Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“When it comes to safety and security, I don’t think she’d keep any related information at home, anyway.”

Hisha said. Kate responded skeptically.

[I’ve checked out places with Biosafety Level 4 laboratories, but there were no signs of handling viruses like the Luax virus.]

If it’s a virus with potential risks as high as the Luax virus, it would likely be researched at a Biosafety Level 4 facility. Considering there aren’t many BSL 4 facilities unless it’s a national secret facility, Kate, or more precisely Myung-jin, probably wouldn’t miss it.

[It’s not like a pharmaceutical company can use defense facilities either.]

Kate’s words were reasonable.

It didn’t seem likely that Eugene, who aimed to inherit the family, could freely use KKnox Genomics facilities. In other words, it was a reasonable conclusion that she was developing it in a facility operated personally by her.

So rather than the company, he thought she could keep the data at home…

“Could Sergei Aleushin be providing a place for virus development?”

Hisha muttered, imagining Eugene and Sergei having dinner together.

[That could be possible. But there’s nothing we can do if we head in that direction. Security there might be as strict as a drug lord’s.]

That too, and Russia where Sergei operates is too far away. Kate added.

[And this is just my opinion. I don’t think the virus will be developed in the facility provided by Sergei Aleushin. Eugene, that woman is too smart to trust Sergei Aleushin. I don’t think she would leave a virus in a facility easily accessible. He might raid it someday.]

There was logic in her words.

Hisha sighed.

“Anyway, even if the lab is too much trouble, I think we should visit Knox Genomics.”

[How can a gardener assistant get into a company?]

“That’s the question.”

[Originally, getting a job at a company or a lab would have been the fastest way.]

Hisha understood what Kate wanted to say.

If he had been able to get a job at a global conglomerate like Knox Genomics from the start, things wouldn’t have gotten this complicated. Although Kim Young-soo’s resume, which was originally not his, wasn’t fundamentally different from his own.

Unable to find an answer, the two remained silent for a while.

[Flirting.]

Kate suddenly said.

“What?”

Hisha asked in surprise.

[Since leather is the only thing you can afford, push through with that. After establishing a store, pretend to be a lover and try to visit the company or lab saying you want to look around. Isn’t that the only way left for you right now?]

Hisha furrowed his brow.

“But using people’s emotions like that….”

Kate burst out laughing loudly.

[Saints preserve us. What if that woman finishes developing the virus and starts selling it to the mafia, drug cartels, or terrorist organizations? It would usher in a world where villains live forever.]

“She’s not that unethical.”

Hisha said, unwittingly defending Eugene, and silence hung heavy.

[Hey, Hisha Ivanov.]

Kate’s voice dropped low as if descending into hell.

[What are you doing right now?]

Hisha scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. He had expected this reaction.

[Are you in there just to talk such nonsense?]

“I just…”

[Why do you think that woman maintains an engagement with Aleushin? It’s not just because of the enormous funds involved in virus development, but Aleushin is deeply connected to the Russian mafia.]

“…”

[She could manipulate those forces through Aleushin. Someone hiding such intentions wouldn’t display ethics in the face of vast financial flows. Wake up from your fantasy.]

Her words hit home, and originally, it was Kate who dragged Hisha into this. He hadn’t changed his mind about it even now. However, meeting Eugene in person and realizing that the place he had merely thought of as a den of evil was more human than he had imagined surprised him.

Tap, tap…

Hisha’s sensitive ears detected someone approaching.

“Cut it off.”

Hisha ended the call immediately and hurriedly put on his gardening gloves. Then he quickly went to the spot where he had left the sapling to plant.

Before long, he heard the sound of the greenhouse door opening.

Swoosh…

As he turned belatedly as if hearing the sound, Eugene, dressed in the same dress as before, entered the greenhouse.

Once again, her eyes, reminiscent of Venus rising from the foam, entranced him.

“You’re here?”

Hisha asked, feigning surprise by putting down the pot he was holding—actually, he was genuinely surprised because he hadn’t expected Eugene to come.

“Are you still working?”

Eugene looked around the greenhouse.

“I’m just finishing up with this.”

Pierlu left earlier.

From somewhere, he answered the phone first, saying he had ‘personal business.’ But it was a call from the hospital. Nevertheless, Pierlu didn’t think Hisha, who was far away, could hear.

But Eugene didn’t go straight away; she sat down on the bench. Hisha suppressed the excitement in his heart that she didn’t leave and asked.

