Ch. 357: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life Chapter 357

Chapter 357

"I don't know." Norah was still processing the shocking truth she'd uncovered.

Calvin had disappeared behind the rushing waterfall.

They couldn’t locate him and had no choice but to retrace their steps.

The lab was in chaos, yet nothing significant seemed to have changed.

Kevin hesitated as he recalled what was inside and advised, "Maybe you shouldn't go in."

"Why not?" Norah asked. "You were just asking if I knew anything about the mechanisms in there. I need to go inside to figure it out."

Kevin frowned slightly. "The things in there... they’re not easy to look at."

"That’s what you’re worried about?" Norah said, her voice steady. "I’ve already seen and heard enough unbelievable things. Nothing can scare me now."

Her calm confidence dispelled Kevin's concerns.

Even so, her composure faltered slightly once she stepped inside. The horrors in the laboratory were beyond anything she could have imagined.

Human organs, likely part of some grotesque experiment, were laid out in plain view. Malformed animals, failed results of similar experiments, were scattered throughout.

A caged orangutan barked incessantly, mutilating its fingers until they bled.

The air was thick with a nauseating stench—a blend of blood and chemicals that turned Norah's stomach.

"I'm fine," she reassured herself.

In the center of the room, Jace stood with a test tube in his gloved hand, examining its contents. When he noticed Norah, his expression softened with relief. "You’re okay," he said gently. "But there’s bad news—the test tubes here don’t contain the real formula. These might be fakes."

"Fakes?" Kevin’s face hardened. "That sneaky old fox, Calvin!"

Jace nodded. "Calvin was here, so the real formula must still be close by. It’s unlikely he took it far."

"Hole in the ground," someone murmured.

The group turned toward the spot where Calvin had fled. It seemed the perfect place to hide something important.

Norah silently approached the area and pressed a switch without hesitation. The ground shifted, revealing a staircase leading down.

Without a second thought, Norah started descending.

Kevin caught her hand. "Wait."

She turned, confused. "Isn’t it already open?"

"Let me go first," Kevin said firmly. If there was danger ahead, he wouldn’t let Norah face it.

Norah hesitated but stepped back, allowing Kevin to take the lead. Levi, concerned for Kevin’s safety, offered, "Captain Edwards, let us go ahead."

Kevin shot him a sharp look. "A hole in the ground is enough to stop me? What happens when we face thousands of troops?"

Levi didn’t argue further.

Kevin tightened his grip on Norah’s hand as they descended together. Tension filled the air, and Norah clung to him, momentarily forgetting the fragile state of their relationship.

The descent was suffocatingly dark, and every step felt like a battle against the unknown.

"You’re doing great," Kevin murmured softly, trying to calm her. "We’ll get through this."

His steady reassurance helped, but when Norah heard the faint sound of hollow footsteps ahead, she froze. "Stop!" she whispered urgently.

Kevin halted immediately.

A faint light flickered ahead, casting eerie shadows. Norah’s fingers brushed against the wall, feeling for anything unusual. Her hand found a small bump, and she pressed it.

An arrow shot out, embedding itself in the stone wall with a loud thunk. Moments later, dim lights illuminated the path, revealing ordinary-looking stone walls lined with hidden traps.

"You really do know your way around," Kevin said, impressed.

Norah didn’t reply, relying on her instincts to navigate the maze of traps. Eventually, they reached a hidden chamber.

"This must be it!" someone exclaimed from behind them.

Words were etched into the chamber’s entrance, written in a rare dialect few could understand.

Norah studied the writing but couldn’t decipher it. Ignoring it for the moment, she opened the chamber door. A blast of cold air escaped, revealing another laboratory inside.

Unlike the first lab, this one was pristine, equipped with advanced tools and filled with vials of potions.

"This is it," Jace said with certainty.

Kevin asked, "Can you identify the right one?"

"I’ll run some tests," Jace replied. "Leave this to me."

"Thanks," Kevin said solemnly.

"It’s no trouble. This is valuable experience for me," Jace said. As a doctor, he was both fascinated and repulsed by the potions. Unlocking their secrets could mark a significant breakthrough in his medical career.

It wasn’t just about defeating Calvin—it was about liberating others and breaking free from the pharaoh’s influence.

"It’s cold here. Let’s head back up," Kevin suggested to Norah. "We’ve noted the traps, so there won’t be an issue."

Norah glanced one last time at the mysterious writing before nodding. "Okay."

Once they emerged, the chaos outside had subsided. Norah returned to the car, where Kevin immediately draped a blanket over her. "Stay here," he instructed. "I’ll come back after handling the rest."

Norah nodded, watching him intently.

Still concerned, Kevin added, "Promise me you won’t wander off."

"I promise," she said.

Not fully reassured, Kevin assigned Frank to stay with her. After making the arrangements, Kevin left.

As Norah waited, she noticed another car parked nearby. Inside, Bianca, Kevin’s fiancée, was causing a commotion. She thrashed and screamed, refusing to leave.

"Let go of me!" Bianca shrieked. "I’m Bianca, Kevin’s fiancée! A star! You can’t treat me like this! Take me to him now!"

Her face was red from crying, her voice hoarse as she spiraled into hysteria, kicking and biting anyone who came near.

In the end, the guards had no choice but to restrain her.

"You’re tying me up?!" Bianca screamed. "I’ve done nothing wrong! You’re the ones at fault!"

Watching the scene, Norah felt a pang of pity but quickly dismissed it.

"Ma’am, Captain Edwards said not to wander off," Frank reminded her.

"I’m not wandering," Norah replied. "I just need to stretch my legs. You can come with me."