Ch. 381..390
Chapter 381 Three Days From Now
After much hesitation, Randolph finally decided to ask Catherine.
“Mrs. Swann, why all of a sudden you gotta go study? Is high school, like, a blast or something?”
Catherine casually replied, “I haven’t attended it before. Just want to give it a try!”
“I see.” Randolph nodded in understanding.
“Trying new things in life could be a good experience. Upon consideration, I have never attended high school. Perhaps it is worth finding some time to go back and experience the joy of Mrs. Swann!” said he inwardly.
Catherine’s phone that was placed aside rang again. She glanced in the direction of it. Randolph immediately understood and walked over, holding the packed lunch box and respectfully bidding farewell to Catherine.
“Mrs. Swann. I can see that you’re busy. I’ll take my leave now!”
After Randolph left, Catherine reached out to answer the phone. Branden’s deep and gentle voice could be heard on the other end of the phone. “What are you doing?”
“Just finished eating!” Catherine replied. She took the phone and sat on the nearby sofa, adjusting her posture and furrowing her brows.
The sofa here was not as comfortable as the one purchased by Branden. It was unknown where he bought his lazy sofa, but it was extremely comfortable to lean on.
Upon hearing her response, Branden realized that he hadn’t eaten for eighteen hours. He had been with the scientific researchers, dedicating himself to the laboratory project.
After finally finishing the data organization, he handed it over to the subordinates and had a moment to call Catherine.
He didn’t expect to miss Catherine so much after being apart for just one day. Without Catherine in his arms, he always felt like something was missing, and even his work became less enjoyable.
“I will be going home the day after tomorrow. Will you be there?” His voice carried a palpable feeling of anticipation.
He knew that Catherine must have brushed off the people he arranged for her and went to Oceanvile for business. However, he did not know how long it would take for Catherine to return.
He missed Catherine. Catherine had just told Dr. Dunn that she would stay for three days, so she couldn’t return until three days from now.
She left in a hurry last time to attend her grandfather’s funeral, leaving many things unfinished. After Dr. Dunn urged her several times, she took the opportunity to visit Oceanvile to deal with the unfinished matters here.
“Three days from now!” Catherine gave a specific time.
Everyone felt a bit disappointed that Branden still didn’t bring it up. Branden didn’t wish for Catherine to change anything because of him.
Only one more day. He could hold on. ” Okay, I’ll wait for you!”
“Great!” Catherine gently replied before reminding him, “Be good and eat your meals on time!”
The man on the other end of the phone revealed a slight hint of surprise as his woman showed a proactive interest in his well-being.
“Awesome!” said he inwardly. After he hung up the phone, the smile on his face still hadn’t faded. The sound of knocking echoed. Branden responded in a deep tone, ” Come in!”
Paxton and Carlo simultaneously pushed open the door and walked in. The two nervously walked through the door. Upon seeing their boss’ expression, they were filled with immense perplexity.
“Just a moment ago, the researchers were discussing how the boss was going to lose his temper, but it appears now that his mood is rather good,” thought they. With a heart full of doubt, Paxton reported the matter he was about to report.
“Sir, there is news from the Winfreds. Erick now holds a 30% stake in the Winfred Group and may become the next president.”
Hearing this news, Branden was not surprised. He had met that boy Erick before and knew him to be a very clever brat.
“Catherine is willing to release that trouble, which means that she has recognized the capabilities of that young man,” thought Branden. Seeing that Branden didn’t have much of a reaction, Paxton continued speaking.
“Sir, it’s said that Erick pulled some shady stuff to get Xavier to give up his shares and transfer them to him.”
Xavier was critically ill and needed Erick’s kidney to survive. No one expected Erick to be so ruthless. He was acting as bait.
He poisoned himself, and the kidney transplanted into Xavier’s body was poisonous. The only antidote was with Erick.
He would rather die than let Xavier off the hook. Erick was a regular fixture in the black market and was quite proficient in dealing with some shady things.
The poison he obtained was not something an ordinary person could detoxify. Erick had always gambled with his own life to achieve his goals. How could he allow Xavier to detoxify easily?
This brat was truly ruthless!
However, this entire situation could be blamed on the stupidity of the Winfreds, who surprisingly did not take any precautions against Erick.
Without even carefully checking, they removed Erick’s kidney, giving him an opportunity to succeed easily. To stay alive, Xavier had no choice but to transfer all shares under his name in the Winfred Group to Erick.
After all, only by being alive could he have a chance to take revenge on Erick. Paxton briefly introduced the situation of Erick to Branden. Branden had a poker face on and completely overlooked such shady methods.
On the side, Carlo couldn’t help but want to applaud Erick.
“This little brat is quite fierce, which I like!” thought he. After Paxton finished reporting the news, it was Carlo’s turn to speak.
“Sir, we’ve received a message from the higher official. It turns out the experimental base is located in a village near Oceanvile, and there’s an expert there who is a student of Dr. Seven. The higher official wants us to contact them to find out the whereabouts of Dr. Seven!”
Branden immediately contacted Cory and asked him back from overseas to assist Carlo in investigating Dr. Seven.
The spies from Asmein had already infiltrated. They needed to hurry up. After finishing reporting, the two of them respectfully left.
Before they left, Branden suddenly called out to Paxton. Paxton quickly turned around, awaiting the orders of Branden.
“Bring me some food over!”
After a moment of hesitation, Paxton replied, “Alright. I’ll do it right away!”
After they left the room, Carlo looked at Paxton curiously and inquired, ”
Doesn’t our boss usually skip meals when working? Why is he asking for food this time?”
When Branden was in the laboratory conducting research, he was most concerned about being disturbed. He didn’t even have time for meals sometimes.
It was not that they didn’t care about Branden but that no one dared to break the rules that Branden had set. No disturbance was allowed without a summons. This was an order that must be obeyed no matter what cost.
Paxton glanced at Carlo and replied coldly, “Who knows? I’ll prepare the meal for him, and you can attend to your business.”
“Ever since Miss Swann showed up, the boss has changed so much that he’s no longer someone we can figure out,” thought he.
Chapter 382 Strange Visitors
Cory brought Carlo to a secluded rural area in the western outskirts of Oceanvile. Looking at the vast expanse of wheat fields, Carlo couldn’t help but exclaim, “Aaron, who would have thought that the globally renowned wheat research facility would be located on the remote outskirts of Oceanvile if it weren’t for the higher official’s guidance?”
“Call me Sir!” Cory gave Carlo a disdainful glance, his face full of disgust. They had grown up together since childhood, and he was about the same age as Carlo.
He was a few months younger than Carlo and was selected to join the Duncans earlier than Carlo, so he was named Cory and enjoyed more respect.
If it weren’t for the summoning of Branden, he wouldn’t be willing to meet Carlo in Oceanvile. Carlo wanted to say a few words but was interrupted by Cory coldly.
“Okay, let’s find the person first and complete the task immediately!”
He didn’t want to continue to endure the endless ramblings of Carlo. If given the choice, he would rather choose Paxton over Carlo.
Unfortunately, Paxton closely followed the boss and could not leave freely. He could only make do with teaming up with Carlo and striving to settle everything,quickly, aiming for a swift victory.
The two walked to the end of the path and came across an older man wearing a white shirt who was diligently farming with a few young people.
Cory had been responsible for intelligence collection. He recognized the other party at a glance as he had seen Randolph’s photo.
“Randolph Dunn, senior Ph.D. in biology and the only student of Dr. Seven!”
Upon hearing Cory’s introduction, Carlo narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the older man. “He disguised himself well. If you hadn’t introduced him, I would have thought he was leading the farming here!”
“Let’s go for a look over there!”
The two walked together and came before Randolph.
“Dr. Dunn!”
Upon hearing someone call his name, Randolph turned around and instinctively protected the students behind him.
From Randolph’s actions, Cory read the information and knew that the other party was aware of the news and on alert, prompting him to declare his identity immediately.
“Dr. Dunn, we are here on behalf of the official.”
