Scarlett took the bottle and held Nina's cheeks, pouring the black liquid into her mouth.Nina coughed violently as the bitter, pungent taste hit her. It woke her up but leaving her weak and slumped over the camel’s hump. Scarlett, worried about her, called out, "Nina, are you okay? Can you hear me?""Yes," Nina replied weakly, feeling like a dying fish.Scarlett, fearing Nina might fall, kept her arm around her waist. Eventually, even Scarlett began to feel faint. She had also drunk the bitter tree juice, which had a strong and overwhelming taste. It was only thanks to July and Moana that they managed to make it out of the desert.As they emerged from the desert, they reached a barren land. The temperature difference between day and night was extreme. They set up camp, built a fire, and pitched their tents. While they had food, they had no water left.Gathered around the fire, warming themselves, Moana handed them a water bag. "We can’t go any further today. It’s another thre
There were at least ten wild wolves surrounding them. If it weren't for the guns they had, they would have been devoured by wolves that night.However, the locals’ diet, beliefs, and experiences were all different. They even started skinning the wolves right away and roasting the meat over the fire.One of the women offered Nina a wolf leg, but Nina waved it away. She couldn’t eat it, especially with the smell of wolf blood filling her nostrils.Scarlett handed her the last of their bread and some of the black tree leaf juice the woman had given them in the desert. Just a whiff of the juice made Nina feel more alert.She tried to use her phone, but there was still no signal. They had to spend the night here and then travel another three hours tomorrow to reach the populated area, still far from Yaren. When would she finally see Scott and Nash?Hugging herself, Nina looked up at the sky. The stars and the moon were clearly visible.Meanwhile, Nash was also in a grim mood. He had
Nash was resolute. "This minor injury won’t hinder me.""Alright, I’ll make the arrangements," James replied, understanding that Nash wouldn’t be at ease until Nina was found. So, they set off for Yaren that very night.---Nina couldn't sleep. As the night went on, the temperature dropped significantly, and everyone around her gradually fell asleep. The fire couldn't stay lit all night, so she reluctantly crawled into the tent.Scarlett was also awake, so despite Nina's efforts to move quietly, she noticed the slight noise."Get some sleep, Nina. We have a long journey ahead, and you need to preserve your strength. Besides, you heard Scott’s recording."Nina was surprised. "Why aren’t you asleep?"Scarlett had been expending more energy than Nina and yet hadn’t slept. It must have been because she, too, had a lot on her mind."I can’t sleep knowing you’re still awake. Besides, even if you do sleep, I’ll be on guard. I understand how you feel, but we’re here now, and you must
Nina woke up groggily to the smell of roasting meat. When she opened her eyes, the sky was just beginning to lighten. She checked the time and it was only a little past 5 a.m. The temperature difference between night and day was stark, and as she stepped out of the tent, she instinctively hugged her arms for warmth. Everyone was already up, and Moana pointed to the fire where meat was roasting.July translated, "You didn’t eat last night. You should eat something now. We’ll be leaving soon."Nina did not have an appetite. She had always harbored a doubt. Her goal wasn’t simply to find Scott but to uncover her possible connection to the organization.How else could she have known the secret mechanisms subconsciously? She might have escaped the organization as the only clean slate, but Seth’s reaction to her was too strange, as if he saw another person within her. There might be a shocking secret she carried, one that only she could unlock. She knew this journey was dangerous,
July, fearing for Nina's safety, held her tightly. "Miss Nina, you’ve seen the situation. Going back is suicide!""But what about Scarlett?" Nina protested.July and Moana kept a firm grip on Nina. "Scarlett is skilled and she'll be fine. It's not just about you and Scarlett. If we stay, we all risk getting caught!"They wanted her, not Scarlett. Just as she had suspected, she was valuable to them. They wouldn’t kill her immediately, which might give her a chance to reach their inner circle. This could be an opportunity, much like before. But Scarlett wasn’t in the same position. Now considered a traitor, she could be killed.Nina looked at them, unable to let them all be in danger. "You go ahead," she said. "I have a plan."If her guess was right, she knew how to handle it. This was a gamble she had to take.Seeing Nina’s determination to go back, July grew desperate. Ignoring all else, she knocked Nina unconscious. Then, with Moana’s help, they carried her downstairs and
Nina could feel the ground shaking. She grabbed onto a nearby tree for support and saw the sky lit up in red. "Rat-tat-tat..." The sound of gunfire reached her ears. Instinctively, she looked in that direction, and the scene before her left her frozen in place. Countless men in camouflage uniforms wielding long guns were mowing down people, their path leaving bodies in their wake, blood flowing like rivers. Nina didn't dare move. She watched as these men stormed into small houses, coming out with goods and setting the buildings ablaze. Nina was completely stunned. These people were dressed like soldiers, yet they were committing acts of murder and arson. In her country, soldiers were protectors, like Nash, who followed orders to save lives, even if it meant sacrificing their own.She saw a flag flying, a black one with a white skull and a coiled cobra beneath it. The sight of this emblem made her skin crawl."Retreat!" a voice shouted in English.Nina understood the comman
The boy's eyes held a deep sadness as he spoke. Nina could feel the pain in his heart. The village had been peaceful, and now, in an instant, everyone was dead, leaving him alone.Nina bit her lip and stepped forward to help the boy gather the bodies. As they worked, she asked, "I saw what happened. Weren't those people soldiers? Did your village do something to provoke them?"A flash of anger crossed the boy's eyes. "Do you think the elderly and children could have done anything? Those weren't soldiers, they were Pharaoh's men!" His voice was filled with rage, words squeezed out between gritted teeth. The able-bodied men of the village had left to earn money or had been drafted, leaving only the vulnerable behind. They just wanted to live in peace. What had they done to deserve this?"I'm sorry," Nina said, at a loss for words. In her understanding, soldiers were supposed to be honorable and disciplined, but the boy's words shattered that belief.And he had mentioned Pharaoh
Nina saw the boy fiercely tearing at the flag with the ominous symbol.She walked over and said, "Your hand is seriously injured. I couldn't find effective medicine, but I can disinfect it with iodine for now. Otherwise, you might lose your hand. And taking your anger out on the flag won't help."It's just a piece of cloth."The boy's eyes flashed with a fierce determination. "One day, I will cut off Pharaoh's head!"His grandmother, younger siblings had been killed by Pharaoh's men. His father had been taken by them and was still missing. He hated Pharaoh with every fiber of his being."I don't like him much either, but you need to get better first," Nina told him.The boy looked at her, puzzled. "Did Pharaoh's men kill your friends and loved ones too?""No," Nina replied. "But he has done some terrible things that have affected my life."The boy scoffed, "They have no humanity."Nina had already witnessed it, shattering her previous understanding of the world. Until Pharaoh