Ch. 301..310
Chapter 301
“Where are you taking me?” Mila asked as they walked.
Nathan reinained silent. He held her wrist as he led her through several garden paths. They stopped in front of a room in the Alpine Estate when Nathan let go of her hand.
Mila looked around. The surroundings were beautiful, with lush greenery, and it was peaceful.
Nathan sat on a nearby bench and said, “Stay with me.”
“Nate, what do you mean?” Mila asked nervously.
Nathan gazed deep into Mila’s eyes and smiled helplessly as he said, “I won’t touch you. All I want is for you to be here with me.”
Mila stood still as she gazed into his intense eyes. She felt like she was about to lose control. Turning her eyes to a nearby plant, she said calmly, “It’s late. It’s inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together.”
Nathan scoffed and replied disappointedly, “I never once thought of forcing you when we were married and shared a bed. But now, you’re afraid that I’ll hurt you?”
Mila bit her lip and held on tightly to her phone.
Nathan leaned back against the bench. His eyes were penetrating as he said earnestly, “It doesn’t matter if you’re Wanda or Suzanne, I still love you.
“I used to think I was a man who got bored easily and was quick to move on. But now I realize I’ve loved only one person my whole life. I’ll always have feelings for you, no matter who you are or what
your name is.”
Mila froze at his sudden confession. Her heart was in her throat, and her breathing grew irregular. She was too nervous to know what to do.
“Nate, you’re drunk,” Mila murmured nervously. She noticed the flush in his ears, neck, and cheeks. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was embarrassed or drunk.
“I’m not drunk,”
n said. His elbow…
on the bench’s arm as he cupped his throbbing
forehead. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Wanda, I’m not forcing you to love or marry me. I just hope that you won’t avoid me. Please never cut off contact with me like you did ten years ago, no matter what our relationship is.
“I won’t cling to you or cause you any problems. But can you come to me when you need a companion to share your happiness or sadness? Like when we were kids? It’s fine if you don’t want to meet.”
+15 DONUS
Nathan looked up at her, his eyes reddening as he forced a bitter smile before adding, “Just call or text me when you’re free. Just so I know you’re okay and that you’re happy.”
Mila couldn’t help but turn away from him. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at the lintel of the room.
She couldn’t breathe because it hurt so much. It felt as if a knife was stabbing her in the heart, and waves of agony caused her body to tremble. She felt something choking her and was unable to speak.
“Wanda, please don’t treat me that way unless you hate me.” Nathan sounded hoarse and shaky.
Mila couldn’t take it any longer. Tears began to flow uncontrollably down her cheeks.
She quickly wiped them away and cleared her throat, pretending to be calm. “Nate, you’re truly drunk. I’ll get Cole to take you home.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve booked a room at the estate for three days to rest up,” Nathan replied.
“Then you should get back to your room and get some rest. I should head back as well,” Mila said. She pulled out her phone to book a cab.
“Wanda, can’t we at least be friends?” Nathan asked softly. His voice was choking with emotion.
Mila’s heart ached so much that her fingers trembled. She couldn’t even tap a thing on her phone. Tears began to stream down her cheeks again. She hadn’t expected her heart to hurt so badly.
Chapter 302
Chapter 302
Mila dropped her head and whispered, “Nate, I’m sorry.” Guilt filled her heart, and pain tore. at her.
Nathan forced himself to smile. He threw his head back and let his arms hang by his sides. Closing his eyes, he said, “I understand.”
Mila couldn’t bear to look at him and left quickly.
Nathan didn’t go after her. He sat motionless on the wooden bench with his head up. Even closing his eyes couldn’t keep the tears from running down his cheeks. His silhouette looked sad and lonely, bathed in the warm, yellow light.
Mila quickly disappeared into the distance without a backward glance.
Nathan
put his hand to his forehead, hiding the tears at the corners of his eyes. Loneliness and pain overwhelmed him. It had been ten years since he felt such pain, and it was just as unbearable to feel it all over again.
Mila left Alpine Estate and got into a taxi. She cried through the ride.
The driver thought she had broken up with her boyfriend and tried to comfort her, but she didn’t listen to a word he said. Only Mila knew her tears were shed for the man she loved deeply, and who loved her just as much.
It was Phoebe who opened the door when Mila returned to Hoffis Manor. When she saw Mila with her eyes swollen and full of tears, she nervously took her hand and asked, “Mila, what’s wrong with you? Who hurt you? Why are you crying so much?”
