Chapter 2012


    Jasper’s phone rang while driving, and he nced at it before answering, “Hello?”


    “How dare you fly solo again, you punk! How many times have I told you?” Antoine scolded from the


    other end.


    “The mission isplete.”


    “That still isn’t an excuse for you to leave your teammates behind. You should know that they are an


    extrayer of security for you. They can provide support if something happens to you.” Antoine was


    genuinely concerned about his safety.


    “I’ve umted some leave days, haven’t I, Uncle?”


    “Why? Do you want to take a break?”


    “Can you sum up the days I’ve collected over thest five years? I want to use it all up at once.”


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    “What?! Over thest five years?”


    “Yes, over thest five years.”


    “That means you’ll be away for three months!”


    “That’s it? Give me another three months. I want to take six months off!” Jasper insisted.


    “You rascal… Fine! Six months it is! What are you nning to do during your break?”


    “I won’t report anything from my personal time.” With that, he ended the call, leaving Antoine frothing at


    the mouth.


    By the time Jasper returned to the safe house, Aimee had already been notified to report back. Of


    course, she had also received arrangements from the organization as well. As Jasper’s leave had


    be effective immediately, he didn’t need to return with her.


    Her heart felt torn, aching, unwilling, and helpless, for everything but the heart could be controlled in


    this world.


    Falling in love with someone was like being intoxicated. If the love was reciprocated, there would be a


    cure. Contrariwise, the poison would be lethal.


    “Have you decided to stay by her side, Jasper?” Aimee asked calmly, suppressing her heartache.


    “Thank you for your hard work, Aimee. I have some personal things to take care of next,” answered


    Jasper. To him, the young woman was both his subordinate and hisrade. However, there was no


    romantic love.


    Aimee suddenly closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her face uncontrobly.


    “Aimee, I appreciate your support in my work. You’re a goodrade and subordinate,” said Jasper as


    he handed her a piece of tissue.


    “I don’t want to be just yourrade or subordinate. I want…” Aimee reached out, trying to embrace


    him.


    Jasper immediately stepped back, leaving Aimee’s hand hanging in the air. She bit her lip and withdrew


    her hand. Then, she turned around, grabbed her bag, and quickly left the safe house. At that moment,


    she realized there could never be a rtionship between her and Jasper that even allowed for a hug.


    Jasper sighed under his breath. He was absolutely terrible at dealing with emotions.


    …


    While eating breakfast, Willow checked her emails only to choke when she read a certain email. “Wait,


    has it started already?! Howe I wasn’t notified?!”


    Just then, her phone rang, and she answered it. “Hello?”


    International Cultural Heritage.


    “Willow, what have you been busy withtely? Why haven’t you responded?” It was someone from the


    Bureau of International Cultural Heritage.


    “I’m on break and didn’t see the email. Have you guys already departed?”


    “Yeah, we’re gathering right now. You should hurry up and join us. You can’t be absent from this


    expedition to Elysian Ind.”


    Of course, Willow couldn’t afford to be absent. This was originally a cultural heritage protection battle


    she had initiated within the organization. It was her mission, and it all began a year ago when she


    found a piece of parchment inside a domestic cultural relic.


    After cleaning and processing it, she discovered that it contained a documented segment of true


    history.


    Due to this historical ount being overlooked in historical records, someone had documented it in the


    parchment scroll. After researching it, it was indeed a well-preserved parchment that had survived for a


    thousand years.


    The record clearly stated that a high-ranking official set sail with eighteenrge ships a thousand years


    ago to visit another country. His ships wereden with treasures and crew members, but they


    disappeared at a ce called Elysian Ind. Since then, they have used various modern technologies


    to trace the ind’s whereabouts. Eventually, they pinpointed the location where the official vanished


    on a map.


    Not only that, they also received information that artifact smugglers had set their sights on this ind.


    As cultural heritage workers, they would bepeting with multiple groups of international artifact


    smugglers to be the first to find the ind and protect the artifacts on it. Furthermore, at Willow’s


    urging, they would return all the millennia-old cultural relics belonging to the country.