Lyra Solis's persistent questioning made the woman's expression a little conflicted. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "A few days ago, we issued the quarterly employee bonuses... and then..."
Seeing the woman hesitate, clearly hiding something, Lyra's brow furrowed, and her expression turned cold. "Just tell me, what's going on?"
The woman's face darkened, and she no longer hesitated. "Vice Chairman Shandar Solis withdrew £60,000 from the company's account, saying it was for his company's cash flow needs…"
"Bang!"
Lyra was instantly furious. She snapped, "Who authorized this? How could my father just take money from the company's account without telling me?!"
The woman lowered her head, not saying a word, as though she hadn't heard Lyra's words. Seeing her reaction, Lyra's suspicion grew. She quickly asked, "My father?"
"Mm!"
The woman replied softly, "Vice Chairman Solis said if you don't discuss it with him soon and get back at least £30,000, it'll not only affect this year's new drug development progress, but we might even face pressure from the suppliers. And it's almost the end of the month, so the suppliers will be coming soon to collect the debts. We need the funds…"
Lyra's face went pale. She waved her hand dismissively. "You can leave now. I need to think of a solution."
After the woman left the room, Lyra sat quietly for a moment before picking up her phone to call her father and ask why he had taken the money without informing her.
But when she picked up the phone, she realized the line was still open. She had been on the phone with Kael Voss earlier, and it dawned on her that she hadn't hung up. Feeling somewhat guilty, she spoke into the phone in a soft voice. "Kael, are you still there?"
Throughout the conversation between Lyra and the woman, Kael had been listening silently. By now, he was almost certain that the woman truly was from 2025.
This phone somehow connected people from two different times, bridging an entire decade.
2025, such a good year—there were no apocalyptic scenarios, no zombies, only peace and tranquility. It was a time when even sleeping didn't require vigilance.
"I'm here."
Kael replied calmly, "By the way, earlier, did you mention a ring with patterns on the surface and symbols inside the band? Was it an antique silver ring?"
"Yes, yes, that's the one! Is it really with you?" Lyra could hardly believe her ears. How could the ring have suddenly appeared in Kael's possession?
"Can a phone transfer items?"
The thought simultaneously flashed through both Kael's and Lyra's minds, and both were taken aback by the realization.
Before either of them could fully process it, Kael reacted first. His voice turned urgent. "Quick, try sending something! Try it now!"
"Huh?"
Lyra looked around and noticed a can of soda beside her. She touched her phone to it, and in the next second, a flash of light, and the can was gone.
When the can reappeared beside Kael moments later, his face was filled with disbelief. A single thought flashed through his mind: This is a miracle.
Kael, feeling both curious and cautious, touched his phone to his own body. Nothing happened. He scratched his head. He had expected it to teleport him to 2025. It seemed that living beings couldn't be transmitted.
Next, he placed the ring on his palm and lightly touched his phone to it. Another flash, and the ring disappeared.
Immediately, Lyra's voice came through the receiver, filled with delighted surprise. "Ah, the ring is back! This is incredible! It really works!"
…
Kael was about to say something when a sudden realization struck his mind. He blurted out, "Lady, let's make a deal. I heard your conversation, and I know you're in need of money. I can give you a guaranteed winning lottery ticket. A ticket that will make you incredibly wealthy!"
"I can make you richer than you ever dreamed, and in exchange, you'll procure the supplies I need. A large quantity of supplies!"
Kael's mind raced. He had just realized that this phone could bridge the gap between 2025 and 2035, and that ten years of information could make someone in 2025 rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Before the apocalypse, Kael had been an avid lottery player. His phone stored nearly twenty years' worth of winning numbers. Just these records alone were enough to make someone go crazy with wealth.
And the money from these winnings would help him buy the supplies he needed for survival in the apocalypse. Those supplies could be sent to him by Lyra, ensuring he'd be better prepared for what was to come.
Lyra looked down at the ring in her hand, her mind racing. She then thought about the can of soda that had disappeared earlier. It was clear now that what Kael was offering was no joke.
Having an MBA, Lyra immediately understood the gravity of the situation. This transaction was a win-win. After a moment of consideration, she agreed without hesitation.
"I'm Lyra Solis. You can call me Ms. Solis, or just Lyra. What do you need? I can get it for you."
"Medicine, guns, food... anything that exists in the real world. I need it all."
Kael didn't hesitate at all. This moment felt like pure luck, like a massive stroke of fortune had just struck him.
"Guns and ammunition?" Lyra gasped. "That's a bit tricky. In the UK, firearms are heavily regulated. I'll get you everything else, but guns will take a bit longer to arrange."
"Yeah, I figured as much," Kael replied, his tone now more measured. "For now, focus on getting me everyday supplies. I'm not settled yet, but when I am, I'll need a large quantity of essentials. Get them ready…"
Looking out the window, he noticed the storm clouds had started to dissipate. He quickly added, "I suspect we need to communicate during a thunderstorm. What's the date on your side?"
"March 2, 2025."
"Good, wait right there!"
Kael quickly checked his phone's lottery data, found the winning numbers for the most recent draw, and passed them on to Lyra.
"Here's the ticket: 9, 10, 13, 19, 24, 32, special number 1."
Lyra quickly wrote them down. As she looked at the numbers on paper, a strange sense of certainty washed over her. This was real. Kael wasn't kidding.
"Remember," Kael continued, "Prepare as much as you can. We'll talk again next time there's a thunderstorm…"
Just as the last word left his lips, the phone line went dead with a series of beeping noises.
Lyra paused for a moment before walking to the window. Outside, the storm had cleared, and the sky was beginning to clear as well.