Chapter 1711

At the mention of his son, Mike looked disturbed and hastily lowered his head. "No, no, of course not! Don't forget your promise. If anything were to happen to my son, I'll do whatever it takes to ruin your experiment!"

The man, unangered by the threat, smiled and laughed. "Good! I'm glad you understand what I'm capable of. Mike, you've tried to find your son dozens of times behind my back, haven't you? Have you found him?"

Mike's shoulders shuddered; his hands clenched into fists. He remained silent, his lips pressed tight, his head low, determinedly refusing to answer.

The man didn't seem to care, smirking as he said, "You know what the organization and I are capable of. A puny businessman like you is no match for us, not even Alexander. Therefore, I advise you to cooperate, or I can't guarantee your son's safety. My patience is limited, and those above… are even less patient!" He pointed meaningfully at the ceiling.

The revelation that the mysterious man worked for someone else astonished Mike, though he had suspected as much.

"Don't doubt my sincerity," the man said, his fingers tapping the armrests. "I'll tell you what you need to know in due time. Now that Rhea is dead, you're my only right-hand man. As long as you do your job, you and your son will be safe. I guarantee it; even if half the world's population dies, you two will survive."

"Yes, sir…" Mike answered quietly, clenching and then loosening his fists. The man's voice, though haughty, bestowed no exhilaration. 'Only my son and I would survive…' Mike thought.

"You understand now, don't you?" The man's gaze narrowed. "Your top priority: bring Lily here. I don't care how—deception, coercion, whatever it takes. Within three days, I want her!"

"Yes, sir!"

Mike rose to leave, then paused, turning back. "May I ask why Lily? The drug's scent is a flaw, but it doesn't affect efficacy. If the spice mixture reduces potency, then…"

The man interrupted. "It doesn't concern you. I have my reasons. Just do as you're told."

Mike's lips moved, but seeing the man wasn't looking, he thought better of it and left. His footsteps faded into the distance.

After a long moment, the man looked at the empty room, his eyes narrowed. He retrieved a mobile phone and made a call. "I let you act independently, but you must control R7 properly. You're running low on the controlling drug, I understand."

A husky female voice responded, "Don't worry. I'll develop new drugs soon. Permanent control will be no problem then."

"Excellent." He paused before disconnecting. "You don't have much time. Fail to achieve our goal, and we all…"

"I understand. Rest assured."

The female voice, though reassured, added worriedly, "Remember your promise. Don't favor Lily over me. Don't let her take what's mine."