Ch. 631..640
Chapter 631 Beating Atticus
Atticus had been humiliated inside the banquet hall, and since he did not fight back, he was so angry and had nowhere to vent his anger.
He could only walk out of the banquet hall to calm himself down.
The assistant came to Atticus’ side cautiously and lowered his voice. ”
Professor Sterling, I think they did it intentionally to make you angry!”
Atticus glanced at his assistant coldly. He moved his beard disdainfully.
“You think I don’t know?”
It was precisely because Atticus knew they were doing it intentionally that he tried his best to suppress his anger.
He wanted to see what Branden and the others could do to him without a good reason.
Edson had agreed to cooperate with him. He would report to his superiors about the cooperation with the Breens.
When they reached an agreement, he would have his way to remove Catherine.
“At that time, not to mention Branden, even if the entire Duncans took action, what could they do?” he thought.
Atticus was filled with pride in his heart. Just then, he heard a familiar voice coming from behind.
“Professor Sterling!”
Atticus subconsciously turned around and saw Catherine standing not far away.
Seeing that Catherine had chased after him, Atticus thought Catherine changed her mind and was secretly happy.
“Miss Swann, it seems you’ve figured it out, right?”
Catherine walked straight toward Atticus. She had a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, and her face was calm and composed.
“Professor Sterling, I’ve heard that you’ve been playing tricks behind the scenes these days!”
Atticus was not afraid of Catherine knowing what he had done. He was even a bit smug about it.
“Miss Swann, as I said, I appreciate your talent. Your talent and ability are worth my hard work!”
“Hard work?” Catherine murmured lightly before punching Atticus in the face in an instant.
Although Catherine only used a little strength in this punch, she knocked Atticus down to the ground immediately.
Atticus’ assistant was dumbfounded on the spot. He did not seem to expect Catherine, a thin and beautiful girl, to throw punches suddenly. Furthermore, he did not expect Catherine to have such a powerful strength to knock Atticus off his feet.
It took some time before the assistant came back to his senses. He went forward to help Atticus, but Catherine moved before he did.
Catherine stepped forward and stomped on Atticus’ chest.
“Remember, you shouldn’t put your fingers on things that do not belong to you!”
Atticus could no longer suppress the anger within him. He had never been humiliated like this in his life. He struggled hard, wanting to break away from Catherine to get up and fight back.
But no matter how hard he tried, there was no way he could break free from Catherine.
Catherine’s strength was beyond his imagination. With no other choice, Atticus could only say harsh words to Catherine in his humiliating position.
“Catherine, don’t you forget my status. How dare you treat me like this? Aren’t you worried about creating a diplomatic crisis?”
Seeing that Atticus did not repent, Catherine squatted down and beat him up again.
The assistant reacted and wanted to help Atticus, but he was punched by Catherine.
The assistant fell to the ground and struggled hard to get up. He wanted to help Atticus, but no matter how he moved, he couldn’t stand up. He could only watch Atticus take the beating helplessly.
Catherine did not like to hit people in the face and focused on hitting the parts of their body that others couldn’t see.
It hurt so much that Atticus grimaced and couldn’t help but start crying.
It so happened that their current location was so quiet and isolated that no one passed by. There was not a single soul to look at Atticus.
After a while, Catherine stopped and stared coldly at Atticus.
“Diplomatic crisis? You can try!”
Atticus was in research, and he had seen others playing shady tricks behind the scenes. He was good at playing such tricks himself.
But he had never been beaten up like what Catherine did to him.
He was screaming as he took the hits and was in so much pain that he could only breathe shallowly now to avoid moving his body.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong. I was wrong. Just let me go, and I promise I won’t say a word!”
Catherine had no intention of dealing with Atticus initially. After all, she did not even take him seriously.
But Atticus had been inquired about her endlessly since the exchange meeting. He wished he could find out all her information, find a way to threaten and use her for his own.
His actions were undoubtedly testing Branden’s bottom line.
If he was digging for information on the Duncan Corporation, Branden might not bother to pay attention to him.
But his investigation target was Catherine, and Branden naturally could not let him do whatever he wanted.
Catherine thought anyone who gave her man a hard time deserved to be beaten!
Catherine had always disdained shady tricks. Did she not know how to use those tricks?
No, it was not like that. It was simply because she did not bother to use them at all!
Why would she need to use such tricks when she could use her fists to solve issues?
Catherine stared coldly at Atticus, seemingly dissatisfied with his words.
There was only one outcome to Catherine’s dissatisfaction, and that was to continue what she had been doing!
The miserable cries rang out again, and Catherine gave Atticus a good beating again.
This time, Atticus was beaten so much that he could barely make a sound.
He did not have the strength to struggle anymore. He was on the ground, looking at Catherine with red eyes, and begged for mercy in a low voice.
“Please, stop it. I can’t take it anymore! I promise you everything you ask for!”
Since she has vented her anger, Catherine stood up straight and looked down at Atticus.
“You deserve a beating. Remember, I’ll beat you every time I see you from now on! You should pray hard that you’ll never meet me again!”
After Catherine finished speaking, she patted the dust on her hands away disdainfully and turned to leave.
Looking at Catherine’s back as she left, Atticus gritted his teeth in anger. He vowed to make Catherine pay.
Atticus’s assistant stepped forward timidly to help him only after confirming that Catherine had gone far away.
“Professor Sterling, let’s go back and contact our superiors. We must make her pay the price!”
In the eyes of the assistant, Catherine was a witch who knew witchcraft in this country. Not only so, she was cruel and violent.
She looked thin and weak, but her punches were stronger than an adult male’s. Atticus’ assistant felt that Catherine’s punch could knock down a COW.
Atticus was in so much pain that he could not even make a sound. After hearing the assistant’s advice, he could only nod silently in agreement.
All he wanted to do now was to go back and get some rest before contacting his superiors. He must give Catherine a serious punishment.
Those who dared to treat him like this must pay.
Chapter 632 Scolded
Branden had followed Catherine out of the banquet hall.
When Catherine was done with Atticus, she came back to the banquet hall and saw Branden leaning against the corridor at the entrance of the banquet hall.
The lights stretched his shadow behind him endlessly, making him look thinner and more upright.
However, this was only what one would see on the surface. Only Catherine knew what kind of robust body Branden had under his slim suit.
Some people just looked thin in clothes.
Catherine was about to step up the stairs when a figure rushing out from the side disrupted her.
“Catherine!”
