Chapter 1547

[ 738 words ]

“You want to go back and incinerate the Dreamweed fields?”

Dane instantly read her mind.

Claire gave a firm nod.

“We can’t leave the Dreamweed intact. The neurotoxin is far too devastating, and we can’t guarantee that anyone exposed in the future will have immediate access to the antidote.”

Leaving it to chance was unacceptable, nor could they risk another faction weaponizing it.

If government scientists got their hands on it, they might try to harness the Dreamweed.

They would undoubtedly try to study it for treating neurological diseases or synthesizing new anti-venoms.

“You’re absolutely right; it needs to be eradicated. But that decision lies with the high command now,” Dane replied. He fully agreed that the plant was a catastrophic threat.

However, as an unofficial consultant for National Security, he understood the bureaucratic red tape far better than Claire did.

If she took it upon herself to burn the fields, she would be crossing a massive line.

Claire paused, a look of realization washing over her. She had been looking at this purely from a medical standpoint, completely ignoring the politics.

“I just don’t want the recovery teams walking blindly into a toxic hazard.”

Claire’s desire to return was rooted in ensuring the soldiers didn’t mishandle the highly volatile plants.

But Dane assured her the concern was unwarranted.

Both National Security and the border garrisons were highly trained in chemical hazard protocols.

The Aila Highlands were already teeming with lethal, undocumented flora and fauna.

A civilian like Claire walking back into the hot zone was an extreme liability.

The operatives would have to divert precious resources to protect her, making it far safer for everyone if she stayed behind.

Claire hesitated.

The truth was, the sheer volume of undocumented botanicals in The Aila Highlands was exactly why she wanted to go back.

She could harvest ultra-rare medicinal herbs in there.

Ingredients she couldn’t find anywhere else on earth.

“This is a high-speed extraction and securing operation. It’s too dangerous for you to tag along.”

They wouldn’t have the luxury of stopping to protect her if a firefight broke out. Besides, her boots had shredded her heels to raw meat. Didn’t she feel the pain? Dane was aching for her, but Claire barely seemed to register the discomfort. Years ago, when Octavia had forced her into grueling, torturous ballet classes to perfect her posture, the pain had been infinitely worse.

She hated pain, but her pain tolerance was forged in iron.

Plus, she had already applied her own topical ointments.

Her proprietary salve was miraculous—the stinging was a dull throb, and it had completely halted any risk of infection.

“If Miss Claire wishes to join us, we can ensure her safety.”

Officer Miller spoke up with total sincerity. He saw Dane’s concern.

But he was also deeply covetous of Claire’s peerless medical expertise.

“These mountains are a meat

grinder. Even my most seasoned veterans get torn up in here. With Miss Claire’s exceptional skills, having her on the line would save fives.”

“Furthermore, regarding the Dreamweed fields, we have to wait for High Command’s orders on how to process them. Mies Claire’s botanical expertise would be invaluable on-site.” ‘FindNovel.net

Claire shot Dane a look and blinked innocently.

See? Her presence was a tactical necessity.

Dane still wasn’t on board. He looked around. “Elias Sterling is a fully qualified

physician. Send him. He’s a doctor, and he’s built for this.”

If Claire was hungry for rare herbs, Elias was practically salivating at the thought of them.

He didn’t even wait for Dane to finish before stepping forward.

“Absolutely. I’ll deploy with the unit. I’m a man, so my stamina is at least better than…”

Claire shot him a deadpan look,

cutting him off without an ounce of

mercy or Sterling, you spend your life under fluorescent lights ma hospital ward. You severely lack field conditioning.”

“Your physical stamina is genuinely worse than mine.”

How did he even have the audacity to play the ‘man’ card?

She kept that last thought to herself.

Whether Elias picked up on the unspoken insult didn’t really matter.

Elias offered a self-deprecating smile. “It’s true, my cardio is terrible. Which is exactly why this is a great opportunity to build some endurance.”

Meanwhile, Colonel Harrison had finished coordinating with the National Security operatives. They had transmitted their sit-reps to Cabinda.

The top brass had convened an emergency war council and issued a direct order: The Dreamweed was to be secured and preserved.

While the plant was a deadly neurotoxin, its roots were the sole catalyst for the antidote.

If the Sundaran syndicate had already smuggled refined toxin out of the country, eradicating the only source of the cure would be a fatal mistake.

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