"Did you hear what I said? You don’t know the way, and the road is full of forests and mountain paths. If you encounter snakes or bad people, what will you do? I can’t let you go alone."
Dylan followed behind her, seeing her face still filled with refusal, feeling a sudden pang of bitterness in his heart.
"If you’re really so eager to see him, I’ll go with you. What happened in the morning was my fault. I just wanted you to stay here and spend more time with me."
His tone was very forlorn, and his head hung a bit lower.
Eleanor Hollis frowned. She disliked Dylan the most at the moment; he was full of a defeated aura.
"You don’t have to come with me. You and Hugo Quinn have a grudge, and it’s irreconcilable. I don’t want you to harm him."
She lifted her bag as if making a stance to head out.
Dylan swiftly reached out and grabbed her, his eyes becoming clear.
"From the time I came here, the old Dylan Dawson already died. I won’t bother you two anymore, and I won’t use you to threaten him. Eleanor Hollis, I... I’m just feeling lonely. Once you leave here, you definitely won’t contact me again."
He’s a fugitive, can’t stay in Z country, and once he leaves here, Eleanor will likely waste no time separating herself from him.
Eleanor nodded without evading the topic, her brows filled with scrutiny.
"You know well enough how dangerous you were in the past. You destroyed two of Hugo Quinn’s villas. If we hadn’t escaped just in time, everyone might have died there."
Dylan’s throat choked, momentarily unable to speak.
He had done many things in the past, and now thinking back, it felt unbelievable.
"You can trust me this one time."
Upon finishing this sentence, even he felt unsure.
Eleanor answered briskly, reopened the bag, and packed more things inside.
If he’s going to go with her, then these supplies certainly wouldn’t be enough; it takes six to seven hours by car to get to town, and at least a day and a night if traveling on foot.
A faint smile appeared on Dylan’s face, quickly fading.
The two bid farewell to those who sheltered them, grabbed their things, and set off; no one could persuade them.
Atop the cliff, Hugo Quinn was also trying to find a way, but no path led down to the mountain; the cliff was steep and smooth, coupled with heavy fog, making it impossible for the helicopter to descend.
"Prepare the helicopter, I want to go down and see."
Hugo could no longer wait. Rather than wasting time here, he would prefer to go down and find out what was happening.
Lan Yancy knew he couldn’t persuade him, so he could only order someone to prepare the helicopter.
He insisted on going up with Hugo and acted as the pilot.
Hugo sat in the helicopter, watching as it slowly ascended, then descended.
The surrounding fog became extremely dense; beyond five meters, nothing could be seen.
"Boss, the fog here is too heavy."
Lan Yancy’s complexion grew increasingly grave as they descended for a while.
Hugo did not speak, calmly gazing below.
It was still foggy; nothing could be seen.
The aircraft’s wing suddenly scraped the cliff, sparking a brief flare.
Lan Yancy’s face turned pale with fright; if the helicopter crashed here, both would surely die, as the height wasn’t sufficient for a parachute. Likely, they’d become pulp before the chute even opened.
Hugo remained calm, unperturbed by the loud noise.
Lan Yancy hurriedly maneuvered the helicopter slightly leftward, continuing to descend.
The wind blowing up from below grew cold, easing Hugo’s mind slightly, at least evidence suggested water below, meaning Eleanor had not drowned.
She had always been good at swimming since she was young.
Realizing this, he felt a pang of sourness at the tip of his nose, fearing he’d come down to face Eleanor’s corpse.
An entire hour passed, as he dared not descend too quickly, coupled with occasional cliffside collisions, the descent was indeed perilous.
Lan Yancy soon noticed the fog thinning beneath, sighed with relief, and his palms were drenched in sweat.
His speed could certainly rival that of a snail, but there was no choice; should anything happen to the CEO, even death wouldn’t suffice to atone.
The helicopter finally reached open terrain, and everything around instantly became clear.
A beautiful place, who’d have thought a hidden Shangri-la existed here.
Hugo glanced downward, instructing Lan Yancy to land the helicopter by the river.
By the river, there were dragging marks, suggesting Eleanor was indeed alive; he subtly smiled and boarded the helicopter again.
"Go and check if anyone lives nearby, she probably found a place to stay."
Lan Yancy nodded, swallowed, and piloted the helicopter away from there.
Fortunately, the pair quickly discovered a few households, and after inquiries, Hugo learned Eleanor had indeed been resting there for a few days, causing his heart to race rapidly.
He was eager to see her, to confirm her safety.
"She said she was heading to town, and I couldn’t stop her. The young lady headed off on foot, a journey that takes at least a day and a night. With the weather so hot, and no villages on the route, they’re likely to suffer on the road."
The farmwoman spoke with a face full of smiles.
"But her husband dotes on her so much. When he heard she was traveling on foot, he accompanied her, saying he worried about her safety. Judging from their attire before, their identities seemed unusual. Yet, they were so loving, the young woman truly married well."
The farmwoman’s continued chatter made the surrounding air feel increasingly chilly.
She looked up to find Hugo’s face akin to impending storm clouds, immediately shutting up and fleeing swiftly.
The man accompanying Eleanor was Dylan. Who knew what he might do to Eleanor now? Without him, Eleanor wouldn’t have faced such troubles.
Thinking of this, Hugo clenched his teeth, longing to tear Dylan to shreds, and how dare he call himself Eleanor’s husband? What audacity! It was sheer daydreaming!
He spoke with a deep voice, reboarding the helicopter.
Lan Yancy was nearly scared out of his wits by Hugo’s demeanor, shivering all over as he operated the helicopter again.
Based on others’ descriptions, they had only departed about three hours before. Piloting the helicopter, they should catch up shortly.
Lan Yancy shrunk his neck; the man sitting beside him had an overpowering presence, and emanating a cold aura all over, feeling like the helicopter was on the brink of freezing.
Eleanor and Dylan had only walked for three hours and already felt their legs weak.
She hadn’t walked for ages, her feet already felt blistered with water bubbles. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveI-Fire.ɴet