Chapter 1548
[ 678 words ]
If there were future biological attacks, they needed a readily available source to synthesize the cure.
The higher-ups made the call purely based on national security.
When Colonel Harrison relayed the orders, Claire immediately grasped the logic.
“Understood. In that case, burning it all would be a massive mistake,” Claire conceded, acknowledging the broader strategic picture.
It was highly likely the military intended to establish their own research division to study the Dreamweed.
Now that they knew a biological weapon of this magnitude existed, walking away from it would be negligent.
She just prayed no ambitious Solenian general decided to walk down the same dark path as the Sundarans.
“You have my word, Miss Claire. The military will never weaponize the Dreamweed for malicious purposes. You have to trust your country.”
Colonel Harrison seemed to read the apprehension in her eyes and offered a firm reassurance.
Finding a young citizen with such an unwavering moral compass was rare, and he felt a strong duty to uphold her faith in the armed forces.
He couldn’t let her walk away thinking they were just as corrupt as the enemy.
Claire offered a soft, “Mhm,” though it was impossible to tell if she entirely believed him.
Harrison thought to himself that the Dreamweed was truly a catastrophic liability. Going forward, the military would likely establish a permanent garrison here just to guard the fields.
They would have to keep the research and development teams under absolute, suffocating surveillance.
No one could be allowed to slip through the cracks.
Because Claire was immovable in her decision to re-enter the mountains, and because the military genuinely wanted her medical oversight, Dane decided he had no choice but to deploy with her.
Claire, ironically, tried to talk him out of it.
“You should head back to Cabinda. I’ll be surrounded by a heavily armed battalion; nothing is going to happen to me.”
“Once you cross into the mountains, you’ll lose all cellular service. Vertex International is a massive empire. What happens if they need you for an executive decision?”
Because they were currently staging near the edge of the range, Dane still had intermittent service and had been rapidly delegating authority to his board.
When the boss takes an abrupt leave of absence, what else could the executives do?
They had to step up and hold the line.
Thankfully Dane had structured
Vertex International with ruthless efficiency. Even if he vanished off the grid for five months, the corporation would continue to operate like a well-oiled machine.
Dane’s sheer dominance in the business world was undeniable.
“The corporation is fine. Stop worrying about Vertex.”
Dane gently pinched Claire’s cheek. “Right now, your only concern should be yourself.”
Trekking back and forth through this hellish terrain had taken a severe physical toll
on her. She was running on pure adrenaline and sheer willpower.
This time, Claire’s objective was singular.
She would harvest as many rare botanicals as possible along the route. Her team essentially operated as the rearguard, while the heavily armed shock troops took the
vanguard to secure the target zones.
Interestingly, when they encountered a wolf pack this time, the predators kept a
massive distance and made no move to attack.
First, the air wasn’t laced with
Frenzy Dung to trigger their bloodlust. Second, the pack had already learned the hard way that these humans were highly lethal
Despite keeping their distance, the gray wolves shadowed the convoy for miles.
They were waiting for someone to fall behind, or for the unit to show signs of exhaustion, ready to strike the moment weakness was exposed.
Fortunately, the battalion was massive and radiated overwhelming firepower.
The apex predators of the deep forest understood survival, eventually breaking off and melting back into the shadows.
Even during peak daylight, the forest floor was swallowed in gloom.
The canopy was so dense it strangled the sunlight.
Combined with the torrential downpour from the previous night, the mud trails were dangerously slick.
Claire was wearing high-end tactical boots with deep treads, but she still slipped and hit the dirt several times.
The last fall had scraped her palms raw.
Dane’s eyes darkened with concern. “I told you not to push yourself, but you never listen.”
“Now that the rain has turned the slopes to glass, you’re finally seeing how brutal this is!”
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