XXX: The Impossible Choice

Julian pushed himself away from the cold table, the picture of Leon—his sister, his reason for fighting—still burning in his mind. The cold, logical voice of Adrian echoed in the small glass room, laying out the impossible ultimatum: the Nexus Point or Leon's life.Through the glass, Leona was a figure of fierce, defiant stillness. He met her gaze. Her eyes, usually full of the gentle wisdom of the forest, were now blazing with a silent, desperate plea. She knew what giving up the Nexus Point meant: the destruction of her home, the ruin of the Heartwood, and the end of her people's way of life. It was a cultural genocide disguised as a corporate transaction.How can I choose? The question screamed through his mind. How can I save one life at the cost of a world?Adrian watched him, his expression a mixture of clinical impatience and something that almost resembled pity. “Don’t be sentimental, Julian. This is science. This is commerce. You save the person you can save. The forest is… a

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XXXI:The Flaw in the Formula

The heavy, metallic clang of the lock being disengaged was the loudest sound Julian had ever heard. The glass door hissed open. Adrian stood aside, a silent, professional sentinel, allowing Julian and Leona to step out. Leona’s hand immediately found Julian’s, a gesture that was both a desperate anchor and a silent warning.“Congratulations, Julian,” Adrian said, retrieving the photo of Leon and putting it back in his jacket. “A rare win-win scenario. You save your sister, and we save the project. Now, the protocol.” He held out a secure tablet, his eyes cold and unwavering.Julian didn’t hesitate. He knew this moment was the most dangerous part of the entire exchange. His life—and Leona’s—depended entirely on the value of the information he was about to provide. But more importantly, the Heartwood’s fate depended on the subtle flaw he had built into the data.“I need to write this down,” Julian said, his voice calm despite the adrenaline raging in his veins. He took the tablet and be

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XXXII: The Eight-Hour Race

The black SUV dropped Julian and Leona off exactly where they requested: the congested intersection near the University Belt, a pulsing center of intellectual activity and chaotic urban life. The moment the vehicle sped away, they melted into the crowd of students, vendors, and commuters, the anonymity of the city now their best defense.“Eight hours,” Julian muttered, checking the battered chronometer on his wrist. It read just past midnight. The city was still alive, but the night felt colder, sharper.“Saan tayo pupunta?” Leona asked, her voice low and tight as she pulled the hood of her borrowed jacket tighter around her head. The city felt oppressive to her, a concrete monster breathing polluted air.“We need two things, Leona. Fast. First, we need to secure the original evidence—the data that proves Silas is actively killing people. Second, we need proof that Leon is safe and cured, not just moved,” Julian explained, urgency tightening his jaw. “The only place to get both is Adri

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XXXIII: The Hospital Interception

The chaotic noise of the city, once a suffocating threat, was now their cover. The sirens were growing louder, their wails cutting through the early morning haze. Julian and Leona knew the alerts weren't for them yet, but for the data dump—the intellectual bomb Julian had detonated. The news agencies were waking up, and the world was about to learn the depth of Silas’s depravity. But they had to move faster than the headlines."Less than three hours, Leona," Julian said, checking the battered chronometer on his wrist. "The hospital is two kilometers from here. We need to be invisible.""Wala tayong kotse, at delikado ang taxi. Lakad tayo, mas mabilis," Leona commanded, her natural jungle agility translating into lightning-fast urban movement.She took the lead, navigating the backstreets and service corridors with the instinct of a hunter. Julian followed, marveling at her ability to use the city's hidden infrastructure—the dumpsters, the construction sites, the covered walkways—as ef

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Semua Bab The Discovery of His Obsession: Bab 31 - Bab 34

XXX: The Impossible Choice

XXXI:The Flaw in the Formula

XXXII: The Eight-Hour Race

XXXIII: The Hospital Interception