Chapter 14

The man in the passenger seat silently produced a knife and looked at Matthew’s throat. “Don’t you think I will kill you right now?”

Matthew’s eyes were covered, but his face remained impassive. “I think you wouldn’t dare, since you don’t know if my book is real or not. Then again, perhaps you’re foolish enough to have already drawn your knife.”

The man’s expression turned livid. He gritted his teeth and sheathed the knife.

The burly driver chuckled. The car started and accelerated.

Matthew could only see darkness, but his ears registered various sounds from outside.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the car stopped.

Matthew removed his blindfold. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the bright lights.

He saw they were parked inside an abandoned factory. The place was empty, dusty, with occasional signs of rats.

He noted the locked door, sealing off any escape.

The man in the passenger seat, now holding a machete, gestured to Matthew. “Follow me to the second floor.”

The second floor? Matthew looked up and saw a row of makeshift rooms near the stairs. He silently followed the man upstairs.

The outermost room was open, and Matthew entered.

There, he saw the man from the video call and about a dozen other burly men. They were armed with knives and steel pipes.

Matthew scanned the room, then walked toward Noah. “Where’s the child?”

Noah, a meticulously dressed man in his forties, sported a particularly conspicuous green and gold watch. His large eyes held a sinister gaze, like a venomous snake coiled in the shadows, poised to strike.

Noah offered a chilling smile. “Follow me. He’s in the inner room.”

He opened a door to an inner room and entered. Matthew followed, witnessing the scene from his earlier phone call.

A bed held Jenny’s brother, his eyes closed, hooked to an IV drip.

Matthew frowned. “What’s going on?”

Noah explained, “I’ve put him to sleep. It would have been troublesome if he’d made a fuss. Now, hand over Medieval Medicine.”

Matthew tossed the book over. “It’s real. I’m taking the child.”

Noah caught the book and examined the paper and handwriting closely. He flipped through a few pages and found the entry for the Seedsaver Potion.

A smile spread across his face. But as he saw Matthew reaching for the IV needle, he said, “Don’t remove the needle. It would be too much trouble to reinsert it.”

Matthew paused. “What do you mean? Are you doubting the book’s authenticity?”

A vicious look crossed Noah’s face. “The book is real, but the child’s organs have already been promised to buyers. You can’t take him.”

Rage flared in Matthew’s eyes. He emanated a potent killing intent. His voice was icy, demonic. “Are you even human?”

Noah flashed a cruel smile and laughed. “Why wouldn’t I be human? I have flesh and blood. I eat three times a day. I enjoy steak, and I love my pet dog. I wait for the green light before crossing the road, and I give up my seat on the bus for the elderly and disabled.

But selling organs is my business. It’s how I make a living. Do you expect me to be ethical when making money? Your organs and skin are in high demand. You’re worth more than the child; at least three million dollars.” And since you’re here, don’t leave. You’re young, so you're worth even more.