Although the other party tried to conceal it, the excitement in his voice was evident.
Upon hearing the voice, Catherine turned her head to look at Drake beside her.
The party organizer was Jaxton, and Drake was his only son. As such, it was not at all surprising that Drake was there.
“What’s the matter?” Catherine glanced at him faintly and inquired in a low voice.
Drake’s gaze at Catherine was filled with an indescribable excitement. ” Nothing. It’s just that I think it’s hard to meet you, so I want to say hello to you!”
Seeing that Catherine remained silent, he worried that Catherine would misunderstand and explain.
“I haven’t seen you at the esports club for a long time, so I’m surprised to see you here!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Drake began to feel frustrated again. He felt his explanation was somewhat redundant and did not know if Catherine would misunderstand.
Recently, the esports club at the school had become his most frequented place besides his dormitory.
However, he had not met Catherine once. He found out from Amelia, a female classmate in the same dormitory as Catherine, that she was staying in the laboratory.
When Drake found out that Catherine was able to join the school’s top laboratory in her freshman year, he was once again shocked.
He felt that Catherine was terrifyingly powerful. No wonder his father advised him not to have any thoughts he shouldn’t have after knowing what was on his mind.
He did not have improper thoughts toward Catherine. He just wanted to be friends with Catherine, and that was all.
When Catherine looked up, all she saw was Drake with his head down.
Faced with an inquiry, she responded politely.
“I’ve been busy with research projects in the laboratory lately, and I don’t have time to go to the esports club. I’ll go there when I’m free. Ley’s play games together then!”
Drake didn’t expect Catherine to take the initiative to invite him to play games together. He suddenly looked up, his eyes full of surprise. He looked at Catherine as if he was making sure that what he heard was not an illusion.
Catherine’s expression was calm, and her gaze was as cold and indifferent as usual.
But that was enough for Drake to feel a surge of excitement in his heart.
“Okay, let’s play games together when you’re free!”
Catherine waited for him to finish speaking, nodded, and turned to leave. Drake, however, remained standing still. His gaze watched her go up the stairs reverently.
Feeling as if someone was staring at him ahead, Drake instinctively looked. up.
When Drake saw the man looking at him, his heart jolted.
The man’s gaze was terrifying; it was as if he wanted to kill Drake with his gaze.
At that moment, Drake understood very well why his father had advised him not to touch things nor have thoughts he shouldn’t have.
With a man as powerful as Branden behind Catherine, Drake would be better off not having improper thoughts about Catherine.
Only a man as powerful as Branden was qualified enough to stand by Catherine’s side.
Drake nodded in Branden’s direction before turning to leave.
The only thing he had to be thankful for now was that he did not have anything more than friendship in mind for Catherine, or he would not even have the chance to leave safely.
Branden retracted his gaze after Drake disappeared. His gaze then landed on Catherine, who was walking toward him.
In an instant, his sharp gaze became gentle and doting.
“All settled?”
Catherine knew he was asking about Atticus and responded casually.
“Yes!”
Branden understood her. Since she said yes, everything should be settled.
After scrutinizing her, he found that her clothes were intact, and her hair wasn’t messed up. He took her hand with peace of mind.
“Okay, let’s go home!”
“Uh-huh!”
Catherine grunted and allowed him to lead her away by the hand.
On the other hand, Atticus’ assistant held on to his last breath to call an ambulance to take him and Atticus to the hospital.
He arranged a series of comprehensive inspections for Atticus.
He was going to take the injury report to punish Catherine.
When the inspections were completed, the injury report gave him a shock.
“Minor injuries?”
The assistant yelled out as he stared at the injury report, looking at the doctor with an incredulous look on his face.
“Doctor, are you sure this examination report is for Professor Sterling? He was beaten so badly that he couldn’t even make a sound, but it was considered as minor injury?”
The doctor pushed the wide glasses on his face and said helplessly, “We examined Professor Sterling multiple times. He is indeed only slightly injured. The person who beat him should have a good understanding of the human body structure. Although Professor Sterling felt immense pain, he didn’t suffer serious injuries!”
After the assistant double-checked, he was sure the doctor hadn’t lied. He could only go to Atticus with the injury report.
Atticus was also dumbfounded the moment he saw the results of the report. He tore the document in anger after listening to his assistant’s explanation.
“Damn woman, I don’t believe there’s no way to deal with her. I’m a representative of the military, and she dared to hit me. She is provoking Mistel, and we must make her pay for it! Contact the superiors immediately!”
Seeing his anger, the assistant didn’t hesitate and immediately phoned their superiors. He handed the phone to Atticus.
Atticus reported the details to his superior and deliberately embellished Catherine’s arrogance and lack of cooperation.
“Sir, Catherine is too rebellious. Such a person would be a danger to our country. I suggest we kill her immediately.”
Atticus was now determined to kill Catherine.
Since he could not control Catherine for his use, he would not allow others to do so. So he decided to kill Catherine.
What was more, Catherine dared to humiliate him like that today. He must get back at her.
Atticus waited eagerly for his superior to announce the punishment for Catherine, but he didn’t expect the latter to ask, “Did anyone die?”
Atticus froze before assuming that his superior wanted to make a big deal out of it.
But Atticus was in Eskana, where the laws were strict and could not be messed with. So, Atticus could only answer honestly.
“No, but my assistant and I were beaten up!”
“Do you have the results of your injury report?” the superior asked on the other end of the phone.
Atticus was angry that his superior mentioned this, but he gave the truth.
As soon as he was done, he heard his superior speak impatiently, “Don’t bother me with such minor injuries in the future and don’t blame me for not reminding you. Do not mess with Catherine easily.”
The phone call ended after Atticus received a thorough scolding from his superior.
Atticus sat dumbfounded on the hospital bed for a long time.
He was the one who was beaten up, but why did it sound like he was the one at fault?
He was scolded instead.
Chapter 633 The Renowned Hacker
In a daze, Catherine heard her phone ringing.
She reached out from under the covers and found her phone with precision. Then she pressed the answer button and placed it by her ear.
On the other end, Zobber said excitedly, “Catherine, it’s me. Are you up?”
Catherine squinted at the time and saw it was noon. It’s no wonder Zobber was calling her.
She grunted in response, “Well.”
After Zobber heard Catherine’s soft and slightly hoarse voice, her heart skipped a beat. She knew she had disturbed Catherine in her sleep, but she couldn’t resist such an alluring voice.
