The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 214

Chapter 214

“Confirmed. It’s a local herbalist,” Elias said, his voice growing somber.

Even knowing the victim wasn’t Lorelai, there wasn’t a hint of relief on Simon and Nina’s faces.

Someone else had died, turning the threat lurking in the mountains into a brutal reality.

The weight on their shoulders grew heavier in an instant.

They had to find Lorelai fast and make sure no more tragedies happened.

Elias’s expression grew grave. “Takin are ferocious. I’ll go with you.”

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The young officers with him tried to dissuade him. “Elias, let us handle it. No need for you to take the risk yourself.”

But Elias was firm. “I’m a local. I grew up at the foot of Emerald Mountain, and I’ve been collecting herbs here since I was little. I know these mountains better than anyone.”

He looked at Simon and Nina, his tone leaving no room for argument. “If you two from headquarters are heading into the mountains, I have to go with you. Your safety is my responsibility.”

So, Simon, Nina, and Elias set off into the mountains together.

As soon as they reached the entrance to the mountain, the air turned damp and cool. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sunlight, and the ground was covered in a thick, springy layer of forest humus.

Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, scattering dappled patches of light across the mossy rocks.

Just as they stepped into the woods, they heard the familiar chittering overhead.

Looking up, they spotted Coco and Chubby perched high on a branch, their fluffy tails flicking back and forth.

Nina grinned, pulled a few nuts from her pocket, and set them gently on a little stump in front of the Squirrel Bros. “Bet you guys have been waiting for this, here’s your supply drop from the team!”

Then she reached out and scratched Tabby King under the chin, and with a flourish, produced a dried fish as if by magic. “Your Majesty, don’t be mad. Look, I’m here with a tribute just for you.”

Elias watched Nina interact so affectionately with the little animals, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, his face full

of amazement.

Tabby King munched on the dried fish and said, “Is this new guy one of my minions, too?

“Stick with me. I’ve got your back!”

Elias could sense the cat was looking at him, and he pointed at his own nose uncertainly. “Did it just talk to

me?”

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Chapter 214

Nina couldn’t help but laugh. “Tabby King says you seem trustworthy, so he has your back now.”

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“Huh?” Elias straightened up, honored, and instinctively saluted Tabby King. “Thank you. Your Majesty!”

Only after he had spoken did Elias realize what he had just done. His face turned bright red, and he fumbled to straighten his already perfectly neat collar.

Meanwhile, Simon crouched down and spread the map out on a rock. “According to Benson, his mom went into the mountains to fill an order for lapis lazuli and crimson pigment.

“Let’s head to the closest area where those materials are found first.” Simon tapped a spot on the map.

He turned to Elias. “Elias, where exactly was the herbalist’s body discovered?”

Elias pointed toward a nearby ravine. “Right over there. Judging by the injuries, looks like he fell from the cliff above. He probably died around four days ago.”

Nina glanced in that direction, frowning. “That’s odd. This isn’t even marked as takin territory on the map.

“They usually stick to the deeper parts of the mountains. This area is just the outskirts; herbalists are supposed to be safe here,” Nina said.

Simon folded up the map. “Let’s follow the planned route. With our animal guides showing the way, we should be able to steer clear of most dangers.”

Sure enough, with the little animal guides leading them, the group moved along without a hitch.

Before they knew it, the sun was sinking in the west, painting the sky a brilliant reddish orange.

The temperature in the forest dropped suddenly, and a chill crept in with the gathering darkness.

The group arrived safely near the lapis lazuli mine marked on the map.

Nina immediately rallied her animal companions to fan out and investigate. “Hey guys, see if anyone has spotted a woman carrying a wooden box around here lately?”

It wasn’t long before Misty Fang came back with some crucial intel. “The coral snakes say they saw the person we’re looking for! She was searching around the mining area for a while, then headed north.”

Elias quickly found the spot on the map. “North… That’s where the crimson pigment comes from. The locals call it Eagle’s Cliff.

“But there have been signs of takin activity in that area before, so we need to be extra careful.” His expression grew serious.

Simon and Nina nodded gravely.

Nina said calmly, “I’ll send a few of my smart little buddies ahead as sentries. If they pick up any sign of takin, we’ll get out of there fast.”

Elias watched the scene unfold, unable to help but marvel. “Having animals as guides is seriously amazing

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Chapter 214

and so convenient!

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“A gift like yours for talking to animals? You don’t just find someone like that anywhere. It’s not something just anyone can do.” He shook his head, a little envy in his voice.

Nina just smiled. “No need to worry, there’s plenty of time ahead.”

She already had a clear vision in mind.

Nina thought, ‘Once the animal vaccine I am working on is ready, I will systematically study the vocal patterns of common animals like cats and dogs.

‘I want to analyze how the sound waves of their “barks” and “meows” change when they are expressing different emotions and needs.

‘If I could crack the code of how animals communicate and turn it into a guidebook, even regular folks could finally get what their pets are trying to tell them.

‘By then, cops and police dogs would team up like never before, and who knows, maybe they even recruit other specialist animals for the force, letting each one show off their unique talents in all kinds of fields.’

As the group kept searching and climbed higher up the trail, it didn’t take long before they started spotting signs that takin had been around.

Some young trees had clear marks from being rammed and straped, and just ahead, a bare rock face showed big wet spots, like something had been licking the stone.

Nina took a closer look at the rock and explained, “These are from takin licking the surface. They need a ton of salt, so they come looking for rocks with salt to get their minerals.”

Simon’s face turned serious. “These marks are still fresh. They were here not long ago.”

As dusk settled in, one of the bats out on patrol suddenly zipped back, screeching in a panic. “Nina! A whole herd of huge beasts is charging this way!”

Almost at the same moment, the three of them heard the heavy pounding of hooves and the splintering crash of trees being smashed in the distance. The little animals scattered in a flash, but the three humans were left exposed with nowhere to hide.

“It’s a herd of takin!” Nina didn’t hesitate. “Quick, get to that rock crevice we passed earlier!”

As they scrambled to retreat, the furious roars of the takin rang out across the mountains.

When Nina heard what the takin was actually shouting, she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Ugh, those annoying humans again!”

“They’re always accusing us of murder!”

“Yeah, I’ve got a bad temper, so what? It’s not like I go around killing people! Why do we always have to take the fall for stuff we didn’t even do?”

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