Chapter 247 - 245: Erin Whittaker Contracted AIDS...

Chapter 247: Chapter 245: Erin Whittaker Contracted AIDS...

"Brother, it’s been so many years, and you haven’t changed a bit," Killian Lancaster said with a smile.

On the surface, he seemed to be saying Asher hadn’t changed, but he was actually implying Asher hadn’t made any progress.

"And who might this be? Another little brother? I don’t recall your father having any other illegitimate sons," I asked, looking up at Asher.

Asher’s grip on my fingers tightened. "He’s no one important."

My words were clearly hostile toward this uninvited "brother."

"You seem quite hostile toward me, Sister-in-law." Killian Lancaster smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. "I didn’t come back to be your enemy. I genuinely want to cooperate with you."

He sounded very sincere.

’But I didn’t trust him.’

"My brother has already sold the Lancaster Group to Astraeus. This means the Lancaster family no longer enjoys any of the benefits that come with it. My brother is very brave... He’s declared war on the entire Lancaster Family." A smile never left Killian Lancaster’s lips.

’I had no idea what he was trying to say.’

"This string of killings has touched upon the core secrets of the illicit industries behind many corporations. Victor Quinn is just a doctor..." Killian Lancaster leaned closer to Asher, his voice low enough for only the three of us to hear. "And the entire team behind The Genetics Organization are just tools, puppets for the capitalists. The true source of this evil... you won’t even get close to it until you become capitalists yourselves."

I looked up at Killian Lancaster, understanding what he meant.

’Victor Quinn was nothing more than a lapdog for the capitalists...’

’To get to the real darkness and the truth, you had to become a capitalist first.’

This was probably why Asher had agreed to return to the Lancaster Family.

"Brother... I told you three years ago. We can only fight this if we work together." Killian Lancaster looked at Asher. "It’s a shame you refused. For years, I’ve been making overtures to prove my loyalty. Surely you’ve seen my sincerity by now?"

The tension around Asher was thick. He shielded me with his body, his presence overwhelming, as if protecting something precious.

Killian Lancaster knew when to back off. He took a step back and smiled. "Brother, don’t be so tense. This whole affair has started to touch on the core interests of the top-tier capitalists. Soon... someone will step in to clean up this mess. The self-righteous clowns behind these killings will be wiped out before they know it."

Killian Lancaster was talking about the mastermind of the serial killings, who was—

After he spoke, Killian Lancaster gave me a profound look. "Truly a perfect creation..."

With that, Killian Lancaster turned and left.

The hairs on my arms stood on end in an instant. ’A perfect creation...’

Before Cecilia Caldwell was killed, the murderer had said the same thing: "You are the most perfect creation I have ever seen..."

I knew Killian Lancaster wasn’t the murderer, but those words... they held so many implications.

"Who was that? He’s so handsome..." Madeline Quinn was still captivated by Killian Lancaster’s aura and good looks. "But... I don’t know, he doesn’t seem like a good person, does he? He’s like one of those major villains from a movie."

"Hmph." Asher snorted indignantly.

Seeing Asher’s sulking expression, Madeline Quinn added with a grin, "Oh, of course, he’s not as handsome as Asher. Not even close."

Asher turned to look at me, as if waiting for the same answer.

I was a little exasperated. ’Is this really the time to be comparing who’s better looking?’

’Killian Lancaster said the capitalists have been thoroughly enraged by the mastermind behind the serial killings. That means they’re going to make a move.’

"If there are no other issues, you can be discharged today." The doctor came to do his rounds and told me I could leave the hospital.

He wore a mask as he looked over my test results and medical chart.

’Maybe I’m being too paranoid... but seeing hospitals and doctors puts me on high alert now. I can’t shake the feeling... that everyone is watching me.’

"Cece?" Seeing that I still seemed out of it, Asher came over and felt my forehead.

I snapped my head up, slowly coming back to my senses. "I’m fine..."

"Physically, there’s nothing wrong. Everything looks good," the doctor said again. "Oh, and the results from the epidemic prevention department came in. You’re in the clear."

Madeline Quinn let out a sigh of relief. "We really dodged a bullet..."

"The epidemic prevention department?" I frowned.

"The director of that special school they found—the one who’d gone mad—has HIV. And among the people we were locked up with, one person has HIV and three others have infectious diseases."

Madeline Quinn explained.

"That Claire Lawson—the investigation found she’s an HIV carrier. Her husband, Chase Carter, was a mess. Before and after they married, he was not only constantly engaging in high-risk sexual behavior, but he was also a violent, abusive alcoholic... He’s the one who infected her."

I took a deep breath. In that environment, the risk of infection was definitely high, especially for the people she had stabbed.

"Madeline! Did you get tested?" I instinctively grabbed her wrist. She was one of the people Claire Lawson had stabbed. If there was any blood contact—

"I did, I’m fine! Don’t worry, don’t worry." Madeline Quinn quickly explained with a smile. "I’m telling you, my luck is insane. I should go buy a lottery ticket..."

I froze for a moment, saying nothing.

’Before they knew Claire Lawson had HIV, no one would have thought to take PEP. By the time they found out, the optimal window for the treatment would have already passed.’

"Sir, Erin Whittaker is infected with HIV. She’s having a complete breakdown. Julian Fletcher is with her."

Owen Foster, who had come to pick us up from the hospital, whispered in Asher’s ear.

I sat numbly on the edge of the bed.

’Erin Whittaker was infected with HIV...’

’This seemed intentional on Claire Lawson’s part. Since she couldn’t kill Erin Whittaker just yet, she would make her life a living hell by infecting her with a currently incurable, highly contagious disease.’

"The HIV infections, the killing spree... all of it is supposed to be top secret. It’s no coincidence that Killian Lancaster knows... so how did the news about Erin Whittaker’s infection get out?" I looked up and asked Owen Foster.

Owen Foster took out his phone. "Someone posted it online deliberately. They traced the IP address; it’s from overseas. The police suspect it was Claire Lawson."

Claire Lawson had already been exposed, so she had nothing left to fear. She posted online:

Hello, everyone. I am one of the executors of the recent "killing game." I am a pitiful woman. My family has always valued sons over daughters. I was dumped at my grandmother’s house as a child, unloved by my father and unwanted by my mother. In the end, they squeezed every last drop of value out of me by marrying me off to a good-for-nothing scoundrel for a so-called "bride price" of 100,000 yuan.

I was abused by my husband, who then maliciously infected me with HIV. I experienced a despair I never knew was possible in this world.

Until I came into contact with the Cleansing Plan.

This world is too dark. There are too many parasites that need to be cleaned up. So, we orchestrated this killing game.

During the game, I remained hidden among the group. At the very end, I used a knife coated in my own blood to stab several of the survivors, including: Erin Whittaker, Madeline Quinn, Sebastian Lancaster, and Silvia Lynch.

’So, she was posting this online deliberately.’

I looked at Asher, worried.

He shook his head. "I can’t be infected with HIV. I was genetically engineered to be immune."

"Then why are Madeline and I..." I asked, confused.

My gaze toward Madeline held a deeper meaning.

’Silvia Lynch and Cecilia Caldwell were experimental clones from the same embryo. Cecilia was a fully genetically modified test subject. So what about Silvia? Could she be one too?’

’If my current body was genetically enhanced, it would be immune to HIV. But Madeline...’

Madeline Quinn looked terrified in hindsight. "I guess I’m just really, really lucky."