Chapter 324: A Surprise Waiting
After returning to her room, the first thing Tilda did was open Dane’s gift.
Inside was a clear crystal orb.
“Huh? Dane’s gift… is pretty strange.”
Tilda touched the orb lightly with her finger.
In an instant, it seemed to break down into tiny particles.
It turned into a swirling DNA double helix.
It kept changing and moving.
Tilda jumped, startled.
“What is this?”
She had never seen anything like it!
Inside the box was a note, written in Dane’s handwriting.
“Tilda, this crystal orb is made using the latest scientific factor research. It can, through contact with your fingerprint and your brain’s positive and negative electrons, create visual images inside your mind.”
Tilda was stunned.
That sounds… super high-tech.
She remembered this scientific factor.
Years ago, she had taken a mission from Lab Seven on the dark web.
It was about this very research.
She hadn’t expected it to be fully realized yet.
The cost of this creation was huge.
This tiny crystal orb, made with the scientific factor…
Tilda knew it would cost over 100 million!
It was an enormous fortune!
Because it was so expensive, it could never be mass-produced. It could only exist as a one-of-a-kind concept piece.
Dane, the pride of Cetherland, held countless patents. He earned over a billion dollars every year from royalties alone. Money was never a problem for him.
Tilda imagined Dane’s expression and touched the orb again.
Whoosh!
The orb changed shape.
It transformed into a small, white, transparent “mini Dane.”
It looked very lifelike.
Tilda imagined other people’s appearances.
The orb could change into them exactly as she had pictured.
“This is so Dane–a total tech geek gift! Haha, I love it!”
Tilda could feel Dane’s thoughtfulness in the gift.
Next, she opened Mystro’s Christmas gift.
By the wrapping, it looked like a painting.
When she unwrapped it… she froze.
The painting…
Depicted her mentor, Harvey!
Even though Harvey in the painting was young, Mystro’s amazing skill made him look vivid and real.
It was like a photo of young Harvey that had survived through time.
Through the frame, Harvey’s eyes were deep and clear, like black holes–piercing and captivating.
It reminded Tilda of the very first day she met Harvey.
His features were perfectly imprinted in her memory and soul.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Tilda pulled out her phone to message Mystro.
“Mystro, I can’t believe your gift is of Mr. Harvey’s younger self!”
Mystro replied, “Yeah. Do you like it, Tilda?”
He seemed to expect her message.
Tilda quickly wrote back, “I love it! I really love it! Ugh… Mystro, you’re amazing! The gift is exactly what I wanted!”
Mystro replied, “You and Dane really think alike. I just texted with Dane moments ago; I gave him the same gift as yours.”
Tilda texted back, “Mr. Harvey holds a special, irreplaceable place in our hearts. Even after so many years, we remember him clearly. Seeing him young again feels like traveling through time–it’s amazing!”
Tilda hugged the painting to her chest.
Warm, overflowing emotion filled her heart.
Mystro replied, “I’m glad you like it, Tilda!”
“I do! Anyway, if you’re free tomorrow, let’s go skiing!”
“Of course! With you and Dane there, I’d cancel anything to go with you!”
After organizing Dane’s and Mystro’s gifts, Tilda planned to shower and go to sleep, ready for a new, happy morning.
At that moment, her phone vibrated.
She thought it might be a message from one of her seniors.
But it was… Jude.
“Hey, you up?”
Tilda replied, “Yeah. I’m about to shower. Oh! Merry Christmas! I’ll give you your gift when I get back.”
Jude wrote, “Go to the hotel’s back entrance. There’s a surprise waiting for you.”
Tilda was slightly surprised.
She sent a message back, but Jude didn’t reply.
He usually responded instantly.
“What’s Jude up to this time?” Tilda mumbled.
She glanced at the clock.
It was already 11:45 p.m.
Christmas was almost over.
After thinking for a moment, Tilda put on her thick down coat.
She walked through the hotel’s Christmas-decorated, perfume-scented corridor.