Chapter 1519
[ 623 words ]
Claire also helped Elias when it was his turn.
She couldn’t help but admire his technique. He truly lived up to his reputation as the Sterling family’s golden boy; he had genuine skill.
Dr. Sterling Senior had been far too modest when he claimed the Sterling’s Thirteen Needles had no worthy successor.
Elias might be a bit green right now, but give him thirty or fifty years, and his mastery of the Thirteen Needles would rival his grandfather’s.
Thanks to Claire and Elias taking turns managing their symptoms, the four poisoned men remained relatively stable.
When it was time to rest, Claire, Dane, their two bodyguards, Elias, the four patients, and Zamu all slept inside the wooden cabin.
The rest of the group split up and pitched tents on either side of the structure to keep watch.
Miller and Silas each assigned men to stand guard.
Claire handed the remaining half-bottle of her bug spray to the officers.
She told them to spray a perimeter around the tents.
That way, snakes, rats, and insects would steer clear.
The guards on duty would benefit, but those trying to sleep would finally be able to
rest in peace.
Silas and Miller hesitated.
“Claire, how long does the effect last?”
“There’s only half a bottle left. I’m worried we’ll run out.”
If everything went according to plan, they still had two more days of hiking ahead of
them. If everyone used the spray, it wouldn’t last.
Claire immediately knew what they were thinking.
“Don’t worry, I brought three bottles.”
“The effect lasts for twenty-four hours.”
“We have plenty. If it comes down to it, just use it sparingly.”
“There are also natural herbs in these mountains that repel bugs and snakes. If we run low, I can forage some, burn them, and we can scatter the ashes around the tents.”
Claire knew they had enough, but it was up to them how they wanted to manage it.
“It’s too dark to forage now. We’ll look for those herbs on the trail tomorrow. For tonight, we’ll use your spray.” Silas made the call, refusing to let Claire take unnecessary risks.
Besides, even if he agreed to let her go foraging in the dark, Dane would never allow it.
Though Dane hadn’t said much since joining the trek, he was fiercely protective of her.
And honestly, Silas’s team was the reason Claire was dragged into this mess in the first place.
Even though the enemies were specifically targeting Claire, she was
of
just a civilian-and the daughter 1.4 two national heroes Conte
It was their duty to protect her from foreign operatives.
But they had failed, putting her in mortal danger.
Even if Dane wasn’t glaring daggers at him, Silas would never send Claire out into the dark.
“Alright.”
Claire didn’t argue.
The Aila Highlands were fraught with danger, and she wasn’t arrogant enough to wander around blindly at night.
Plenty of seasoned professionals had lost their lives in these woods.
Claire kept herself in good shape and had her medical expertise, but
her physical stamina couldn’t eget
compete with elite operatives
Take her two bodyguards, for instance. They had hiked for hours without breaking a sweat or even breathing Heavy. They were clearly subjected to brutal daily training.
Compared to Elias, however, Claire was holding up slightly better.
Elias?
He had already realized his stamina was dead last in the group.
He was the real dead weight.
Because of this, Elias kept his mouth shut and didn’t offer any opinions on the group’s logistics.
He was too embarrassed!
Dane handed Claire a sleeping bag, and she hurried to get some sleep.
The others scattered around, sitting or lying down, closing their eyes to rest.
But the night was far from peaceful.
Around midnight, the guttural roars of wild animals began echoing closer and closer.
Yet, whether they were in the tents or the cabin, everyone seemed to be sound asleep.
The beasts drew nearer.
Light spilled from the cabin windows, and the tents outside were illuminated by lanterns.
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