At this moment, Randolph’s tense nerves relaxed a bit. He turned to the students behind him and said, ” Everyone, go to the lab and look closely at the data!”
After the students had dispersed, Randolph carefully scrutinized the visitors. Noticing the doubt in Randolph’s eyes, Cory dialed the higher official’s number and handed it over to him. Randolph exchanged simple words to confirm their identities and then glanced at the two.
“Follow me, please.”
The two followed Randolph to his residence. As they passed a small courtyard, Carlo suddenly noticed something peculiar and said to Cory, ” Aaron, take a look at this nice little cottage. There’s even an electronic lock at the entrance. Rural development nowadays sure is advanced!”
Upon hearing these words, Cory carefully surveyed the building that Carlo had described, and indeed, it appeared especially pleasing to the eye.
Although there was nothing particularly dazzling about its appearance, it made people feel uniquely comfortable at first glance.
When he noticed the two staring at the small courtyard, Randolph’s face slightly darkened as he warned in a low voice, “Gentlemen, this is an experimental research base. Please follow the rules of our base and refrain from looking around!”
Carlo was slightly surprised. He didn’t expect that even a glance wasn’t allowed. Cory remained calm and immediately apologized to Randolph.
“Dr. Dunn, please excuse us. We will comply with the regulations of the base. Randolph was a rare professional talent of Zerwick who devoted his life to serving the nation and contributing to his career for the benefit of humanity.
Besides, this was a core experimental base where countless secrets might be hidden.
“If it were not to protect Dr. Seven, the higher official would not have exposed the address of the experimental base. Therefore, it was understandable for Dr. Dunn to be cautious.
“Despite the seemingly rural attire of this elderly gentleman, who dedicated his entire life to this field, one can be certain that his mindset is exceedingly calm and his actions incredibly cautious,” said Cory inwardly.
The sudden arrival of the two caused some concern for Randolph. He did not have time to inform Catherine and was unsure if she would be discovered. He discreetly glanced at the small courtyard, but his action did not escape the notice of Cory and Carlo.
This excited their interest in the courtyard even more. They didn’t know who lived in the courtyard or what was hidden inside. Randolph hastened his pace and arrived at the residence with the two to avoid any potential trouble.
“Please have a seat!”
Although Randolph was esteemed as a top-notch scientific researcher, his lifestyle was remarkably simple, and his humble abode reflected this.
“Feel free to ask whatever you want, but please leave as soon as you’re done. I am busy all day and don’t have time to entertain you both!”
Cory and Carlo locked eyes briefly, and Carlo, the talkative one, asked the question. After inquiring for a long time, he obtained no helpful information.
Whenever it came to any news related to Dr. Seven, Randolph always claimed to be completely ignorant.
“Dr. Dunn, I am curious about how you and Dr. Seven communicate with each other.”
After a moment of hesitation, Randolph decided it would be better to provide some information to let the two give up.
“Unlike me, my teacher is not constantly stationed at the base. Her whereabouts are difficult to ascertain, and the duration of her visits is also uncertain. Sometimes, she stays for three to five months, while other times, it is merely for three to five days. It has always been the teacher who seeks me out, and I have no way of contacting her!”
“Haven’t you contacted her even once in so many years?” Carlo couldn’t believe it.
Randolph calmly replied, “That’s right. My teacher is a mysterious expert. Whenever the base needs her, she will appear automatically without me contacting her!
“That’s all I can say!”
He spread his hands out, assuming a posture that indicated he wanted to drive the two away. Carlo was just about to leave. Before he could say anything, Cory suddenly grabbed hold of him.
“Dr. Dunn, we have received information that people from Asmein have already discovered this place. They may infiltrate here in the next few days. For the safety of you and the students, we would like to stay here for two days until reinforcements for protection arrive from the higher official, and then we will hit the road again!”
Randolph’s face became highly embarrassed. After asking a few questions, he thought they would leave, but he did not expect them to want to stay.
“If what they say is true, what should I do with my students if I don’t allow them to stay?” wondered he.
Cory had a keen insight into people’s hearts. He immediately sensed Dr. Dunn’s hesitation and said, “Dr. Dunn, rest assured that we will not interfere with or disturb your work. We promise to abide by the rules here.”
“The safety of students and the base is of utmost importance. They would only stay for two days,” thought Randolph. After a short period of consideration, he made a decision.
“Fine. You may stay here for two days. Remember, do not wander around without my permission. If you do, I will promptly raise my objections to the higher official!”
Carlo and Cory both nodded in agreement.
After Dr. Dunn dropped them off at their residence and no one else was around, Carlo spoke up in a low voice. ” Cory, what are you doing? Aren’t we supposed to find Dr. Seven? The boss didn’t give us much time.”
Chapter 383 Courtyard
If it weren’t for Carlo knowing Cory well enough to know that Cory wouldn’t cause trouble recklessly, he would have intervened just now.
Even if Cory had obtained specific intelligence and was aware that spies were coming, their time was limited, and they couldn’t stay behind to protect the research personnel here. Cory coldly spoke up. “Imbecile! Dr. Dunn just lied!”
“Did Dr. Dunn lie? What does that mean? What is he hiding from us?” asked Carlo. Cory shook his head and said, “Let’s wait for two days and see. Don’t rush!”
As a matter of fact, Cory was not aware of what Dr. Dunn had been keeping hidden from them. He merely had a vague feeling that this matter was not simple or that there was something they wanted inside this experimental base.
No matter whether his judgment was accurate or not, he would like to stay and examine carefully. Hearing Cory’s words, Carlo decided it was best to remain silent and stay here for the time being.
After separating from the two, Randolph went to the small courtyard. He was the only person who could enter the courtyard. Not even the students under his command could enter.
“Mrs. Swann, what is your perspective on this matter?”
Randolph told Catherine everything that had happened and was waiting for her decision. Catherine lazily replied, “As long as it doesn’t bother me, do whatever you want!”
“Mrs. Swann, rest assured that I will not let the two disturb you,” replied Randolph.
“My teacher’s time is super valuable, and it’s rare for her to come back and research with me for a few days. If her time is wasted, wouldn’t it be such a great pity?” thought he.
Catherine was still researching new embryos and had no time for Randolph. “You can go back now. I’ll have Seven find you if I need you!”
As a researcher, Randolph naturally understood the importance of focus. Seeing Catherine focusing on her work, he dared not disturb her and quietly put down the food to leave.
There was a cafeteria on the base/ Carlo and Cory would have dinner at the cafeteria tonight.
Randolph gave them simple instructions. The plants in the experimental field must not be touched. Access to the seed bank was forbidden. Above all, the small courtyard was off-limits.
With a serious expression, Carlo nodded in agreement. When it became dark in the evening, the two stealthily made their way to the gate of the small courtyard.
“Aaron, I’ve told you something is wrong with this courtyard. Look, they installed an electronic lock on this shabby fence, and astonishingly, it’s even electrified. The voltage is so high that even a strong bull could be electrocuted!”
Cory had no intention of arguing with him. He was studying how to crack the electronic lock. He initially thought it was just an ordinary electronic lock, but it turned out to be very difficult to unlock. Ten minutes later, Cory declared his surrender.
Carlo was shocked. “Aaron, even you can’t unlock it?”
Cory gave him a side-eye, saying, “If you’re so capable, why don’t you have a try?”
After finishing speaking, Carlo immediately followed him.
“I did not mean it. I always believed that you were a master of unlocking. I did not expect that there are locks you cannot crack!”
In fact, Cory did have a way to crack the lock, but he needed more time and couldn’t guarantee that there would be no noise.
It would be troublesome if they acted rashly and alerted the enemy. Therefore, he decided to leave before considering the next steps.
Both of them were unaware that their every move just now was observed clearly by the people in the small courtyard.
Seven slowly approached Catherine and said, “Boss, there is the bad guy. Do you want me to activate attack mode?”
Perhaps Cory and Carlo should be grateful that Catherine was in the courtyard. Otherwise, Seven would have entered attack mode without reporting first.
