She is a natural disaster.

Chapter 55 Fate Plays a Trick

Olivia's belly grew bigger and bigger, and her health deteriorated.

The pollution and mutations that had been suppressed for many years gradually manifested themselves, and their backlash against Olivia became increasingly severe, causing her to remain conscious for shorter and shorter periods of time.

Despite the affliction that plagued Olivia, she remained strong and optimistic. In her increasingly limited lucid moments, she would always comfort her husband and dream about a bright future.

As a husband and soon-to-be father, Bill Montagu did not run away this time; he had been searching for a way to heal his wife Olivia.

However, the abnormal lesions caused by pollution cannot be cured. Even if Bill finds the Ophiuchus with the help of Father Lawrence, all the Ophiuchus can do is alleviate Olivia's pain.

By late pregnancy, Olivia, tormented by illness, had become so thin that she was just a skeleton with only her belly protruding. During her brief moments of lucidity, Olivia could not even leave her bed, as she was no longer able to support her body.

The beautiful and gentle Olivia of the past is gone, leaving only a strong and brave mother. Her unborn child keeps her going until her last breath, and she refuses to give up.

Finally, the new life was born, and Olivia no longer had to struggle; she could finally get some rest.

"Bill, please take good care of yourself, and please take good care of our children."

"Bill, I'm tired, I want to sleep for a while."

After saying those two sentences, Olivia closed her eyes and never woke up again.

Bill sat by his wife's bedside all night, watching his emaciated and frail wife turn to bones overnight.

The illogical scene didn't frighten Bill; his heart had already left with Olivia, but his body couldn't leave with her.

From that day on, Bill worked even harder. He wanted to take good care of Mike and give him the best life. As a result, the Montague family business reached new heights.

However, there is always a wall between father and son.

To make matters worse, Olivia's early death left a lack of harmony and coordination between father and son.

Bill arranged for a young female governess to take care of Mike, intending for Mike to experience maternal love from her.

As it turned out, Mike mistakenly believed that these young female governesses were Bill's mistresses. Young Mike taught these women a harsh lesson, letting them know that Montague's money was not so easy to take.

Bill and Eniz had a big argument in the study because they discovered someone was gossiping about Mike, and they couldn't agree on how to deal with the person.

Bill wanted to send these people away and keep them under surveillance, while Iniz wanted to go straight to the point and kill them outright.

As a result, Mike mistakenly thought that Bill wanted to kick Iniz out of the house.

The next day, Iniz Blatt left Gloria to deal with the gossips, further confirming Mike's suspicions.

And so, the relationship between the Montague father and son deteriorated. The two grown men seemed to have no mouths; one silently cared and made various arrangements, while the other silently misunderstood and rebelled in various ways.

Anastasia said that the Montague father and son were working together without any conflict, and that the terrible relationship between them was the result of their joint efforts.

If things could have been discussed openly and honestly like they are today, the Montague father and son would have been a loving and filial family long ago.

Now, the father and son have opened their hearts to each other and no longer hide anything. The misunderstanding that had affected them for many years has finally been resolved, and their relationship has begun to improve.

There was no embracing and weeping, no tearful wailing. For two grown men to do that seemed a bit too sentimental and not straightforward enough, and neither the father nor the son were those kinds of people.

Mike got up from his seat, went over to pour Bill a glass of wine, and lit a cigarette for him.

The unpleasantness between father and son over the years dissipated like smoke from a burning cigarette, carried away by the wind. Mike's apology was like fine wine, which Bill drank down in one gulp.

Having discussed Montague's family background, it's time to talk about Montague's crisis. This is what Anastasia is most concerned about. What exactly Bill Montague has researched is far more important to Anastasia than the generous reward.

"To be honest, I was shocked when I learned the truth about Olivia from the priest," Bill said.

Anyone would be shocked by this, even Iniz Blatt was taken aback. It was simply too bizarre and completely defied common sense.

However, the existence of transcendent beings is itself illogical, so Olivia's illogicality doesn't seem so strange after all.

"After that day, I started raising funds, gathering people, and preparing to study the pollution and the mutations it caused," Bill continued. "I wanted to find a way to cure Olivia."

It takes a long time from preparation to the formal start of research, but Olivia didn't have that much time.

Moreover, although the existence of the Beyonders is a semi-public secret in Gloria, a secret is a secret. If Bill wants to study pollution and mutation, he can only do so in private and cannot do so publicly.

"The research institute had just been built, and the research had just begun, but Olivia couldn't hold on any longer," Bill continued. "But I didn't give up, even after Olivia left, I didn't give up."

As he spoke, Bill looked at Mike, and Iniz looked at Mike in return.

Mike, not understanding the looks in the eyes of his two elders, pointed to himself, confused, and said, "What does this have to do with me?"

“Of course it’s related, my foolish nephew,” Iniz Blatt said. “Bill is worried you’ll be a hidden transcendent like Olivia.”

"Although research shows that pollution and mutation are not hereditary, I'm still worried that you might end up like Olivia, suddenly suffering the consequences of pollution and mutation someday," Bill said. "I don't want to lose you like I lost Olivia."

