Chapter 1274

Paul touched his face, his eyes reddening. "I know I'm not in a good state right now," he admitted. He remembered each scar vividly. "I used to think no difficulty could defeat me. I believed I could endure anything. But I've realized I'm not that strong, nor can I bear so much hardship."

Skylar listened quietly; the release was beneficial to his recovery.

"For years, I kept telling myself I would escape. Many went insane; I nearly did too. But sometimes, I felt a glimmer of clarity and seized the opportunity to survive."

As Skylar listened, she noticed Paul's condition improving. "Do you know Ned Sowle?" she asked.

Paul's eyes widened. "How do you know Ned?"

"Tell me how you know him," Skylar replied gently.

Paul looked dazed. "He and I were both captured at the underground factory. He's also a survivor of that car accident."

"Survivor?" Skylar realized something. "You mean Ned Sowle?"

"Yes."

"Is he a Clusian?" Skylar's voice trembled.

Paul nodded. "How do you know him? He said his parents died long ago, and he has no family in Murida, only a girlfriend. She probably thinks he's missing."

"Does he look a lot like Joe?" Skylar asked anxiously.

Paul hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Ned looks a lot like Mr. Martin. They looked like the same person, though there were some differences. He's severely nearsighted. At first, I thought he was Mr. Martin, but he isn't."

Tears filled Skylar's eyes. "Mr. Ziegler, if the Ned you know is the same Ned I know, then I can almost be certain Joe isn't dead."

Skylar's heart raced. By some twist of fate, Joe had become Ned, losing all his memories. The car accident might have caused his amnesia.

Paul remained in shock, taking a long time to regain his composure. Only after Skylar showed him recent reports on Ned did he truly understand. His gaze fell on a photo of Ned—serious, distant, cold, and indifferent.

"This is Mr. Martin... but why does it say he is Ned? Ned clearly… died. We were supposed to escape together, but he fell and hurt his leg. They caught him first and beat him to death. Realizing I couldn't escape, I secretly ran back, but I was still caught and beaten. The injuries on my body and the scars on my face are from that time," Paul explained, staring at the photo.

His innate sharpness led to a sudden realization. He stared at the phone. "They look very similar. The only difference is the glasses. So, Mr. Martin must have been rescued and mistaken for Ned. But if he was saved, why would he assume Ned's identity?"

"He believes he is Ned. He hasn't admitted he's Joe. Perhaps the car accident caused amnesia," Skylar speculated.