Thus, it was likely that they would be awaiting rescue at the hospital now. Catherine glanced at the monitor screen and gave a cold smile with no intention of making a move.
“They’re smart enough to know when to back off and avoid getting shot. Otherwise, they’ll have to get a taste of my bullets,” said she inwardly.
After returning empty-handed last night, Cory had been unwilling to accept the failure. He got up early in the morning and waited outside the small courtyard with Carlo.
The entire morning had elapsed, leaving them nearly baked under the scorching sun, while there was still no sign of activity in the courtyard.
Just when the two were about to give up, Randolph rushed to the gate of the small courtyard, holding a few sheets of data paper and looking excited.
In an instant, the nerves of Cory and Duncan were instantly ignited as they fixated their attention on the courtyard with unwavering focus. After Randolph stood at the doorway for a while, a slender girl descended from the upstairs.
They couldn’t see her clearly because Randolph was blocking the way. After the arrival of two outsiders, Catherine immediately upgraded the security system of the courtyard by a level. Even Randolph needed to apply for access.
Randolph had made a discovery in his experiment and promptly came to inform Catherine of the news.
He was about to call “Mrs. Swann,” but unexpectedly, Catherine beat him to it and said, “Mr. Dunn, what’s making you so happy?”
He was momentarily stunned before quickly responding to cooperate with Catherine.
“The data improvement you proposed the other day has yielded results. I have brought it for you to review!”
Catherine nodded and then walked toward the small field ahead. As Catherine walked straight toward them, Carlo dared not keep looking and was about to retreat but was stopped by Cory.
Before he could ask what Cory meant, he was pulled out. The two groups of people faced each other. Randolph looked embarrassed. He would have made a mistake if it weren’t for his quick-thinking teacher just now.
“Why are the two young men so disobedient?
“They didn’t follow my rules. It’s truly infuriating!” thought he. Catherine glanced up and down at the two, her cold gaze slowly falling upon them as she spoke in a voice devoid of emotion.
“Gentlemen, you have been exposed to the sun all morning. Are you not afraid of heatstroke?”
Cory’s expression slightly changed as he never expected the other party to know that they were outside and still dared to come out.
“Are they too confident or simply don’t care about us at all?” he wondered. Carlo was taken aback by Catherine’s beauty. He never expected to see such a stunning girl here.
“Her face, her figure is simply stunning!” thought he. Upon seeing the impudent youth persistently staring at his esteemed teacher, Randolph became furious. He popped out from behind and went into his teacher mode, grabbing Carlo by the ear.
“You brat! If you look at my student disrespectfully, I will rip your ears off!”
Carlo also knew that he had made a mistake and quickly apologized. The desire for beauty was universal among people. He just thought this girl was good-looking without any other evil intentions.
He didn’t expect Randolph to be so overprotective of his student, and his ear was hurting badly. Randolph decisively brushed off Carlo and looked at Cory.
“You little troublemaker! Didn’t you promise me that you wouldn’t come to the courtyard? What have I said to you? How did you guarantee it?”
Compared to Carlo, Cory had a much colder temperament. He looked at Randolph with a stern face. “Dr. Dunn, we haven’t forgotten our agreement. We are just here to enjoy the sun and haven’t entered the courtyard, so it doesn’t violate our agreement!”
“Some people are so shameless that there’s nothing you can do to deal with them,” said Randolph inwardly.
His face turned red from anger.
A scholar like him couldn’t win an argument over Cory.
Chapter 384 Here He Is
Catherine didn’t bother with the two of them and just let Randolph kick them out. After Cory and Carlo left, Randolph quickly apologized to Catherine, “Mrs. Swann, it’s all my fault. I didn’t manage them well!”
Catherine was indifferent to the matter and didn’t think it was Randolph’s fault. “It’s alright. Give me the research report. I will let you know once I have studied it thoroughly.”
“Dr. Dunn, keep an eye on the two guys when you have some free time.”
Randolph didn’t dare hesitate even a little at Catherine’s order.
“Rest assured, Mrs. Swann!”
After seeing off Randolph, Catherine gave a call to Withal.
Withal called her just now, but she did not answer it.
“Withal, what’s the matter?”
“Catherine, I found out that Red Star is connected to 417 Laboratory, and a group of members from Red Star went to 417 Laboratory recently,” replied Withal.
“417 Laboratory?” thought Catherine. She furrowed her brows slightly. She was well aware that this laboratory was as renowned as Arbotte Laboratory.
The two laboratories were similar in many research directions, but they didn’t know each other very well. After all, the projects they studied were top secret.
The chief of Red Star once tricked her. It was the first time in her life that she had been cheated by someone.
She swore to find that bastard and pay him back double, making him feel the torture he caused.
Unexpectedly, the other party’s whereabouts were so elusive that even she couldn’t find them. Furthermore, under her continuous investigation, she discovered that Red Star was even more massive than she had imagined.
Now, 417 Laboratory was also implicated. She vaguely felt a greater force might be behind Red Star, which was the truly terrifying existence.
After a moment of silence, Catherine responded to Withal.
“Keep investigating, and be careful!”
“Catherine, rest assured. I’ll have an investigation and won’t do anything reckless!” Withal said with cheerful laughter.
“This damn Red Star actually dared to mess with Catherine.
“When I find them, I’m gonna kill their chief and bring his head for Catherine to kick as a ball,” thought he. Just after Catherine hung up Withal’s call, a call from Branden came in.
Originally, the two had always communicated through video calls. However, Branden had been busy with official matters these past few days, so they could only communicate through phone calls.
Branden’s magnetic and gentle voice could be heard on the phone as soon as the phone was picked up. “Are you busy?”
“Just finished!” Catherine speculated that Branden had probably called her earlier but didn’t answer because she was on the phone with Withal.
“Same with me here,” replied Branden. Catherine could discern the pleasure in Branden’s voice. In the next second, she sussed out the man’s little scheme.
“I may need a few more days,” said she.
Initially, it was planned for three days. But if the people from Asmein came, she had to take care of Randolph and the people in the laboratory, so she might not be able to return so soon.
“How about you come to me instead?” added Catherine. Branden also had such an intention. That was why he called Catherine. ”
Alright, I will come to you tonight!”
Carlo was sitting at the dining table inside the base cafeteria, seemingly on the brink of madness. He had been staring at Randolph with wide eyes since Randolph found them at noon.
Randolph followed them the entire time, never taking his eyes off them no matter where they went. If it were someone else, Carlo would have taken violence long ago.
But Dr. Dunn was a top scientist in the country and an old man with gray hair. How could Carlo hurt such a man?
After ten minutes, Carlo could no longer bear it.
“Dear Dr. Dunn, could you please kindly stop staring at us like that? Your creepy gaze is freaking us out!”
“Hmph!” Randolph snorted coldly toward Carlo, his face full of arrogance as he declared, “No, I have to keep an eye on you two to prevent you from breaking the rules again!”
Unable to convince Randolph, Carlo chose to surrender.
“I swear I won’t go to the courtyard again, alright?”
Randolph let out a disdainful laugh and uttered a word. “No!”
He had already promised Catherine he would not allow these two brats to disturb her. Carlo felt overwhelmed and could only turn to Cory for help.
Cory glanced at Carlo. The two of them were perfectly in sync.
They stood up simultaneously three seconds later. Randolph also stood up but didn’t expect these two brats to be so cunning. One went left, and the other went right.
“Little brats! How dare they play dirty tricks on me!
“This is my base. Not to mention two men. I’ll notice even if it’s just one sprout missing,” thought he.
Half an hour later, Carlo found Cory in a small drain. He took refuge inside it as he gasped for breath. “Wow, Aaron, you’re impressive! You found such a good place.”
Cory remained silent, engrossed in studying the computer in his hand.
Carlo was exhausted from being relentlessly tracked by Randolph. It was unexpected that a doctor specializing in wheat research could track him even better than Carlo, an expert in this field.