Mila wiped away her tears as she walked inside. “I’m fine.”
“Mila, tell me. What happened? Who hurt you?” Phoebe continued to ask.
She took Mila back to her room. Mila collapsed onto the bed and buried her head in the blanket. Phoebe sat down next to her and asked, “Mila, where did you go? I’m so worried about you.” Mila shivered under the blanket, her voice choked with tears as she said, “He confessed his feelings to me, but I rejected him.”
“Who? Was it General Morrison?”
Mila felt the pain almost too much to bear. She cried uncontrollably as she confessed, “Yes. What he wanted was simple, really simple… He doesn’t care if we can be together. He just hopes we can keep in touch by texting from time to time. But I couldn’t agree to even that.”
Mila sobbed. “Phoebe, am I being too heartless? I’m too hard on him. I’m so sad, and it breaks my heart.”
Phoebe hugged Mila over the blanket. “Mila, do you have feelings for General Morrison as well?”
Mila wept quietly. Phoebe understood immediately and said sincerely, “Mila, you’re doing what you have to do. He’ll understand one day.”
“J’m in so much pain. It hurts.” No matter how hard Mila pressed her chest, the pain didn’t go away. Tears ran down her face as she asked, “Would taking some painkillers help? I can’t take it anymore.”
Phoebe’s eyes welled up immediately. She had never seen Mila in so much pain, and she cried with her as she held her close.
“Mila, please don’t go on like this. Please try to pull yourself together. General Morrison would understand your decision if he knew your true identity. The two of you-”
“Phoebe, enough,” Mila interrupted.
Fearing that someone might overhear, Phoebe stopped speaking immediately. She spent the rest of the night in Mila’s room.
Milá cried until she was exhausted and finally went to sleep.
When she woke up at noon the next day, her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she had done all night. Even so, her heart felt a little lighter now that all of the tears had been shed.
Mila was on her way to Zach’s room as usual when Sally stopped her halfway through the living room.
“Stay there.” Sally looked grim as she sat on the couch with her arms crossed.
Chapter 303
Chapter 303
Mila stopped in her tracks. Sally got to her feet and glared at Mila, gritting her teeth as she asked angrily, “Did you say something to Nate? Why has he suddenly decided not to marryi
me?
Mila remained silent. With a deadly stare, Sally emphasized each word, “Was it you? Did you see Nate last night? I’m asking you. Are you mute now?”
“Yes.”
“You bitch. I knew it was you.” Sally’s anger flared, and she raised her hand as if she was going to slap Mila.
Before her hand could land, Phoebe dashed over and grabbed her wrist. A wave of numb pain shot through Sally’s body, and she felt as if her wrist was about to snap. She couldn’t help but cry out in pain.
Sally shook free of Phoebe’s grip and stepped back. Her eyes were watching Phoebe warily as she held her injured wrist. She was confused and slightly frightened as Phoebe, who looked
unexpectedly strong grip.
fragile, had a
Phoebe shielded Mila behind her and smiled thinly. “Ms. Hoffis, this is a civilized society. Let’s not slap others just because it pleases you. Wound her face, and I’ll disable one of your hands.”
Terrified but defiant, Sally gritted out, “You!”
“What?” Phoebe glowered at her.
“Robert, come here!” Sally bellowed.
Robert hurried over and respectfully asked, “Ms. Hoffis, what can I do for you?”
Pointing at Mila and Phoebe, Sally ordered, “Throw out these two shameless women.
immediately. They must never enter Hoffis Manor again.”
“Yes, Ms. Hoffis,” Robert replied respectfully and made a phone call. Shortly after, six security guards arrived.
Phoebe, who was shielding Mila, asked nervously, “Mila, what are we going to do?”
Mila was helpless. There was no longer any reason for them to stay at Hoffis Manor. She wasn’t afraid of getting thrown out but of more serious consequences.
With an air of superiority, Sally ordered, “Take them to the police station and charge them with trespassing.”
“Yes,” the security guards replied in unison as they marched over to Phoebe. One of the guards approached Phoebe and was sent flying by her kick. Everyone was astonished.
Sally realized that Phoebe wasn’t ordinary when she saw the guard writhing on the ground in pain. Phoebe did look like a bodyguard.
“Go on!” Sally yelled.
