Chapter 998

She cannot betray her father's dying wish, cannot violate the laws of nature, and absolutely cannot drag human society into an endless abyss.

But what about her daughter? She's only in her twenties. She's pregnant...

"I'll leave you two alone for today," Corvus says, withdrawing his gaze. "I expect you to discuss this thoroughly. Do not disappoint me."

Before leaving, he deliberately drops the photograph of Celine onto the bedside table.

*Clang-*

The heavy iron door seals shut, plunging the room into suffocating silence.

Theia knows Corvus isn't doing them a favor. This is psychological torture. Locking them in a room together right after dropping the bomb that their daughter is alive— he's forcing them into an impossible ultimatum.

*Do you want to be the invisible saviors of humanity? Or do you want to be parents and see your daughter?*

"Are you happy?" Theia asks softly, bringing a cup of water to Silas's cracked lips. "Our little Five is alive."

Silas blinks, a faint smile touching his lips.

Then, he shifts his gaze toward the security camera bolted to the ceiling, signaling her silently.

Theia catches on instantly. She shifts her body to completely block the camera's line of sight, leaning her ear close to his face. Knowing he can't speak, she opens her palm and rests it gently near his hand.

Silas blinks in affirmation. With trembling, agonizing effort, he lifts his right hand and begins tracing on her palm.

Theia focuses intently. When she realizes what he's writing, her brow furrows in confusion.

"Silas," she whispers, "are you writing a 7?"

He stares at her and nods.

"What does 7 mean?" she asks, thoroughly confused.

Silas painfully shifts his hand, pointing a trembling finger toward a piece of medical equipment with a warning label, tapping near the words for "medical" and "save."

*Medical? Save?*

Watching his frantic gestures, Theia's mind flashes back to her conversation by the door.

The young doctor had said: *He's awake, but his brain is scrambled. He even mistook a 2 for a 7.*

Silas is a genius. Even with severe atrophy, he can clearly read and point out complex words. There is absolutely no way he would misread a simple number. Theia freezes as the image of the young doctor's silhouette floods her mind. *Could it be... that boy was their Seven? But it was a guy!*

"A girl disguised as a guy, right?" Theia breathes, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper. "You recognized her?"

The doctor was blindfolded and the lighting was terrible, making it incredibly hard to see clearly.

Silas blinks hard, tears welling in his eyes. With immense effort, he mouths a silent, exaggerated word: *Seven.*

"Five and Seven... they're both alive."

Theia finally puts the pieces

together. Her heart races with-

overwhelming joy, but she fights to

keep her face impassive for the cameras

"She definitely didn't recognize you," Theia whispers, turning her back to

so

the lens You were always 30 strict with her when she was little. She

was terrified of you."

She used to sit as far away from him as possible at the dinner table.

Silas manages a bitter, self-deprecating smile. *They're alive. Two of our girls are alive.*

"Five was always the most fragile. If she survived, the others definitely survived too," Theia says, her voice trembling.

But her joy vanishes as quickly as it came, replaced by dread. "Do you think they've found each other?"

"Fate is completely insane. Corvus

has no idea that the person he's been hunting day and night was standing right in front of him. Thank God he didn't recognize our Seven," Theia murmurs, her chest tightening. The fact that she grew up to be a master doctor she's incredible."

Not only that, she just pulled her own father back from the brink of death.

Silas blinks rapidly, a tear slipping down his temple.

"But what about Five?" Theia drops her gaze, panic setting in. "What do we do?

Corvus is definitely going to go after her!"

Silas points back toward the word "Save."

"You mean... find a way to contact Seven again?" Theia translates his thought process. "Have the sisters reunite so Seven can save Five?"