“Aaron, I believe that the courtyard and that beautiful woman are definitely not ordinary. Otherwise, Dr. Dunn would not attach much importance to them. I suspect the beautiful woman might be Dr. Seven’s granddaughter or something. In any case, she must be connected to Dr. Seven somehow.”
After a moment of silence, Cory finally muttered a word as a response. Carlo gave him a bump. “What are you muttering about? Have you been listening to me?”
Seeing him still holding and operating the microcomputer, Carlo could not help but approach to have a closer inspection.
It turned out that Cory was investigating that beautiful woman. ” Aaron, how is it going? Did you find any information about her?”
“No!” Cory shook his head.
“It was extraordinary that no information was available about her, as if her background were a blank sheet of paper.
“There were few people that I could not obtain their information on the intelligence network of the Duncans. Who exactly is this woman?” said he inwardly.
Carlo asked about Cory’s following plans. Cory gritted his teeth and muttered in a low voice, “I’ll personally go there when it gets late at night. I don’t believe it!”
“Okay, I’ll keep Dr. Dunn occupied for you. You go ahead!” Carlo said with a loyal expression.
Cory did not want to bother with this idiot and intended to act alone.
It was the first time Paxton had seen Branden come to a remote and impoverished area in the middle of the night.
“It was unknown why Miss Swann had come here, and my boss is madly in love. As soon as the experiment in the laboratory was over, he immediately rushed over without even having a short rest,” Paxton said inwardly.
“Sir, this is it!” Paxton looked at the small courtyard in front of him and respectfully reported to the man behind him.
Branden was planning to call Catherine to tell her he had arrived when a round and chubby robot emerged from the house and opened the door for them.
“The boss has asked me to pick you up. Please follow me.”
After glancing at the intelligent robot, Branden couldn’t help but curl up the corner of his mouth into a slight smile.
“Quite adorable!” thought he.
They followed the robot into the courtyard and saw Catherine leisurely resting there. The robot slowly moved over to Catherine and briefed her about the situation.
“Boss, I’m back!”
Catherine sat straight slowly and looked toward the man standing not far away. With his gaze unwaveringly fixed on Catherine, Branden stood in the dark night and slowly walked toward her step by step.
Chapter 385 Two Idiots
Cory and Carlo guarded the outer perimeter of the courtyard in the still of the night. With the previous experience, they did not dare to get too close this time.
Only after the sky darkened and even the streetlights were turned off did they dare to approach the small courtyard cautiously.
Cory could confirm that something was off with this courtyard. Therefore, no matter the cost, he must enter the courtyard today and investigate the situation inside before making further decisions.
He had already arranged for some professionals in the Duncans to study and find a way to crack the lock on the fence. They were certain to win today.
Seeing Cory not move for a long time, Carlo couldn’t help but whisper, ” What’s going on? It’s been so long. Didn’t you say you already cracked it?”
Just after Carlo finished speaking, Cory reached out and pushed the door. The door was opened smoothly.
“Hey, didn’t you already open it? Don’t be such a drag!”
As Carlo strolled in grandly, Cory was at a loss to explain the situation to this fool. Because he never cracked the lock in the first place!
Carlo had already gone in. Although Cory despised Carlo, he couldn’t just watch Carlo venture into danger alone. He hastily followed him as well.
The two slowly approached the small wooden cottage. They exchanged a knowing glance, silently understanding each other’s thoughts.
They went up the stairs simultaneously, with one on the left and one on the right. On the second floor of the small cottage, there were a total of three rooms. The two adjacent rooms were occupied by Branden and Catherine, respectively.
Having been sleeping peacefully in bed, Catherine suddenly opened her eyes when the faint sound of movement downstairs reached her ears.
Her gaze was icy and sharp like two well -honed blades, ready to draw out at any moment. After a moment, her eyes regained their usual coolness.
She lay on the bed calmly, completely disregarding the impending threat. It was late at night. No one could stop her from getting a good night’s sleep.
The second floor was quiet without the slightest movement. Cory gestured toward Carlo, and the two took out mini flashlights, ready to search for useful clues.
Cory discovered a desk ahead, with many files spread out on top. Just as he was about to examine the documents, suddenly, his hand froze with his entire nerves tense and his adrenaline soaring instantly.
A cold and hard object was pressing against his lower back at this moment. Years of training enabled Cory to know what weapon was pressed against his lower back without even turning around.
He put down what he was holding and raised his hands high to show that he surrendered. Waiting for the opponent to relax a little, he quickly seized the opportunity and counterattacked fiercely.
Cory initially thought he would strike with absolute precision, but unexpectedly, he was no match for his opponent. Feeling utterly astonished, Cory was once again subdued.
He could not believe such a skilled expert would be hiding in this small cottage. He knew he was finished. Having failed once, he would never have another chance. He would rather die than provide any valuable information to the other party.
When Cory was hesitating about how to finish himself, suddenly…
The light was turned on with a “pop,” illuminating the room with bright light.
“Carlo, Cory, why on earth are you here?”
Hearing the voice from Paxton, Cory was taken aback and turned around abruptly. They met each other’s eyes. The intimidating and domineering look in Paxton’s fierce gaze caused Cory to kneel in fear immediately.
“No wonder that I couldn’t win. It turned out that the one who fought me was my boss,” said Cory inwardly.
“Sir, I’m sorry!”
Carlo was also at a loss as he looked at the familiar faces.
“Sir, why is it you?”
They calculated repeatedly but never expected that the person in the small courtyard would be their boss.
Just as they were confused about what was happening, a sudden, cold voice broke the deadlock.
“Have you had enough of this farce?”
They looked toward the sound while Catherine leaned against the door in her thin nightgown, gazing coldly at everyone.
Branden furrowed his brow and strode forward, pushing back Cory as he positioned himself in front of Catherine, blocking all lines of sight.
“Did it disturb your rest?” he asked.
Upon hearing the gentle voice of Branden, both Carlo and Cory, who were unaware of the situation, were frightened to the point of trembling.
“Oh my! Is this the voice of the boss?” thought they.
Catherine gave a disdainful look at Branden and nodded in displeasure. Branden felt sorry for Catherine being disturbed during her rest. He bent down and carried her in his arms, saying, “Come on. I’ll take you back to sleep!”
Catherine was his precious. He got all worried if she took just one more step. As Paxton and the others remained in place, unsure of their next course of action, they suddenly heard a cold and commanding voice coming from up ahead.
“Get lost and do handstands downstairs!”
Upon hearing Branden’s order for punishment, the three did not dare to hesitate and immediately rushed downstairs. They each found a suitable spot, lined up in a row, and stood upside down against the wall on their hands.
Branden gently placed Catherine on the bed and was about to withdraw his hand. Unexpectedly, Catherine exerted sudden force and dragged him into the bed with a flip.
Before he could react, Catherine leaned over on both her hands and feet, murmuring, “Don’t move. Be my pillow!”
She hadn’t noticed it before, but ever since she got used to sleeping in Branden’s apartment, she always felt something was off whenever she came back here.
Catherine originally intended to endure it. After all, it was only for two days. However, Branden unexpectedly arrived here at night. Since he was already here, there was no point in wasting the opportunity.
Branden laughed quietly and subtly adjusted his position to make Catherine comfortable. It wasn’t easy to fall back asleep after being suddenly awakened. Catherine leaned against Branden and chatted aimlessly with him.
“Who are those two funny idiots!” she asked.
“Their behavior was laughable,” said Catherine inwardly. Branden didn’t expect the two men he arranged to investigate Dr. Seven to sneak in here.
“They are all Duncans’ Shadow Guards members, just like Paxton Duncan.”
It turned out that they were all members of the Duncans. Once Catherine found out they were not enemies, she had no intention of further questioning.
Just like Branden didn’t bother investigating her identity, she couldn’t be bothered to dig into the hidden force behind Branden, either. It was so tiresome to explore all those things.
Seeing that she did not seem inclined to further questioning, Branden gently patted her arm as if soothing a child to sleep.
“Be good and sleep. I will tell you about the matter tomorrow!” said Branden.
