Chapter 720
Chapter 720
Holden cast a look at Artemis and followed Henley out of the bedroom.
In the hallway, Holden spoke in a hushed tone to Henley. “You have determined the type of poison he was exposed to, haven't you?” Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
Henley let out a sigh and began to explain slowly, “Usually, when a poison enters the human body, it can be detected by examining a blood sample. But when Justin mentioned that the bloke didn't show any abnormal signs, it makes one wonder.”
Holden took a moment to think and proposed, “Could it be that you made a mistake in your diagnosis? Perhaps he wasn't poisoned and simply exerted himself too much, which caused him to cough up blood.”
Henley gradually ceased his movement and directed his gaze toward the test tube he was holding.
He fixated his gaze on the dark red blood sample inside the test tube. With a solemn tone, he declared, “Exertion wasn't the cause. He is healthy, and even if he exerted his body too much, he wouldn't cough out blood. Based on my experience, he is certainly exposed to poison. There's only one kind of poison in the world that can't be detected in the early stages after entering the body. It's the forbidden poison of the Yablon family, Soul Reaper.”
Holden's body shuddered violently when he heard that.
Holden was familiar with the infamous Soul Reaper. It was the number one peculiar poison and had deadly properties with no known antidote. It was said to be locked away in the Yablon family's forbidden territory, so he couldn't comprehend how it could have made its way into the world.
“Dr. Lynch, are you sure?”
Henley couldn't conceal his bitter smile upon hearing Holden's question. “Even I, an old man, have never seen Soul Reaper. I only know of its distinctive characteristics. How can I be certain that it is the particular poison? I summoned you here because I need you to contact Mr. Cameron Yablon of the Yablon family and inquire whether they have lost Soul Reaper. If yes, then...”
Henley didn't finish his sentence, but Holden understood his meaning.
In the event that the Yablon family had indeed lost Soul Reaper, it was highly probable that the poison inside Artemis' body was none other than Soul Reaper.
“All right, I will contact Cameron right away. But I have one more question, are you certain that you cannot cure this poison?”
Henley shook his head. “Not just me, but even the descendants of the Yablon family may have limited knowledge about the poison. The poison's creator was a rare poison expert of the Yablon family, who made the poison without leaving behind any formula or antidote. However, nothing is absolute, and there might be a chance that the Yablon family has some method to cure the poison. You should contact Mr. Yablon. He may disclose the truth to you, given the friendship you two share.”
“Okay. That's the only thing we can do now. How long can Artemis survive without an antidote if he is indeed exposed to this poison?” Holden asked.
After contemplating for a while, Henley proposed, “As long as he avoids strenuous activities that can
accelerate the spread of the poison in his body, he can survive for a certain period of time. Nevertheless, it is not wise to rely solely on luck. If the poison is left untreated, he will eventually succumb to it and die.”
Holden didn't know what to response to that.
...
Bailey abruptly woke up from her slumber at the medical base in Hallsbay, jolting up into a seated position.
While Gasping for air, beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.
“Oh, Artemis. Artemis...”
Bailey murmured to herself as she reached for her phone, dialing Artemis' number.
She had seen him in her dream. He was enveloped in a shroud of black energy and devoured by it bit by bit. At the last moment, as they exchanged a fleeting glance, it felt like he was bidding the final farewell to her amidst a sea of blooming flowers on the other shore.
Bailey was unable to understand the reason behind having such a dream.
She had never believed in supernatural phenomena, but dreams were often a reflection of one's subconscious. When two people's minds were connected, they could sense each other's danger.
Therefore, she concluded that something must have happened to Artemis that caused her to have such
a dream.
The call connected successfully, and Artemis' deep and magnetic voice emanated from the receiver. The tone was calm and soft, capable of melting her heart.
“Isn't it around one in the morning in Hallsbay? Why haven't you gone to bed yet? Didn't you promise to take care of yourself and get some rest? How can you maintain your health if you stay up this late?”
As soon as Bailey heard his voice, she felt a wave of emotions wash over her, and she began to cry.
“Artemis, please assure me that you're okay!”
Artemis' voice was hoarse as he said, “Please don't cry. My heart squints whenever you cry. The call was interrupted earlier because I had an urgent matter. When I finished my work, I planned to call you back, but I realized it was already late at night on your end, and I didn't want to disturb you. So, I didn't call. I'm fine, don't worry. If you keep crying like this, I'll hop on a plane and fly back to you immediately.”
Bailey wiped the tears and sweat off her face haphazardly and said in a hoarse voice, “You must come back quickly. I want to tell you something. You have a strong love rival again. If you don't come back soon, my heart might be taken away by someone else.”
Upon hearing that, Artemis let out a soft chuckle. “You must be talking about Cameron. He is indeed a formidable rival. It seems you have been getting into romantic entanglements you shouldn't have outside. When I return, we'll have to discuss this. Also, you need to figure out a way to get back the painting of you. What is he trying to achieve by staring at my woman every day?”
Bailey pouted her lips in response to his words. “Oh, so you already know about it. That perv*rt's sole purpose of keeping my portrait is so he doesn't forget the grudge of me disfiguring him. I bet he's poked holes all over the painting.”
“Nevertheless, you still need to retrieve it. I want to see that painting when I come back, no matter what. It doesn't feel good to know that another man has a painting of you,” Artemis insisted.
Bailey grinned and responded, “Okay, I'll do as you say. He's coming to Hallsbay in a few days, so I'll make sure he hands over the painting then. But you have to promise me to finish your work there within seven days and come back right away. As for Mr. Doyle, he's in cahoots with Sofie and Philip Hoffman. I'll wait for you to return first. We'll meet with the Hoffman family and deal with them together.”
“Okay, I can give you my life as well if you want it.”
Bailey spat in response to his declaration and couldn't help but scold, “Don't talk nonsense like that. Why would I ever want your life? If you keep saying things like that, I'll get very mad.”
“Okay. You should go lie down in bed and rest now. Don't stay up late anymore.”
“Okay, how about you stay with me for a while and chat? Artemis, when our children grow up a bit more and don't need our supervision anymore, let's go on a trip around the world. I want to go to Pandera, Intundeos, ancient Eskaria, and so on...”
...
Back in the Hoffman residence's study, Raymond was sitting on a couch, and a middle-aged man was standing before him.
“Mr. Raymond, I have received specific information that Ms. Wendy has returned to the country in secret. However, she was kidnapped during her journey, and her current whereabouts are unknown. Based on our initial investigation, it seems to be related to Mr. Philip.”
As Raymond played with the jade stone in his hand, he abruptly stopped when he heard the report, and his brow furrowed subconsciously.
What's the matter with Holden? Why isn't he taking action when Wendy returns to the country? Isn't he aware of the current chaos within the Hoffman family? It appears that this man is not suitable for Wends. He seems to be even more incompetent than Lionel.
At least when Wends was under Lionel's protection, she never suffered any harm. Despite living under the nose of the Hoffman family, no one was able to harm her.
“Is it true that my sister has been kidnapped, Mr. Rolland?” Juliana asked with anxiousness evident in her voice as she entered the room.
Sam retrieved the phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is the call from my subordinate. Please have a look at it, Ms. Juliana.”