“Catherine, it’s noon already. Want to grab some food? Withal and I are back. Let’s eat together!”
If it were someone else, Catherine would have likely refused.
She prefers to sleep in during the weekend and eat later in the apartment.
However, since Zobber and the others had just returned from a mission, Catherine reluctantly agreed and replied, “Alright. You guys pick the spot. I’ll come over.”
Suppressing her excitement, Zobber was considerate and asked, “Catherine, where are you? Should I pick you up?”
“I’m at the apartment. There’s no need for you to pick me up,” Catherine replied. She declined Zobber’s offer. Apart from Branden, she never let anyone else pick her up.
Knowing Catherine was at the apartment, Zobber guessed she was at Branden’s place and suggested, “Mr. Duncan must be home. Catherine, why don’t you bring Mr. Duncan along? The more, the merrier!”
Catherine stayed silent for a moment before responding, “Okay. I’ll ask him later.”
With that, Catherine ended the call.
As she was about to get up, she spotted Branden leaning against the door frame.
He must have just arrived, as Catherine wouldn’t have missed his presence otherwise.
Catherine shook her phone she held in her hand and said to him, “Zobber and the others are back. They’ve planned lunch. Want to come along?”
This meant she was going and, in passing, asking for Branden’s opinion. Branden had never opposed Catherine’s decisions. If she was willing, he wouldn’t object.
Half an hour later, Branden arrived with Catherine at the Golden Spoon.
It was a new restaurant in Loxton that catered exclusively to a select group of high-end users. It was private dining but boasted excellent dining ambiance and, most importantly, delectable dishes.
As they reached the private room’s entrance, Catherine pushed the door open.
Inside were Withal and Zobber, alongside a familiar face.
Drake seemed quite surprised to see Catherine, not expecting her presence here.
“Catherine!” Drake exclaimed.
Hearing him call Catherine’s name, Zobber was taken aback. “Drake, you know Catherine?”
Zobber had organized this gathering and intended for Drake to meet Catherine, but she didn’t anticipate him knowing Catherine.
Drake nodded and replied, “Catherine and I study in the same school. We’re both part of the esports club. I didn’t realize Catherine’s your boss.”
He had come today with Zobber to meet his idol. He knew Zobber’s boss, Sugar, as the youngest and most renowned hacker on the hacker leaderboard.
She was not just Zobber’s idol but his as well. Being a computer science student, he had someone he admired in the realm of computers.
He helped Zobber a few times, and Zobber promised to introduce him to her boss.
But he never imagined Catherine to be Zobber’s boss. It was incredibly shocking.
Branden considerately pulled out a chair for Catherine. After Catherine casually sat down and crossed her legs, she directed her gaze at Zobber and Withal, silently asking for an explanation.
Withal shrugged nonchalantly, indicating it was Zobber’s responsibility since she brought Drake here.
After hearing Drake’s explanation, Zobber realized he and Catherine were schoolmates. She exclaimed about their connection.
Zobber introduced Drake to Catherine as she pointed at him in excitement. She said, “Catherine, he is the computer talent I mentioned, my latest discovery. He’s not only good at games but also a whiz with computers. He’s been a huge help on this mission!”
Catherine had secluded herself in the lab, and Zobber knew her situation. Despite encountering difficulties on the mission, Zobber hadn’t dared to seek Catherine’s help.
However, while browsing the dark web for the mission, Zobber stumbled upon Drake.
After some conversation, Zobber recognized Drake’s superior skills in the field of computers. Zobber decided to recruit him. However, she was unaware of their mutual acquaintances.
Catherine glanced at Drake, who appeared somewhat excited when their eyes met.
He had always admired Catherine’s gaming skills and had never seen a female gamer as excellent as her.
However, now he knew of an even more impressive secret. Catherine was the rumored hacking genius, Sugar.
Drake gazed at Catherine deeply. His lips moved a few times before he could speak.
He asked, “Are you Sugar?”
Zobber immediately apologized to Catherine as soon as Drake asked his question.
She said, “Catherine, sorry. I had exposed your identity without your permission.”
Branden knew Catherine was a hacker so he wasn’t surprised at this revelation.
However, he didn’t appreciate the way Drake looked at Catherine. Gently, he reached out and pulled Catherine closer, subtly steering her toward himself.
Catherine leaned in and cooperated with his movement. As for the disclosure of her identity by Zobber, Catherine was ok with it.
She believed Zobber had observed before revealing the truth to Drake.
Several people knew her identity as Sugar, so it wasn’t significant to add Drake to the list.
She tilted her chin toward Drake and nodded graciously. “It’s me.”
Hearing Catherine’s admission, Drake couldn’t contain his excitement any longer and exclaimed, “This is amazing! I finally met you. It’s such a surprise!”
Others didn’t find Drake’s surprise strange after he learned Catherine’s identity.
After all, they had similar reactions when they found out.
Seeing the pleasant atmosphere in the room, Zobber cheered up and patted Drake on the shoulder. “Since we’re happy, let’s have a drink and chat!”
Seeing no objections from anyone, Zobber had the staff bring some alcohol.
Being young and acquainted, the people in the room were relaxed.
Zobber poured drinks for everyone and cheerfully invited them to join.
“Let’s do a toast first before chatting!” she exclaimed.
Zobber had a good tolerance for alcohol and didn’t fall short compared to Catherine. Catherine indulged in a few drinks with them since it was rare for them to gather together.
After a few rounds, Catherine suddenly looked at Zobber and casually asked, ” How did the mission go?”
Zobber assumed Catherine wouldn’t discuss business with Drake around. But to her surprise, Catherine brought it up.
Sensing Zobber’s hesitation, Drake quickly caught on and proactively said, “I’ll step out for a smoke.”
Chapter 634 The Organization
Catherine set down her utensils and casually remarked, “There’s no need for you to do that if you merely want to give us space.”
Drake was stunned for a while. Zobber beside him rudely kicked his chair. ” Kid, stay put. Next time, if you want to make an excuse, make it believable.”
Drake sat down slowly with a faint smirk playing on his lips. He was clearly in good spirits.
Though he tried to control it, his ears betrayed him by turning red.
He genuinely didn’t smoke. He thought Catherine wanted to discuss something privately with Zobber, so he found an excuse to leave.
For a professional esports player like him, smoking could be detrimental because it could lead to a range of health issues, with the most severe potentially affecting reaction time.
Therefore, smoking and drinking were prohibited for professional esports players.