Catherine obediently closed her eyes. Having someone taking care of her while she slept was quite pleasant. She was truly enjoying it.
The people upstairs had already turned off their lights and gone to bed. Only then did the people downstairs dare to whisper.
As the only innocent party implicated, Paxton was full of complaints. “What’s wrong with you two? How did you end up investigating here and getting me involved? Fortunately, Miss Swann didn’t pursue it. Otherwise, you would have been finished!”
Branden used to have a violent and ruthless personality, being aloof and indifferent. He had become so ruthless to protect Catherine now that the word “inhuman “would not do him justice.
It was indeed a thrilling moment just now. Carlo’s curiosity was instantly piqued. He leaned against the wall as he moved toward Paxton. “Paxton, what’s going on? Who is that Miss Swann upstairs?”
Chapter 386 Three Versus One
After a thorough explanation by Paxton, both Cory and Carlo had a grasp of the situation. One of them was in Oceanvile, while the other was abroad. Neither of them had stayed by Branden’s side.
They only heard that their boss was to be betrothed to Miss Catherine, who had returned suddenly to the Swanns. However, they did not have any knowledge about who Miss Catherine was.
It was rumored that their boss had an extreme fondness for Miss Catherine and even made many changes for her, which shocked many people.
It was unexpected that Miss Catherine of the Swanns appeared suddenly in the courtyard of the experimental base.
It was a conflict that arose between people on their own side. Tonight, they disrupted their boss’ night and disturbed the young miss beside their boss. Just punishing them for doing handstands could be considered lenient.
With a gossipy look, Carlo leaned in to please Paxton. “Paxton, why did you suddenly come here? Isn’t Miss Swann the second young lady of the wealthy Swanns? How did she become Randolph’s student?”
“Carlo, why are you so nosy? Can’t you learn from Cory? Why doesn’t he behave the same way as you?” Paxton lectured Carlo with a righteous expression.
A cold and abrupt voice came from behind him as soon as he finished speaking.
“I would also like to know!”
Both Carlo and Paxton turned to look at Cory together. To their surprise, even colder than Paxton, the introverted and silent Cory could be so gossipy today.
Carlo was all pumped up and yelling for Paxton to tell them. When it comes to matters concerning his boss, Paxton dared not casually discuss them. He would rather keep the two brothers in suspense than reveal gossip about the boss.
The next day, Catherine groggily woke up under the intense sun. She opened her eyes and saw the man sleeping beside her and being used as her pillow.
Under the sun’s shining rays, the man’s skin displayed a glistening transparency. What was most enviable was that his smooth skin had no pimples or acne marks. Even the pores were barely visible.
Lost in a daze, Catherine suddenly snapped out of it and noticed that the man beside her had his eyes open. A bright light shone through in his deep pupils, as dazzling as stars.
The man’s thin lips parted slightly. Perhaps because he had just awakened, his voice was hoarse as if it had been smoked over, deep and mesmerizing.
“Are you hungry? I’ll make breakfast for you!” Branden asked. Catherine was originally going to refuse, but when she thought she hadn’t eaten the food Branden made for a few days, her stomach couldn’t help but crave it. Unconsciously, she nodded her head.
Because of her actions, a slight smile appeared on Branden’s face. He extended his hand to stroke Catherine’s forehead gently. “I’ll go get ready. You can sleep a little longer if you don’t want to get up. I’ll call you when it’s ready!”
Catherine remained silent, gazing at Branden’s rapidly retreating figure. She could see his perfect v-taper even through his clothing. He had an ideal build.
She wasn’t a foodie in the past, but ever since she met Branden, she couldn’t help wanting to eat the food he cooked.
Zobers, the love guru, once told her that the first step to capturing a man’s heart was to start with his stomach. She felt that Branden might have pleased her stomach. At the entrance of the courtyard on the ground floor.
The three who were punished for doing headstands last night were still doing headstands today.
Even though their faces were blushed and their arms were sore, no one dared to come down without Branden’s order.
Initially, they could endure this punishment. After all, they had experienced even more brutal situations through their training since childhood.
However, the fragrance wafting down from upstairs in intermittent waves was the lethal weapon that tortured them the most.
Even the strongest people couldn’t resist being tempted by such a fragrance.
Carlo couldn’t help but swallow and quietly said, “I didn’t expect Miss Swann to be such an excellent cook. The flavor is excellent!”
“Humph!” Paxton scoffed.
Carlo immediately sensed the hint of gossip and quietly approached.”
Paxton, it seems like there’s another meaning behind your laughter!”
Paxton didn’t want to beat around the bush with the two brothers. Besides, he knew Carlo’s personality and cut straight to the point.
“The one who cooks is our boss!”
Not to mention Carlo, even Cory was taken aback.
As they were still in shock, a strange sound suddenly came to their ears.
They instinctively looked to the side
and saw a chubby white robot moving toward them.
Upon nearing the three, the robot made a mechanical alert sound.
“Garbage detected ahead. Clear it up!”
“Garbage detected ahead. Clear it up!”
It repeated the sentence again and again. Carlo was getting quite annoyed and couldn’t help but mutter, “This robot is so noisy!”
Tragedy struck in the next moment.
The robot suddenly took action with astonishing speed. All three were caught off guard and were directly sent flying into the air. No one expected that the foolish robot would possess such immense power.
It was truly remarkable to be able to kick all three people away at once. Struggling to get up from the ground, Carlo looked around and saw that the two brothers had also been hit. He couldn’t help but sigh in frustration.
“Where did this badass robot come from? It looks so cool!”
Paxton and Cory looked embarrassed. They were considered top-notch Duncans’ Shadow Guard experts, yet a robot had just taken down them.
If this were to be spread, how could they maintain their dignity?
The three scrambled up and were about to investigate where the robot ahead came from. Suddenly, the robot swiftly turned around, running toward the direction on its side.
“Boss, you’re here!” The tone of the robot changed.
Catherine strolled down from upstairs and gently touched the robot’s sensor area. The robot immediately emitted a series of whimpering sounds, just like an excited child eating candy.
All three of them were left dumbfounded when they saw this scene. “This robot is just too intelligent! “thought they. As soon as Catherine retracted her hand, the robot obediently moved to stand behind her. It wasn’t clingy.
Catherine raised her gaze to examine the three. “Top-notch Shadow Guards of the Duncans? Humph!” said she inwardly.
She glanced at them, then extended her hand and gently curved her finger. With a mischievous grin, she coldly spoke. “You guys attack together!”
Carlo was momentarily confused and did not understand what she meant. He reached out and gently tapped Paxton on the side to get his attention.
Paxton understood it but didn’t dare to do it. He worried that his boss would destroy him if he were to fight with Catherine. He quickly made a respectful bow.”
Miss Swann, we dare not offend you. If you wish to punish us, please give us your command!”
“I’m not getting tired of living. Why would I pick a fight with her?” thought he. Catherine stared at Paxton with a cold look and said, “Stop talking nonsense!
“Do you want me to have Branden come down and give you the order?”
“Absolutely not!” Paxton hastily agreed.
“Let’s begin then!” Catherine was prepared. Paxton glanced at the two beside him and decided to toughen up and face the situation head-on.
“Anyway, it was Catherine who asked for it herself, so even if the boss were to blame me for it, I have an excuse,” said he inwardly.
Carlo didn’t get it, wondering, “Wasn’t it said that she’s going to be the future mistress of the Duncans?
“Can we still keep our lives by engaging in a physical confrontation with her?” wondered he.
But seeing Paxton insist on it, they had no choice but to take action.
Chapter 387 Extremely Insulting
Besides Paxton, Cory and Carlo had yet to witness the martial prowess of Catherine. It would be fine if they didn’t know Catherine’s identity. But now they knew she was the future mistress of the Duncans. Besides, she was a woman.
“As two men, how could we fight against her?” thought Carlo and Cory. They could only follow behind Paxton to scrape the barrel while planning on throwing Paxton under the bus for this.
