Chapter 160 The Renowned Scientist No One Knew
Amelia pushed open the taxi door and stepped out onto the sunlit street. The vehicle pulled away, leaving her standing alone before a building that looked as if it had been carved from precision and authority itself—a broad, modern structure of white stone and steel, its clean lines catching the light and throwing it back in sharp, cold flashes.
Two uniformed guards flanked the entrance, rifles slung across their chests, their eyes scanning with practiced vigilance. The metal plaque beside the door read: Novagen Biomedical Research Institute. The name carried a weight, a sense of guarded power, the kind that made strangers instinctively keep their distance.
The disciplined posture of the guards, the way their hands rested near the triggers, left no doubt—this was no place for casual visitors. The air itself seemed to warn that this ground was protected at the highest level. Most people would have turned away without a second thought.
Amelia wore a pair of worn canvas shoes, her steps steady as she approached the gates.
"Hold it—stop right there."
The two guards spoke almost in unison, brows knitting. They had noticed her the moment she stepped from the taxi, assuming she was just passing by. But now she was walking straight toward the institute's doors.
"Miss, are you sure you're in the right place?" one of them asked, pointing toward the plaque as if to make sure she saw it clearly. "This is the Novagen Biomedical Research Institute."
"I know," Amelia said evenly. "I'm here to find someone."
Find someone? The guards exchanged a quick glance, confusion flickering between them.
"Miss, do you understand what kind of place this is?" the other guard pressed. "No civilians are allowed inside. Not even family members of staff."
Amelia shook her head. "I'm not related to any of the researchers. I'm here to see your director. He's a friend of mine."
The words caught them off guard. Trevor Lewis was a name they knew well—fifty years old, notoriously eccentric, a man whose life revolved entirely around his work. He had never married, never been seen hosting friends. In all the years since the institute's founding, neither of these guards had witnessed anyone claim to be close to him—let alone a teenage girl.
In their minds, Trevor's circle consisted of senior scientists and influential figures. The idea that a high school-aged girl could be his friend seemed absurd.
"Miss, don't joke around," one guard said sharply. "Whatever your business is, this isn't a place for someone your age. Please leave."
Amelia's gaze stayed steady. "Could you at least let him know I'm here? Tell Professor Lewis that Azure has come to see him."
"If Professor Lewis says he won't meet me, I'll leave immediately. I won't cause you any trouble."
The guards hesitated. Something in her tone made them pause. It wasn't the bravado of a prankster; it was the quiet certainty of someone who knew exactly what she was doing.
One guard finally nodded. "All right. I'll inform him. Wait here."
Amelia stood outside, her figure still in the warm midday light. The sun spilled gold across the pavement, shadows from the roadside trees pooling into dark shapes at her feet. The air carried a lazy warmth, but her posture remained composed.
She had been waiting barely three minutes when a man emerged from the doors in a rush. His hair was slightly disheveled, his beard uneven, flecks of gray catching the light. He wore a lab coat that had lost its crispness, the fabric softened from years of use. Heavy-framed glasses perched on his nose, and his eyes swept the area with urgency.
"Where is she? Where's Azure?!"
Trevor's voice cut through the air as he scanned the scene. His gaze landed on Amelia for a fraction of a second before moving on, his brow furrowing.
Turning to the guard, he demanded, "You said Azure was here. Where is she?"
The guard faltered. When he had spoken the name moments ago, Professor Lewis had reacted instantly, rising from his desk with a burst of energy the guard had never seen before. He hadn't expected the visitor to be this quiet, unassuming girl.
"Professor Lewis… she's right in front of you," the guard said, pointing toward Amelia.
Trevor looked again. She could not have been more than seventeen or eighteen, her skin pale, her clothes simple, the kind of plainness that made her seem almost invisible. She stood there without any trace of self-consciousness.
She was Azure? Impossible.
Novagen Biomedical Research Institute had been founded eight years ago under a special directive from the Celestria government. Its mission was ambitious: to tackle rare and complex diseases on a global scale, developing treatments that could change lives.
Three years ago, Trevor had been working on a breakthrough drug for acromegaly. He had hit a wall—a theoretical problem that resisted every attempt to solve it. Frustration had settled in like a weight he couldn't shake.
Then, one day, an email arrived in his inbox. The sender's name was simply "Azure." There was no message in the body, only an attachment—a research paper over a hundred pages long.
The paper addressed the exact theoretical problem that had been consuming him for months.
By the time he finished reading, Trevor felt as if a light had been switched on inside his mind. The solution had been there all along, hidden in plain sight, and Azure had laid it out with precision and clarity.
He worked through the night, integrating her findings into his own research, and by morning the problem was solved. He sent a reply—thousands of words of gratitude—and extended an invitation. He wanted Azure to join the institute.
It was rare for anyone to be offered a position here without rigorous vetting. Even the least senior researcher had to be among the best in the biomedical field. Yet Trevor had made the offer without knowing Azure's real name, age, or even gender.
Her talent was beyond question. She was the kind of mind that could alter the course of a discipline.
But Azure never responded to his invitation. Months passed. Then another problem arose, equally stubborn. On impulse, Trevor wrote to her again. This time, she replied quickly—just a few sentences, but they dismantled the problem completely.
Trevor was not easily impressed, but he respected Azure deeply. Over the years, they had exchanged emails whenever he faced a challenge worth her time.
In his mind, she was an elder in the scientific community, perhaps in her sixties, with white hair and a calm, steady demeanor. A patriot, dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
And now, standing before him, was… a teenage girl.
Could she be Azure's granddaughter?