Chapter 749
Chapter 749
Zeke tilted his head and stared.
“What is this method you're talking about, Mr. Yablon?” Cameron raised his brows and said, “Counteract the poison with the toxin. If I were to introduce a hundred different poisons into Artemis' body, I believe we can eliminate the Soul Reaper.”
The corners of Zeke's mouth twitched slightly.
No wonder Bay looked so upset. This idea is terrible.
“Mr. Yablon, you'd better watch what you say. My sister's capable of anything. It wouldn't be good if you were stripped naked and left hanging from a beam outside one day.”
Cameron was speechless. ... At the training ground.
Shannon heard the sound of whips lashing against flesh when she passed by the training ground. She slowed her pace and looked toward the source of the sound. A girl about six or seven years old was lying on the ground, clinging tightly to a sculpture beside her and refusing to let go.
An instructor desperately pulled her arm while another continuously whipped her body. Scenes like that were seen every day in Tarragon.
After all, it was the law of the jungle that only the fittest would survive. Shannon grew up there, so she knew too well just how ruthless the place could be.
Sympathy and compassion didn't exist in this place. To survive, one could only rely on themselves,
leaving a trail of bloodied footprints with each step.
That girl shouldn't have caught her attention, but Shannon stopped anyway. She was reminded of her past self when she saw the resilience and endurance emanating from the girl.
Even as the whip lashed mercilessly upon her body, the girl remained silent, bearing the pain with clenched teeth. She endured all the hardships and suffering that fate had bestowed on her without uttering a single word.
How similar is this to how I once was?
She unexpectedly found her reflection in this little girl, hence why she was drawn to the sight. She watched as the instructor swung the whip to strike the back of the girl's head.
The force was so great that Shannon could faintly hear the sound of the whip cutting through the air. If things went on like this, the girl would undoubtedly die.
“Stop,” Shannon shouted instinctually, successfully halting the instructor's actions. He turned his head to look at her.
After a few seconds of silence, he nodded and asked, “Ms. Shannon, do you have any suggestions?”
Shannon made her way into the fighting ring and slowly crouched down beside the girl. She noticed the girl's eye was covered with bloodstained gauze.
“What happened here?” The instructor hesitated and seemed unwilling to speak.
However, Shannon was the vice president's sister and the president's girlfriend, so he couldn't afford to offend her.
He mustered his courage and responded, “She injured her eye during a fight and has lost the qualifications to be a special agent. We planned to send her to Intel Island to fend for herself, but she refused to comply. We had no choice but to resort to forceful measures.”
Shannon reached out and touched the girl's head, asking,
“Why did you come to Tarragon? You're so young. How could your parents bear to let you come here?”
The young girl slowly lifted her drooping head, meeting Shannon's gaze.
Only then did Shannon see the girl's eyes. They were clear and pure, without any hatred or hostility. All that was present was a longing for life.
Even when faced with such cruel torture, there was no fear or cowardice in her eyes. Her unwavering determination left Shannon feeling deeply unsettled.
“I don't have parents. I came to Tarragon to survive. No, it's not just about survival — I also want to become someone extraordinary. But it seems like fate has played a joke on me. It took away my eyes, depriving me of the qualifications to become strong. I don't want to go to Intel Island. I don't want to die alone. If I can't become strong, I'd rather die.”
Shannon smiled gently, her gaze falling on her own left arm.
“Look, I lost an arm, but I'm still living strong. Our physical flaws aren't an excuse to run away. Although you lost an eye, you still have the other one. You're much more fortunate compared to those who are blind.”
The little girl lowered her head.
“But I can't stay in Tarragon any longer. Once I'm thrown onto Intel Island, given my age, I definitely wouldn't survive. I'd rather die and preserve my dignity than be abused by them,” she said.
A smile gleamed in Shannon's eyes. It had been such a long time since she had felt this happy.
I've been wanting to raise a daughter to keep me company in my old age, so she'll do.
“Would you like to come with me? I'll take you to travel the world and broaden your horizons. All the techniques they know, I know too. I can teach you when the time comes.”
She slowly stood up and extended her right hand to the girl. The little girl's eyes glimmered with hope, her strong desire to survive stimulating her. She slowly extended her arm to grab Shannon's hand, then she painstakingly stood up. Upon seeing the situation, the instructor's face immediately turned grim.
“Ms. Shannon, the organization has decreed that those with physical disabilities must be sent to Intel Island. Please don't make things difficult for us.”
Shannon held the little girl protectively with one arm as she stared at the two instructors.
“I've decided to take this child with me. If you're not happy, go ahead and kill me.”
The instructors were at a loss.
“Since you like her, go ahead and take her home.” A deep, resonant voice sounded from a distance. Micah, accompanied by a few instructors, was walking in their direction. Upon seeing the situation, the two instructors who were blocking Shannon quickly stepped aside, not daring to make any more baseless remarks.
Micah walked up to Shannon, looked down at the little girl in her arms, and said with a chuckle, “She's a strong young lady, much like you are. If you like her, it'd be nice to adopt her as your foster daughter.”
Shannon ignored him and slowly crouched down before the girl.
“Come on, I'll carry you,” she offered.
The little girl shook her head. “I can still walk.”
Shannon looked at the whip marks on the girl's calves. The skin was torn, and the flesh was exposed. If she walked, it would undoubtedly injure her tendons and veins.
“You've already lost an eye. You don't want to lose a leg as well, do you? Come on. I'll carry you.”
The little girl glanced timidly at Micah, scared. In the past, at the training ground, she could only catch a glimpse of him from afar and felt that he was out of reach.
She never thought that Micah, who stood on such a high pedestal and overlooked the masses, would have such tender moments. The way he spoke to Shannon was filled with indulgence and affection.
Only someone with love in their heart could be like that.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry and get on!” Shannon urged. The little girl hesitated before she climbed onto Shannon's back.
“Hold my neck tight,” Shannon whispered.
Then, with one hand supporting the girl's bottom, she hoisted the girl onto her back. Micah didn't try to stop her, nor did he follow her. He stood in place, quietly watching her retreating figure. The corner of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.
Shannon, have you emerged from hell? ...
The next day, Artemis received the memory loss pill from Tarragon's doctor. Inside the study, Zeke looked at the bottle in front of him.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. Artemis nodded. Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
“We'll administer the drug tonight. Then you take her away and go to the Hoffman residence to save Juliana. I'll help you remove any obstacles in secret.”