Ch. 2101..2110

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2101-Anastasia realized she had overreacted and let go of his hand. She murmured, “I was just wondering if you were going to meet Lily.”

Austin thought she was worried about Lily and chuckled. “No, I don’t even know where she is now. Still, she has her things to handle, and I have mine. She knows much more about herbal medicine, and I still have much catching up to do.”

“So, where are you going then?” Anastasia asked.

“To my granduncle’s house first. Then I might go to Middle Valley afterward.” Austin gazed ahead and seemed excited to visit the place.

“Middle Valley? That’s far,” Anastasia muttered to herself.

Austin chuckled. “It’s a little far, but at least it’s in the country. That area has many herbs and poisonous insects, so I should be able to learn many useful things if I go there.”

Anastasia gasped when he mentioned poisonous insects. “Won’t it be dangerous then? Are you sure about going there?”

She looked worried.

In the past, Austin would grow impatient and think she was being ignorant. However, after escaping death, he appreciated being cared for by others. He said warmly, “Don’t worry. Physicians like me often encounter such things. Besides, they’re nothing compared to the virus.”

‘Seriously, nothing is scarier than human beings, right?’

After some thought, Austin said earnestly, “I’d like to broaden my horizons to provide better treatment for my patients.”

Anastasia sighed. “So, when do you plan to leave?”

“I should be leaving next week if everything goes accordingly.”

“So soon?” Anastasia blurted out. She caught herself and chuckled. “Anyway, you have my support. You’ve changed so much. I’m sure you’ll be a real miracle doctor someday.”

Embarrassed, Austin scratched the back of his head. “It’s not fame I’m after. I only want to become a good doctor and serve people now.”

“Whatever it is, you have my support, okay?”

“Thanks!” Austin looked at her. “I think you have changed a lot, too.”

Anastasia widened her eyes and looked down at her body. “Really? Did I lose weight?”

Austin shook his head. “No, it’s not that. I meant your state of mind, which is much different now. You were somewhat…insecure when I first met you.”

He spoke tentatively, afraid of upsetting her.

Anastasia showed a hint of sadness but quickly smiled again and nodded. “You’re right! I was.”

More accurately, she was insecure, sensitive, and defensive back then.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2102 -“But you’re different now. You’ve become livelier and much more confident. You also fought your disease bravely. I must say you’ve outdone many others!” Austin praised sincerely.

“Really?” Having heard such compliments for the first time, Anastasia palmed her cheek. “You’re talking about me?”

“Of course!” Austin nodded. “You’ve changed a lot. Now I can feel your confidence.”

“But I’m not pretty.” She touched her face, sighed, and muttered, “I’m still not slim enough, even though Lily has helped me lose weight.”

“Come on!” Austin added, “Don’t lose your confidence over this, okay? You’re gorgeous!”

Unconvinced, Anastasia looked at him. “Are you trying to make me feel better?”

“I’m not. I just think you shouldn’t bother too much about your looks.” Thinking it over, Austin put his hands into the pockets of his white coat and shrugged. “So what if you’re slightly on the plump side?

“I took your wrist pulse, so I know you’re healthy and in a great state of mind. That’s what truly matters, right? Some people have healthy bodies but are sick in the head, while others are pretty yet evil.”

Austin grew agitated as he thought of Rhea.

‘That woman is pretty and intelligent, but she is the most vicious person I’ve ever met!’

Anastasia noticed his severe expression and asked tentatively, “Are you talking about Rhea?”

“Yes!” Austin nodded. “But people like her would end up badly.”

After a pause, he added, “So you mustn’t bother too much about looks. Besides, since Lily had removed Rhea’s toxins from you, you’ll get slimmer anyway. It’s just a matter of time. Just be patient, all right? Also, you were born pretty, so you shouldn’t worry about that.”

Having given her treatment over the past few days, Austin could observe her closely. Even though Anastasia was plump, she had a beautiful face.

“For real?” She looked elated as she palmed her cheeks with both hands.

Austin nodded firmly. “Don’t doubt yourself. A confident girl is always the prettiest! That’s why you’re beautiful.”

“Thank you so much!” She was genuinely pleased, no longer caring if what he said was true or not.

At this moment, Austin’s phone rang. He removed it from his pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and answered, “Hello?”

A moment later, he narrowed his eyes with a frozen smile. “I got it. I’ll be right there.”

