaving me too?""Ahem!" Alexander cleared his throat, a little embarrassed that his son called him out like that. He clenched his fist and coughed several times to cover up his embarrassment. "I'm not leaving you. I justโฆ""Go!" The little boy waved and lowered his head to continue building his Lego. "Iโll be good!"Just a few simple words were enough for Alexander to swallow back his words. He looked at his son and felt a rush of emotions. He even felt a little guilty.Recently, he had been around Galen less than he wanted to. On top of that, the fact that Lily had to inform him about Daisy meant that he had exposed his son to potential dangers. He felt indebted to Galen.However, he had no choice. It was best if Galen stayed with Dominic instead of his grandmother. Galen was also a lot closer to him, too."Galen, Mommy and Daddy will play with you the whole day when we finish
"Are you done yet? When you were drugged up, weren't the seizures more painful than this? I didn't even hear you shouting like that! Are you doing this on purpose?!""No, Uncle Dom. Go ahead. I won't scream anymore!" Austin lowered his head and bit the towel, trying not to make a sound. This pain was completely different from the pain from the previous virus attack. It was explosive, and it felt like the cells in her body were splitting apart and exploding simultaneously. Although the pain was silent, his body felt as though it were being torn apart. All his strength was used in the splitting of his cells, so he didn't have any energy left to scream.However, the pain from the old man's acupuncture was continuous and slow. The pain seeped into his bones slowly, making him break out in a cold sweat.Seeing his appearance, Dominic sighed and shook his head. He held the needle in his hand and gently pressed the edge of the acupuncture point with his other hand a few times. To be ho
Dominic glanced at Alexander as if this were a greeting. When Dominic saw the little guy in the pile of toys, the look on his face immediately changed. He ran over, calling out to Galen, "My boy, what are you doing here?" Alexander watched helplessly as the graying old man ran over briskly and picked up his not-so-young son. The two of them seemed very close.Alexander was at a loss for words."Aren't you supposed to be home? What are you doing here? Did you miss Grandpa? You did, didn't you?!" As Dominic spoke, he rubbed his face against Galen.Galen giggled as Dominic's beard tickled his face. He dodged Dominic and stretched out his hand to pull Dominic's beard."Hey, hey, hey! You little devil! You can't pull my beardโฆ" Before he finished speaking, he seemed to have thought of something. Dominic stopped abruptly and turned his head to look in Alexander's direction. No matter how he played with Galen, Dominic had always been unscrupulous in front of Lily. However, he hadn
The old man was stunned momentarily, and his expression immediately changed. He was about to hand the little guy over when he saw Galenโs innocent and pure eyes the moment he stretched out his hands, and his heart instantly softened. Then, Dominic retracted his arms and hugged Galen before reluctantly saying, โHow dignified of you, Mr. Russell.โDo you think that if it were you who asked, I wouldnโt be able to refuse?โ Dominic grumbled as he rubbed the little boyโs back.He was tired for such a long time. He could look past it if Lily asked him for help, but now even her husband was knocking at his door. He wasnโt a full-time nanny!โMr. Fike, youโve misunderstood me. I didnโt mean that. Itโs just that, under such a special circumstance, I couldnโt find a suitable candidate,โ Alexander begged with a troubled face, without any air of superiority.Hearing this, Dominic laughed mockingly. โAm I the right candidate? Then I should thank you for thinking so highly of me, Mr. Russell.โ
Dominicโs uproar startled Alexander. Then he realized he had taken the older man lightly. He thought Dominic was angry at Lily for what she was doing. It turned out that Dominic was only concerned about her safety.After a momentary silence, Alexander sighed almost inaudibly and said, โItโs not like you donโt know how Lily is.โThis one sentence almost shut Dominic up, but he was still dissatisfied. โSo, what? Arenโt you like her? She is your wife! Shouldnโt you love and protect her? You werenโt here back then, but now that you are, how can you let her do such a dangerous thing? Donโt you know where she is? Sheโs entering the dragonโs pool and the tigerโs lair!โโThat brat, Austin, almost lost his life there, and now his life is still on the line. Now, Lily wants to join the organization?! If I recall, she barely got out of that research institute. Has she lost her mind?! Is Alex insane, or did they both go crazy?!โDominic immediately felt another rush of anger when he thought of
Although itโs easier to catch the organization, having no evidence of whatโs happening inside the lab would be pointless. On top of that, Alex is right. What if they have already begun spreading some sort of virus or worse?โThe last plague has caused a lot of trouble, and the aftermath of it still lingers. What if there is a more terrible virus?โ A chill ran down Dominic's spine as he sighed and kept quiet.Even so, he still felt it was too risky for Lily to go there."Don't worry. I will try my best to prevent this from happening," Alexander said, comforting the old man after seeing the saddened look on his face.Unexpectedly, Dominic looked up and glared at Alexander. "Who cares about that?! As long as you two are safe and remember you still have children to look after, that's all that matters. You two aren't the saviors of the world!"Alexander smiled when he heard this. These were the exact words he said to Lily as well. In the face of danger, she must remember she wasn't alo
After Alexander left, Dominic played with Galen for a while before the little boy started to feel sleepy. Dominic brought Galen into the room and watched the child sleep with a faint sigh.Dominic had always known that Lily was talented and intelligent from the beginning. He had imparted all his knowledge to her without reservation because of that. However, she was now in danger because of how much she knew.Dominic wondered whether or not what he did was right.After tucking Galen in, he turned to leave, only to find a servant at the door. "Sir, Young Master Austin asked if itโs done.""What does he mean if it's done?" Dominic frowned. Before the servant could answer, he immediately exclaimed in realization, "Sh*t! I forgot about him!"With that, he ran downstairs and headed straight to the backyard. Austin was still lying shirtless with silver needles stuck in his back.Although his body was getting cold, he dared not get up.โWhatโs taking Uncle Dom so long? Did he forget abo
Seeing that Dominic had finally turned to look at him, Austin was delighted. "Uncle Dom, don't waste your time! These medical books are a thousand years old. No matter how good they were in the past, they canโt keep up with an ever-changing society.โBesides, these viruses were developed abroad. Theyโre new and mutable. Thereโs no way these ancient books know how to tackle them." He felt that what Dominic was doing was pointless.Although Austin had studied traditional medicine, he knew that no matter how good it was, it was only invented to cure everyday illnesses. This newly developed virus was something no one had seen before. When he was injected with it, the virus could even manipulate his pulse. Traditional medicine could never compete with technology from abroad."Who told you that?!" Dominic shot Austin a glare. "What have you learned from me these past few years?! Dogsh*t!"Austin immediately fell quiet."No matter how advanced modern medicine is, it's also based on the w
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