Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 436

Chapter 436 The Fading Trail

He looked at the lunch box and took it. “Thank you.”

Finished

Ginnie beamed, a hint of bashfulness coloring her expression. “You’re welcome! I have to get back to work now!” She left with a cheerful spring in her step.

Jasper watched her back. The warmth he had just displayed vanished instantly as he turned and re–entered his room. He opened the container, and the aroma was indeed appetizing; it was clear the meal had been prepared with great care. Ginnie’s feelings were written plainly across her face.

He understood them perfectly. In fact, he was intentionally exploiting them. The persona he presented was tailor–made to be exactly what Ginnie liked, luring her in bit by bit to secure Max’s trust as quickly as possible.

Was it despicable? Extremely.

But he didn’t feel a shred of guilt. He had to stay alive; he had to return. He would use every tool at his disposal without hesitation, including the hearts of others. He dumped the food into the toilet and flushed it away, his eyes cold and devoid of lingering sentiment.

Once everything was prepared, Max conducted a final inspection. As soon as the miasma dissipated, they set out immediately.

Rumble…

A massive freight elevator began to hum, slowly ascending. On the surface, the turf split open to reveal the lift’s exit. The doors slid back, and Max led the group out into the open air. Jasper’s previous suspicions were confirmed–the base was truly subterranean. Max was overseeing this shipment personally; the haul was too significant for him to trust anyone else.

“Move out.”

They pulled back the camouflage netting to reveal a fleet of off–road vehicles. They climbed in and departed along a familiar, hidden route. Jasper was placed in a vehicle with Max’s most trusted subordinates, men tasked with monitoring his every move. If he stepped out of line for a moment, he would not leave that car intact.

Naturally, Jasper remained still. He had been searched hundreds of times; everything he owned had been confiscated, and even the clothes he wore were new. With no weapons and outnumbered by armed guards, he had no chance in a direct confrontation. Throughout the journey, he remained compliant, silently committing the route to memory.

Shortly after they departed, Tatiana and her team finally located the entrance. They immediately noticed the fresh tracks–the winding indentations of tire marks left in the dirt. Her heart sank.

The assault began the moment they used counter–signals to disable the base’s internal surveillance. The tactical police unit had spent years planning for this; once they found the breach, their advance was unstoppable. The battle lasted only two hours before it was over. The casualties inside were heavy, and the survivors were bound and led away.

Tatiana located the controls for the magnetic interference and shut it down completely. Signals were finally restored. She immediately tried to call Jasper, but as expected, it wouldn’t go through. Taking a deep breath

20:4 Fri, Jan

Chapter 436 The Fading Trail

to steady herself, she joined the search.

41

Finished

However, after scouring the entire base, Jasper was nowhere to be found. Her vision blurred, and she nearly lost her footing. Tammy caught her. “Are you alright?”

Tatiana gripped Tammy’s arm. “Your sense of smell is keen. Can you find him? Track his scent.”

Tammy followed the trail to the room where Jasper had been held, but it was empty. Suddenly sensing something, Tatiana flipped over the mattress. There, on the wooden bed frame, were words written in blood.

I will return. Do not worry.

The strokes varied in depth, clearly written in extreme haste. Looking at the message, Tatiana didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The strength left her body, and she slumped to the floor.

“You bastard…” she whispered to herself. “At least you’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

The base had been neutralized, a large cache of products seized, and tools of the trade confiscated. However, the top leader, Max, had not been captured. Their luck had run thin; they had missed the biggest fish in the pond. The operation was far from a total success. In fact, it felt like a failure.

The tactical team also located the remains of the previous squad in a mass grave behind the mountain. They gathered the fallen to bring them home. The atmosphere was somber. Tatiana looked at the remains with profound respect, bowing her head in a silent tribute. Every person behind her followed suit, their hearts heavy with sincere reverence as they saw the fallen off.

Later, Tatiana hoped Tammy could track Jasper by scent, but unfortunately, Tammy was only human. Even a bloodhound couldn’t track a scent over such a vast distance once vehicles were involved. They had lost Jasper’s trail.

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