Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 991-1000

The receptionist took a look at the good-looking couple in front of her and she could not help admiring them secretly. For a moment there, the receptionist was unsure whether she admired the pretty woman or the extremely handsome man. Finally, she came to the conclusion that she was envious of the lady!

The man was very handsome and he had a great figure; he was indeed a rare gem. After securing a room, Angela held his hand and entered the elevator together. She appeared to be even more anxious than he was.

For a moment there, Richard was in a passive state. “I thought that you wanted to have coffee? How about we grab a bite first?”

Angela nodded and reached out to select the top floor where the cafe was located. The night was still young and he was here with her, so he would not be able to escape anyway.

Indeed, she was using her way to let this man know that he could go and complete his mission, but he had to come back in one piece because she was here waiting for him.

They grabbed a bite at the cafe before heading downstairs to their room. Angela opened the door by swiping the card; as soon as she noticed the large, white king-sized bed, her cheeks could not help but turn rosy.

“Uhh… Why don’t you go have a shower first?” She shoved the man next to her and her shyness was evident under the lights.

However, he reached out and grabbed her hand to pull her before him. He kept his dark eyes fixated on her. “We don’t have to do this right now.”

As soon as she heard that, she lifted her head and met his eyes with a firm gaze albeit blushing. “I don’t want to wait any longer. Didn’t you realize that I was waiting for this chance to jump you ever

since we were at the base?”

To that, Richard’s eyes were widening gradually.

Angela thought to herself, Whatever! There is really no need to take a shower. It’s too troublesome. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoes while cupping his handsome face. Subsequently, she leaned in and planted a kiss on him with her red lips.

For a moment there, he felt an incoming force surging within him. In order not to hurt her, he gladly initiated the movement and fell back onto the bed behind him. As for the lady, she fell into his embrace as well. It appeared that Angela was the hunter while he was her prey.

Her eyes shone as she looked at him. “You’re mine tonight.”

Heaving a sigh in response, he asked, “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m positive.” Having said that, she moved forward and kissed him again. She fumbled and seemed to be quite inexperienced.

Subsequently, the man placed his large palm around her waist and their positions were upturned; he was now atop her.

She revealed a seductive smile and her expression was charmingly sexy. She reached out to grasp his perfect chin and teased him. “I’m yours too.”

These three words were all it took for this man’s heart to flutter as if it was tickled by a feather. It was then a flash of strong suppression appeared in his eyes.

“I’ll keep you company tonight. Go to bed first.” Richard was trying hard to suppress his urges and even then, it took him the best of his efforts to achieve that.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

Nonetheless, he did not wish to hurt her and merely wanted to keep her company before he returned from his mission.

Suddenly, Angela flared up upon hearing his words. “Richard, don’t tell me that you…”

As soon as she said that, that was the last straw for him and he threw all caution to the wind. He narrowed his eyes and spoke up hoarsely, “Of course not.”

“Then, prove it to me.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and refused to let him leave. “Otherwise, I’ll get someone else to prove themselves to me.”

Instantly, Richard’s eyes darkened and he suddenly felt a strong urge rise up. At that moment, he lowered his head and spoke with dominance, “How dare you.”

Immediately after he said that, he proved himself through his actions, planting multiple kisses on her lips non-stop.

The warm morning sun rays landed on the face of the girl who was sleeping soundly; it felt like a morning call for her. However, she was worn out and continued to laze in bed. Refusing to get out of bed, she avoided the sunlight by turning around and instinctively snuggled into the man’s arms, continuing her sleep.

The man who had woken up earlier wore a tender expression on his face as he admired the features of the girl sleeping in his arms under the glow of sunrise. He could not contain the smile from appearing on his face.

At that moment, a loose tendril of hair slid down from her forehead and he gently tucked it back behind her ears. Distinctly, he heard her mutter, “Richard, I’ve had enough.”

He tried hard to stifle his laughter as he replied in a hoarse voice, “Alright. I’ll stop.”

His words caused her to gradually widen her eyes as her eyelashes fluttered. Instantly, his exceptionally handsome face appeared in front of her and she noticed he had a satisfied smile on his face. She then reached out and covered her own face with her hands.

After switching off the lights last night, every sensation she felt was in the dark; but right now, they were shone by the sun rays and she could not help but redden in embarrassment.

