The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 216

Chapter 216

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By now, the usually cranky takins were acting surprisingly chill.

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The lead takin didn’t even bother to look up. He said, “Oh, you mean that guy who was blocking the way? He was already dead when we found him.

“A few days ago, we were heading to the cliff to get some salt off the rocks, and his body was blocking our way.

“So we just shoved him off the cliff.”

Nina’s eyes flashed with surprise as she relayed the takin’s statement to Simon.

Simon’s expression hardened. He said, “So someone killed the herbalist and dumped the body right where the takins go for salt, hoping to frame them.”

Nina still frowned in confusion. She said, “But all the wounds look like takins made them.”

“The killer probably used the takins’ attack to hide what really killed him,” Simon said.

Simon studied the photos Elias had sent him on his phone, shots of the body and the crime scene.

Simon said, “Maybe the killer used something heavy to hit him, or just straight-up pushed him off the cliff to his death.

“They didn’t use a knife or anything that would leave clear evidence.”

Nina glanced at the takins, who were almost done licking the salt block. She said, “With so many animals on this mountain, some little critter must’ve witnessed the whole thing.”

Elias had sweat beading on his forehead, a chill creeping down his back. He said, “We almost got sent in the wrong direction, and would’ve wasted a ton of manpower trying to move the whole herd. Good thing you guys showed up.”

Simon’s knuckles tightened. He said in a low voice, “So the real killer is probably still somewhere on this mountain.”

He suddenly looked up, locking eyes with Nina. Both of them stiffened at the same time.

“That means Lorelai is in danger,” Nina said, her voice tense.

Just then, the lead takin, after licking up the last of the salt, lifted its big head. He asked, “Looking for someone?

“Who are you guys trying to find up here?”

Too bad takins are near-sighted as heck, showing them a photo of Lorelai is no use at all.

Nina described what Lorelai looked and sounded like. Then she said, “She’s our friend’s mom, came up here to collect stuff for making pigments.

10:37 Tue, Jan 20

Chapter 216

She unfolded the map and sighed. “We’ve already checked two spots, but still no sign of Lorelai.

“There are four more spots we need to check out.

:))

Nina pointed at a far-off mark on the map, her face all scrunched up. “This one’s the real headache. It’s way up on the cliff, and we’ll have to take a huge detour. Best case, we’ll be done by three or four AM.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a dismissive snort came from nearby.

The lead takin slowly strolled over, glanced at the cliff, and its eyes showed clear disdain.

He said, “Why make it so complicated? Taking a detour? Not happening.”

He snorted, then flopped down and called out to Nina in a rough voice, “Hop on, Nina. Today, Big Bull’s gonna show you what real vertical takeoff looks like.”

Nina’s eyes sparkled.

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She thought, “That’s right. Takins are total pros at climbing; those hooves are like built-in crampons; and cliffs are just fancy spiral staircases to them.’

He said, “We’re totally fueled up and ready to go.

“We’ll rocket straight to the top in a flash.”

The lead takin looked super smug as he said it.

“Wait, for real? You can actually do that?!” Nina exclaimed, practically bursting with excitement.

She was so hyped she nearly bounced on the spot.

‘Forget calling it a takin, Big Bull is basically a beast-mode, off-road tank on legs,’ Nina thought, her eyes shining with delight.

But then she remembered her friends and quickly turned to point at Simon and Elias. She asked, “What about them?”

The lead takin snorted, sounding like it was doing them a huge favor. He said, “Alright, just for you. I’ll let them tag along.”

It turned to the herd and called out in a deep voice, “Send over a few of the fastest and steadiest. Let these earthbound humans see what real speed is!”

When Elias realized he was about to get a front-row seat on the mountain tank, he froze, his mouth hanging open so wide you could’ve dropped an egg right in.

“This is the legendary beast that can knock leopards right off a cliff!’ Elias thought, awestruck and a little

terrified.

The three of them carefully climbed onto the takins’ backs. Nina gave Bull a friendly pat on the neck and called out with a grin, “Bull, start your engines!”

10:37 Tue, Jan 20

Chapter 216

In the blink of an eye, the takins, who’d looked so bulky and slow, suddenly showed off jaw-dropping agility, moving with a speed and nimbleness that left everyone speechless.

They powered up the nearly vertical cliff, their hooves locking into cracks like pro climbers. These massive beasts were rock-solid, steady as a fortress rolling uphill, totally unfazed by the steep slope.

Nina clung tightly to Bull’s back, the wind howling past her ears. She couldn’t hold back her excitement and shouted, “Oh my god. This is a hundred times wilder than any roller coaster.”

Nina thought, her heart racing, “Big Bull is way cooler than any Lamborghini supercar.

“This is a real-life bio-engine with all-terrain suspension.

Nina yelled, awe in her voice, “Big Bull. You guys are the supercars of the forest, Ferraris of the cliffs.

Hugging Bull’s neck, Nina kept the praise coming. “Even Drift King would have to call you boss after seeing these skills!”

Right after, Elias, clinging to another takin, let out a yell that was equal parts terror and thrill. He shouted, “Oh my god! My body made it up, but my soul’s still lagging way behind.

He didn’t dare look down at the sheer cliff below. “Forget chasing crooks, this is next level!”

Simon hunkered down on his takin’s back, never taking his eyes off Nina up ahead. Watching her lay it on thick with the lead takin, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.

But the more Nina hyped him up, the more pumped Big Bull got; his hooves were a blur as he shot forward, leaving everyone else eating his dust.

Simon’s heart tightened, his gaze sharpening with sudden worry.

Big Bull was the first to burst onto the flat stretch of forest, but instead of slowing down, he got even more hyped and just barreled off in the wrong direction, charging ahead with wild excitement.

“Wrong way. Big Bull, you’re going the wrong way. Stop!” Nina shouted, clinging to his back in a panic.

Big Bull slammed on the brakes, the force so strong it left shallow grooves in the ground.

In that instant, everything went dead silent.

The thunderous hoofbeats and the rustling trees that had filled her ears just a second ago disappeared, like someone had hit mute.

The whole forest felt like it was being strangled by some invisible hand; it was so quiet, it was almost creepy. All Nina could hear was her own heartbeat, loud and panicked in her ears.

Nina whipped her head around on instinct, her heart pounding in her chest.

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