The other five guards charged forward. Mila took a few steps back and watched quietly.
Something fierce flickered in Phoebe’s eyes. She clenched her fists and charged at the guards with all her strength.
She easily overpowered the guards, who had no fighting skills other than brute strength. She managed to knock out several of them in no time.
Dumbfounded, Sally pointed at Phoebe and asked, “Who the hell are you?”
“Hello, police?” Robert hastily called for the police.
Phoebe moved back to Mila’s side and whispered, “Mila, they’ve called the police. What do we do? Let’s leave!‘
“You trespassed and hurt so many people. Do you think you can simply leave? No way.” Sally sneered.
“Sir, we are
A commanding voice interrupted Robert. “Do not call the police.”
Everyone turned to see where the voice was coming from. Zach was standing in the doorway with a great deal of authority. His eyes were wise and unfathomable.
Sally immediately burst into tears and ran to Zach. “Grandpa.”
Chapter 304
Chapter 304
“Grandpa, you’re awake!” Sally ran over and grabbed Zach’s arm. Pretending to be delighted, she brought tears to her eyes as she exclaimed, “Grandpa, you’re finally awake! That’s so great.
Mila and Phoebe were particularly calm. Zach gazed lovingly at Mila before saying to Sally, Help me to the couch.”
Sally wiped away her tears and helped him to the couch. Mila and Phoebe followed after them.
Half an hour later, Oliver burst into the house. When he saw Zach on the couch, he had a look of shock and guilt on his face. Zach sipped his coffee calmly without even bothering to look at
Oliver.
Soon after, Loretta rushed over as well. Her hands were shaking with excitement when she saw Zach. Tears ran down her face as she walked up to him.
“Zach! Zach, you’re finally awake. Are you feeling alright?” she asked. “Thank God, you’re getting better.”
Loretta touched Zach’s face and body, but Zach brushed her hand away in displeasure and said, “Enough. Sit down.”
Oliver took a deep breath and sat on the couch. He pretended to be excited and said, “Dad, I’m glad you’re finally awake.”
Zach grunted indifferently. Oliver’s eyes swept over Mila, who looked elegant, and then at Phoebe, who hid her light under a bushel
Once everyone was seated, Sally tearfully pointed at Mila and complained, “Grandpa, you have to do me justice. She’s despicable. Nate promised to marry me, but she somehow changed his
mind.
“She even used our engagement to threaten Grandma and refuse to leave our home. Grandpa, you have to help me.
Zach looked at Sally and tried hard to hide his contempt. He shifted his eyes to Mila and asked softly, “Ms. York, may I ask why you moved into Hoffis Manor?”
“I divorced Nathan and was left with nothing. Since I’m Dr. Hoffis‘ ex and the main reason for my divorce was Ms. Hoffis, I moved into Hoffis Manor,” Mila explained calmly.
Zach pretended to be surprised. “Oh, so you dated Oliver.”
Sally couldn’t contain her anger. “Left with nothing? Are you kidding me? Grandma offered you money and a house, but you turned her down and insisted on living here. You’re clearly up to something.”
“Zach, you should hear Sally out. Both of them are indeed suspicious,” Loretta chimed in.
“What conspiracy could two women be up to?” Zach asked sternly.
“Have you lost your mind? Can’t you see how obvious it all is? She refuses our money and a place to live, yet she refuses to leave our house. She’s Sally’s romantic rival, for God’s sake!” Loretta blurted out.
“That’s strange.” Zach turned to Mila and asked gently, “Ms. York, did you feel so lost after your divorce that you wanted to reconcile with Oliver and make things right with him?”
Phoebe was amazed. Only Zach could have come up with such an idea. Mila grinned and nodded. “Mr. Hoffis Senior, you figured it out.”
Oliver was dumbfounded. He stared at Mila incredulously.
Loretta stood up in anger and bellowed, “This is ridiculous! I disagree.”
Chapter 305
Chapter 305
Sally stood up as well. She yelled, “I disagree, too!”
Zach ignored them entirely and calmly asked, “Ollie, Ms. York came here for you. Do you still have any feelings for her?”
Mila turned her eyes toward Oliver. Her charming and gentle eyes made him melt. Even though he knew she was up to something else, he couldn’t resist saying, “Let her stay.”
With a smile, Mila nodded to Oliver gratefully.
“From now on, Ms. York and her friend will be honored guests of the Hoffises. Nobody can kick them out,” Zach warned.
