Chapter 1603

"I want to know who the target group is!" Lily insisted, her voice sharp. "Who is being targeted? Tell me!"

Mike initially shrugged off her persistence, but finally threw his hands up with a sigh. "Initially, it was aimed at Asian people."

"Initially?" she questioned.

Mike nodded. "However, the situation has spiraled out of control. You've seen how quickly the plague spread. Now, it seems the people of Roseroot are also infected. The original experiment failed; it's become an indiscriminate attack."

He continued, "The lab has lost confidence, and trust in most people is gone. But your end product was excellent—effective and without apparent side effects. The boss hopes you'll return to help with the next mission."

Mike didn't want to involve her, but he had no choice. Her abilities had already attracted the boss's attention. Initially, the boss hadn't paid much attention to Lily; Professor Thompson had brought her to the project, praising her skills. Later, the boss realized she was indispensable. She was far more than an ordinary perfumer; her knowledge and mastery of medicinal herbs were unparalleled in the lab. Such talent naturally attracted notice. Rhea, while capable, had been too reckless, focusing solely on results without regard for dosage, leading to several deaths among test subjects. While the boss might not have cared about the test subjects, he valued results, speed, and efficiency—hence his insistence on Lily's return.

Lily finally digested the information, then let out a mocking laugh. "Serves you right!"

Mike, caught in his own trap, had created a virus with no antidote, and now it was back to bite him. "I can't disagree," he said, surprisingly calm. "But you need an antidote, don't you?"

He agreed, despite his hatred for the organization. "I can figure it out myself," Lily sneered. "I don't need your sample!" She thought, A virus sample in exchange for my conscience? Alex is upstairs, a living sample. And X Department likely has comprehensive research on this plague. I won't cooperate with the devil.

"How are you going to do that?" Mike asked, his anxiety rising as he stood abruptly. "Are you going to make Alex your lab rat? Do you know how rapidly this virus mutates and spreads? If you rely on yourself, he'll die before…"

"Shut up!" Lily snapped, throwing her cup to the floor. It shattered, the sharp sound echoing through the restaurant. A waiter rushed in, only to retreat quickly before Lily's cold command, "I'll pay for it. Get out!"