“But my door,” Alex said unhurriedly with a faint smile, “was just kicked down by you.” As the words fell, Rosalyne’s face darkened, and a cold chill erupted in her eyes.
She suddenly tightened her grip on his collar.
“You dare negotiate with me?
If not for me, you fool, you would have frozen to death in the snow outside the House of the Hearth long ago!” Alex’s breathing gradually became difficult, and his face slowly turned red.
He raised his hand and pressed it against the back of her hand that was gripping his collar.
A smooth and delicate sensation came from the contact with his palm.
“I…
I…” His voice was weak, as if he were struggling.
Rosalyne originally thought he was going to admit his mistake and beg for mercy, but she suddenly noticed something was wrong.
This bastard…
why does he look like…
he’s enjoying it?
She suddenly realized the truth, and was instantly both ashamed and furious.
She had picked him up back then and raised him as a junior.
Yet this boy actually dared—to harbor such thoughts about her?!
She gave a furious shout and slammed him hard onto the ground.
The Pyro element quickly condensed at her fingertips, transforming into a flickering crimson fire whip.
Snap!
The whip lashed down through the air, leaving a charred burn mark on his chest.
Although it looked terrifying, it only damaged the surface of the skin and was not a serious injury.
“Do you…
know your mistake now?” She looked down at him, her gaze as cold as ice.
However, Alex didn’t care at all.
Instead, he propped himself up and met her gaze calmly, his tone composed: “You are so charming that it is only natural for me to feel admiration.
What mistake have I made?
If there is a mistake, then the one in the wrong should be you!” Upon hearing this, Rosalyne was momentarily stunned.
What?!
The one in the wrong…
was actually herself?
Although it sounded absurd, there seemed to be some logic to it.
He had reached the age where young men admire beauty, and she was indeed elegant, mature, and charming.
If he was moved by her, it was actually quite normal.
If that was the case…
then it really was her fault.
Thinking of this, her expression softened.
She casually dispersed the fire whip and gave a light cough.
“Don’t have such ridiculous thoughts again!” After a pause, Rosalyne shifted the topic.
“I will pay for the door repair.
Now, explain your plan clearly.” Alex slowly rose from the ground, brushed the dust off the corner of his clothes, straightened his messy collar, and then spoke leisurely: “The human enhancement experiments have evolved into a project involving illegal human trafficking.” “You think the higher-ups don’t know?” Rosalyne frowned.
“As long as the Tsaritsa’s noble ideal is realized, any price is worth it in their eyes.” The darkness of the human enhancement experiments was never a secret within the Fatui.
The reason it could exist for so long was because it could mass-produce powerful warriors, such as the Fatui Skirmishers.
Snezhnaya’s ability to exert pressure on the other six nations of the mortal world was largely due to these human enhancement experiments.
No matter how cruel or insane the methods, no one would truly investigate or abolish them.
Alex remained composed: “Then let the cost exceed the gain.
Once the losses outweigh the benefits, the experiment will naturally come to an end.” Rosalyne pondered for a moment, her expression becoming serious: “It sounds somewhat feasible, but…
can you really achieve it?” “Why don’t we make a bet?” Alex’s lips curled into a faint, smiling curve.
“The loser must agree to one condition from the winner.” If it were before, Rosalyne would have agreed without hesitation.
But now, she fell into a state of hesitation.
What if he proposed something embarrassing?
How would she face him then?
After all, for a period of time, he used to call her ‘Auntie’ over and over again.
Seeing her hesitation, Alex shrugged with feigned regret: “Lady Rosalyne, surely you aren’t…
afraid to bet?
If that’s the case, then forget it.” “Who’s afraid?!” Rosalyne’s eyebrows shot up as anger surged.
“Don’t come crying for mercy when you lose, you fool!” Alex smiled, “Don’t worry, I won’t cry.” Rosalyne gave him a sharp glare, threw a bulging coin pouch to him, and then turned to walk out of the house.
Just as she stepped out of the door, Alex’s voice came from behind her: “Lady Rosalyne, the extra money…
consider it the allowance for being your kept man!” Her footsteps came to a sudden halt, her teeth clenched, and the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
In the end, she only spat out: “…Fool!” And then walked into the night without looking back.
Alex watched her mature figure disappear into the night, the corners of his lips turning up in a slight, subtle arc.
Their relationship had previously always remained between that of an elder and a junior.
Although close, it had become an invisible cage, blocking any possibility of moving further.
To break it, he needed to be a bit outrageous, to let her understand that he was no longer that ‘numb-footed’ boy from back then.
…
In the morning, the sunlight was bright and warm.
Alex arrived early at the Patrol Team’s gathering point—an open space five miles away from the Fatui headquarters.
By this time, many people had already arrived.
But as he approached, the people around him instinctively backed away several steps, as if he were a bringer of misfortune.
Clearly, his ‘feat’ from yesterday had already spread throughout the Patrol Team.
In the crowd, Kalsky, who was usually on good terms with him, hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not come forward.
Alex was not surprised by this, nor did he feel like lamenting the fickleness of human nature.
If it were himself, he would have made the same choice.
The logic was simple: even if you don’t consider yourself, you have to think of your family.
After a while, the Patrol Captain, Gramov, stepped out in front of everyone.
He was a thin old man who was close to retirement.
After giving a few simple instructions, he dismissed the team.
Just as Alex turned to leave, Gramov suddenly called out to him: “Alex, you stay.” Once the crowd had dispersed, the old man spoke with a solemn expression: “Last night, a transfer order came from above.
You are to be transferred to a Medical Experimental Center.” Alex’s heart jolted.
He knew very well that the so-called ‘Medical Experimental Center’ was actually a human experimentation base controlled by Dottore.
Once transferred there, there was only one outcome— To become experimental material.
In a flash, he had already made a decision.
His tone was calm but carried a hint of weakness: “Captain Gramov, I’m feeling unwell and would like to take sick leave first.” Gramov slowly shook his head, “That excuse…
won’t work.”