To their surprise, Paxton, who charged forward first, got taken down by Catherine in just three moves. Paxton was shocked. Carlo and Cory were even more shocked.
Paxton was surprised to find himself so vulnerable in front of Catherine, while Carlo and Cory were completely stunned by Catherine’s violence. The kick from Catherine was so strong that it sent Paxton flying.
Catherine did not continue with the next round of attack. She lazily stood in place, raising her eyebrows and looking frivolously at Paxton.
“I am giving you all one more chance. If you don’t want to die, show me what you’re capable of!”
This statement might not cause much harm, but it was highly insulting. Having witnessed Catherine’s moves just now, the other two knew she was a master among masters and dared not to take her lightly.
However, Catherine’s words were truly insulting. The three of them looked at each other and decided to team up to fight. They grew up and trained together since childhood. Their tacit understanding was off the charts.
The combined strength of the three was definitely several times greater than each of them fighting alone.
Each of them was an expert rarely seen outside. Although they knew that Catherine had excellent fighting prowess, they were not worried.
The tension was high during the fight. Compared to the seriousness of the three, Catherine seemed nonchalant.
She didn’t even stand up properly. Her body twisted as if she had snuck out in the middle of the night and hadn’t gotten enough sleep. Only when the three rushed toward her did Catherine slowly react.
She suddenly opened her slightly narrowed eyes. There was an eerie coldness in her clear eyes. As Cory approached, the glint in those eyes was like two sharp swords flying out in an instant.
Catherine made a move!
A sudden, powerful punch struck Cory’s abdomen directly. Cory was training all year round. His abs were as hard as rocks. He knew Catherine was about to punch him in the stomach, but he didn’t immediately dodge it.
Because he believed in himself and Catherine was just a girl, even if she trained year-round, her speed, agility, and strength would never be too impressive.
The moment the fist attacked him, he realized he was wrong. The power in Catherine’s punch was astonishing. She delivered a direct blow to Cory’s stomach, causing him to take three steps back and cough heavily before regaining his balance.
After knocking down Cory, Catherine followed up with a sweeping left kick, aiming directly at Carlo’s temple. Due to the high speed, Carlo could not react in time and instinctively protected his abdomen with his arms.
Unexpectedly, Catherine moved at a breakneck pace. When she noticed Carlo blocking her attack, she immediately shifted her direction of attack and kicked toward Carlo’s rib cage instead.
Having no time to respond to the attack, Carlo was knocked to the ground. After ten minutes, the three top captains of the Duncans’ Shadow Guard all fell to the ground and couldn’t even muster the strength to get up.
Even though it hurt like hell, no one dared to utter a word. Considering the shameful situation they were in, they wanted to dig a hole and bury themselves in it. Branden slowly descended from upstairs at that time, holding a small plate of pancakes.
He walked straight up to Catherine and didn’t even glance at the three lying on the ground. He picked up a piece of pancake with a fork and handed it over to Catherine.
“Try it. How does it taste?”
Catherine opened her mouth and took a big bite. The pancake that just came out of the oven was still a little hot, with a tempting aroma wafting. It was filled with cheese and meat in the middle layer and was topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
With one bite, the lips and teeth were left with fragrance. The crispness of the pastry was irresistible.
“Delicious!” Catherine gave her appraisal. Branden considerately stuffed the remaining half into her mouth. “Shall I bring it for you to eat in the yard?”
When he came in, he immediately noticed a small pavilion on the left side of the yard. There were quite a few utensils inside, indicating that Catherine often ate there.
Catherine couldn’t be bothered to walk upstairs, so Branden’s suggestion was the best decision for her.
She nodded with a satisfied expression. “Alright!”
Branden turned around to get breakfast upstairs. As he passed by the three, his gentle face suddenly darkened.
The change was so fast that it was like a blur to them. Upon seeing the expression on their boss’ face, the three immediately felt a sense of unease. They knew that they were in big trouble this time.
Branden spoke in a cold tone. “When the mission is completed, you’ll take turns training on Scorpion Island for three months!”
Upon hearing the punishment, the expressions of all three changed. Scorpion Island was the most terrifying existence.
They had all previously experienced the training on Scorpion Island, a place that could be aptly described as a purgatory.
There was an 80 percent chance of death during the three-month training session. If one were lucky, one would only be seriously injured. Only a miracle could ensure one’s safe survival.
However, their boss had already issued the order. No one dared to refuse. After all, they weren’t good enough. Three of them couldn’t even beat Catherine.
Of the three, Cory suffered the most severe injuries, all on his face. Thanks to Catherine, his once handsome face now looked like a pig’s.
Seriously, Paxton thought Catherine did it on purpose. After all, this young mistress of the Duncans was rather ruthless. Paxton knew it better than the other two.
Catherine was lounging in a rocking chair, enjoying the pancakes that Branden had made just for her, along with some freshly squeezed juice. She was feeling pretty content.
Exercising early in the morning was good for the body. She had a huge appetite now and could even eat a whole cow. Seeing how quickly she was eating, Branden took a pancake from his plate and handed it to Catherine.
“If you like it, I will make it for you again tomorrow!”
“Okay!” muttered Catherine with some pancake in her mouth. He had this pancake the other day. As coon as he took a bite he knew Catherine would love it.
He sought guidance from the master who made the pancake. Finally, he had the opportunity to make it for Catherine.
As expected, he had guessed correctly that Catherine did love it. The scent of food wafted through the air on one side, while on the other, the three not only got a beating but also felt weak and hungry.
The hurried pattering sound of footsteps could be heard from outside the fence. Shortly after, Randolph hurriedly ran in from outside, intending to report the situation to Catherine. He was instantly stunned after glancing around and finding that the courtyard was jammed with people.
“Ugh…” Randolph let out a startled hiccup.
Catherine took the initiative to speak.” Dr. Dunn, is there something you need?
Randolph had intended to tell Catherine that the two scoundrels surnamed Duncan had run away, but to his surprise, he found them all there when he arrived.
Moreover, there were two more men there. The most deplorable thing was that the seemingly handsome little rascal among them even held his teacher’s hand.
“How despicable!
“I cannot tolerate it any longer!” said Randolph inwardly.
Chapter 388 A Misunderstanding
The moment everyone saw Randolph raise his hand and strike Branden, they were all shocked. It seemed that a highly professional research expert would lose his life.
Feeling danger approaching, Branden looked up, his sharp gaze fiercely landing on Randolph. That look was truly terrifying. Randolph had never been afraid of anyone. However, he never expected to be scared by a young man’s gaze.
His hand froze in mid-air, hesitating to strike down.
Catherine stood by the side, observing the scene with great interest. Seeing Randolph being frightened, she stepped forward, grabbed his hand in mid-air, and glanced at Branden.
“Dr. Dunn, he is my boyfriend, Branden Duncan!”
This time, it was Randolph’s turn to be surprised. He widened his eyes to observe Branden and then furrowed his brow. “Miss… Well, Catherine, he is… Branden Duncan? It sounds familiar!”
Randolph originally wanted to make an unfriendly comment about Branden. In his opinion, Catherine was highly noble and honorable. He never expected that one day she would have a boyfriend. He didn’t believe there would be anyone worthy of her. She was like a goddess, pure and sacred, not to be profaned!
When Randolph pronounced the words “Branden Duncan,” he felt a strong sense of familiarity, as if he had heard it somewhere before. He repeated it several times, finally getting a clue, and suddenly looked up.
“The Duncans of Casier?”
Catherine nodded. After receiving the confirmation, Randolph suddenly became a little nervous. He pulled Catherine to a corner and murmured,” Miss Swann, how did you get involved with the Duncans?”
The Duncans of Casier were an ancient and mysterious aristocratic family. The outside world only knew that the Duncans were wealthy, but they had no idea of the extent of their power. In the entire Zerwick, no one could compare to the Duncans’ influence.
Randolph happened to know a little about them. Despite being busy farming all day, he was often tricked into reporting to his superiors for research projects. He had seen a big shot before, someone from a collateral branch of the Duncans in Casier.