“Grandpa.”
“You old fool.”
Suddenly, Sally’s phone buzzed. She pulled out her phone in a huff and saw that it was a text message from Oliver. She shot him an annoyed look, wondering why he was texting her now.
Oliver grimly tossed his phone on the table. As she read his message, Sally’s face grew darker.
“Put the mission of getting close to Nathan on hold and stop dreaming about inheriting the Hoffises fortune for now. Zach seems to be in good shape and could live for a long time.
“We have just received reliable information from the organization that Mila is still alive. Your most important task now is to find Mila and the rest of the hydronium.”
Sally deleted the message and said begrudgingly, “Fine, if she wants to stay, let her stay. But I’m warning you, don’t mess with me, or you will suffer the consequences.”
With that, she went up the stairs. After a polite goodbye, Oliver returned to his study as well. Loretta’s expression turned sour as she glared at Mila.
Meanwhile, Mila and Phoebe exchanged smiles. They could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
A week later, Phoebe burst into Mila’s room in panic and yelled, “Oh no, Mila! Something’s wrong. Mila, you h–have to check the news.”
Mila put down her book and looked at Phoebe with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
Phoebe closed the door and went over to her. Panting, she handed her phone to Mila after opening up the trending news. Mila’s face gradually turned pale as she read it.
“Purple Mushroom Cloud” was the news headline. It reported that a massive explosion had
occurred near the Norvania frontier, sending a purple mushroom cloud into the sky. They were still trying to determine the number of casualties.
“Mila, it’s a purple mushroom cloud,” Phoebe said. She was visibly distraught.
Mila could hear her own nervous breaths. She dialed a number on her phone as she said, ” Phoebe, book tickets to the Norvania frontier.”
Phoebe swallowed hard and asked, “Mila, will there be any radiation?”
“No,” Mila replied as she held the phone up to her ear. She was shaking with fear, and tears. welled up in her eyes. Unfortunately, her call went unanswered.
Mila was on the brink of tears. “Nathan, pick up the phone, please!”
“Don’t we
Mila. General Morrison may not be at the Norvania frontier,” Phoebe tried to reassure Mila while booking the plane tickets on her phone.
Mila tried to call Nathan three times in a row, but there was no answer at all. She then tried to call Lucas and Cole, but they didn’t answer either.
“Mila, no tickets left.”
Still, Mila was determined to look for Nathan. She put her phone down and quickly packed her stuff. Phoebe rushed back to her room to pack her things as well.
The shocking explosion that caused the strange purple mushroom cloud over Norvania was being reported all over the world.
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Chapter 306
All trains and flights to the Norvania frontier had been suspended. Renting a car was the only option Mila and Phoebe had. They took turns at the wheel for the drive to the Norvania frontier.
Meanwhile, Mila tried to call Nathan again and again, but there was no answer. After an all- night drive, they were finally at the destination the next morning. Soldiers manning the checkpoint stopped them.
The surroundings were nothing short of apocalyptic. Ambulances and rescue vehicles were coming and going. The sky was a murky grayish purple, and everyone was wearing dust masks.
“I’m sorry,
but the Norvania frontier is now a disaster zone. Only rescue personnel are allowed to enter,” one of the soldiers said.
Nervously, Mila asked, “Where exactly did the explosion happen? How the military base all right? Where’s General Morrison? Is he okay?”
“Ma’am, Lcannot reveal any of that information. Please leave.”
any were killed? Is
Tears filled Mila’s eyes as she looked up at the purple haze that engulfed the sky. She stared intently at the military base.
Phoebe took Mila’s hand and whispered, “Mila, General Morrison must be fine. Let’s look for a hotel nearby.”
Pointing to the haze in the sky, Mila said, “Even though there isn’t any radiation here, the pollution is severe. None of the water here is safe for drinking. I have to help those who have inhaled toxic gases or are injured.”
Turning to the soldier, Mila pleaded, “Please let me in. I am a researcher in the chemical field.
You up. I know how dangerous this is and how to clean.
need me.” guys
Holding out his hand, the soldier asked, “ID?”
Mila took a deep breath and shook her head in sadness. Phoebe pulled her into the car. Mila leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes with a heavy heart.
“Was it that thing that caused the explosion, Mila?” Phoebe asked anxiously.
“Nathan had two bottles of it,” Mila replied.
