Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Anger
Duke Leslie had indeed wanted to stop them, but the people from the Gene Research Institute gave her no opportunity. While they were in the lounge, the Institute’s members had already gone ahead and announced the purpose of the evening’s banquet in Duke Leslie’s stead: to celebrate Colonel Graces becoming a Gene Fusion Expert.
This news had been a hot topic for a while, but many didn’t know that the person in question was the male from Duke Leslie’s family.
So when the banquet guests learned that Graces was the male who had transformed from a "defective product" into a Gene Fusion Expert, they were all shocked.
When a waiter came to inform Duke Leslie of this, she finally realized the gravity of the situation.
At that moment, she didn’t even dare to meet Duke Lu Xia’s gaze.
It was Prince Li Mang who patted her on the shoulder. "Let’s go see what’s happening."
The people from the Gene Research Institute had done this to put Duke Leslie on the spot, leaving her with no choice but to agree to their demands.
This time, they were waging a war of public opinion.
Lu Xia turned to Graces. "You should stay here."
It wasn’t a good time for Graces to make an appearance.
Graces naturally knew Lu Xia was protecting him. Touched, but also worried about her, he said, "I’m fine. I’ll go with you."
"No. Just stay here and don’t do anything. I’d like to see if this bunch from the Gene Research Institute really dares to try and snatch someone from me!" Lu Xia lifted the hem of her dress and followed Duke Leslie out of the lounge.
Watching them leave, Prince Li Mang looked at Graces, who was still standing in place. "You have a very good Female Master."
"Yes, Your Highness. I think so too."
Prince Li Mang wasn’t just making small talk. She had truly never seen a female protect a male the way Lu Xia did. She told herself she wouldn’t mistreat the males in her life, but she couldn’t bring herself to protect them with such dedication.
To put it bluntly, she simply didn’t care whether males lived or died.
But clearly, Lu Xia cared a great deal.
The moment Duke Leslie and Lu Xia appeared in the banquet hall, they felt every gaze in the room SWISH toward them.
The person from the Gene Research Institute on stage, holding a microphone, said with a smile, "Now that Duke Leslie and Duke Lu Xia have arrived, perhaps we can ask the two Dukes for their thoughts?"
The speaker had a smile on their face, completely unconcerned that it might be rude to bypass the host and spread such information on an occasion like this.
Duke Leslie still hadn’t figured out how to handle the situation in a way that would both preserve the Leslie family’s dignity and not damage her relationship with the Gene Research Institute.
In contrast to the other duke’s reservations, Lu Xia had no such compunctions. She walked onto the stage, snatched the microphone from the speaker’s hand, and demanded, "Who gave you permission to say these things here?"
Her question was sharp, her tone cold and hard. She wasn’t about to save face for anyone, regardless of the crowd.
The person from the Gene Research Institute’s expression froze before they forced a natural-looking smile. "We just wanted to share the good news with everyone, Duke Lu Xia..."
"I know exactly what you’re up to. You want to wage a war of public opinion against me, is that it? Fine. In that case, I hope your Gene Research Institute’s past experimental procedures can all stand up to scrutiny. If not, you will pay the price for what you’ve done today." Lu Xia rarely got angry; not many things could stir her emotions.
But the things the people from the Gene Research Institute had done time and time again out of selfish desire truly disgusted her.
"Duke Lu Xia, what do you mean? You must have misunderstood us. We really..."
"Shut up. I know exactly what your purpose is. First, you wanted me to let Graces sign an agreement to voluntarily participate in your research, and I refused. So you went to Graces’ direct superior, but unfortunately for you, they also refused. So this time, you’ve targeted Duke Leslie, hoping to use public opinion and moral pressure to trap Graces. But have you ever stopped to think about how you’re going to clean up this mess if I still don’t agree?"
Lu Xia had no intention of showing them any mercy. She continued, "Let me ask you, what is the current situation of those who voluntarily signed research agreements in the past? Are they still alive? Are their bodies okay? Did you provide any follow-up compensation? I want you to answer truthfully, in front of all these people. I will verify every piece of data you state afterward. Do you dare? Don’t you have any idea how many of your research achievements were built on the corpses of others?"
"I’m telling you all, Graces became a Gene Fusion Expert through a blessing in disguise after an accident. If any of you dare to lay a hand on him, you’ll have to ask for my permission first." At this, Lu Xia’s gaze swept over the crowd below the stage. "I am Duke Lu Xia, and Graces is my husband. I won’t waste time guessing what you’re all thinking, but I hope none of you get any funny ideas. I don’t wish to make an enemy of anyone, but I am not afraid to do so. Today, Duke Leslie is hosting this celebratory banquet for the sole purpose of celebrating Graces becoming a Gene Fusion Expert. This is no secret that needs to be hidden. We are happy to share our joy with everyone, but we do not need it announced from the mouths of others."
"The people from the Gene Research Institute can leave now."
Lu Xia’s words plunged the banquet hall into a dead silence. No one had expected Duke Lu Xia would go to such lengths for her husband.
Everyone present, female and male alike, stared at Lu Xia in utter shock.
The people from the Gene Research Institute were even more astonished. They never imagined that a female, who are typically so concerned with saving face, would say such things in front of so many people.
For a moment, they had no idea what to do. Duke Lu Xia had unscrupulously laid all their intentions bare for everyone to see.
If they tried anything else, it wasn’t hard to imagine what Duke Lu Xia might do. Just as she had said, not all of the Gene Research Institute’s past research could stand up to scrutiny.
Therefore, they didn’t dare to clash head-on with Duke Lu Xia.
Their only option was to look to Duke Leslie for help. After all, she was Graces’s mother and still held some influence.
But they found that Duke Leslie wouldn’t even meet their gaze; she had clearly abandoned them.
"Someone, escort the people from the Gene Research Institute out."
As Duke Leslie finished speaking, the attendants serving in the banquet hall stepped forward and led the people from the Gene Research Institute away.
At the same time, Duke Leslie addressed the guests. "My deepest apologies for allowing irrelevant parties to disrupt this evening’s banquet. I had no idea the people from the Gene Research Institute harbored such intentions. I was deceived as well; I truly believed they were here to offer their sincere blessings. As his mother, I’ve witnessed how difficult these past years have been for Graces. Now that his life has just started to improve, he’s attracted these leeches. The Leslie Duke Mansion will unequivocally stand with Duke Lu Xia!"
