Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 426

Chapter 426 The Hunter and the Prey

“Jasper.”

“Hmm?”

“We’re in trouble.”

She tossed a small identification badge toward him. There was no name on the plate, only a number representing an identity. The badge was made of a specialized material with an embedded chip and a small light. Right now, that light was glowing a steady red.

If she guessed correctly, the red light meant the holder was dead. In a place where even a mobile signal was blocked, the existence of such advanced tracking tech meant there was a large, organized group operating in these woods.

And they were uninvited guests.

The two of them took the weapons and moved out, quickly masking their tracks. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before two men followed the signal and found the body of their companion. They checked the corpse, noting the unnatural twist of the neck.

“Neck’s broken. Killed instantly. Whoever did this was decisive; they didn’t give him a second to sound the alarm.”

“Looks like the prey is a leopard, not a mouse. Interesting.”

“Don’t underestimate them. Let’s close the net.”

The men didn’t seem to care that their comrade was dead; instead, they seemed eager for the hunt. Unfortunately for them, they had severely underestimated their targets. Between Jasper’s professional lethality and the heightened instincts Tatiana had honed on the island, the duo managed to evade every trap and even took out two more pursuers along the way.

The bad news was that they still hadn’t found a way out of the interference zone. The good news was that they had found a hidden cave to rest in for the night. To avoid detection, they didn’t light a fire, subsisting instead on wild fruit that Tatiana had foraged.

In the thick of the jungle, she was more at home than he was. At that moment, she was busy sharpening arrows. She shaved the ends of branches into lethal points and coated them with the sap of a poisonous plant. One scratch against the flesh would mean instant death Beside her lay a makeshift bow she had constructed from a resilient branch and fibers stripped from tree bark.

In the forest, a bow was far more effective than a gun; it was silent and wouldn’t draw a crowd.

Jasper watched her work with an intense focus. “You really don’t need my protection anymore,” he said suddenly.

She had money, allies, survival skills, and a world of her own. She had grown from a fragile vine into a towering tree that no longer needed his shade. He was proud of her, but he couldn’t hide the hollow ache in his chest. Now that she didn’t need his protection, what purpose did he serve in her life?

Tatiana saw his disappointment but chose to ignore it. She finished coating the twelve arrows she had

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Chapter 426 The Hunter and the Prey

prepared.

“By tomorrow, our people should be looking for us,” she said.

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Finished

The manor and the skydiving club would be in a panic over their disappearance. It wouldn’t take long for search parties to arrive at the crash site. They just had to stay safe until then.

“Mm. Don’t worry. I…” He started to offer the same comforts he used to–telling her not to be afraid–but the words felt wrong now. He swallowed them back.

Tatiana, tired of his hesitation, spoke plainly. “I’m not afraid, and you don’t need to baby me. I know the jungle better than you do; Tata taught me well.”

She was grateful for her time on the deserted island; it meant she didn’t have to spend this crisis in tears.

“Fine. You rest, I’ll take the first watch.”

“We’ll rotate. I’m not sleepy yet; I’ll watch the first half, you take the second.”

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