“But didn’t you say that stuff is stable? How did it blow up?”
“Hydronium can only be incorporated into supersonic missiles, and the process is
complicated. Even I wasn’t sure if I could succeed. They weren’t familiar with hydronium but tried to break through it, which led to this disaster,” Mila explained wearily.
Phoebe sighed and turned the car around to leave, but suddenly, she pointed to the vehicles ahead. “Mila, those are vehicles from the military base.”
When Mila saw several cars stop at the checkpoint, she quickly exited the car and exclaimed excitedly as she spotted someone familiar. “Cole!”
Cole was sitting behind the wheel. He looked up in surprise to see Mila standing at the roadside. “Suzanne?”
As the rear window slowly lowered, Mila saw a familiar figure, and her worries began to fade.. When she knew that Nathan was still alive, she felt as if she was coming back to life as well. She clenched her fists and fought back her tears.
The earth seemed to fall silent for a moment. Mila’s slender figure by the roadside was in stark contrast to such a harsh and remote place.
She was dressed in a white shirt, a pair of jeans, and white shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore a mask that showed only her eyes, which met Nathan’s.
Chapter 307
Chapter 307
Nathan could see that Mila’s eyes were filled with worry and sadness. He had no idea who she was worried about or why she was there. He got out of the car and walked over to her.
Mila quickly pulled a new dust mask from her bag and clumsily ripped open the wrapper. When he approached, she wasted no time helping him put it on. Her fingertips brushed over his ears. Suddenly, his words caught in his throat, and he could only stare at her in silence.
“Nate, the purple dust is toxic. You need a mask,” Mila said.
“Go back,” Nathan ordered. He had no desire to ask why she was there. He was only afraid that she might be in danger.
“Take me with you. I can help,” Mila pleaded earnestly.
“‘re short on manpower!
so I’ve got no one who could bring you back. Go back by the
way you came. Leave at once,” Nathan said sternly.
“Nate, let me help you,” Mila insisted.
“Have you forgotten what you said before?” Nathan asked. He felt a pain in his heart.
Mila fell silent. Her heart was aching as well.
“We’re not married, and we’re not friends. We don’t see or contact one another. So, why are you here? How can you help me?” Nathan asked helplessly.
After a moment of thought, Mila replied, “I’m a volunteer with the rescue team. I’m here to help those affected by the disaster.”
Nathan felt a stabbing pain. Her words hurt him again, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh.
“You’re not needed here. Go back,” Nathan said and turned, his back facing her.
Mila stepped forward and called out, “Nate.”
Nathan stopped in his tracks.
“The purple haze is still in the air ten hours after the explosion. You’ve got the most professional team of chemical researchers, but they’ve never come across this before and haven’t come up with a way to fix it yet, right? Let me in. I can have this fixed in three hours,” Mila said confidently.
Nathan turned and stared at her in amazement.
Feeling nervous, Mila quickly explained, “I studied chemistry in Sunterland. You’ve seen me
extract pure Azurium before, right?”
Suddenly, Nathan could somehow feel the confidence flowing through her veins. He opened the car door and said, “Get in.”
Mila pointed to the car that was behind them. “I’ll take Phoebe’s car, and we’ll go after yours.”
A trace of disappointment flashed in Nathan’s eyes before he got into his car. The vehicles pulled in slowly, with Phoebe’s car following close behind. The air became increasingly foul as they entered the
heavily damaged explosion area.
Their vehicles stopped at the military base, which was far from the explosion site.
Phoebe’s eyes widened in amazement at the base’s towering buildings. “So, the military base is as big as a city. Thank goodness the explosion didn’t happen here. How many people would have been killed?”
Mila unbuckled her seatbelt, her eyes gazing solemnly at Nathan’s vehicle. “Phoebe, be careful with your words. Don’t give my identity away.”
“I know, Mila. You too. Keep a low profile so no one gets suspicious.”
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Chapter 308
The wide streets of the military base were littered with supplies for the victims. Crowds of people were milling about.
Mila and Phoebe got out of their vehicle, eager to be part of the relief efforts as soon as possible.
“Nate.” A familiar voice grabbed Mila’s attention. Fenna, clad in rescue gear, approached them. With her eyes fixed on Nathan, she asked tenderly, “You’re back? Did you find a solution?”
Noticing Mila, her face fell as she asked, “Why did you bring her here?”