Although just freshly woken up, she instantly regretted her actions last night. She regretted questioning his performance ability, which prompted him to work extra hard to debunk her doubt. As a result, he had not given her much chance to rest throughout the night.

She recalled the words she had told him the night before. “Captain Lloyd, please!”

“Richie, stop!”

Nonetheless, Angela had experienced a night that she was reluctant to recall.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you a little daredevil last night?” Richard chuckled in a low voice and planted a kiss on her forehead.

At that moment, she planted her face into his arms. “How dare you bring up anything from last night!”

“Hehe…” He could not contain his giggle as he glanced at her tenderly and with full resignation. “I couldn’t help it. After all, I had been suppressing myself for the past twenty-nine years.”

As soon as Angela heard that, she laughed gleefully. His words were a clear indication that this was his first experience too. Come to think about it, I’ve scored! Hold on. This is my first time too.

“Are you for real? You’re not lying to me, are you?” She lifted her bright-red face and she looked enchanting under the morning glow.

At that moment, Richard felt a flutter in his heart as he ruffled her hair. “I will never lie to you.” His words were firm and sincere.

Angela felt a warm and fuzzy feeling rise up within her as she reached out to cling to his neck. She leaned against his chest at ease. “You’re not allowed to lie to me or leave me, ever. I will be your responsibility for the rest of your life.”

He hugged her tightly and whispered into her ears, “Sure, I will take full responsibility for the rest of your life.”

“Okay! I want to be hugged tightly to sleep by you every night from today onward.” She lifted her head and looked at him with doe eyes, looking innocent yet seductive.

“Sure!” He dropped a kiss on her forehead and noticed that the blanket had slid off her body. There were some reddened marks on her skin and he kissed the spot with a distressed expression.

Angela lowered her head and saw that too as she blushed. “You were so rough last night.”

“I’m sorry,” Richard apologized in a hoarse voice.

“I’m thirsty and I want some water.” Indeed, the spoiled princess could not shake off her habit overnight. Fluttering her eyelashes, she looked at him with indication for him to fetch her some water.

The man smiled in response and stroked her on the nose before getting up. As soon as he rose, his firm and well-toned back was revealed to her.

Angela saw his back and her eyes widened in surprise instantly. Subsequently, she blinked and shifted her eyes guiltily; his back was horrific-looking! It must be some wild cat that did that! She would never admit to inflicting such wounds on him.

Hmm? She recalled the past events and realized that it seemed to have been her own doing. Within split seconds, her face flushed redder than ever. How did I even do that?!

By then, Richard had brought a glass of water over for her and personally held the glass to her mouth. “Get up. Let’s go for breakfast.”

“Are you in a hurry to head home?” asked Angela.

“I’m not.”

“How about staying for another day? I just want to spend some time with you right now.” She refused to give up this chance to be with him. After all, she wanted to give him some sweet memories to recall if he really went off for the mission.

“Sure.” He nodded and agreed.

After breakfast, they took a stroll outside until Angela felt tired again, so they went back into the room to take a nap. She wanted to hug him as she took a nap, but it was then the man’s urges returned.

She was quite a naughty one as well. Despite being well aware that Richard was trying hard to suppress himself, she purposely tried to provoke him. Once again, she was held beneath him as he straddled her. “Umph, Richard, don’t you dare…”

However, her cries of protest were instantly muffled by him and the intimacy level in the air gradually intensified.

“I love you.” Angela heard his hoarse voice confess his love and she beamed widely as she became submerged in the passionate throes.

They stayed by the seaside for three full days and Richard sent her home after their trip at last. Along the way back, she could not help her emotions and stayed silent. She was so happy for the past three

days, but after the happy moments, she knew that she had to accept the fact that he was due to leave soon.

She was aware that Richard’s expression had tensed up after the phone call he received, so she knew that he had to depart for his mission soon.

After entering the town area, her heart clenched even tighter as they approached her home. At that moment, the man decided to speak up, “Angela, I’ve got something to tell you.”

Angela heaved a tiny sigh as she thought, Ultimately, he’s going to be forthcoming with me, huh?

“You don’t have to say anything. I know what you’re about to say. You’re about to embark on a dangerous mission.” She lifted her head and glanced at him with a worried expression.