Since Catherine let Drake stay, Zobber knew Catherine’s intention. As such, she reported the situation to Catherine without hesitation before Drake.
She said, “Catherine, we have cracked the files and handed them to the higher authorities. Moreover, we have uncovered two Rexinheim’s contact stations in Loxton, all of which have been shut down.”
The reason Zobber and Withal took so long on this mission was primarily because they took on another task right after accepting one, which caused a delay in their progress.
Though their organization wasn’t tied to any specific nation, its members were all Eskana citizens.
Whenever Eskana needed help, they’d offer resources without hesitation.
When Catherine instructed them to proceed, Zobber and Withal were made aware that the mission came with risks and no reward. However, they accepted it without conditions.
Even Drake stumbled upon this task online and volunteered after knowing they needed help.
Certain things could lead to a diplomatic incident if Eskana were to intervene directly.
However, if it were them, any issues would be attributed to a personal mission by a mysterious organization and would create a lesser impact.
After listening to the conversation, Drake gazed earnestly at Catherine. ”
Can I join your organization? I want to contribute my skills.”
Neither the Spencers nor the Facers would allow him to have a military or political career. His future lay in the business sector.
He had no goals or direction, and his life seemed predetermined. It’s the same with the gaming team. He had a pact with his father to return to a conventional path in three years.
He longed to do something meaningful, and joining Catherine’s organization might be a new start.
Upon hearing Drake’s request, Catherine’s, Zobber’s, and Withal’s reactions were the same. They narrowed their eyes and assessed Drake.
“Want to join us?” Catherine asked.
She was confident of Drake’s abilities based on the recent mission. But joining their organization wasn’t a walk in the park.
Drake nodded firmly. “Yes. I wish to join and I’m ready for any test!”
“Good,” Catherine replied. Then she turned to Withal and said, “You handle this.”
Withal smirked and glanced at Drake. He nodded with a meaningful look. ” Catherine, I’ll make sure he learns the ropes.”
The look Drake received sent a chill down his spine, making his pores stand on end.
Despite knowing the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, he had no intention of giving up. If joining the organization meant doing more meaningful things and enhancing his life’s value, he was all in.
While they continued to discuss Drake’s potential membership, Catherine’s phone on the table rang. When she glanced at the phone, Catherine realized it was a call from Marshall. She reached out and answered it.
“Catherine, where are you? I’ll pick you up.”
The urgency in Marshall’s voice prompted Catherine to inquire, Professor Hartley, what’s wrong?”
“I ran into an issue while brainstorming with Patrick. We’re stuck in a loop. I think you might have a fresh perspective on it. Would you be able to come over?” Marshall explained.
Having interacted with Catherine for a while, Marshall found her increasingly impressive.
Catherine often provided novel insights in many research areas.
Catherine couldn’t help but chuckle. She had expected a major incident to have happened, not just a hiccup in Marshall’s brainstorming session.
However, since it was Marshall, it made sense as well.
He was a natural scholar, one who was willing to sacrifice everything for his research.
In his eyes, nothing was more valuable than his projects.
He was uninterested in power or wealth. Despite being a top research professor at Styre University, he remained humble and learned from others when faced with someone more knowledgeable.
That was the quality and demeanor befitting of a research expert.
Catherine hung up and stood up. She was prepared to leave.
Seeing that, Branden instinctively grabbed her hand.
Before he could speak, Catherine said, ” There’s a situation in the lab, and I need to go back. Can you drop me off?”
Branden draped his coat over her shoulders as he stood up. “Will you be back tonight?”
Catherine couldn’t provide an answer to the situation at hand. She wasn’t sure which stage of the research was causing the problem.
Once experiments start, it could potentially run for the entire day.
“It’s hard to say. If it’s resolved, I’ll give you a call. You can pick me up then, ” she said plainly.
That simple request brought a flicker of joy to Branden, and he instinctively smiled. “Okay. I’ll pick you up when you’re done.”
After saying goodbye to Zobber and the others, Catherine left.
As soon as they were gone, Zobber let out a loud sigh. Then she said, “I envy Catherine. She has incredible abilities and was with a top-quality guy.”
Branden was outstanding, be it his family background, looks, or capabilities. He was a top-tier man, and to top it off, he had a penchant for doting on his girlfriend.
Upon hearing Zobber’s sigh, Withal casually responded. “There are always some folks who are so conceited and would groan at the slightest matter.”
Zobber flew into a rage at Withal’s words. With anger, she tried to attack him.
Withal skillfully dodged, and the two engaged in a lively chase.
Drake rested his chin in his hand and casually ate his dishes. He was amused by the spectacle happening before him.
He was startled by their fight at first but soon realized that they were in a love-hate relationship. Brawling was their version of fun. It was not serious.
Drake enjoyed this atmosphere. It was free-spirited without many rules.
Thinking about it strengthened his resolve to join the organization.
No matter how tough it gets, he was going to give it a shot.
Chapter 635 The Machine
Branden escorted Catherine to the laboratory door. On their way, Marshall messaged Catherine. He was relieved when he was sure Catherine had set off and was almost at the lab.
As the car eased in, Catherine caught sight of Marshall standing by the stairs and smiled. “Professor Hartley’s got an interesting character.”
Branden was always attentive to Catherine. He glanced out the window after hearing her words.
“Some people are just born for research!” Branden said.
Only ones like Marshall, who could endure, weren’t bothered by fame, and devoted themselves entirely to their experiments, could scale the heights of science.
Catherine raised an eyebrow in agreement. “That’s right.”
Branden gently ruffled her hair, and his voice softened as he replied, “My girl is too.”
Catherine’s dedicated nature and genius mind destined her for an extraordinary life.
As the car halted, Catherine lightly pushed away Branden’s hand and was ready to exit. She knew if she dawdled any longer, Marshall might rush up to tug the car door open himself.
Once Catherine got out, Branden gently grasped her arm and reminded her. ” Let me know when you’re done.”
“Alright.”
After receiving Catherine’s response, Branden reluctantly let go and watched her depart with Marshall.
Marshall hurried Catherine toward the lab without pause. The moment they stepped inside, without a nod to Patrick, Marshall guided her to the front of the lab bench.
Patrick, who had raised his hand in greeting, let it drop with a resigned smile.
Thankfully, he knew Marshall’s temperament. Otherwise, he might have thought Marshall had an issue with him.
He had a wry smile before following along to assess the situation. Marshall handed his calculations over to Catherine and asked her to find the possible glitches.
