Chapter 248 - 247: Was Silvia Lynch’s Frailty All a Pretense?

Chapter 248: Chapter 247: Was Silvia Lynch’s Frailty All a Pretense?

"It’s time to go." Owen Foster came over to get us after he’d finished up.

"You guys should go. I can’t be discharged until tomorrow. Zeke Shaw should be able to pick me up." Madeline Quinn waved at me, then gave me a hug. "Go home and get some rest. Don’t think about anything."

I nodded, numbly following behind Asher.

Asher noticed my concern and spoke softly. "Madeline Quinn’s genetic test came back clean. She really was just lucky."

I looked at Asher and sighed in relief. "That’s good..."

I raised a hand and massaged the bridge of my nose. I realized I was being far too paranoid.

’I’m even suspecting doctors now.’

"Don’t worry, you still have me," Asher whispered reassuringly.

"This Killian Lancaster..." I wanted to know more about him and the cooperation he mentioned.

"He came to the orphanage to find me three years ago. He knew I was only pretending to be simple-minded." Asher took my hand and led me into the elevator. "He’s dangerous. The first moment I saw him, I knew it. He showed me evidence of The Genetics Organization’s crimes and told me everything. Over twenty years ago, genetic modification became a trend among the wealthy. They began to secretly experiment with gene editing, using their own sperm, high-quality eggs, and surrogates. Their goal was to create a population of people with superior intelligence to ensure their businesses and families would prosper indefinitely."

Wherever there’s capital, there’s depravity.

That much has always been true.

"But gene editing was, after all, just a concept. Scientists and researchers proposed the idea and even verified it through animal experiments, but this kind of anti-human, unethical practice was explicitly banned worldwide. So, a criminal syndicate emerged to secretly conduct experiments on human beings. These people... they were the so-called ’test subjects’..."

Clearly, I was one of the test subjects. There were probably many others with the same genes scattered across the world.

"To keep the wealthy investing money into this research and to make them trust the experimental results, these test subjects were placed inside ordinary surrogates to be born, raised, and live normal lives. Then, specialized personnel would record their every move in society—their superior intellect, their heightened senses, their stronger physiques. Whether in sports, finance, scientific research, or any other field, they could far surpass ordinary people."

"The success of this data attracted the interest of more capitalists and wealthy individuals. They began to use their own ’children’—that is, their embryos—as pawns and test subjects... for so-called gene editing."

It was clear that Asher was one of the people who had undergone gene editing.

’One of the so-called designer babies for the rich.’

The Lancaster family had invested the money. It was Old Master Lancaster who had wanted to leave behind a stronger descendant.

’But unexpectedly... Asher’s ’awakening’ came too late. He was deemed a ’failure’ and mercilessly abandoned at an orphanage.’

They didn’t even consider the genetically modified children to be their own offspring. They just saw him as a toy, a doll.

’This is the horror of human nature.’

And I was a test subject, fully optimized by genetic engineering.

"Obviously, this technology and the criminal syndicate behind it are still continuing their work..." Asher looked at me, his eyes filled with sorrow.

I knew we were just sacrifices of this era, stepping stones for so-called scientific progress.

Their progress didn’t happen overnight. It was built upon years and years of constant experimentation, observation, and data accumulation.

If genetic modification becomes a global trend in the future, if it’s legalized, then we are destined to be nothing more than stepping stones in the torrent of history.

’And the rebels... they exist to fight this organization.’

’To fight against powerful capitalists...’

It was like a mayfly trying to shake a great tree, or an ant trying to topple an elephant.

Just thinking about it was suffocating, almost unimaginable.

"Killian Lancaster is also one of those high-IQ individuals created through gene editing. Third Master Lancaster had it done behind Old Master Lancaster’s back."

’Third Master Lancaster is far too ambitious. If Old Master Lancaster were to discover his secret—that he was hiding Killian Lancaster—he would also uncover his ambition to take over the entire Lancaster family.’

’Because Third Master Lancaster is just part of a collateral branch that has benefited from the family; he’s merely a relative.’

’But a relative who wants to steal your family’s fortune...’

"Marcus Lancaster’s death... it was because he opposed gene editing, opposed this kind of anti-human practice. When I was thrown into the orphanage, considered a defective product of genetic modification, he argued fiercely, wanting to bring me home. But Old Master Lancaster and everyone else in the family objected, seeing me as a stain... After that, he began dedicating himself to fighting this organization, opposing these kinds of inhuman live experiments..."

So that was why Marcus Lancaster, as the heir to Meridia’s biggest fortune, could die so mysteriously.

’And Old Master Lancaster, after losing such an outstanding son, didn’t make a sound. He didn’t even... investigate.’

’It just shows how terrifying the money behind it all is.’

"Then why does Killian Lancaster want to work with us?" I asked, looking at Asher.

"He opposes the experiment. He opposes gene editing," Asher replied.

I was surprised. ’Killian Lancaster opposes it?’

"We oppose it because of the deaths of our loved ones, because of the suffering of those we care about. We’re fighting this anti-human experiment to prevent tragedy from happening and repeating itself. But he’s not like that. He enjoys his superior intellect. He revels in his man-made advantage. He won’t allow more high-IQ modified humans to appear and compete with him for the resources at the top."

I nodded in understanding.

’I knew it.’

’So, the murderer is actually trying to fight The Genetics Organization.’

’And Cecilia Caldwell is The Genetics Organization’s most important test subject...’

’Killing me is a certainty, a part of their game of intimidation.’

’That night, even if Erin Whittaker hadn’t lured me out, I still would have died. It was only a matter of time.’

’Because I’m on their kill list.’

"Silvia Lynch! I’ll kill you!"

We had just walked out of the hospital and were about to get in the car when a practically crazed figure burst from the crowd.

She was holding a fruit knife and lunged at me.

I instinctively raised my hand to grab the blade, but Asher was faster, seizing the hilt.

"Silvia Lynch, why don’t you just die! You did it on purpose, didn’t you?! You knew Claire Lawson had AIDS, you knew! I’ll kill you! I’m going to kill you!"

The person was Erin Whittaker. Disheveled and frantic, she was screaming that she wanted to kill me.

"You ruined my life! You ruined me!" Erin Whittaker wailed, collapsing to the ground. Julian Fletcher, who had been chasing her, frantically held her back.

"Erin!" Julian Fletcher yelled. "Come back with me!"

Erin Whittaker sobbed and struggled. "She ruined me! I won’t let her get away with this! I swear I won’t! Julian, kill her! Help me kill her! She’s not Cecilia Caldwell! She really isn’t Cecilia Caldwell..."

Erin Whittaker wailed and struggled. Being infected with AIDS was like a death sentence. Her life truly was ruined.

I looked down at the tormented, crazed Erin Whittaker and said in a low voice, "Humans should never fight against nature... The wheel of karma turns. The judgment of fate will always come. It may be late, but it will arrive."

’So, this is Erin Whittaker’s retribution.’

’The price for her malice.’

"And what about you? You think you’re some kind of saint?! You have more sin and blood on your hands than I do, Silvia Lynch! Stop pretending! Stop pretending! No matter how well you fake being a victim, you can’t change what you really are!" Erin Whittaker screamed, throwing a handful of photos and documents at us.

"Sebastian! Julian! You’ve all been fooled by her! Look for yourselves! This is The Genetics Organization’s observation data on Silvia Lynch! I stole it! See for yourselves!"

Erin Whittaker screamed uncontrollably, glaring at me with pure hatred, as if she were looking at a devil.