Chapter 637: Threat

"How can you call this a threat? You told us before we went that if we completed the mission, you'd give us the serum. That was your promise," Zoey said, her face wearing Sandra's smile but her eyes cold.

"If you can't give me the serum, I'll have to assume you're stalling or never intended to give it to us. You're not that kind of person, are you?"

Blake stared at her for a long moment before laughing in frustration.

"Alright, you make a good point. How could I possibly withhold the serum from you? Don't worry, it'll be delivered by midnight tonight."

With that, he turned and walked away.

As he turned, the smile vanished from his face.

"Mr. Stewart..." Kerry started to speak.

Blake shot him a cold look. "Shut up. I don't want to hear anyone right now."

Kerry wisely kept silent.

In the apartment, the others looked at Zoey with admiration.

Even though they had completed the mission, their families were still under Blake's watch. They didn't dare confront him.

Their own lives were expendable, but their families had to survive.

Zoey, however, seemed to have no concept of fear.

"Zoey, you're amazing! Can I be your apprentice?" Flora asked eagerly.

"Don't you already have a teacher?"

Flora slapped her forehead. "Oh, right! I haven't visited him since we got back. He must be worried about me. It's already late, I'll go see him first thing in the morning."

Zoey glanced at the others. "The serum will be delivered by midnight. I suggest you leave here first thing in the morning and don't come back for a while. Make sure to attend the celebration party in two weeks."

"Why can't we come back?" Linda asked.

"Because they won't let you off the hook. If you want to die, you can come back. I won't stop you."

Zoey's words were harsh but straightforward.

Linda lowered her eyes. "But even if we don't come back, Mr. Stewart won't let us go."

"At least if you leave, you'll have more options. Staying here under his watch..." Zoey trailed off.

If anyone insisted on staying, she wouldn't oppose it.

Glenn hesitated for a moment. "Let me think about it."

Flora said, "As long as Zoey stays, I'll stay too. It doesn't matter where I go."

She was carefree.

"Besides, my teacher is here. I can't just leave him. I believe that as long as I'm with Zoey, we'll get through any danger. If I end up sacrificing myself, so be it."

Zoey pinched her cheek.

Flora covered her face, a bit embarrassed.

It was the first time a beautiful woman had done something like that to her.

And this beautiful woman was practically her idol.

Alvin spoke up decisively, "I'll wait until the serum arrives. As long as I can stand on my own two feet, it doesn't matter where I am."

He was desperate to stand again.

Having experienced being a burden, he longed to regain his former self.

So it was decided. Everyone was tired and decided to rest.

Linda returned to her room but heard a knock at the door.

She opened it to find Zoey.

"What's up?"

"Can we talk outside?"

Linda agreed.

They didn't go far, just to the balcony, creating a small private space by closing the door.

Linda leaned on the railing, yawning tiredly. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Why did you agree to complete this mission?"

Zoey's question was sudden.

Linda turned to look at her. "I didn't volunteer. We were all threatened, right? I went through the same things as you, for the same reasons."

"But our experiences during the mission were different."

"I don't understand what you're saying."

Linda feigned ignorance.

Zoey looked at the night sky. "I just want to know what you took from the underground storage."

"Who told you that?"

Linda's smile froze for a moment but quickly returned to normal.

"I didn't take anything. What could I want from a place like that? A long-abandoned contaminated area. Am I supposed to take the contamination source?"

Zoey remained silent.

Linda continued, "We barely escaped with our lives. Don't be paranoid. I know I hid my skills before, making you suspicious. I can honestly say I hid them because I didn't want to stand out. Later, I had no choice but to reveal them so we could work together to escape."

"Don't you think you're talking too much?"

Zoey's single sentence left Linda stunned, her smile fading.

Zoey spoke softly, "People often talk more when they're guilty, and their lies are particularly logical, making them seem believable. But life isn't a logic game."

The more logical the lie, the less true it is.

The highest level of lying is mixing truth with falsehood because a perfect lie sounds too good to be true.

"So, what do you want?"

"I just want to know what you took."

Zoey wasn't physically close, but she was fully aware of everything that had happened between them.

Linda couldn't figure out where she had gone wrong.

After revealing her skills, she had acted particularly antagonistic towards Zoey, like a jealous woman, hoping to blend in.

No one else suspected her.

Except Zoey.

"I can't tell you what I took." Seeing no way to continue hiding, Linda admitted, "I can only tell you I took something important to me."

"Okay, I won't ask."

"Thank you."

Linda was grateful for Zoey's discretion.

Zoey said calmly, "Go back to sleep."

Linda turned to leave.

After she left, Henry approached.

He draped his jacket over Zoey's shoulders.

"Did you find out anything?"

"She didn't say what she took, but she admitted taking something."

"What could be worth taking from a contaminated area?"

The place was filled with toxic gas.

After they left, their protective suits were burned, along with everything they used and carried.

Zoey shook her head. "I can't figure it out either."

"If you can't figure it out, don't dwell on it." Henry patted her back. "You've been through a lot these past few days. Go rest. I'll wait for the serum. I sleep in the living room, so I'll be the first to know if anyone comes."

"Once the serum issue is resolved, we'll go home."

Zoey had never felt homesick before, but after everything they'd been through, she found herself missing the Phillips Family.

Henry felt the same.

"Grandpa and Grandma must be worried about us."

"Maybe you should call them to let them know we're safe."

Henry smiled. "I already did, but I didn't tell them when we'd be back to surprise them."

Zoey gave him a thumbs-up.

She paused, looking at Henry with a soft expression.

Henry felt a bit uneasy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

Zoey turned, leaning against the railing as the night breeze lifted a strand of her hair. "Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Thank you for sharing the dangers."

If Henry hadn't been there, some tasks would have fallen to her, and she might have been the one stabbed in the chest.

Henry laughed, moving closer and placing his hands on either side of her. "If you really want to thank me, words aren't enough."

"What do you want me to do?"

Zoey asked.

They both smiled knowingly.

Henry leaned in, his forehead touching hers.

Their breaths mingled.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know."

Henry chuckled. "Playing dumb."

Zoey blinked. "I really don't know. If you don't tell me, how can I know what you want?"

But her smile betrayed her.

Henry smiled indulgently. "Since you don't know, let me teach you."

He slowly lowered his head, their breaths intertwining.

Just as they were about to kiss, a sudden, urgent knock on the door interrupted them.