At that moment, Richard was slightly stunned. How did she find out?

“Your mom told me about it. I have no intention of stopping you, but all I want is for you to return in one piece.” She looked at him unwaveringly, yet there was an expectant glimmer in her eyes. “I want you to come back to me safe and sound.”

Richard parked his car by the front of her house and glanced at her hopeful, little face before reaching out to stroke the back of her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely come back safe and sound.”

“You must keep your promise.” Angela’s eyes were red-rimmed at that point and she could not seem to stop herself from tearing up. Over the past three days, she had tried her best to avoid thinking about this matter, but she knew that she had to face it ultimately.

“I promise I will,” he responded solemnly.

“I need you to swear.” She was not satisfied with his promise. “Swear on my life. If you don’t return, then I’ll even sacrifice my life just to be with you.”

At that point, he felt a pang in his heart as he replied hoarsely, “Stop that nonsense.”

Teary-eyed, she smiled and shook her head. “I’m serious.”

“Trust me. I’ll definitely come back safely.” Richard gave his word firmly.

Meanwhile, Angela lowered her head and glanced at her abdomen. Subsequently, she turned to smile at him. “Once you’re back, you might even become a father then.”

Instantly, the man’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you say… it was a safe window?”

She shook her head and revealed a smug look. “I lied to you. That’s why you must come back because I’m sure you wouldn’t want your child to address someone else as Daddy.”

Her words infuriated him, yet he could not contain his excitement. He reached out and grabbed the back of her head before kissing her roughly. “Don’t you dare marry someone else!” Angela’s eyes were firm and unwavering as she negotiated, “Come home, then. If you do, then I promise not to marry anyone else but you!”

“Okay.” Richard placed his forehead against hers and promised.

Angela had done everything that she could to ensure that he came back and this was the most effective way she could think of. Despite the potential dangers involved in this mission, he had to come back alive because he had a major responsibility right here. His grandpa would be fine as he had the security of being taken care of by the country while his mother had her husband’s company. However, he was solely responsible for Angela and their baby.

“I’ll definitely be back. Trust me.” Richard planted a kiss on her forehead after saying that.

She reached out to hug him as well. “I’ll wait for you.”

She alighted from his car and watched as his car disappeared into the horizon. However, she stubbornly refused to shed a single tear.

She knew that in the near future, she would be living in long waiting days and worry. As long as he was away, she would not be able to feel at ease.

Angela took some time to recollect herself as she did not want to show her family members her anxiety. The last thing she wanted was for her parents to worry.

That afternoon, she received a phone call from Richard, informing that he was already on the plane. For the subsequent period of time, his phone would be switched off, so he wanted her to be at ease and wait for his good news.

Angela remained positive on the phone as she was confident that he would be back.

However, that night itself, she had trouble sleeping and she was up the entire night. She finally fell asleep in the morning and woke up in the afternoon. It was then she received a phone call from Scarlet, who invited her to go shopping with her in order to purchase some new clothes.

Angela was aware that Scarlet was just trying to fill up her void during this period.

As such, Scarlet’s car pulled over discreetly in front of Angela’s house. Since both families had not met each other before, Scarlet did not plan on entering the Meyers Residence as a guest. She picked up Angela and headed off to an exclusive shop in the town center. It was a relaxing afternoon with some teatime chit-chatting.

“Angela, don’t worry. Do you know what my son’s nickname is? Everyone addresses him as ‘Zeus’ because he is such a mighty and powerful figure, who never failed any of his missions. I’m sure that he will definitely succeed in this one and come back victorious too.”

As soon as Angela heard that, she felt much better than before as she nodded. “Yup, I trust him too.”

Truth be told, Scarlet was used to such anxiety as she used to worry about her husband the same way she worried about her son now.

“Oh, I have a god-daughter and I’ll introduce you guys to each other next time. She’s studying abroad and gaining a master’s degree in interpretation. She’ll be back soon.”

“That sounds great. I would love to get to know her. She must be very outstanding.”

“Her parents are extremely close friends of ours and we have known each other for ages. They have been permanently stationed abroad for work, so this kid grew up by my side ever since she was a child. I regard her as my daughter.”

“Yea, I’ve heard about that from Richard.”

“Her name is Ruka Singed. You can call her Ruka.”

