Chapter 359 - 251: Making Contact
The letter’s mention of "the first breakfast restaurant" wasn’t entirely accurate.
In fact, Wendy Lowell had been the only one eating breakfast. She had been waiting for Paige outside her place, but it was probably too early and she didn’t want to disturb her, so she found a nearby restaurant to kill time. Halfway through her meal, she happened to see Paige walk by outside and rushed out.
As Paige arrived at the restaurant, the memory of that day came flooding back, so vivid it was as if she were reliving it. She couldn’t help but lower her head and sigh.
’Having such a good memory was a conflicting thing sometimes.’
Because she had replayed the memory so many times, the other person’s expression had become a slow-motion breakdown, one she could analyze and magnify countless times.
As a result, she understood more clearly now than ever before the mix of terror and timid joy Wendy Lowell had felt.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t moved.
The restaurant wasn’t large, containing only a few tables and chairs. Standing at the entrance, she scanned the room and saw just one empty seat.
’Was this just a coincidence?’
It was the very same window seat where Wendy Lowell had sat.
’No, this was definitely not a coincidence.’
Sure enough, a waiter soon approached. He wore a perfectly ordinary, welcoming smile, but he murmured under his breath, "This way, please," as he led her directly to the empty seat.
Afterward, two very ordinary dishes were placed before her.
The only thing that stood out was probably the after-dinner dessert, a dish called the Golden Thread Ball.
She’d had them before. When she first arrived in Central City, she had assumed they were made of flour, only to discover a completely different flavor when she took a bite. They were simply made from the same ingredients as Nutrition Cakes, just ground more finely and with a tiny bit of sugar added. But that little bit of sugar was enough to command an exorbitant price.
This plate, however, was clearly not just for eating.
The waiter’s meaningful comment—"Today’s filling is very fresh. I hope you enjoy it."—was the final clue. With a swift movement, she made it look as though she had popped both Golden Thread Balls into her mouth. No one noticed as she secretly closed her hand around the tiny object hidden inside the filling.
She returned to her residence. At first, she worried she might crush the object in her palm if she squeezed too hard, but she soon realized she was overthinking. The outer shell was made of a waterproof, heat-resistant material; how could it possibly shatter from a simple squeeze?
She opened the tiny ball and unrolled the object inside, which resembled a miniature scroll.
The material wasn’t paper but a type of fabric. It was clearly ancient, yet remarkably durable.
There was only a single line of text.
"The Mercer Family cannot be entirely trusted. The Du, Wang, and Chen families are suspicious. For assistance, seek Quincy Lowell here."
Paige read it several times before destroying it.
’The Mercer Family, of course, couldn’t be ’entirely’ trusted. But this message confirmed that the Lowell Family had indeed entered the secret territory and were, for now, safe. As for the Du, Wang, and Chen families... they were the very ones I’d had Quentin Sutton investigate. The only surprise was the last part of the message.’
’They must have left this message before they left. It seems the Lowell Family had a contingency plan in place.’
’This Quincy Lowell... although I don’t know who he is, he must have some energy.’
Paige considered for a moment, then decided not to seek him out for now.
’Meeting in person or passing messages meant taking a risk.’
’This asset must be buried deep. I don’t want to use it unless I absolutely have to.’
She let out a soft sigh of relief under the lamplight.
’This trip wasn’t a waste. At least I know they’re safe for now.’
Investigating those three families wouldn’t yield results in a day or two, and Paige didn’t intend to make any rash moves until then. Right now, she was exposed while her enemies were in the shadows. Caution was never a mistake. Besides, today was the day Andy was scheduled for his injection.
However, she seriously doubted Andy would be able to leave the lab... and she regretted not having him leave an injector behind the other day.
Fortunately, someone did show up. It just wasn’t him—it was Nadia.
Even though Nadia was heavily disguised, Paige still frowned slightly when she saw her.
’What a headache!’
’Just from what Marcus Monroe had told me, I could imagine how conspicuous her position at The Research Institute must be now! How could she dare to just run out like this? Doesn’t she know how many people are probably watching her?!’
’None of these people know how to protect themselves. Are they trying to turn me into their mother hen?’
And Nadia, unlike the more perceptive Nola, was completely oblivious to the problem. The moment she was inside, she tore off her hat, scarf, wig, and glasses and threw herself at Paige, bursting into sobs!
Paige’s body went rigid. Her lips twisted into a grimace, but she ultimately started patting Nadia’s shoulder.
"Alright, I haven’t even had a chance to lecture you about being reckless, and you’re already crying."
"Sister Paige! Thank goodness... thank goodness for you! SOB... Otherwise, Andy... he... SOB..." Nadia obviously hadn’t heard a word she’d said.
Paige shot a glare at Sean Raines, who had come over early to watch the drama unfold. He just gave her an innocent shrug.
’I don’t know her that well. It’s not like I can just peel her off you!’
Paige had no choice but to wait for her to cry it out. Then, with red eyes and a runny nose, Nadia sniffled, "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. He was supposed to go in my place, but then he got into trouble, and I’ve been feeling so guilty. Even though he’s okay now, I still feel awful whenever I think about it, and there’s no one I can talk to..."
Paige watched her with crossed arms. Once Nadia had calmed down a little, Paige reached out and poked her hard on the forehead. "Look at you! Pathetic! Life at The Research Institute must be treating you well, huh? Getting coddled like some princess, are you? You can’t even handle a little pressure like this?! Do you even remember what you told me before? Have you forgotten the vow you made to your mother? How are you supposed to focus on your experiments when you’re like this? Where the hell has your mind been!"
Even without using much force, Paige’s poke was enough to make Nadia wince. She was in pain, embarrassed, and ashamed all at once.
A person’s energy is finite, and her own superpower wasn’t very high to begin with, meaning her spiritual power was limited. Honestly, with this guilt bottled up inside her, her performance in the lab really had been suffering.
She was lucky Academician Warren was so good-natured and had done his best to counsel her.
But all those gentle words of encouragement were less effective than Paige’s sharp poke today. In Nadia’s mind, "Sister Paige" had already ascended to the status of a revered elder—one she both loved and feared.
Her flushed, burning face gradually cooled as she splashed it with cold water. Nadia looked at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes firming with resolve.
Paige was satisfied with Nadia’s new resolve. She watched her give Ben his injection and leave two more injectors behind before helping her with her disguise and sending her on her way. But once she returned to the living room, Paige couldn’t help but press a hand to her forehead.
’This girl is certainly resilient when it comes to romance! When Evan Pierce took off, I was worried she’d never bounce back. I never expected her to be this preoccupied with Andy!’
’I really don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing...’
Across the room, Sean Raines let out a low chuckle. He walked over and patted her shoulder in encouragement.
"So, uh... you’ve got real ’mom’ potential!"
Paige gave him a tired glare.
Sean chuckled. "Actually, I mainly came to see Ben today. But while I’m here, Irving Thorne wants to meet with you. Are you going to see him or not?"