After hanging up his phone, he turned to leave. However, he stopped and turned to Anastasia. “I’ve got to get going…”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2103-“It’s okay. Go handle your business.” Anastasia nodded and waved Austin off before remembering something. “Oh, yeah, did you receive news about Lily?”

Surprised, Austin slowly shook his head. He noticed her disappointment and added, “Lily is smart and capable, so I’m sure she’ll be okay. Anyway, I’ll let you know when I hear anything, okay?”

Anastasia smiled and nodded. “I believe she’ll be okay too. Please take care.”

Austin smiled, turned, and hurried out of the ward.

Alexander had called Austin but did not tell him any details. The former only told Austin to rush over to his house.

‘Alex seldom contacts me and has mostly stayed in touch with Uncle Dom. The last time he called me was about Anastasia’s infection. Could it be about viruses again?’

Austin knew it was pointless to worry and rushed to Alexander’s house. He was surprised to see two strangers there besides Alexander. Austin hastily glanced at them and hurried over to Alexander, asking, “Did you discover a new virus?”

Alexander shook his head and gestured toward the sofa near him. “Take a seat first.”

Austin looked around and sat on one end of the sofa. Four people were in the living room, including him and Alexander.

Austin eagerly asked, “What’s this all about?”

“What is this all about?” Austin asked eagerly.

After some thought, Alexander told the servants to leave and shut the door. A pot of coffee and a few cups were on the table, and the house was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

“It’s not about a new virus, but about the various ones that might exist.”

Austin was baffled. “What do you mean?”

He noticed the two strangers not reacting and wondered if they knew about it.

Alexander tapped the coffee table with his index finger. “Austin, although we’ve known each other for quite some time, we’ve never been close. However, I know what drives you, so we have a serious matter we might need your help—”

Austin interrupted. “Just cut to the chase, okay?”

Alexander did not enjoy beating around the bush but wanted to clarify certain things. He said gravely, “Since you escaped from the research base, I’m sure you know the situation inside very well.”

Austin was stunned and instantly remembered what happened there. The place resembled more of a devil’s lair to him.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2104-‘That place is worse than hell!’

When the organization used Austin as a test subject, he suffered horrible physical pains and mental agony that he no longer wanted to think about it.

“Carry on,” he spoke with difficulty, feeling disturbed.

“The organization later relocated the research base to the vaccination development center. I believe you’re aware of it,” Alexander said while observing the changes in Austin’s expression.

Austin nodded. “So? You want me to go there?”

Surprised that he brought it up himself, Alexander stopped talking.

“I’ll go,” Austin said readily.

“Are you sure? It’s dangerous inside, and there might be various unknown viruses. Worse, there are risks of leakage and infection.” Although Alexander knew Austin was aware of these things, he wanted to make sure of it.

“I know about the risks,” Austin said as he impassively nodded.

“Besides the viruses, there are guards and probably some radicals. Someone will help you eliminate them, but you still face possible dangers—"

Austin interrupted him. “What is it that you want me to do? Destroy the place, or infiltrate it as a spy?”

Alexander shook his head. “No, I’d like you to gather any viruses we have yet to discover and bring them to me. But you must destroy them if you can’t bring them away. You must also be careful not to hurt innocent people or cause a spread.

“You must do your best to contain the damage they might cause.”

“You want me to bring the viruses to you?” Austin was baffled. “What do you need them for? Shouldn’t we just destroy them?”

His eyes gleamed with eagerness when he said the word “destroy.”

After suffering from the virus, Austin knew the harm they could cause. He was eager to destroy them as soon as possible.

‘They aren’t like poisonous herbs which we can use to save lives. These man-made viruses can destroy human beings. It’s best to destroy them!’

“Take it easy, okay? Bringing them back could avoid leakage. As you know, many innocent people work at the vaccination center. Besides, we could research the viruses in case they have infected someone. We might be able to save people’s lives by doing so, got it?”

Alexander knew why Austin hated these viruses and patiently explained things to him.

Austin sighed in relief and leaned back. “Then where do I bring the viruses if I succeed?

He wanted to ensure Alexander and the other two knew what they were doing.

Alexander expected his question and looked toward his guests sitting on the other end of the sofa. The man had one hand resting on the armrest. He wore glasses and kept his gaze slightly lowered, hardly revealing emotions.

The man looked wise with his eyes hidden behind the reflective lenses.

