Mike was staggered by Rhea's words. He couldn't imagine her transforming the "boss" into a guinea pig. Despite witnessing humankind's cruel side and numerous inhumane experiments, he found the man's horrifying appearance almost unbearable. Hearing about such things and witnessing them firsthand were entirely different experiences. The gruesome sight profoundly affected Mike, yet Rhea, the perpetrator, remained unmoved.

"Why are you so sure your experiment is what the organization wants?" Mike cleared his throat. "If they truly wanted it, you wouldn't need to approach them, would you? Perhaps what you consider groundbreaking means nothing to them."

His casual remark struck a nerve. He was right; the organization didn't care about Rhea's experiment. If they did, she would have conducted it openly, with their support. Rhea's obedience stemmed from a desire to repay the organization for recognizing her abilities and, more importantly, for funding her research. Only they could support her dreams.

Unfortunately, despite her hard work, her value to the organization had dwindled; she was now indistinguishable from the other researchers and scientists, many of whom had been captured or lured in. This treatment was unbearable, even more so than death.

Since entering this field and witnessing her achievements, Rhea had considered herself a genius yet to be discovered, believing she would one day astound the world. Then she would no longer need to curry favor with Anastasia or anyone else; history would remember her, even if as a villain. However, repeated failures with the experiment had bred frustration and indifference. She began to question its purpose, particularly the need to mask the poisons with a scent. She didn't understand its ultimate objective, sensing a disconnect between the experiment and her own aspirations. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to obey the organization.

Seeing Lily poised to take all the credit for her efforts, Rhea realized the organization, and the world, would forget her. Then, witnessing the abandonment of the "boss," she had a shocking realization: she would likely suffer the same fate. She vowed to prevent this. She could tolerate failure and criticism, but not oblivion. This led her to the secret room and the missing "boss."