Chapter 275 Where You Go, I Go
Sophia slowly swallowed the food she was chewing before asking, "Francis, what happened? Don't worry, take your time."
"Here's the situation. Near a residential building in the suburbs, another child was found, named Idris. His symptoms are the same as Ernest's."
Sophia had put the call on speaker, so Benjamin heard Francis's words too.
His hand holding the fork paused slightly, then he exchanged a glance with Sophia.
Sophia realized what this meant and put down her sandwich, her expression growing serious. "Francis, is he also one of the missing children from Harmony City?"
"Yes, but the police checked the surveillance footage and found nothing. Idris's condition seems even worse than Ernest's. The police asked me to represent the hospital and request that you come over."
"I'll be right there."
After hanging up, Sophia immediately changed clothes, quickly freshened up, and left with Benjamin.
Everything happened so suddenly that even when she saw Idris, Sophia still hadn't fully processed it.
She examined Idris's body. He had indeed been poisoned, just like Ernest.
The only difference was that Idris had injuries—marks from being whipped.
His calves and arms showed signs of fractures.
Unlike Ernest, Idris came from an ordinary family, but it was clear his parents loved him very much.
Idris's mother stayed by the bedside, crying in her father's arms, her eyes full of pain and heartache.
Francis was extremely anxious. When Sophia withdrew her hand, he asked tentatively, "Sophia, how is it?"
Sophia slowly shook her head and took out a Revival Elixir from her bag, feeding one to Idris.
Legend had it that Revival Elixir could cure all poisons, but what Idris and Ernest had been given wasn't ordinary poison. Right now, she could only temporarily suppress the toxins, not completely eliminate them.
But either way, buying time was better than nothing.
Matthew and Benjamin's people had already sent someone to search for those medicines.
"I need to treat Idris to temporarily suppress the poison in his body."
Idris was too young. Even for treatment, they needed parental consent.
Idris's parents looked at each other, finally turning their gaze to Francis.
Francis was the dean of Oasis University's Medical Research Institute, representing the authority of Novaria's medical community.
Although they had never encountered such an important figure before, they instinctively wanted to trust him.
Francis nodded and reassured them softly, "Don't worry. She may be young, but her medical skills are excellent."
Hearing Francis say this, Idris's parents, though still doubtful, agreed.
Even Francis said there was no other way to save him, so now they could only take this gamble.
Idris's life was more important than anything.
After getting consent from Idris's parents, Sophia immediately began treatment.
After about half an hour, Idris's complexion visibly improved.
Idris's mother immediately rushed to the bedside, tightly gripping his small hand, her eyes full of worry. "Ms. Brown, why isn't Idris waking up yet? He won't..."
"Don't overthink it. Your son is just temporarily unconscious. There's nothing seriously wrong," Sophia said gently.
"Really?" Idris's mother asked tearfully, looking at Sophia with gratitude. "Thank you, thank you so much."
"This is what I should do. If you want to thank anyone, thank the police. If they hadn't found Idris in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
Before coming, Sophia had heard that Idris was abandoned next to a trash can and was barely alive when found.
A sanitation worker collecting garbage in the morning discovered him and immediately called the police.
After leaving the hospital room, Sophia said to Francis, "Francis, I may need to go back to Silverlight City."
"Leave at a time like this? How long will you be gone? Will you come back?"
Francis's eyes widened in surprise, his expression very serious.
Sophia smiled reassuringly. "I'll come back. I'm just going to get something. I'll be back tomorrow."
Elijah, who had been standing to the side without speaking, suddenly said, "Sophia, if you leave and something else happens here, what will we do?"
Sophia's gaze was calm as she explained seriously, "I'm leaving medicine. If Idris and Ernest's poison flares up, give it to them. It can temporarily suppress the toxicity in their bodies."
On the way back, Sophia leaned wearily against the driver's seat, lost in thought.
Benjamin glanced at her and asked with concern, "Are you really going back? What if another child is found while you're gone?"
Sophia chuckled softly and slowly shook her head. "That won't happen."
Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "So certain?"
"Of course." Sophia's eyes narrowed slightly, a meaningful glint flashing in them. "Didn't we discuss before how the timing of Ernest's appearance was too coincidental?"
Benjamin held the steering wheel, his slender fingers tapping lightly as he asked casually, "What are you thinking?"
Sophia and Benjamin exchanged a smile. "You understand me best."
She immediately shared her thoughts, sorting through the tangled clues bit by bit.
Ernest was found exactly when she and Benjamin's plane was originally scheduled to arrive in Harmony City.
And now, less than two days later, another child had appeared.
Yesterday she treated Ernest, temporarily suppressing the poison in his body, but didn't provide an antidote.
"Do you think it's possible that they stole the sample from me, so they don't have an antidote either?"
Benjamin pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense. All those formulas from seventeen years ago were destroyed. If they want to develop newer, more potent drugs, they need extensive experiments."
Extensive experiments meant risking deaths.
Such large-scale disappearances would inevitably attract police attention.
So they chose a shortcut.
They deliberately released children who had been injected with the drug, letting Sophia develop an antidote.
Then they could directly obtain the antidote.
What a scheme indeed.
Benjamin's expression darkened, a cold glint passing through his deep eyes.
Sophia sighed, pushing aside all those messy thoughts, and smiled brightly at Benjamin. "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm going back to Silverlight City?"
Benjamin chuckled softly. "Wherever you go, I go."
What she was going to do didn't matter.
"Aren't you worried about danger?" Sophia asked him with feigned surprise.
Benjamin laughed helplessly. "If there's danger, all the more reason I should be by your side."
Watching him say such sweet words with such a serious expression, Sophia felt her heart suddenly beat faster and her cheeks grow warm.
Benjamin, usually as cold as an iceberg, suddenly saying romantic things—it really wasn't something ordinary people could handle.