Even a collateral branch was powerful, not to mention the heir of the Duncans.
Randolph had only heard some rumors about the mysterious young master of the Duncans and had never seen him in real life.
Randolph didn’t expect the first meeting to be so shocking! Initially, he wanted to advise his teacher not to be deceived by this pretty boy’s appearance and lose herself. But after knowing that the man was Branden, he felt that the term “pretty boy” was inappropriate.
After all, the Duncans were powerful and influential.
Seeing Catherine remaining silent, Randolph wore a concerned expression and said, “Miss Swann, the Duncans are not as simple as they seem. They are dangerous. If you think you can be carefree here, you’re mistaken!”
Catherine didn’t know how to explain to Randolph all of a sudden.
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing!”
Randolph was stubborn and sometimes inflexible in dealing with people’s relationships, but he genuinely cared for Catherine.
Hearing Catherine’s light-hearted response, Randolph didn’t want to say much. Since his teacher said she had a strategy, he shouldn’t argue with her.
Randolph would never do anything to offend his teacher. Catherine’s introduction soothed Branden’s mood. After knowing the close relationship between Randolph and Catherine, he no longer cared about the offense Randolph had caused.
When Catherine approached, Branden reached out and held her hand, leading her to sit down. Considerately, he handed Catherine a fork and said, “Let’s eat.”
Seeing that her glass of milk was empty, Branden took the glass and said, “I’ll pour you some milk!”
Watching him go upstairs, Catherine wondered if she should tell him to give her less of what she didn’t like to drink.
Under normal circumstances, Catherine would hold a Coke instead of a glass of milk she didn’t like. But Branden always found ways to replace the unhealthy food around her. He never said it was unhealthy, never forcing her to quit it. He would silently replace it with food that was relatively beneficial to her health.
Randolph watched Catherine eat the pancakes and quietly asked, “Did he make them?”
Catherine naturally knew who “he” referred to.
While chewing on the pancakes, Catherine mumbled, “Yeah!”
“Well, that’s not bad!” Randolph muttered and nodded his head. After knowing Catherine for so many years, he had never seen her enter a kitchen, so it was obvious that she didn’t make them herself.
As for the other three little rascals, he could tell who was punishing them just by looking at their bruised and swollen faces.
“Miss Swann, did you beat up those three little rascals?” Randolph asked. Catherine glanced at the Duncans’ Shadow Guards, who were squatting in the corner and reflecting on their mistakes and nodded in response.
“Good job!” Randolph exclaimed happily, slapping his thigh. He had woken up early to check if the two troublemakers had caused any trouble, but they were not in their dormitory, which worried him.
He knew that those two mischievous boys must have been targeting his teacher. Catherine always preferred to keep a low profile and didn’t want people to know her true identity. After all, even if it were revealed, no one would believe that this world- renowned scientist was a young girl.
To prevent Catherine’s identity from being exposed, Randolph hurriedly rushed to the courtyard, never expecting to witness such a shocking scene. What surprised him even more was that Catherine had already dealt with the troublemakers.
Feeling the anger in his heart dissipate, Randolph was happy. It was all because of these little rascals that he had been so anxious.
The three people in the corner had been paying attention to the situation. When they saw Randolph clapping his thigh, Paxton couldn’t help but ask, “What did you two do to offend Dr. Dunn? Why is he so gleeful?”
Paxton initially thought that Cory was reliable. But to his surprise, Cory just turned his face away and refused to answer.
He then shifted his gaze to Carlo, who was covering his face, looking embarrassed. “Paxton, let’s not talk about it. It’s all because of Aaron’s misjudgment. This is a misunderstanding!”
Cory thought to himself, ” Misunderstanding my ass! How could I have known that such a mysterious courtyard housed our future lady of the house?”
Seeing Randolph’s nervousness, he thought there must be some hidden secret. But now… What else could he say? The only one he could blame was himself!
Chapter 389 Family Cook
Catherine followed Randolph to the field, while Branden stayed in Catherine’s small courtyard, accompanied by three Shadow Guards. Unlike his other two brothers, Carlo was a chatterbox who kept talking.
“Sir, how did Miss Swann end up in the base? I heard she is Dr. Dunn’s student. Does she know about Dr. Seven?”
It was easier to get things done with acquaintances. If Catherine knew Dr. Seven, there would be no need to rely on Randolph to get information.
Branden leaned back in Catherine’s exclusive chair to rest without reacting to Carlo’s question. Knowing that he couldn’t get an answer, Carlo had to seek help from his two brothers.
Paxton was also curious. Besides his eldest brother, he was the one who had the most contact with Catherine. He had never seen a girl so mysterious. People said that she was a disaster for the Swanns.
Left in the countryside at a young age, Catherine had suffered, but everyone around her was of a high rank.
And Catherine was even more powerful than these high-ranking individuals. She was highly skilled, and her combat abilities were extraordinary.
He initially thought he could spar with Catherine for a few rounds, but he didn’t expect that even if the three brothers attacked her together, they were no match for her and were beaten miserably.
“Sir, don’t we need to arrange for someone to investigate Miss Swann?”
Suddenly, Branden opened his eyes, and a cold chill emanated from his deep gaze. The icy stare frightened Paxton. He immediately knelt down. “Sir, I’m sorry!”
“Six miles!” Branden said coldly. Paxton didn’t dare to make a sound. He immediately stood up, preparing himself for the six-mile weight- bearing run.
Seeing this, even Carlo, the chatterbox, didn’t dare to speak, not to mention Cory. The two of them silently prepared to escape, hoping to avoid Branden’s punishment.
However, before they had taken a few steps, they heard a cold voice coming from behind them.
“Twelve miles!”
Carlo trembled all over. He thought he could escape, but they were in a worse situation than Cory. They exchanged glances and turned around, respectfully bowing to accept their punishment.
Paxton was right. Never offend the people who were close to their boss because it was much more serious than offending their boss himself.
After all, their boss was even more terrifying than a demon. Randolph was with Catherine in the field, examining the newly cultivated seeds. Looking at the golden ears of wheat, his face lit up with a smile.
“Miss Swann, look how plump they are. With these seeds, wheat production can increase by one-fifth annually, helping many people solve their food and hunger problems.”
The thought of how many people’s food and hunger issues could be improved each year because of these new seeds made Randolph’s eyes well up with tears.
Catherine looked at her carefully cultivated creations in front of her, her eyes filled with a sense of joy. As she turned her head slightly, she saw Randolph, who looked like a child with red eyes and even a red nose.
“Hey, old man, why are you crying?”
“Miss Swann, I’m so happy!” Randolph had no trace of embarrassment. In front of Catherine, he could express his inner emotions without any reservations.
“I have to thank you for constantly helping me fulfill my wishes!”
His wish was to cultivate better, more outstanding, and higher-yielding seeds. Over the years, with Catherine’s help, he had been able to improve the seeds time and time again, conducting repeated experiments and yielding significant results each time.
This was the happiest day of his life.
Catherine chuckled. The only thing she could do to help Randolph was to change the data and assist him in researching plant genetics. And the current results in front of them were only possible with Randolph’s hard work and decades of silent cultivation. He had dedicated all of his youth and passion to this land.
After the sentimental moment passed, Randolph returned to the main topic. He thought of another matter.
Initially, he didn’t dare to speak up in the courtyard, where there were too many people. Now, he felt more at ease in this field with only him and Catherine.
“Miss Swann, why did you bring the Duncans here? Aren’t you worried that they will discover your identity?”
Catherine shrugged indifferently.”
Whatever.”
She didn’t care at all whether Branden knew she was Dr. Seven. Even if he did, what could he do?
Given the current power of the Duncans, they wouldn’t come to her. Seeing Catherine’s nonchalant attitude, Randolph didn’t want to worry too much, either. Catherine was smart. She always had a backup plan.
These were not the things that worried Randolph the most. He was most concerned about Catherine’s safety.
“Miss Swann, the Duncans have suddenly mobilized so many people. It shows that the people sent by Asmein are not ordinary. You should be more cautious!”