“Did you enjoy your dinner?”

Eugene shrugged her shoulders.

“It was expensive.”

Hisha felt relieved. The meal might not have been tasty, but if she had enjoyed her time with Sergei Aleushin, she wouldn’t have left with the impression that the food was bad.

Hiding his joy in his voice, he asked.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“It feels comfortable here when I come. Do your work. I won’t disturb you.”

She seemed to think Hisha was making an effort to talk while sitting there. It wasn’t the case at all…

For some reason, chatting with Eugene was enjoyable. They had never had a particularly deep conversation, and there wasn’t much they could talk about together. Even if they tried to have a meaningful conversation, it would be difficult, but strangely, time passed without them realizing it.

“What’s this?”

At that moment, Eugene approached and pointed to a plant.

“Oh, this is…”

Hisha turned his head to respond but found himself staring at Eugene. She noticed his gaze and asked.

“Why?”

“It smells nice from you.”

Eugene smiled faintly.

“Really? I guess the perfume suits me.”

“What perfume is it?”

Hisha asked out of genuine curiosity.

“It’s a customized perfume made for me by a perfumer.”

“Oh, there are perfumes like that?”

Eugene shrugged.

“Ready-made perfumes have too common scents.”

“Yeah, it feels like a scent I’ve never smelled before.”

“Want to smell it more?”

As she tilted her head, the pearl earring under the light shone on her earlobe.

If someone else saw this situation, they might wonder how it looked, and Hisha was captivated by the thought of wanting to smell more. He moved closer, and Eugene, watching him, laughed slightly with a sparkle in her amber eyes. Sitting elegantly like this, Eugene looked like a child.

He was engulfed in her laughter and fragrance, feeling almost dreamlike.

As he got closer, he peered into her deeply scooped dress, and even from inside, the scent of perfume rose, causing Hisha to approach even more.

Suddenly, Hisha stiffened. Then, as if startled by the fire, he stood up abruptly.

“Why are you…”

Eugene also stood up, surprised. For some reason, Hisha, who had been unable to move, grabbed the back of his head and stripped off his shirt with a single pull, revealing his body like a dog shaking its fur. A beetle fell to the floor.

The beetle landed softly on the floor as if nothing had happened, and in the silence, the two looked at each other. Eugene, inadvertently, glanced down at his white David-like body.

“Nice body.”

She said, raising her hand.

“If it seemed like harassment, I’m sorry. It was just pure admiration.”

Hisha awkwardly put on his clothes again, blushing and bowing his head for some reason.

“Thank you.”

Eugene smiled.

“I should thank you for showing me around so nicely.”

Then, as if realizing something, she murmured.

“Is this also considered harassment? Maybe it’s because it’s nighttime. I should go to bed before causing an accident.”

“Ah… you can stay a little longer.”

Hisha said reflexively.

Therefore, whether it meant that it would be okay to cause an accident or was simply a pure gesture of courtesy, Eugene couldn’t help but ponder. For a brief moment, a strange current flowed between them, leaving both momentarily speechless.

Hisha had to admit he had underestimated the complexity of the situation. He had thought it would be simple to just find and retrieve the prototype of the virus or related information, believing that would solve everything. He hadn’t considered that people lived here too, each with their own circumstances. It seemed he had regarded this place more like the final boss’ castle in a game.

‘The final boss isn’t even here.’

Instead, the final boss’ daughter was the one guarding the castle, and to make matters more interesting, she happened to be beautiful, kind-hearted, and impressive. If this were a game, it seemed like a signpost pointing to a pivotal moment in the storyline.

-> Seduce the final boss’ daughter.

-> Find another way.

However, he found himself quite enamored with the first option.

‘But I can’t do that as long as I have a conscience.’

As he pondered this, Eugene smiled and spoke.

“I’ll go now.”

She turned and left the greenhouse. Her long dress swept over the threshold and disappeared as the door closed behind her. Hisha stood there for a while, scratching the back of his head in confusion. He couldn’t quite grasp why he felt so regretful.

After a moment, he sighed and collected himself. For now, he felt he should head home.

Turning around, he noticed a beetle crawling on the ground—the same one that had fallen onto his head earlier. He picked it up, and it wriggled as if to say, ‘Because of you, I had a rough time.’

“You caused quite a stir.”

He sighed, placing the beetle back near the trees.

Nasiri, observing from outside the greenhouse, watched this scene intently.