Alexander said, “Well, I should introduce you to Dr. Blanc here. He has all the answers to any questions you might have.”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2105-“Dr. Blanc? What kind of doctor are you?” Austin asked, turning to look at the man.

The two sized each other up without offering to shake hands.

After some thought, Alexander said, “Dr. Blanc, as I said before, we’re facing a critical situation, and Austin is no ordinary man. His relationship with Dominic—”

Dr. Blanc raised a hand to stop Alexander and motioned it toward Austin before introducing himself, “Hello, I’m Dr. Blanc from the X Department.”

Dr. Blanc’s straightforward manner surprised Austin. The latter hesitated momentarily, then shook Dr. Blanc’s hand and asked, “What’s the X Department?”

Austin was surprised by his straightforward manner.

“It’s a secret national department. We don’t tell just anyone about it unless they have special clearance,” Dr. Blanc said after a nod.

“So I belong to the special clearance group?” Austin pointed at himself with surprise. Although it was his first time hearing about the department, he knew Dr. Blanc was serious.

“You do, considering your involvement today.” Dr. Blanc nodded and sat back in the chair as he spoke.

Austin looked to Alexander for answers, but the latter said nothing because he wanted Dr. Blanc to take over.

Dr. Blanc cleared his throat and crossed his arms again. “You need to know that our department’s primary research is in biochemistry, viruses, and medicine. Of course, that includes but is not limited to what you’ve encountered.

“Still, the lab at the vaccine development center is now in chaos after the organization abandoned it. Mr. Russell has already checked the place and thinks there might be people who will try to take advantage of the situation by creating trouble.

“There could also be radicals looking to sabotage the place. Since we don’t know how many viruses there are, X Department would take over the place before we destroy it.”

Austin was about to speak, but Dr. Blanc continued, “However, we need someone familiar with the place since the department knows nothing about the other viruses.

“We need someone capable of dealing with viruses and other unforeseen circumstances. That’s why Mr. Russell recommended you to us.”

Austin finally realized why Alexander had asked him to come over. After some pondering, Austin said, “I see. So, I’ll be working with your department. Does that make me one of you?”

Dr. Blanc smiled. “Yes and no. You resemble more of an outsourced contractor. However, you’ll have access to our privileges.” He sized Austin up before adding, “So, Dom is your granduncle, huh?”

“You know him?” Austin was surprised as he looked at Dr. Blanc and then Alexander. After careful consideration, Austin understood the situation without needing answers.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2106 -Austin thought, ‘It’s no surprise the department didn’t want to recruit Uncle Dom, considering his status and capabilities. He might’ve avoided telling me about it since it’s a secret department.’

“Yes, he’s my granduncle. However, I’m not precisely his student, even though he has taught me herbal medicine.” Austin wanted to make it clear so that he would not ruin Dominic’s reputation by making mistakes.

“I know,” Dr. Blanc said smilingly, “Still, we know how capable you are.”

Austin scratched his head awkwardly after receiving the compliment. He would feel incredibly proud if it were the past, but he had become more humbled now and knew it was not good to be overconfident.

“You’re too kind, Dr. Blanc, but I have much to learn still. Perhaps I might learn something from your experts during the mission,” Austin said earnestly.

Alexander noticed the changes in Austin and felt happy for him. “Well, I’ll let you two handle the secret lab then. That way, we can focus on what he must do now.”

Immediately after, he glanced at the man standing beside him.

Austin had noticed the person when he arrived and thought he looked familiar.

‘He’s the only one standing, looking like a bodyguard. Hmm… A bodyguard?’

Finally, he remembered, asking, “I-Is that Edward?”

“Edward Sullivan,” Alexander responded, “He’s my assistant and a friend.”

“Oh, yes, I remember seeing you.” Having a vague memory of him, Austin nodded.

“You’re right. We met twice before.” With a half-smile, Edward leaned over and whispered into Alexander’s ear.

Alexander nodded, then turned to others. “So it’s settled then. Dr. Blanc, just tell Austin how you want to go about your plan.”

Dr. Blanc nodded. “I’m sure it would go smoothly with his help.”

After getting up, he remembered something and looked back at Alexander, saying, “As for your plans, you must understand that whatever you do might affect the ties between… You know what I’m talking about. Just remember that you’ll not be seen as an individual but as a representative.”

“I know.” Alexander nodded. “We’ll proceed with utmost caution.”