“She sounds like an adorable girl,” Angela replied with a smile.

“She’s two years younger than you and she’s indeed a wonderful girl,” Scarlet mentioned with a smile.

After their enjoyable afternoon tea, Scarlet sent Angela back home at about 5.00PM. Besides, she also reminded Angela to seek her out anytime to chat if she was feeling down in the dumps.

At that point, Angela felt her spirits lifted significantly and she knew that she should not continue to wallow in self-pity. She had to keep her spirits up and wait for Richard to return.

He had an invincible presence in her mind, so she trusted that he would definitely be able to overcome everything.

Meanwhile, in a distant gorge far away from the town center of Lauchrist, several black-colored SUVs silently traveled through the forest in the dark. The cars in the fleet were covered with green fabric as camouflage and they were practically invisible to the eye.

“Send our striker team ahead to scout the route.” An instruction from their captain sounded through the headset.

At that moment, the car came to a halt and a young man sitting next to the captain opened the car door and alighted. Roy grabbed the man’s wrist. “Richard, why are you getting out of the car?”

“Captain Anderson, I’ll join the striker team.”

“Get back here immediately,” Captain Anderson instructed sternly. “You’re not allowed to go.”

“I know that you have received instructions from my uncle to keep me safe, but my job here is as one of your men and I’m not here to be protected.” Richard finished his words and struggled out of Captain Anderson’s grip before leaving the car.

Captain Anderson had no other choice and he could merely watch as the striker team disappeared into the dark.

“Captain Anderson, this mission is much more difficult than the others. I heard that there are a few hundred men guarding the place, so the chances of us succeeding in rescuing Professor Tesla are quite slim.”

“Professor Tesla must not end up in their hands.” There was a determined look in Captain Anderson’s eyes as he looked toward the darkened area in front. “Even if we end up with his dead body, we have to bring him back regardless.”

The stars in the sky were shrouded by thick clouds and the ground was rocky and uneven. There was a blanket of snow and the temperature on the ground was near zero. At that moment, several dark figures marched through the snow and their eyes were set on a cave with a slight glow not too far away from them.

The spot where the hostage was kept captive was a strategic cave that could be easily defended but hard to attack.

“Captain Lloyd, this is the furthest we can get. There are a few people standing guard, so we can only launch the drones.”

“Alright.” Richard nodded.

It was then that they launched the drone and it darted ahead like a black-feathered bird cruising silently in the dark. It arrived at the upper part of the cave and observed the terrain of the surroundings.

The drone hovered in the air and suddenly… Crack! The drone broke into pieces and disappeared down the bottom of the ridge.

“We’re exposed. We have to leave,” someone spoke in a low voice.

In the meantime, there were gunshots near the cave with a hail of bullets fired in their direction. The men on the snow-covered ground quickly scrambled for cover.

“We’ve been exposed. Retreat.” The team leader gestured a retreat sign.

Instantly, every member heeded the instruction and retreated, but one of them remained in position.

“Captain Lloyd.”

“You leave.”

“Captain Lloyd, what are you trying to do? Retreat!”

However, Richard’s figure had disappeared in the snowy darkness despite the team leader’s instruction.

“He’s such a daredevil!” the team leader retorted in a huff as he led the team away temporarily.

The team leader then returned to the hiding spot of their main group. Inside the car, he had just taken a sip of warm water when Captain Anderson interrogated him, “Why isn’t Richard back? I told you to make sure you bring him back! Are you going against my order?”

“Captain Anderson, he is of the same rank as you and I’m just a little team leader. I wouldn’t be able to make him follow my instructions.” The team leader felt quite aggrieved.

“I’ve heard of this guy, Richard Lloyd, here. He has never followed any instructions,” one of the older team members piped up.

“If he had heeded instructions, then it would be virtually impossible for him to get to my rank at the age of twenty-six.” Captain Anderson heaved a sigh. “Maintain constant contact with him. Perhaps he would be the key to this mission.”

“He must not get into any danger. Otherwise, it would be quite tough to explain things to the vice- president.”

“We’ve got to work seamlessly to support him. This brat is always causing trouble for me!” After Captain Anderson finished saying that, he instructed his subordinates to keep the communication system on the whole time and they were told not to miss out on any piece of information from Richard.