After Catherine glanced at the data, she didn’t spot any glitches.
However, the outcome was undoubtedly incorrect.
“Power up the machine. Let’s redo this, “Catherine said.
Hearing her command, Marshall immediately activated the machine and started the calculations anew.
Halfway through, Catherine spoke up. Stop!”
Though unsure of Catherine’s intent, Marshall complied and halted the machine. After it stopped, Catherine circled the machine and examined it closely.
Eventually, she concluded. “The machine’s malfunctioning.”
“The machine’s malfunctioning?”
Marshall and Patrick almost simultaneously exclaimed, and their tones were filled with surprise.
Even Marshall found it hard to believe, let alone Patrick.
“How could that be? Catherine, are you sure?” Marshall asked with disbelief.
Catherine nodded confidently. “It’s a fault with the machine.”
With Catherine’s assurance, Marshall and Patrick promptly called the technical room after exchanging a glance.
Marshall personally made the call, and the technician arrived quickly.
After a series of checks, it was confirmed that the machine had an issue. There was a module malfunctioned, and it required a month for repairs.
Upon hearing this news, instead of his usual concern for the machine, Marshall hurried to Catherine’s side and looked at her with admiration.
“Catherine, how did you figure out the machine had a problem?” Marshall asked.
Both Marshall and Patrick looked at Catherine with awe.
Catherine presented the data they’d calculated in front of them. “Your calculations were correct, and so was the approach. The only possible reason for the incorrect results is external interference. Based on the deviation in the results, it had to be the machine. Professor Hartley, when I asked you to restart the machine earlier, it was to confirm if the problem lay with it.”
Both Marshall and Patrick were slightly bewildered by Catherine’s explanation, but it reaffirmed in their minds that Catherine was an exceptional genius.
After returning their research report, Catherine said, “The issue is with the machine. Your calculations were right, and you should eventually arrive at the correct conclusion.”
Seeing them nodding in agreement and looking at her with admiration, Catherine chuckled wryly.
It wasn’t that she was exceedingly capable. It was that these two professors were incredibly meticulous in their work.
As researchers, they were always thorough. When they found discrepancies, they’d repeatedly recalibrate, reevaluate, and search for errors within their methods.
If the initial direction was wrong, it naturally led to misconceptions.
Marshall and Patrick held the report and marveled at Catherine’s abilities.
They hadn’t expected, after researching for so long, to miss an issue with the machine.
With the problem’s root cause identified, Marshall felt considerably relieved.
Although the machine was broken and the repair would take a while, they found the root cause. That meant the issue would be resolved eventually so there was no need for him to worry about it.
“Catherine, I heard Professor Sterling was causing you trouble,” Marshall said with concern.
Putting down the documents in her hand, Catherine glanced at him and replied with conviction. “Not anymore.
Her assured tone surprised Marshall. ” How can you be so sure?”
He had contemplated seeking support from his superiors to ensure Catherine’s research remained undisturbed and protected her from interference.
But Catherine’s words seemed to imply the matter had been resolved.
Catherine responded calmly. “I gave him a beating. He’s still in the hospital and won’t dare come back.”
If he dared to return, the consequences wouldn’t just involve a beating the next time.
She would arrange for a helicopter to drop him on Snake Island, where temperatures consistently soared above 104°F. It was a haven for venomous snakes.
With tens of thousands of venomous snakes for company, Atticus would likely be happy.
“A beating?” Marshall was stunned. He looked at Catherine in disbelief. ” Really?”
“Yeah,” Catherine grunted. Then she added with a hint of sarcasm, ” Professor Hartley, perhaps you may want to visit him in the hospital as a good host?”
Marshall’s eyes lit up, and he clapped with delight.
Then he said, “That’s a great idea! Anyway, in Eskana, we uphold etiquette. When a friend visiting our country faces an accident, it’s only proper to pay a visit. Tell me which hospital he was in. I’ll buy a basket of chrysanthemums…”
Realizing his mistake, Marshall hastily corrected himself with a laugh. He said, “I mean, a basket of fruits!”
Watching Marshall’s excited reaction, Catherine found it amusing.
Despite his serious demeanor in the lab, he had a humorous and affable side. Moreover, he was protective of his students.
Catherine was his student. Atticus’ attempt to harass and poach her wasn’t something Marshall would tolerate.
Knowing Catherine had given Atticus a beating, Marshall ostensibly showed concern for Atticus. However, he was secretly overjoyed about it.
Chapter 636 His Arrangement
Things at the lab wrapped up quicker than expected. Remembering Branden’s instructions before they parted ways, Catherine messaged him for him to pick her up.
It took about half an hour to get here from the apartment.
Shortly after sending the message, Catherine got a reply from Branden, which read, [I’m waiting at the door.]
Putting aside what she was working on, Catherine grabbed her coat and headed out.
Just as she stepped out, she spotted a man standing in the chilly wind.
She thought she might have to wait a while, but she didn’t expect that he had never left. Catherine walked right up to him. Seeing that, Branden began to take off his coat.
“No!” Catherine refused him outright. Seeing Branden frown, she explained, ” I’m not cold. We can get in the car right away.”
Seeing her insist, Branden didn’t push further.
He opened the car door for Catherine and guided her carefully. He was afraid that she might bump into something.
Once inside the car, Catherine felt bored and struck up a conversation with Branden.
“Why didn’t you head back? Aren’t you worried I’ll be busy until midnight?”
Catherine smiled faintly and cast a meaningful look at him.
When an experiment encounters problems, there’s no telling how much time it could take to fix the problem. Before Catherine found the problem in the experiment, she didn’t know how long it would take, let alone Branden.
Surprised by her rare initiative in asking, Branden looked at her confidently and said, “If an hour’s not enough, then two. If two aren’t enough, I’ll wait till dawn. Eventually, you’ll crack it, right?”
Catherine pursed her lips and nodded in agreement. “Makes sense!”
They exchanged a smile and looked at each other.
When Patrick came out with Marshall, they caught sight of the car driving away.
“These young folks nowadays are way wilder than we were back then!”
Marshall noticed the car from the start and saw it hadn’t moved, indicating Branden hadn’t left. Compared to Marshall’s calmness, Patrick was much more surprised.
He knew Branden and Catherine were close. Moreover, he understood that when young people were in love, they were glued together and would want to spend 24 hours together.
But he hadn’t expected Branden, who was always busy, to waste time here for Catherine willingly.
