Alex continued to describe the process of healing Cam. "We'll finish by sewing you up, and then you'll just need some time to let it heal. As long as you rest and don't let it re-open while it's healing, you should live a long life. You're otherwise healthy and strong, so I have no doubt that you'll recover quickly."
He shrugged. "It's surprising to see a martial arts master so ill, but at least you have the advantage of using your inner power to assist the healing process. The medicine I have works even if the patient is in the worst condition, and it will keep you from getting sick again."
Cam realized that the medicine in question was the one that Bella had told him about.
"Golden Health powder?" he blurted out.
Alex nodded. "But I only made a small amount of it, and now I've run out. I need about fifteen million dollars to research and manufacture more of it as soon as possible."
"If you can save my life, then fifteen million is not a problem," Cam said, smiling. "I'll go and prepare for the surgery."
"Good," Alex said. "We should do it as soon as possible. If it gets any worse, then the treatment will be much more complicated, so be careful not to strain yourself."
Cam stood up and said, "Okay, I'll be in touch soon."
They shook hands, and after a few words, Cam turned around and left without the Pacific orchids.
"So, you're going to treat him?" Sawyer asked from the doorway. He had come back from his room and had overheard their conversation.
"If he's willing to believe me and let me treat him, then I'll save his life for fifteen million dollars," Alex said. He got up and made a cup of tea for Sawyer. "But I think he's suspicious of me, so he'll never let me treat him. After all, the Demon sect is our rival, so he probably thinks I'm trying to get rid of him." He smiled. "It doesn't seem natural for a leader of his standing to sit here and respectfully ask me questions, so I suspect he's just using me in exchange for a favor, that's all."
He shrugged. "Even if he believes what I said is true, he would never let me touch him and put himself at risk. His biggest worry is that he'll die. Even if he's suffering now, he's too smart to put his life in my hands. He's a proud man, and he knows his body. When he goes back, he'll certainly get more tests done. If he finds any trace of illness, then he'll use my method to deal with it."
He could see straight through Cam. "He's showing weakness, but it's all a ruse."
"It won't get him anywhere," Sawyer said, and then he burst out laughing. "Even if he doesn't give us fifteen million dollars, we still have three Pacific orchids, so it doesn't matter. We'll be in a very good position."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Maryann has to speed up the production of Golden Health and push the samples out early." He was worried that other people were getting too interested in developing healing powders, and it was important that he get his version on the market first.
He decided to keep the Pacific orchids and asked some of the other doctors to begin work on them, hoping he could use them to cure Celeste.
After a few days, he had heard no news from Cam, but Maryann had sped up production, so they were on track to have a new batch of Golden Health powder soon. The future of the company relied on the project, so Maryann had taken charge of everything. She had even helped with the decor for the new office buildings.
On the afternoon of the third day, she called Alex and asked him to go to the Golden Health powder pharmaceutical R&D center to see what else was needed.
So, he made his way there and asked Kendall to meet him.
The research center was located in a remote area because of the top-secret nature of the project. It consisted of three seven-story buildings, and it was all used for research and development.
Just as Alex arrived and got out of the car, he heard a loud explosion followed by a panicked scream and someone shouting "Fire."
Looking up, he saw a red glow inside the office building. He watched as flames quickly spread through the second and third floors until finally, the entire building was on fire. Bright flames and black smoke billowed out of all the windows, and the heat could be felt from some distance away.
It had happened so fast that the people inside had barely made it out in time.
Workers poured out of the entrance, including Maryann's secretary, Julie. Running out in a panic, she tripped and fell.
"Are you okay?" Alex rushed over to help her up. "What's going on? How did this happen?"
"A car battery exploded and set fire to a pile of decorations and curtains," she replied, her face pale. "Thankfully, we got out in time. The fire spread so fast that if we had been any slower, we would have been trapped inside."
She looked up at the burning building, her eyes wide with fear.
Alex glanced at the crowd that had escaped the inferno. "What about Maryann?" he asked. "Did she come out with you?"
He looked over at Julie, whose eyes filled with a look of sheer panic.