At this moment, Anastasia also looked at Mike. She hadn't noticed anything unusual about him. There was no contamination, no mutation, at least not at the moment.

"Mr. Montagu, from Michael's birth to his graduation from university, plus the crisis the Montagu family is currently facing, I think your research institute should have achieved some results," Anastasia asked.

Bill Montagu suddenly laughed, a bitter laugh.

Iniz Blatt shook his head repeatedly, looking like he had a bitter pill to swallow.

Anastasia understood that the success of the research at the Montague Institute was probably somewhat disappointing and far from what Bill wanted.

"My original intention was to develop methods to suppress pollution and mutation through research on pollution and mutation," Bill said helplessly. "I spent a lot of money, consulted many scholars, and even invited some geniuses."

As he spoke, Bill Montagu sighed. For a tycoon like him, spending more money was just a number; the most important thing was the cost of time.

"Life is unpredictable; what I wanted was a method of suppression, but what I got was a method of promotion," Bill continued.

Anastasia showed a rare look of surprise again. Although Bill Montagu's words were somewhat vague, clues could still be gleaned from them.

"The 'promotion' you're referring to, do you mean making pollution and mutation more active?" Anastasia asked. "If so, the mutation power of the Transcendent should also increase accordingly, but at a cost—"

"The price is the loss of self-awareness, distortion and collapse, and becoming a demon," Bill said. "The research results are not yet perfect. Although this kind of promotion will make pollution and mutation more active, it is extremely unstable. If a transcendent uses it, it will be courting death."

"We have conducted clinical trials, and although the sample size was small, the results were consistent," Iniz Blatt added. "Regardless of whether their mental state was stable before using the stimulant, they would experience varying degrees of mania after using it. In severe cases, they would become completely distorted and broken down, while those with milder symptoms would lose self-awareness after a period of time."

Overall, the accelerator developed by the Montagu Institute does more harm than good to those who transcend.

"Using this thing to die together might be a good option," Anastasia said. "If I don't live, neither will you."

Bill and Iniz remained noncommittal about Anastasia's crazy and dangerous idea; what they wanted was never a dangerous catalyst, but an inhibitor that could cure the Superhumans.

Healing the Transcendent One, suppressing pollution and mutation, is an insurmountable peak that no one has ever climbed.

"What if it were an ordinary person?" Anastasia asked. "What would the effects be like if an ordinary person used this stimulant?"

Although the results were contrary to her initial intentions, Anastasia believed that Bill Montague must have conducted many experiments. Bill was a businessman, not a saint, and Anastasia did not believe that he would remain indifferent.

"Without a doubt, the experiment failed," Bill said. "The imperfect accelerator is too much for ordinary people to handle. To put it dramatically, it's like detonating pollution inside an ordinary person's body. I don't think I need to elaborate on the consequences of such an explosion."

For ordinary people, a pollution outbreak has only two outcomes: either they fall into demonic ways or they become transcendent beings. First, they must survive the current pollution outbreak, and then they can fall into demonic ways later.

"What if the accelerator were perfected?" Anastasia pressed. "Would it be possible to mass-produce Beyonders?"

"It's not impossible," Bill said, "provided that the level of pollution is reduced and stabilized."

Anastasia nodded. The impending doom that Montague is facing is truly well-deserved.

With Bill Montagu holding something like the accelerator, how could others not covet it?

"I've destroyed those accelerators," Bill said. "Including all the research records, everything."

Upon hearing this, Anastasia looked at Bill Montagu.

Accelerators can be the culprit that brings about utter destruction, but they can also be an opportunity for takeoff; opportunities always go hand in hand with risks.

"I'm a businessman, and it's instinctive for me to seek profit and avoid harm," Bill continued. "The presence of accelerators would make Montagu a target for everyone, and the risk is too great."

While the accelerator could certainly propel the Montagu family to new heights, the prerequisite is that Montagu can survive until the accelerator is perfected.

Moreover, whether the accelerator can be perfected is still unknown, and Bill Montagu dares not gamble on it.

"Even if you destroy all the records, those people outside won't believe you," Anastasia said. "Mike's two attacks are the best proof of that."

"That's true, but I have no choice," Bill said. "All I can do is convince more people that I've destroyed the catalyst, reduce the number of enemies as much as possible, and let Montague survive this crisis."

"It's a wise choice, but it's far from enough," Anastasia said. "Humans are greedy."

Sometimes, it is wise to give up at the right time. If you cling to an imperfect catalyst, you will eventually meet a terrible end.

Bill Montague was not only a businessman who sought profit and avoided loss, but also a father. Bill dared not gamble, nor could he gamble, because as a father, he could not afford to lose.

"So I made another preparation," Bill said. "Gloria is very large, and there are definitely more than one Montagu who have studied pollution and mutation. I believe they will definitely jump out and devour the flesh and blood of the Montagu."

Is this a case of shifting the blame eastward, or a fight to the death?

Anastasia was unsure what Bill Montagu's other plan was.

The only certainty is that whoever jumps out to attack Montagu at this time is likely to become the next Montagu.