“I’ve made the necessary arrangement, but you must remember not to be rash. Whatever the outcome is, you must think about the possible consequences.”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2107-Dr. Blanc knew Alexander was cautious, but he could not help reminding him repeatedly.

“Don’t worry. Even though I’m worried about my wife, I won't over-commit. Besides, I only want to save her, not go to war with them,” Alexander said half-jokingly.

Dr. Blanc nodded. “I know you won’t, but your friend…”

“He’s a bit impulsive sometimes, but he knows what’s at stake. Whether we achieve our goal or not, we’ll leave the place as planned. We won’t engage in conflicts with them or give them any leverage to use against us. You have my word.”

Alexander understood Dr. Blanc’s concern since they would be dealing with people working at the embassy. He would not dare cause Dr. Blanc any trouble and was grateful that Dr. Blanc was willing to send a team to help him.

Of course, the situation also concerned the relationship between the two countries. In addition, Alexander had no concrete evidence against the other party. Even if he did, he had to be careful about who he was dealing with.

“All the best then!” Dr. Blanc sighed, patted Alexander’s shoulder, and glanced at Austin as he turned away.

Austin did not quite understand what the two talked about, but he knew it had something to do with Lily. However, their discreet manner made it apparent that he should not pry. Although curious, Austin did not ask about it and followed Dr. Blanc.

When they reached the door, Austin could not help but turn around and say, “Make sure you bring Lily back safely, okay?”

Alexander raised his brow and smiled faintly before nodding. When the two left, he glanced at Edward. “Bring him over.”

Edward nodded and left. A little while later, he returned with Mike in tow. Mike was upset, saying, “Hey, why did you tell me not to join you guys just now?”

Although he said so, he had refrained from coming in earlier.

“I’m sure you’ll understand.” Alexander shrugged.

Mike did not want to dwell on things and added, “It looks like you have everything sorted. When can we leave?”

“Well, you’re not going this time.”

Mike instantly grew agitated. “I’m not? What do you mean?”

“You’re too impulsive.”

“I’m not—” Mike saw Alexander’s stare and sat back down, saying in frustration, “I’m only upset because you won’t let me go with you!”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2108 -However, Alexander was not joking. “I know you’re worried about your son, but you know Nick isn’t there. Even if you bomb the embassy, it won’t do any good.”

“Then I’ll go to Yudonia!” Mike snapped, clenching his fists.

“I’m sure you can. If you buy a plane ticket now, you might even be able to fly there by today. However, will you be able to go inside the palace?” Alexander asked.

Mike was stumped. He knew he couldn’t, and he had only said so out of frustration.

“The more critical the situation, the more we must stay calm, all right?” Alexander added, “I’m going there with government officials to protect and disinfect the embassy. Therefore, we can’t stay too long or conduct an extensive search. So, I have another task for you.”

Mike looked calmer as he asked, “What do you need me to do?”

He wanted something to do, or he would feel useless for failing to save his son.

“I want you to keep an eye on them. You must stop them if they try to relocate her secretly.”

“Huh?” Puzzled at first, Mike caught on. “You’re saying they will try to relocate Lily to another place? I think it’s unlikely. Wouldn’t it be too risky for them to do so knowing we’re searching for her now?”

Alexander looked at his wedding photo with Lily, which he had set as his phone’s wallpaper. He gazed at her smile, which always calmed him and helped him think. After a while, he said, “They might be expecting us to make that assumption.”

“I see your point, but if they go through official channels…” Mike knew he would have trouble stopping the organization if they did so.

“Then we can do that, too. Just make sure you keep a close eye on them. Edward will tell you how to go about it.” Alexander caressed his phone screen and added, “They know we won’t give up, so they only have two options.

“They can complete the experiment’s final step as soon as possible or relocate Lily to somewhere we can’t stop them.”

Mike immediately understood Alexander’s meaning. “You’re talking about Yudonia, aren’t you?”

He knew his son was there, and the organization refused to return Nick to him even though they no longer needed Mike.

Mike was worried and had difficulty staying calm since he had not received a video call from Nick in a long time.

“Yes!” Alexander gazed at Mike and unlocked his phone to pull up a map. Then he enlarged it and showed it to Mike. “Look!”

Mike leaned in and asked, “Is that Yudonia’s Royal Palace?”

Although he could not access the place, he knew where it was because he had traveled widely for his business.