It showed just how highly Catherine was regarded in Branden’s heart.
After Catherine got into the car, Branden took her arm and gently massaged it. “Are you tired? Do you want to nap a little?”
Catherine shook her head and replied, Not sleepy. I want to play a game for a while.”
“Alright.” Branden reached to switch on the backseat lights. Playing games in a dark environment wasn’t good for the eyes.
Catherine had intended to play a game to pass the time while they drove home, but as soon as she opened her phone, she received an email from Rodge.
She opened the email and found Rodge’s plea for help.
Rodge’s experiment hit a rough patch, and he hoped Catherine could spend a few days in Oceanvile to assist him.
Catherine can address the problems more effectively if she was present in the lab and checking the experiment data firsthand, as it would provide a direct understanding of the process.
After reading the email, Catherine handed her phone to Branden without hiding anything. She let him read it himself because she couldn’t be bothered to explain the contents.
Seeing she was open about it, Branden readily took the phone to check her email.
After going through it, he understood Catherine’s intent and gave an immediate response.
“I’ll arrange your flight for tomorrow. You’ll go to Oceanvile for three days. I’ll handle your absence from school. As for the lab…”
Before he could finish, Catherine smiled and said, “As for the lab, I’ll talk to Professor Hartley myself and request time off.”
Branden calmly replied, “Alright.”
Catherine showed him the emails to seek his advice and have him organize everything. And indeed, Branden understood her.
After returning to her apartment, Catherine slept soundly until dawn the next day. She noticed that her insomnia symptoms had been getting lighter lately.
In the past, she relied on sleeping pills to fall asleep.
Ever since she’s been with Branden, she hardly took any medication. Each time she attempted, Branden would toss it away and coax her into bed.
If she couldn’t sleep, he would resort to force. He would use his strong physicality to drain her excess energy and force her to sleep.
Gradually, her insomnia symptoms lessened. Sometimes, she’d fall asleep in the car on their way back, and Branden would carry her upstairs.
After getting up from bed, Catherine stepped into the bathroom.
After a while, she went into the living room. Catherine found a warm meal and a note from Branden waiting for her. [I have some company matters to attend to. Carlo is waiting downstairs for you.]
After reading the note, Catherine casually pushed it aside.
She lifted the insulated covers on the plates and bowls. They were all her favorite foods, which means Branden must have prepared them in person.
Despite his work commitments, he ensured she had something to eat before leaving.
Branden was quite a good boyfriend.
Catherine felt reassured and sat down to indulge in the lunch Branden prepared.
When she stood up to pack her bags, she found that Branden had arranged her luggage neatly on the sofa.
There was just a simple backpack, which was just the way she liked.
Branden covered all the bases. He was incredibly attentive and detail- oriented.
With everything taken care of, Catherine didn’t need to worry. She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.
Carlo was waiting downstairs as said. He came out of the car as soon as Catherine descended. Then he respectfully stepped forward and reached to take the bag from her shoulder. “Miss Swann, Mr. Branden asked me to escort you to the airport. Your flight is all set.”
Catherine lowered her cap slightly, nodded casually, and got into the car.
The airport was some distance away from the apartment. Catherine felt drowsy after the satisfying meal and she closed her eyes to rest.
Carlo had been keeping an eye on Catherine’s movements. Seeing her intent on resting, he carefully raised the partition.
Following Branden’s earlier instructions, Carlo adjusted the temperature inside the car, slowed down, and drove steadily.
Despite it being the same car and routine, Catherine woke up the moment it came to a halt.
Maybe it was due to the absence of someone beside her.
After Catherine stepped out of the car, Carlo escorted her to the plane.
Branden had arranged a first-class seat for Catherine. After settling into her seat, Catherine activated the “Do Not Disturb” sign.
She lowered her hat to block the outside world from sight and prepared to sleep through the two-hour flight.
Suddenly, she heard a sound beside her. Catherine frowned and lifted the brim of her hat. She was about to signal the person not to disturb her.
When she saw the face of the intruder, her eyes lit up instantly. “Why are you here?”
Branden replied with a gentle smile. ” Fortunately, I made it in time to accompany you!”
He had rushed to the company early in the morning to handle everything. This would free him up to accompany Catherine to Oceanvile and take care of her.
Catherine couldn’t be without him, and he couldn’t be without her.
Chapter 637 The Experiment
At quarter past three, the plane landed on time at Oceanvile Airport.
Catherine finally woke up. She barely lifted the brim of her hat off her face when a cup of hot coffee appeared in front of her.
Branden’s gentle voice sounded above her. He said, “Have a sip.”
Catherine drank half of the cup from his hand. Warmth spread through her entire stomach. Ever since she’d been with Branden, her stomach troubles vanished.
Just as she finished the coffee and got ready to rise, Branden had their luggage and was holding her hand to lead her off the plane.
They took the VIP lane to the parking lot, where the car Branden arranged awaited them.
Once inside the car, Branden turned to Catherine and asked, “Rushing to the lab? Do you want to rest or grab a bite?”
The Duncans owned many properties in Oceanvile. Branden knew Catherine didn’t like staying in hotels. Before their arrival, he had arranged for a property closest to the lab and had it cleaned.
After glancing at her phone for the time, Catherine replied, “Let’s head to the lab first. We can go back later.”
“Alright,” Branden replied and then instructed the driver. After a while, Catherine was dropped off at the lab.
Just as Catherine was about to enter, she heard Branden laugh resignedly behind her. He said, “Just let me know when you’re done. Don’t spend three full days locked up there.”
Branden condensed three days of work into one. He handled them at lightning speed and didn’t even waste time to take a sip of water.
He didn’t want to bring Catherine to Oceanvile without even having the chance to see her face-to-face.
Catherine paused and raised an eyebrow as she looked back at him meaningfully. “What’s this? Filing a complaint?”
Branden chuckled in resignation. ” Let’s call it a request instead. How about that, Miss Swann?”
Catherine lifted her chin and struck a noble pose with sophistication. ” Approved. I’ll get in touch later.”
After saying that arrogantly, Catherine turned and walked away without further explanation to Branden.
Branden stood there and watched her until she disappeared completely. Then he slowly turned to leave.
Rodge had been waiting eagerly for Catherine, and finally, she arrived.
“Chief, you’re finally here!” His excitement was hard to contain.
Catherine looked at him calmly. What’s the rush? I didn’t force you to hand over the experiment results immediately. Can’t you take a couple more days to rest?”