Randolph knew that if her identity was exposed, it would attract the attention and competition of many countries, and that would truly put her in danger, causing nothing but trouble.
Catherine understood what he was worried about. She patted his shoulder softly, saying, “Focus on your research. Leave these things to me.”
After inspecting the wheat fields, Catherine decided to pack up and leave.
“Miss Swann, you go ahead. I still have one more field to inspect before I go back!” Randolph looked at Catherine with a happy smile. For him, these vast wheat fields were his lifeline.
Catherine knew his determination. She didn’t try to persuade him. She simply turned around and left. Back in the courtyard, she saw Branden lying there leisurely. Not far away, the Duncan trio was panting heavily from running.
“Welcome back, Boss!” Seven noticed Catherine’s return and hurriedly moved to stand in front of her. Catherine reached out and patted its round little head, softly saying, “Good boy!”
In an instant, Branden was already standing before her, gazing at her from a step away.
“This robot is not bad.”
“Well, I made it as a companion a couple of years ago.”
Catherine’s tone was notably casual, not taking the matter seriously at all. Branden carefully examined the robot, knowing very well how remarkable it was.
In today’s market, no matter how much money one had, it wasn’t easy to buy such high-end robots unless they were in specialized laboratories. The programming of these intelligent robots was too complex, the craftsmanship requirements were high, and there were specific requirements for the users, making it difficult to popularize.
Thinking of all this, Branden couldn’t help but smile. In his opinion, Catherine was an absolute genius, excelling in everything she did.
“I’m hungry. let’s make something to eat!” Catherine placed her hand on her stomach and looked straight at Branden.
Branden was also hungry. Suppressing the restlessness in his heart, he imitated Catherine’s action of touching the robot and gently touched her head, saying tenderly, “Okay, I’ll cook for you.
“Hurry up. The food in the cafeteria these days hasn’t been as delicious as what you make!” Catherine complained dissatisfiedly. Although Randolph had arranged for the cafeteria to make special meals for her, it still couldn’t compare to Branden’s cooking.
“I’ll go immediately, and I promise you’ll be satisfied!”
Branden looked proud, as if he wanted to wear a sign that said “Family Cook Exclusively for Catherine.”
Chapter 390 Dire Consequences
Catherine left the research base with Branden on the second day. Paxton accompanied them while the other two stayed behind temporarily to complete their tasks.
After arriving at the airport with Branden, Catherine was about to board the plane when she suddenly heard her phone ringing from her pocket. At the same time, Paxton also received a phone call.
As Catherine was about to put down the phone and speak to Branden, he directly took her hand and led her in the direction of the exit of the airport.
“I’ll accompany you back to the base!”
It turned out that he had also received the news, which was expected since Carlo and Cory were still at the research base. The news of Randolph’s disappearance should reach their ears soon.
Branden was the first to know this piece of news. They quickly returned to the base. As soon as they entered, they saw Carlo and Cory questioning the research staff inside the base about the situation.
Sensing the arrival of Branden and the others, Carlo and Cory immediately approached them. They glanced casually in Catherine’s direction.
Catherine understood what they meant and asked indifferently, “Do you need me to stay away?”
“No need!” Branden suddenly said and warned Carlo and Cory with his eyes. Startled, the two didn’t hesitate and quickly reported the situation.
“Sir, after you and Miss Swann left this morning, we also planned to leave. But when we reached the base, we noticed several unfamiliar vehicles in the vicinity. Cory was worried that something was wrong, so we returned to the base to investigate. As a result, the research staff here told us that Dr. Dunn didn’t appear in the experimental fields this morning. Currently, there’s no trace of Dr. Dunn!”
Paxton proposed a possibility. “Could it be that Dr. Dunn is still in the research base? After all, the base is so big. He might be hiding somewhere in one of the fields doing research!”
They often encountered this situation, where some scientific researchers would immerse themselves in their work, neglecting sleep and food.
However, Catherine quickly denied this speculation.
“It’s impossible. Dr. Dunn must be in trouble!”
Hearing Catherine’s firm tone, everyone’s gaze fell on her.
Catherine explained, “The seeds in Field NO.1 on the west side have ripened in the past few days. Dr. Dunn’s year-long research results will come out in these few days, and he would never leave this field at such a critical moment.”
Randolph would rather sleep in the fields 24 hours a day, fearing that something might happen to his experimental results. How could he disappear at such a crucial moment?
There was only one possibility, which was that he was forcefully taken away.
A few minutes later, Cory returned with an extremely grim expression. He faced everyone and said, “The surveillance of the main passages in the base has been completely disabled. The other party is skilled.”
Cory and Carlo both lowered their heads silently, waiting to be reprimanded. They had made a mistake in their initial assumption. They had thought that the other party was targeting Dr. Seven and would do whatever it took to find his whereabouts. So they had joined in the search for Dr. Seven, hoping to find him first and ensure his safety.
But the other party had unexpectedly focused their attention on Randolph, seizing the opportunity when they left to abduct him. Randolph was the only person who knew Dr. Seven’s whereabouts, so capturing him meant having the most direct clue to Dr. Seven. The other party seemed to have a better understanding of the situation on the base than they had imagined.
This was not only a major blow to the base but also a great humiliation. Those who only knew how to make mistakes without offering solutions had no place in the Duncans. After admitting their mistake, Cory and Carlo immediately proposed a solution.
“Sir, please give us two days.”
Branden snorted coldly and waved his hand.
Cory knew that this meant their request had been accepted. He quickly turned around, pulling Carlo to stand up. They had to act quickly. If they didn’t complete the mission properly this time, they might be kicked out of the Duncans.
While the Duncans were taking action, Catherine showed no intention of stopping. She would solve this problem in her own way.
Initially, she had no intention of making enemies with the other party, but now that they had provoked her, it would make her look like an easy target if she didn’t take action. Anyone who dared to harm her would face dire consequences.
Catherine took out her phone, walked to the side, and made a call. Paxton stood beside Branden and watched Catherine walk away. He whispered to Branden, “Sir, I noticed that Miss Swann doesn’t look pleased. What do you think?”
Her expression was more than just displeased; it was downright ominous. At the moment, she was even more terrifying than when Branden got angry. Paxton even felt a sense of suffocation.
Branden silently watched Catherine’s retreating figure as she made a phone call, his deep eyes gradually darkening.
He would teach them a lesson if someone wanted to cause trouble.
“Send out the list of agents from Asmein involved in international activities!”
Paxton was stunned upon hearing Branden’s command. The Duncans had an entire intelligence network, which was well-known internationally. Therefore, they possessed a lot of classified information, which not only served as their greatest bargaining chip but also a weapon to control others.
Now, Branden had ordered the release of the list of Asmein agents, intending to deal a fatal blow to Asmein.
Paxton now understood the meaning of the phrase “a wrathful man for the sake of a woman.” It was indeed ruthless.
In a corner, after the call was connected, Catherine immediately identified herself.
“Withal, it’s me!”
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Withal instinctively straightened his posture. ” Yes, Catherine. Please give your orders!
Since Catherine suddenly called him, it must be something important. Withal immediately stopped what he was doing and waited for Catherine’s instructions.
After sending some information to Withal’s phone, Catherine continued, Help me investigate this person and find him as quickly as possible. Ensure his safety. The other party might be an Asmein spy infiltrating our base. Be cautious!”
Withal was currently in Oceanvile, where Randolph had disappeared. Catherine knew that contacting Withal was the quickest and most efficient way to find Randolph.
“Understood, Catherine. I’ll do my best!
Though Withal didn’t know why Catherine suddenly clashed with someone from Asmein, he knew that he had to follow any task she had assigned.
Lastly, Catherine gave a shocking command that completely stunned Withal. “Mobilize all our forces and spare no expense to ensure Randolph’s safety!”
Withal paused momentarily, realizing that Randolph was not just an ordinary scientist. This matter was far from simple.
“Don’t worry, Catherine. I guarantee you the completion of the mission!”