Nathan looked at Mila before turning to Fenna. “Thanks for the effort. You even came back from your break to help us out.”
“Don’t mention it. The country’s affairs are my business. Besides, I can’t stand by and do nothing when you’re in trouble,” Fenna said earnestly. Then, she gestured to Mila. “So, what about her? Is she here to cause trouble?”
When Mila saw how close Fenna and Nathan were, a pang of jealousy gripped her heart. Instead of dwelling on her jealousy, she greeted her politely, “Hi, Ms. Hudson. I’m here to help.”
Fenna smiled thinly and said, “Ms. York, I doubt you’ll be much help with how fragile you look. You should go back and not make everyone’s lives harder.”
“That’s-“Phoebe stepped forward in displeasure. She was about to retort, but Mila pulled her back. Nathan could sense Fenna’s dislike for Mila, but he didn’t have time to deal with their problems now.
“Let’s get inside. Everyone’s waiting,” Nathan said.
“Okay.” Fenna swung her arm a little as she let out a hiss of pain.
Nathan walked beside her and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’ve been busy since last night, and my arm’s a little sore.”
“You should go to the doctor.” Nathan quickly commanded, “Cole, get Fenna to the hospital. ”
Fenna quickly grabbed Nathan’s arm. “It’s not necessary. It’s just something minor.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not the type to break down over little things. I’m strong. Don’t underestimate me,” Fenna said with a beaming smile and patted him on the arm.
Mila and Phoebe followed behind them. The sight of them walking side by side, smiling and talking to each other felt like a dagger twisting in Mila’s heart. She already felt terrible enough and hadn’t expected to be taunted by Fenna.
After Fenna intentionally touched Nathan twice, he glanced back at Mila and noticed a hint of bitterness seeping through the facade of indifference she was wearing. He’d never seen her like this before.
Nathan knew that Fenna was interested in him. Even though he wanted to keep his distance, he didn’t have a good reason for it.
“Nate, did you bring the experts from Phoenicia with you?” Fenna asked.
Nathan came to his senses and walked ahead. “I’ve brought two teams of experts.”
They continued their conversation on their way. Meanwhile, Mila and Phoebe were gradually swallowed by the crowd.
They watched as Nathan and Fenna disappeared into the distance and entered the elevator. They couldn’t catch up even after the elevator doors closed.
Chapter 309
Chapter 309
Mila and Phoebe squeezed in as the next elevator arrived. Most of the people on this elevator were the top experts from Norvania, who were here to deal with the aftermath of the explosion. Whispers filled the air in the elevator.
“Exactly what are these purple particles? It’s the first time I’ve seen this phenomenon.”
“I’ve heard it was caused by an accident while developing the hydronium missiles.”
“Hydronium? Hasn’t the researcher who developed hydronium already died? How is this possible?”
“There were two bottles left, but they’re probably gone by now.”
“Are those purple particles the result of hydronium’s reaction with something? The explosion had been terrifying. It felt like half the earth shook. Many continents were affected. There were earthquakes and even tsunamis-”
“Shh, we’re here. Be quiet.”
The elevator chimed, and everyone got off. Mila and Phoebe shared a glance. They followed the others out of the elevator and into a large conference room.
In the conference room, Mila saw the top brass of the military base, as well as top engineers and chemical researchers from various fields. Joe and Alan, whom Mila had met before, were also there. Everyone had a serious look on their faces as they discussed disaster relief and
reconstruction.
Due to the size of the crowd, those with less experience were standing on the sidelines. Mila and Phoebe stood in a corner, listening to their discussion. Nathan was so busy that he completely forgot that Mila was there.
Alan opened a PowerPoint presentation, explaining the reasons for the experiment’s failure, the damage caused by the explosion, and how to deal with the pollutants in the air. Mila looked grim after hearing their proposed solutions.
“General Morrison, this is the quickest and most effective way to reduce the pollution based on the research we have done,” Alan said.
“How long will it take?” Nathan asked.
“It will take about a week to reduce air pollution. The filtration for water pollution will take about sixty days. In the meantime, it’s best to evacuate residents who live nearby.”
Voices of skepticism began to rise.
“There are tens of thousands of people at our base, let alone all of our armories and gear. Are
we supposed to move all that ?”
“Exactly, that isn’t feasible.”
“There may not be many people living nearby, but there are still at least ten thousand people scattered arcund. How do we evacuate them?”
