Free Web NovelChapter 284: Chapter 287: What if Charlotte Shaw Died?
"Preston, the approval rating for Love’s Law’s closed beta has climbed to 98.97%! A ton of potential players are urging us to hurry up with the open beta. What do you think? Should I tell everyone to work overtime and rush the schedule?"
The signal on Misty Peak Mountain wasn’t great, and the voice on the other end of the phone was choppy, but it couldn’t hide the excitement in Evan Yates’s tone.
Felix Preston was crouching by the roadside to catch his breath. Wiping his glasses on his clothes, he replied, "There’s no need to rush. Love’s Law is our weapon for making a comeback, so we absolutely can’t sacrifice quality for speed just because the players are impatient. This game will decide if we can get back on our feet again. Every single detail must be polished to perfection. We have to make sure players can’t find any critical bugs after the open beta launches."
"Besides, the hype for Love’s Law is too high right now. If we hastily put out the open beta, any problem that pops up could become the very thing that brings us down. Since we’re carrying so many expectations, we absolutely cannot let those expectations be in vain."
"Don’t put too much pressure on the studio staff. Just have them proceed at a normal pace. But I still want the detailed progress reports sent to me for review every day."
"Mmm..." Evan Yates was completely won over by Felix Preston’s words, his voice full of admiration. "You really think of everything, Preston. Not like me. As soon as I get a taste of success, I get so carried away I don’t know which way is up!"
"No wonder my mom always says I’ll never amount to much in this life."
"Hmph..." Felix Preston let out a soft chuckle. "You’re still young. Your experience and mindset can be developed over time. No rush. By the way, what’s the situation with Wallace Usher?"
The moment Wallace Usher was mentioned, Evan Yates’s tone turned serious. "We’ve got him. We’re preparing to question him now. We should have the exact address of that villa in a few hours."
Felix Preston: "Mm. Keep an eye on the time. Uncle Collins is probably getting ready to look for him, too."
Evan Yates: "Don’t worry, Preston. We’ve got Wallace Usher dead to rights. As long as we bring out the stuff we have on him, he won’t dare keep quiet, and he especially won’t dare breathe a word of this to the task force!"
"Alright." Felix Preston put his glasses back on and pushed himself up from his knees. "Let’s leave it at that. Call me if anything else comes up."
Evan Yates: "You got it. Bye, Preston."
Felix Preston: "Bye."
"Done with your call?" Renee Sinclair handed him a bottle of water.
He shoved his phone into the pocket of his windbreaker and zipped it up before taking the water from Renee Sinclair’s hand.
"Thanks," he said politely.
Renee Sinclair shook her head, twisting open the cap to take a sip of the ice-cold mineral water. "No problems with Wallace Usher?"
Felix Preston: "No problems. If all goes to plan, we should know Charlotte’s exact location in a few hours."
After finishing her drink, Renee Sinclair slowly screwed the cap back on. "Willow Quincy was called to Veridia by the task force. If we can find Charlotte before he gets back, things will be much easier."
The mountain fog was thick. Not two minutes after Felix Preston had wiped his glasses clean, a hazy film of condensation fogged them up again.
He squinted slightly behind the fogged lenses and said in a low voice, "I was thinking the same thing. If we can find Charlotte’s location before Willow Quincy returns, everything will be much simpler."
"But I’m afraid things are never that simple."
"Sigh..." Renee Sinclair sighed, too exhausted to know what else to say.
"How much longer until Jasper Linden gets back?" She tilted her head back and looked around. "Didn’t he say he was going to find a bathroom? Hasn’t he found one yet?"
"Soon." Felix Preston casually pocketed the water bottle, picked up the hiking stick at his feet, and continued upward. "He just texted me. Said he’ll be back in five minutes. Let’s get going. He’ll catch up."
Renee Sinclair let out a noise of assent, dragging her sore, weak legs as she listlessly followed behind Felix Preston.
"We’ve almost covered this entire mountain, but we’ve found absolutely nothing. Sigh... I just hope Evan Yates moves fast. Searching like this, like trying to find a needle in a haystack, is a waste of both time and energy."
Felix Preston: "Actually, our trip out here wasn’t entirely to scout the villa’s location. It was more to familiarize ourselves with the terrain and the routes. Once the villa’s location is exposed, Uncle Collins will naturally bring people to rescue Charlotte. As for Willow Quincy... he’ll be mine to deal with."
Hearing this, Renee Sinclair raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Felix Preston, are you planning to..."
[Hehe, five more minutes.]
The system’s voice rang out in her mind without warning, abruptly cutting off what Renee Sinclair was about to say.
Renee Sinclair frowned. Just as she was about to ask the system what the hell it was doing, the world suddenly spun around her! Then, she lost consciousness.
"Planning to do what?" Felix Preston asked with a half-smile.
"..."
Renee Sinclair didn’t answer.
Her eyes were wide and blank as she quickened her pace to walk beside Felix Preston.
"Felix Preston, I want to ask you a question," she said, her voice sounding hollow.
Felix Preston glanced at her, not noticing anything amiss. "What question?"
Renee Sinclair: "If, and I’m just saying if, if Charlotte couldn’t come back, or if something happened to her, what would you do?"
"...What?" Felix Preston frowned, annoyed by Renee Sinclair’s question.
Renee Sinclair’s lips stretched into a stiff smile. "I’m asking you, if Charlotte couldn’t come back, or if something happened to her along the way, what would you do then?"
As if completely oblivious to Felix Preston’s expression, she repeated the question with a grin, looking utterly punchable.
Felix Preston’s face darkened as he stared at her, displeased. "...Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Renee Sinclair stared straight ahead, her gaze somewhat vacant. "No reason. I was just asking casually. You know, curious."
Felix Preston: "Don’t be curious. That scenario is never going to happen."
"...Oh." Renee Sinclair pouted, a little disappointed by Felix Preston’s reaction.
"Felix Preston, if Charlotte doesn’t come back, or doesn’t want to come back, are you planning to find a new mother to love Sandy?"
Seemingly unwilling to give up, Renee Sinclair rephrased her previous question and asked it again.
Felix Preston’s expression darkened completely, and his tone was now laced with a deep chill.
"Renee Sinclair, you’ve gone too far!" he warned sharply.
"How have I gone too far?" Renee Sinclair continued to stare ahead, her expression and gaze both radiating an obvious strangeness.
"Isn’t it a perfectly normal question? You’re still so young, and Sandy is so little. You have to plan ahead."
