Ivy walked out of the conference room with her head held high. When she sat down at her desk, the change around her was quick.Whispers moved through the office without control. Her name was mentioned again and again, followed by quiet laughs that were not even meant to be hidden. The respect she had earned disappeared in a single morning."So that's Ivy Carter," someone said behind her.Another replied, "The one whose project got crushed by the Hayes family?""I heard the launch won't even make it past internal review!"Ivy kept her eyes on her monitor, fingers moving quickly over the keyboard. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her react. Even so, the words pressed against her chest.Colleagues who used to greet her with polite smiles now walked past without acknowledgment. Some slowed their steps on purpose, hoping she would hear what they had to say.A woman from another department stopped beside her desk and knocked lightly on the surface. "Hey, Ivy, could you ma

A long black luxury sedan waited near the private exit, its engine humming softly, the emblem of the Jaxquel family gleaming under the streetlamp.Lois walked ahead without hesitation and opened the rear door herself. Callen stepped in calmly, his expression unreadable.The driver straightened when both were seated. Before he could pull away, Lois's voice turned sharp."Anything you hear today," she said coldly, "stays buried with you if you still want to wake up tomorrow."The driver's hands tightened around the steering wheel. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. "I swear on my life," he said quickly. "I won't say a single word."Only then did Lois nod. The car glided forward, merging smoothly into the traffic that parted as if instinctively making way.Once the city noise faded into a dull hum, Lois reached into her leather folder and pulled out several sealed documents. Her fingers trembled as she opened the first one and spread the contents across the small table between them.

Before they were allowed to proceed deeper into the institute, several staff members stepped forward and blocked the corridor."Please stop here," one of them asked, raising a hand.Callen halted immediately, while Ivy almost bumped into his back. Transparent screens flickered to life around them."What is this?" Ivy asked, lowering her voice."A sterilization checkpoint," a male staff member explained. "Before entering the inner ward, everyone must undergo a full scan."Another staff member continued, "The patients inside are not suffering from ordinary illnesses. Some are exposed to unidentified pathogens, and others are affected by energy-related anomalies. To people with weak constitutions, even brief exposure could be fatal."Ivy's fingers tightened around her coat. "Energy-related… anomalies?""Yes," the staff member answered without hesitation. "Which is why protective suits are mandatory. No exceptions."As he finished speaking, a pair of assistants arrived carrying neatly fol

"Grandpa, you are healed now!" Lily shouted brightly, her voice echoing through the sealed ward. Without waiting for anyone's permission, she slipped from Ivy's grasp and ran to the bedside, throwing her arms around William's weak body.The old man had not fully recovered, yet his hand moved instinctively, as if some buried memory guided him to return the small embrace."Lily!" Ivy gasped and quickly lifted her daughter away, careful not to disturb the monitors. "Sweetheart, Grandpa just woke up. He needs to rest first."The little girl's face immediately fell. "Sorry, Mommy… Lily was just too happy."Her voice was sincere and innocent, and even a few nurses nearby couldn't help but smile at the pure emotion.On the bed, William blinked several times. His vision was still a little blurred, but the awareness in his eyes was clear now. His lips trembled faintly.“That… is that…” His voice was hoarse, and he was unable to finish the sentence.Tears streamed down Ivy's cheeks again. She s

The throne hall stayed silent until the Imperial Chancellor finally spoke."Your Majesty… what should we do about the Unbroken Warlord?"Several high officials lowered their heads. Just hearing that title was enough to make the air feel heavy. He had won countless wars. Entire enemy divisions had fallen under his command. His name was built on blood and steel.Lucas didn't answer right away. He slowly stood from the throne and walked down the black marble steps. His boots passed the fresh corpse still lying on the floor, blood spreading across the stone."You are all asking the wrong question," he said softly.The Grand Marshal stiffened. "Then what is the right question, Your Majesty?"Lucas turned slightly, his expression calm."The right question," he said, "is how much he knows."The hall went quiet again. The silence felt heavy.The Chancellor forced himself to speak. "Your Majesty… the Vital Paralysis project was classified. Only officials with Level Seven clearance or higher co