Nathan scanned the room and asked, “Any other solutions?”
The other professors were desperately searching through the data, hoping to find a solution in the mountain of information.
“Nate, why don’t we call in some specialized researchers from Sunterland to help us?” Fennal suggested.
A shadow seemed to pass over Nathan’s eyes, and he fell silent.
“Ms. Hudson, you may not know this, but we’ve already spoken to Sunterland. They said a researcher once simulated experiments on hydronium missile explosions, but the data was lost. The researcher who experimented is dead as well,” said the secretary–general.
“So, Dr. Howard’s suggestion is the only possible solution?” Fenna asked nervously.
“For the time being, yes,” the other professors confirmed.
Phoebe approached Mila anxiously. “Mila, don’t you know how to solve this?”
Mila hesitated. She had no idea how she could help Nathan without revealing her identity. The discussion continued fervently, but there was no better solution in sight.
Just as Nathan was about to agree and move on to the next item on the agenda, Mila stepped out of the crowd. “Wait.”
All eyes turned toward her. The tension in Nathan’s eyes gave way to a gentle warmth.
Fenna huffed disapprovingly. “Ms. York, why did you follow us here? You’re not supposed to be here.
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Chapter 310
“Mrs. Morrison? You’re here, too?” Joe exclaimed as he stood up in excitement.
“Mrs. Merrison? General Morrison divorced her long ago,” Fenna stated casually.
Her words surprised everyone present. It was bold of Fenna to reveal the marital status of Mila and Nathan at such an important event. Mila was the only one who was embarrassed.
“Wanda, do you have something to say?” Nathan’s words were softly spoken.
“The purple particles in the air are actually the fission products of hydronium. When they collide-”
Mila was interrupted by Fenna before she finished speaking. “What exactly is your point? Stop wasting everybody’s time. Nobody wants to hear your nonsense.”
Mila froze.
“Wanda, please go on.” Nathan’s patience showed through his words.
“Nate, she-
Nathan held up his hand to signal Fenna to stop speaking. Fenna bit her lip and glanced disdainfully at Mila.
Avoiding the jargon, Mila explained in simpler terms, “We can use the Glacial Absorption
spray the Glacial Elixir in its free state from a helicopter into the sky, and it will react with the
method. All we have to dots and turn into a mist.
“The mist will then fall to the ground and water sources. After it reacts in the water, it will purify the pollutants in the water.”
“What do you mean by free–state Glacial Elixir?” Joe asked as he stood up nervously. His eyes were glowing with excitement. “Ms. York, would you mind elaborating?”
Mila scanned the room. She knew that no one would understand even if she explained. Not only would it be a waste of everyone’s time, but it would also invite skepticism and trouble.
“Give me a lab, and I’ll produce it right away,” Mila said.
Fenna found it absurd. “Ms. York, even the best researchers in Sunterland couldn’t figure out how to get rid of this. Do you think reading chemistry books for years makes you omnipotent? Where do you get all of your confidence from?”
While Nathan was about to speak, several highly respected researchers had already led Mila
away.
Dumbstruck, Fenna pointed at the group of people leaving and asked, “Nate, what’s going on?
Why do those researchers trust her?”
Nathan ignored her and went on with the meeting.
Half an hour later, Joe burst into the office with two bottles in his hand. His voice was shaking. “General Morrison, it’s p–possible.”
“What’s possible?”
Joe lifted the bottle containing the purple contamination. “Look, this is a high–density.
contaminant.”
Everyone watched nervously at the instruments in his hand. He sprayed a small amount of gas. into the bottle. The purple particles in the bottle immediately disappeared, leaving a small amount of water vapor at the bottom of it.
“Our experiment proved that the vapor is clean and harmless, and the air meets the standards.
Nathan stood up abruptly. “How long will it take to clean all the contaminated areas?”
“About five hours, and that includes both air and water co
Joe replied.
Excitement flickered in Nathan’s eyes. He ordered, “Get it done immediately.”
“Wait a minute. Is this solution developed by Suzanne?” Fenna interjected.
“Yes, Ms. York developed a new free–state chemical, Glacial Elixir,” Joe answered.
“It doesn’t matter who developed it. As long as it works, that’s all that matters. Implement it immediately,” Nathan said sternly.
“General Morrison, but-” Joe’s face turned grave, and he hesitated to speak further.