The man bit down hard on Mikeโs 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.โLet go, you nutcase! Let me go!โ Mike continuously punched the manโs 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 Mikeโs pants, staining them red.The other two knew how hard the manโs 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 manโs neck with a hard chop. The man grunted and passed out. However, he continued to bite down on Mike.โF*cking nutcase!โ Mike scolded but could not remove his leg from the manโs mouth.Edward pinched the manโs cheeks, and with his help, Mike final
Edward fell silent after hearing Lilyโs question. He balled up his fists, then slowly unclenched them. โIโฆ. couldnโt care that much,โ he said, sounding like he was holding back his emotions.โYes, I didnโt have time for that! Although many innocent people are here, I can only sacrifice them to save many others.โLily asked, โWeโre 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!โShe looked at Edward. She did not mean to blame him but sounded slightly upset.โHe 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. Heโll sacrifice not just many innocent peoplesโ lives but also his. If Alex finds out about this, heโll be heartbroken!โEdward 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.โListen to me, and donโt do anything rash,โ Lily said, โDo you think we couldnโt just catch him? Itโs easy to do that, but what about those heโs working for and their network?โโHave Iโฆmade a mistake?โ 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. โNothing has happened yet, and you can still stop this,โ Lily consoled him, โHoweverโฆโShe 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, โSir?! Sir!โLily tensed up and gripped the desk corner beside her as she listened intently.โWhat took you guys so long?โ Mikeโs voice was tinged with anger and sounded authoritative.โMr. Corden?โ Those grunts knew him and were shocked when they saw him.Mike said, โYou imbeciles! Where were you?!โโMr. Corden, what the hell happened?โMike said solemnly, โSomeone barged in and kidnapped the boss, but I got wounded and couldnโt stop them. Theyโre a bunch of losers!โAlthough Lily was not outside and could not see him, she knew he referred to the bodyguards lying outside in the last sentence.โWho were
After getting an earful, the grunt no longer dared to utter another word. Still, he did not leave.โWhat the f*ck are you waiting for?โโY-Youโre injured. Would you like me to send you to the hospital?โ The grunt asked tentatively, probably trying to please Mike.โThanks, but no thanks! If we canโt get our boss back, weโll all die. You might as well send me to the morgue!โ Mike sneered. โOh, by then, youโll also get sent there with me, wonโt you?โThe grunt was terrified by what he had heard and hastily said, โIโll go right away!โThen he ran off. This time, there were no more noises. However, Mike did not return to the secret room, probably for safetyโs 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, โYou canโt hide here for long.โLily nodded, wanting to leave as well.โWhat about him?โ 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, โYou should leave this place.โEdward was puzzled.โWhatever your goal is, you canโt help much by staying here, not to mention the danger youโll put yourself in,โ Lily added, โJust go!โโI canโt!โ Edward said, โThis place is dangerous!โโAll the more reason for you to leave.โ Lily put her hand on his shoulder and said solemnly, โThey forced me and Mike to stay, but not you! Just leave. There are people outside this place who need you more!โAfter a pause, she said meaningfully, โSomeone is waiting for you back home!โEdward became misty-eyed. He knew who Lily referred to but could not leave the place, knowing how dangerous it was.โMrs. Russell, I want to stay here and protect you,โ he said. โI disrupted your plan, and if anyone finds out what happened, you two will be in grave danger!โLily noticed his sincerity and smiled. โEdward, when it comes to fighting, do you honestly think I need
Lily understood Edwardโs pain and was shocked.She stopped persuading him but raised her hand, paused, and lightly placed it on his shoulder. With a sigh, she said, "All right! But you must be careful and remember to stay under the radar."Edward nodded and was about to leave when she stopped him again. "Edward!"When he turned around, he saw Lily stepping forward to look at him. "There may be a solution for the virus in your body. Don't give up just yet! You must know that there are still people waiting for you!"Edward was stunned, probably because he did not quite believe there was a solution to the virus in his body. However, after seeing the sincerity in Lilyโs eyes, he knew she meant well, even if it was just to comfort and give him hope.Edward nodded with a light smile. "I know."Several people left the office, one after another. Within half an hour, the news had already spread like wildfire.Few people knew about the masked manโs existence, especially the ground staff.
Mike's expression darkened. "What do you mean?""Nothing much," Rhea replied leisurely and unhurriedly. Her gaze scrutinized Mike as she continued, "You should be the one most aware of the boss's disappearance. After all, you were the only one there, weren't you?"As she said this, she turned to look at the man sitting across from her.Mike put his hands on the table and retaliated, "What are you implying here? Are you saying I kidnapped the boss? Why would I do that? What good would it do for me?""That's a question I'll have to ask you," Rhea replied with a shrug and a meaningful smile. "Maybe you want to kidnap the boss to force him to tell you about your son's whereabouts. After all, your grudge against the boss isn't something new.""Rhea Moore, don't talk out of your *ss! The boss's disappearance puts everyone here in hot water! Do you think anyone can get away with it? Besides, I got injured trying to save him. Everyone saw it. If you want to throw dirt on me, at least have
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