The palace did not look large on the map, but Mike knew it was vast and heavily guarded after staying near it long ago. Even if he snuck inside, locating Nick would be almost impossible.

“That’s right.” Alexander continued to enlarge the map. “If they were to hide someone, it would likely be…here.”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2109 -Alexander pointed at the map and said, “These two areas are where the queen works and rests daily. Although it would be a safe place to hide someone, I doubt they would do such a thing.

“Outside are the reception rooms where people often come and go, so the most likely places are here and here.”

He tapped the map gently, continuing, “This is the storage room, and that’s the guard room. Still, I’m only basing this on the map. I’m not sure if there are any secret chambers or underground passages. After all, we don’t have the authority to search the palace.”

Mike was shocked. “How the hell do you know all this?”

‘I might be able to get a general floor plan of the palace if I tried, but I can’t gain such detailed information like each room’s function or purpose. It’s like Alex is talking about his own house.’

Alexander smiled. “Well, some places that seem mysterious and inaccessible might not be so.”

Mike looked at him hopefully, saying, “I’m counting on you to rescue Nick.”

Alexander patted his shoulder confidently. “We’ll get them back safely, okay?”

…

After having dinner, Lily returned to bed to rest. It was also her way of continuing her strike. The doctor who had passed on Alexander’s messages had not shown up for two days, and Lily wondered if it was due to staff rotations or if something terrible had happened.

She grew anxious, not knowing what was happening outside, especially without an intermediary to communicate with.

Lily wondered how Alexander was doing, whether the viruses were spreading, or what had happened to Fred's abandoned laboratory. Of course, she also knew it was pointless to worry about these things as she might die soon.

As she was in deep thought, the door opened slowly. Lily heard it but remained still, not even glancing at the door. However, she soon heard babies crying.

Unable to ignore their cries, she hesitantly turned to look and saw two nurses carrying babies at the doorway. Since they were a distance away, Lily was unsure if the babies were hers, although she felt they were.

‘They typically wouldn’t bring my babies at this hour. What are they up to now?’

After some thought, she saw the nurses gazing at her even though the babies were crying. Lily could no longer stand it and got off the bed to hurry over. “What the hell are you two doing?”

She leaned closer to look and realized the babies were indeed hers. The twins were crying, and even the older son, who was usually calm, wailed.

“What did you do to my children?” she asked anxiously, thinking the organization must have done something to the twins.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2110-However, the nurses only held the babies without responding.

Lily anxiously took her daughter, but the nurses did not stop her. Immediately after, she opened the blanket, squeezed the baby’s hands, and carefully checked if she had any wounds.

After ensuring her daughter was unharmed, Lily signed in relief and examined her son, finding no wounds on him, either. After some thought, she checked their mouths and saw nothing unusual. Therefore, she concluded they must be hungry or uncomfortable.

Lily looked at the nurses, then turned to the CCTV camera and said, “Why’d you bring them here?”

She figured the nurses were only following orders, thinking, ‘Fred must’ve told them to behave like this. That fucking asshole!’

Suddenly, Lily heard a noise coming from outside. However, it was not the sound of a cane but of a wheelchair. The wheels revolved, and Lily soon saw the queen. She was somewhat surprised as she had expected Fred to come and threaten her again or make more demands.

“Your Majesty,” Lily greeted with a slight nod instead of a curtsy while carrying her baby.

The queen did not mind it and nodded. She waved the others off after entering the room, and the guards and nurses left the two women alone, shutting the door behind them.

Lily raised her brow, asking, “What are you up to, Your Majesty?”

“I’d like to talk to you,” the queen said quietly.

“Alone?” Lily glanced to her left and right, indicating they were the only people in the room now. “Aren’t you afraid I’d try and harm you?”

The queen simply shook her head and smiled. “You won’t do such a thing.”

Without waiting for Lily’s reply, the queen added, “Besides, my men are all over this place. You won’t succeed even if you tried, let alone escape.”

“Well, if I hold you hostage—”

“What about your babies? Can you do that while carrying them? Unless you plan on abandoning them.” The queen smilingly interrupted Lily, “I know you’re just talking, or I wouldn’t be here. Still, I don’t have much time, so let’s get down to brass tax, shall we?”

‘She comes here alone and seems to be in a rush,’ Lily pondered before saying, “Did Fred go out?”

The queen looked at Lily with surprise but soon smiled and nodded slightly, “You’re clever indeed.”