?Chapter 2342


    Snowkes swirled all around, and the wind howled.


    Jace found himself stranded, forced to walk alone through the vast, snowy expanse.


    His thoughts drifted to Be, trapped in danger, her fate uncertain. Then to Justin, bleeding heavily with a bullet in his shoulder yet resolute in his pursuit to find her.


    Jace''s calloused hand trembled as he pressed it against his chest, his heart pounding for reasons he could not quite exin.


    "Ugh-!"


    Without warning, a scaring pain throbbed in his head. As darkness clouded his vision, his legs buckled, and he tumbled into the snow.


    The pain was agonizing, piercing deep into his mind and chest. His eyes bulged as if they would pop out of his head. He struggled to breathe, his shaking hand reaching for the chain around his neck where he had hidden the medication that the Boss had given him.


    These pills were supposed to bring him peace, ease his suffering, and save his life. But his fingers fumbled, and the pill tumbled into the snow, vanishing in an instant.


    A buzzing noise filled his head as his trembling hands desperately scoured the snow, consumed by a panic unlike any he had felt before.


    The agonizing pain only grew worse.


    In a desperate move, Jace tore off his shirt and buried his scarred body into the freezing snow, seeking relief from the biting cold.


    To his surprise, it worked.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Slowly, Jace opened his bloodshot eyes. Though he still felt a bit uneasy and his head throbbed faintly, the worst of the pain had passed.


    As he got dressed, Jace turned pale when his phone started ringing.


    Seeing rice''s name on the screen, he felt a mix of annoyance and unease.


    He let it ring for a while before he finally answered, pressing it slowly to his ear.


    "Jace, I heard you called for backup. What happened? Are you hurt?" rice spoke in a t, cold tone like she was just going through the motions.


    Jace''s eyes flickered as he replied in a low voice, "The car is gone. I need a ride back."


    "Is the car gone? What happened to it?" rice questioned, her tone skeptical.


    "Justin took it."


    "What?!" rice said in disbelief. "You didn''t stop him? You failed your mission?"


    Jace''s chest tightened. Then, as if possessed, he lied for the first time in his life.


    "The Boss didn''t order me to kill him. I crashed his car and fought with him, but he took my gun and shot me, leaving me injured."


    rice fell silent for a moment, seemingly epting Jace''s exnation. After all, Justin was once the top recruit of his military academy, a man of exceptional abilities. It made sense that Jace might lose.


    "Our people are on their way to pick you up. But this failure will have severe consequences. Think carefully on your way back about how you will exin this to the Boss."


    with that, she hung up.


    Jace stared up at the night sky, taking a deep breath of the freezing air.


    After a moment of thought, he raised his hand and shot himself in the left shoulder.


    The pristine white snow quickly turned crimson with his blood.


    Pain etched sweat on his forehead, yet his expression was calm, even determined, with a slight smirk at the corners of his lips.


    "This will be my exnation to the Boss."


    Dragging his injured body, Justin followed Xavier and the rescue team deeper into the forest.


    "Mr. Salvador, yourplexion looks terrible. Are you sure you''re okay?" Xavier saw beads of sweat continuously rolling down Justin''s face and could not help but worry. "We can continue the search for Ms. Thompson. Her secretary has already informed her family, and more help is on the way. You should head back down and wait."


    "No, I''m going to find her." Justin''s vision wavered between rity and blur, but he numbly walked forward." This is something I owe her."


    "Sigh. You two... You were once the talk of the town in Savrow, the perfect couple. How did ite to this? It''s such a pity..."


    Justin''s lips pressed into a thin, pale line. He lowered his head. Each step he took left deep imprints in the snow, as if carving the weight of his guilt into his heart.


    A storm of emotions brewed within him, silent yet explosive, the pain searing through his chest.


    As much as he hated to admit it, Justin could not deny the truth. He regretted it. Searching for Little Dove was important, but not if the price was Be''s safety.


    "Captain Xavier! We''ve found a trail of footprints!" Someone shouted in excitement.


    Justin''s previously despondent eyes sharpened instantly. He rushed forward, recognizing the tracks at a nce- they were a woman''s.


    No one else could have left them but Be.


    "We''re on the right path. She passed through here. The storm is fierce, but judging by her stride and pace, she hasn''t gone far." For the first time in what felt like hours, a glimmer of hope surfaced in Justin''s hoarse voice.


    Someone added grimly, "But the footprints disappeared here. They must have been covered by the snow." Justin''s heart sank once more.