Rodge felt incredibly fortunate to have met Catherine in his lifetime. Not only did she maximize his value and allow him to pursue his favorite work, but her management style in the lab was also highly appreciated.
Catherine never made demands on them. Everything proceeded at the pace they set, and she never pushed them for results.
Rodge timidly smiled. He focused solely on experiments and seldom expressed other emotions. It was only before Catherine that he would display any other emotions.
He said, “Chief, I know you didn’t pressure me. If this experiment doesn’t move to the second phase quickly, our funding will continue to be wasted in this stage!”
“That’s true.” Hearing the mention of money, Catherine furrowed her brow slightly.
She’d spent most of her time in the lab on experiments recently. She seldom took on assignments and did not allocate money to Arbotte Laboratory on time.
Improving the success rate of experiments and reducing financial waste seemed like a good idea.
“Take me to see it,” Catherine said.
When Rodge heard Catherine’s command, his worried face immediately lit up. “Chief, follow me!”
Chapter 638 The One She Loved
The Arbotte Laboratory was researching the most cutting-edge chip globally, and if this chip hit the market, it could change the entire era.
Not only the Arbotte Laboratory, but all top labs worldwide were in on this.
Everyone was racing to develop this chip and aimed for the quickest production to maximize development and profits.
Once this chip hit the market, it would bring numerous profits.
Money was not the main thing here. It was the possibility of monopolizing the technology of this chip that drove innovation across the board, which would push forward the whole tech scene.
According to the information they held, so far, among all these labs worldwide, the Arbotte Laboratory made the fastest progress.
Rodge led Catherine to the core of the lab and saw the latest results of his research. It was the lab’s most secretive place that only Rodge and Catherine could access.
“Chief, take a look!” Rodge said.
Catherine sat at the console, opened the mathematical model, and reran the experiment from scratch to search for the root cause.
The first run didn’t show any issues yet. Catherine ran it again and finally spotted an odd data point.
She pointed at it and said, “Maybe the problem is here. Let me tweak the data and rerun it.”
Rodge felt odd. This data came from numerous calculations, so it shouldn’t be wrong.
He didn’t want to doubt his calculations, but he trusted Catherine even more.
He stood at the side and watched Catherine silently. He was deeply impressed by her incredible computational abilities.
Catherine stayed in the lab since they touched down, and it was almost 6 PM.
The machine finally printed the results of the first run. Catherine glanced at it and handed the data to Rodge, who was eagerly waiting.
Seeing that, Rodge widened his eyes and exclaimed, “Wow! Chief, you’re amazing!”
It turned out to be a problem with the data. However, the issue remained resolved as they were unsure if there may be other problematic data.
However, Catherine found the crux of the problem with just one move. It was something an ordinary person couldn’t possibly do. Despite being amazed countless times, Rodge had to praise Catherine once again.
Phones weren’t allowed here. Catherine looked at Rodge and asked, “What time is it?”
Rodge checked his watch and replied, ” Chief, it’s almost six.”
Catherine headed straight out after putting down the equipment. As she passed Rodge, she said, “I’m leaving.”
Rodge hurried to catch up. “Chief, are you taking a break? How about I treat you to dinner?”
Catherine stopped, turned back, and declined his offer. She replied, “No need for that. Someone’s waiting for me.”
Rodge knew exactly who Catherine referred to.
As he watched Catherine walk away swiftly, Rodge couldn’t help but smirk. Ever since Catherine started dating, he could sense a more human side to her.
She wasn’t the distant, unapproachable legend anymore. She was once so cold and didn’t have any preferences. With a powerful brain and a stunning face, she seemed to look down on everyone.
That kind of Catherine was too unreal. It made people love and fear her at the same time.
The current Catherine seemed better. Rodge was pleased with the change in her since she started dating.
Perhaps Branden was just the one she loved.
Chapter 639 An Acquaintance
Catherine immediately got in touch with Branden after leaving the lab. Branden drove to pick up Catherine and took her to Oceanvile’s most famous restaurant.
It was a rare outing for them. Catherine was tied up with work, so he decided to help her unwind a bit during her free time.
Catherine didn’t mind. She knew everything would be taken care of with Branden around.
However, Branden didn’t know that the restaurant he carefully picked out would lead Catherine to run into an acquaintance.
Erick was stunned when he saw Catherine, but he quickly realized the situation. “Catherine, you’re in Oceanvile!” he greeted in delight.
After looking up, Catherine caught sight of Erick. Her expression softened as she replied, “Just came over for something urgent.”
“Great! I didn’t expect to bump into you here. What a coincidence! Let’s have dinner together, Catherine,” Erick said with excitement.
The restaurant owner, who was standing next to Erick, was astonished at Erick’s behavior. He had known Erick for some time and was used to Erick’s distant demeanor.
This was the first time he had seen Erick initiate a conversation with a girl, especially with such enthusiasm.
Moreover, this girl not only had a beautiful appearance, she also exuded a powerful aura. Even someone like Erick, a top figure in the new era, appeared humble in her presence.
Taking note of Erick’s excitement, the owner said, “Mr. Olsen, shall I open the top-floor VIP room for you?”
Erick knew the top-floor VIP room was usually reserved and understood the owner’s gesture was meant to please him.
However, the owner’s assessment was spot on this time.
Erick looked at Catherine and waited for her opinion.
Catherine was not bothered. She considered Erick a friend, and it was nice to grab a meal together when they bumped into each other.
Seeing Erick’s inquisitive look, she generously said, “Let’s go together.”
Branden had no reason to refuse since Catherine agreed.
He casually wrapped an arm around Catherine’s waist and guided her toward him. Then he glanced at Erick and said, “Mr. Olsen, you know Oceanvile quite well. Just lead the way, Mr. Olsen.”
Erick made rapid progress after taking over the reins of the Winfreds family. Catherine had supported and helped him significantly behind the scenes. She even arranged manpower for him.
Of course, Erick had never betrayed Catherine. He despised the Winfreds and the wealth they had.
From the start, he had aimed to ruin the Winfred Group and make Xavier see how easily he could destroy what Xavier had built.
However, when he found out Catherine needed money and the Winfred Group could generate profits, he managed it well to provide funds for Catherine.
Half of the profits from the Winfred Group went straight into the Arbotte Laboratory.
He wanted to give everything to Catherine, but Catherine refused.
So, he held onto it for her, and he was ready to offer it all whenever she needed it.
