Messing With Her? Are You Crazy! novel Chapter 66

Serena's fingers paused. She watched the program on the screen gradually return to normal operation.

She confirmed the critical parts were stable. The subsequent operations could proceed automatically, and the other institute staff could maintain them.

Only then did she let out a slow breath.

Her fingers were slightly numb from the high-intensity, non-stop typing.

"It's… it's done…"

"My God! This cleanup speed is even faster and cleaner than the advanced program we spent so much time developing!"

"The trap in the core module has been eliminated! The alarm is off!"

"Holy crap! The person who did the emergency fix last night… it couldn't be this girl, could it? Did she anticipate a second attack last night? She set up a cleanup and interception framework in advance!"

"The enemy's location has been confirmed! It's been synced with the Department of Defense. It won't be long before they can round them all up!"

"…"

With the trap removed and the alarm turning from red to green, everyone erupted in cheers of relief.

At the main console, Mr. Harrison was so emotional he was moved to tears. "Well done… Serena, Mr. Blackwood, you both did an amazing job…"

He saw the girl through the connected screen, sitting at her console, lightly pinching the bridge of her nose.

He quickly said, "You two, go to the cafeteria and get something to eat."

Mr. Harrison's eyes were also full of fatigue, but his spirits were exceptionally high. "Everything is stable now. You need to refuel and rest for two hours. The next phase is reinforcement and repair, which will require clear heads and full concentration. There's no room for error."

Nicholas stood up at the right moment, stretched lazily, and naturally picked up the empty water cup by Serena's side to fill it with warm water for her. "Mr. Harrison has spoken. We wouldn't dare disobey."

He placed the cup next to her, leaned in slightly, bracing himself beside the cup, and looked down at her with a lazy gaze. "Mr. Harrison is right. Time to recharge."

The man was suddenly a little too close.

The elegant, smoky scent of pine surrounded her, along with the warmth from his body, enveloping her.

Their position felt a lot like… he was holding her, caging her in an embrace.

It was a critical time and not a regular mealtime, so the institute's cafeteria was very quiet, with only a few researchers eating silently.

The two of them got their food, chose a corner table, and started eating.

***

Isabella stood in a corner outside the institute's main gate, clutching a stack of organized research papers, craning her neck as she stared at the entrance.

Her delicate face was etched with anxiety.

She had been waiting here for a full four hours, from morning until afternoon. She was starving but didn't dare to leave.

She was afraid she'd miss Mr. Harrison the moment she left.

Especially after waiting for so long, she wasn't willing to just give up.

The longer she waited, the more anxious Isabella became, a sense of grievance welling up inside her.