The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 487

Why did Paulina have these coordinates? What was the connection between the "Snake Cave" and that mysterious laboratory? Was Payton's poison sourced from there?

Leilani began to suspect that Payton’s devastating injuries were also linked to this enigmatic location. It explained how a man who had once been ranked in the top three of the Deep Web's deadliest operatives could be reduced to such a state. The forces behind this were undoubtedly formidable.

But Paulina was just an underground doctor. How had she provoked such a powerful organization?

Hypotheses flashed through Leilani's mind. The clues wove together like a spiderweb, with every thread leading back to those fog-shrouded coordinates.

Leilani pursed her lips, a sharp glint in her eyes. This was no coincidence. Paulina’s death, Payton’s poison, the mysterious "Snake Cave"... there had to be a hidden thread connecting them all.

She turned back to the desk, pulled out a blank map, and circled the coordinates in heavy red ink.

To unlock Paulina’s secret and cure Payton’s poison, she would have to go to Savage Mountain in Northern Myanor personally. It was inevitable.

Seeing the sky outside brighten, she knew it was around the time Payton usually woke up. Leilani stood, left the study, and headed straight for Payton’s quarters.

...

When Leilani pushed open the door to the back courtyard, she wasn't surprised to see Payton already waiting under the old plum tree.

It seemed Payton hadn't slept all night either. He was sitting in the exact same posture as when she had left him—back straight, sitting in his wheelchair under the tree, his sightless eyes staring blankly into the distance.

Leilani froze. "You... aren't surprised?"

Payton took a sip of his coffee, his tone flat. "I investigated all of this twenty years ago."

He raised his head to face her, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "The mountain is far more complex than you imagine. I’ve lived long enough. You don't need to waste your energy agonizing over this."

He paused, his voice turning grim. "If you truly want to uncover the secret Paulina left you, you need to train for at least another two or three years before even thinking about going. Otherwise... look at me. My current state is your future."

Leilani’s breath hitched. After her research the previous night, she vaguely sensed that the forces who had harmed Payton were not to be trifled with. She knew clearly that he wasn't trying to scare her.