Looking at Branden, Erick smiled.
However, Erick’s smile faded as he noticed Branden’s hand planted firmly around Catherine’s waist.
He knew that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t catch up to Branden.
That was why Branden could stand beside Catherine while he could only look up at her.
Suppressing his emotions, Erick politely extended his hand. “Mr. Duncan, this way.”
This time, Branden emerged as the clear winner without much effort.
Chapter 640 The Call
The food in the restaurant was pretty good. Catherine had quite a meal that night. Erick saw Catherine setting down her fork to take a drink, and he seized the chance to strike up a conversation.
“Catherine, what brings you to Oceanvile?” he asked.
Catherine didn’t hold back. She told him Rodge needed help, hence her rush to Oceanvile.
After Erick heard that, he said with disappointment, “Catherine, I thought I might have a chance to show you around Oceanvile for a couple of days, but it looks like you don’t have the time.
Catherine nodded in agreement and replied calmly, “Indeed. There’s hardly any time. I need to get back to Loxton soon.”
Erick then brought up some internal company matters to Catherine.
“Catherine, I stumbled upon something. Some old factions within the company have been in contact with the Breens. They seem to have intentions to support the old associates of the Winfreds, but their exact motives are still unclear,” he said.
During Xavier’s tenure, several key positions at the Winfred Group were held by members of the Winfreds family.
Since Erick took over, there have been significant changes in personnel through replacements or reassignments at important positions.
However, people from the Winfreds family were spread throughout the Winfred Group in various departments. Removing them wouldn’t be easy unless the Winfred Group was overturned.
Those people seemed calm and compliant on the surface as if they were aligning themselves with Erick.
But they were constantly scheming behind the scenes, intending to pull Erick from the top position and reclaim the Winfreds’ assets.
Catherine had been immersed in the lab lately. She didn’t intervene much apart from dealing with Atticus once.
As for Edson, she hadn’t paid attention to him during this period.
It was surprising to hear that the Breens had their fingers in the Winfred Group.
Erick had been channeling funds from the Winfred Group to the Arbotte Laboratory for research purposes.
The Breens wouldn’t assist the Winfreds without reason. It was most likely that they had traced the movement of funds from the Winfred Group to the Arbotte Laboratory, and that sparked their interest in the Winfred Group.
Catherine scoffed disdainfully. She remarked with a domineering aura. They just don’t give up.”
Hearing Catherine’s words, Erick sensed something amiss. He asked, Catherine, what do you mean?”
“The Breens are after me,” Catherine replied directly.
Hearing Catherine’s words, Erick frowned. He had thought the Winfreds were seeking help to regain their assets, so he wasn’t particularly concerned about it.
Money wasn’t a big deal to him. His purpose in earning money was to repay Catherine.
However, the situation changed significantly since their target was Catherine. If they dared to touch Catherine, they’d become Erick’s greatest enemies.
Initially, Erick hadn’t planned to act against these people, but now he decided to clear these obstacles for Catherine’s sake.
“Catherine, don’t worry. The Winfred Group won’t fall into chaos with me around.”
Catherine glanced appreciatively at Erick. During this period, she had seen Erick’s rapid growth, which was beyond what she had expected.
The Breens were getting quite active, and it seemed Shane couldn’t sit still any longer. As they discussed back and forth, Branden, who sat silently nearby, finally spoke up.
Branden looked at Catherine gently and said softly, “You’ve come straight from the plane to the lab. You’ve had a tiring day. How about going back to rest?”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Catherine agreed with Branden’s suggestion. She indeed felt a bit tired.
Seeing Catherine getting drowsy, Erick felt quite sorry for her. He stood up and personally escorted the two of them out.
At the restaurant’s entrance, Branden stopped with his arm around Catherine. He was exceptionally handsome and glanced at Erick with a faint smile.
“Thanks for the hospitality, Mr. Olsen. There’s no need to see us off,” Branden said with a smug expression.
Despite feeling uneasy, Erick maintained his smile and watched Branden and Catherine leave.
After a while, they got into the car.
Catherine was exhausted. Branden urged her to rest against him, and obediently, she leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes.
As she drifted to sleep, Branden adjusted the car’s temperature.
Just as he was about to silence his phone so avoid disturbing Catherine, the screen lit up.
Branden swiftly declined the call before it even had a chance to ring.
He promptly turned off his phone and slipped it into his pocket.
Meanwhile, Carlo noticed Paxton picking up and swiftly putting down his phone with a peculiar expression. It raised Carlo’s suspicions. “Paxton, what’s up? Did Mr. Branden not take the call?”
“Yeah.” Paxton nodded slightly. Not only did Branden not take the call, he also turned off his phone.
Carlo looked at Paxton and asked with a mischievous smile, “You didn’t happen to disturb Mr. Branden and Miss Swann having a good time, did you?”
They knew Branden had gone with Catherine to Oceanvile. Since there were matters to handle in Loxton, Paxton had been left behind.
Paxton glared displeasingly at Carlo and replied, “Watch what you say, or I’ll have your hide.”
After being reprimanded by Paxton, Carlo dared not speak out of turn again.
He asked, “Paxton, what do we do now that Mr. Branden didn’t answer the call?”
Earlier, Edson launched a fierce attack. He rallied several families to short-sell and corner the Duncan Corporation.
He changed his previous methods and wanted to defeat the Duncan Corporation swiftly.
It posed the greatest danger to the Duncan Corporation and held no benefits for the Breens either.
The magnates Edson brought in were ruthless capitalists. Edson must make significant concessions for their involvement.
Edson might end up not just fruitless but incurring huge losses.
Based on this, Edson’s aim was crystal clear. He wanted to dismantle the Duncans at any cost.
Given the urgency of the situation and the combined forces of the families, Paxton tried contacting Branden immediately upon receiving the news.
However, the call didn’t go through.
Paxton remained calm and looked at Carlo coldly.
He had been by Branden’s side for years and had faced numerous challenges.
This current crisis wasn’t enough to intimidate him.
Then Paxton replied, “What’s there to fear? Stick to the arrangements as Mr. Branden instructed previously. After all these years under Mr. Branden’s care, do we still run to him for every small thing?”
Paxton’s scolding invigorated everyone present. All of them rallied their spirits and focused on the task at hand.
As one of Paxton’s loyal followers, Carlo promptly chimed in. “Paxton is right. This is our test. If these foreign devils want trouble, we’ll make sure they leave empty-handed and get a good lesson.”