Amidst the flurry of gunshots, there was a figure bare-handedly climbing up the middle part of the cliff and he looked like a feral wolf as he inched closer silently.

Half an hour went by and the fleet of cars lying in ambush in the deep part of the forest was now covered in a thick layer of snow. Inside one of the vehicles, Captain Anderson kept his eyes on his subordinates and watched them tap away on their computers. Finally, one of his subordinates turned to look at him with a resigned expression. “We haven’t been able to receive any information on Captain Lloyd. Perhaps he has switched off the communication system or there must be a transmission disruptor set up in the cave.”

“Darn it! Does that mean we won’t even know if he’s dead or alive?” one of the fiery-tempered team members cursed in a low voice.

“Don’t panic. I trust that Richard would not lose his life that easily. I have the utmost confidence in his capabilities.”

“But then, we’ve just experienced the other party’s artillery power and they’re very strong. They’ve also employed all of the finest mercenaries in their team, which is why we’re unable to approach them now.”

“We should have faith in Captain Lloyd and wait for news from him. Let’s come up with another tactical plan if he doesn’t end up contacting us.”

The gloomy and heavy clouds descended upon the area and the exterior part of the main cliff was covered in a layer of icy snow. Meanwhile, another flurry of heavy snowfall dawned from the sky.

Presently, the men in charge of guarding the entrance repeatedly cast breath on their hands to warm their palms and one of them was dunking the water bottle into his mouth. However, he realized that the flask was empty, so he could not contain his irritation as he muttered angrily. Subsequently, he gestured to his teammate and lifted his flask to indicate that he was going inside to fetch some water after which his teammate nodded at him.

The man had just entered the cave when the other man standing guard instinctively started to move and stretch his muscles. As he felt a little rock hitting his head, he lifted his head to check on the

situation before a dark figure suddenly plopped onto him from atop. Crack! The man had lost his life with a twisted neck.

His military coat and furry hat were swiftly removed by the mysterious man as the dead was rolled off the cliff like a sack of potatoes.

The thirsty teammate had just returned upon filling up his flask when he noticed the man standing awfully near to the edge of the cliff. Out of curiosity, he asked in Spanish, “What’s going on?”

Immediately after the next second, his mouth was muffled by a large palm and a sharp knife was swiftly plunged into his chest at lightning speed. His eyes widened as he tried to reach for his gun, but his hand dropped lifelessly halfway. Subsequently, his body was rolled down the cliff silently like his teammate.

The dim lights hit them and underneath the furry hat, it was the face of a handsome man. The man had a tall nose bridge, his brows were deeply furrowed, and there was a dark expression in his eyes. With that, he was surrounded by a sharp and cold aura.

Richard pressed down the edge of the hat and walked into the cave naturally. There was only one path to enter the cave and it gradually expanded as he walked inside. Finally, he arrived at a large cavity that could fit a hundred men. The site had already been turned into a fully functioning living system and there were hundreds of mercenaries currently seated in groups as they chatted relaxedly with each other to kill boredom. Each of them carried weapons on them to handle any unforeseen circumstances.

Richard was strapping tall and he hid amongst the crowd dressed in the military coat and furry hat. He held the distinctive flask of this place in his hand as he naturally strode toward the area to fill his bottle. After filling it, he then headed in the other direction.

Since the cave was a highly defensive location to be attacked, the mercenaries were rather laid back. There was also plenty of food and wine inside the cave. Besides, they were paid very handsomely to

guard this easy spot, so this had caused them to lower their guards.

Naturally, there was a disadvantage with employing mercenaries as they all had their own self-interests at heart, producing a group lacking team spirit. As soon as something went wrong, the situation would get out of hand in no time.

Richard glanced at a drunk soldier coming his way who then greeted him. He greeted back in the same hoarse voice before the soldier gave him some alcohol, complaining that the new batch of alcohol was awful.

Thanking him with a smile, Richard continued walking. His aim was not to get alcohol but rather to find the electrical sources. Finally, he stopped at a crossroads and stared at a door located there for a while before he walked over and knocked on it.

Someone opened the door before Richard said to him, “Fresh booze for delivery.”

The man inside immediately went on alert mode. He was in charge of the personnels stationed here and was responsible for all the surveillance equipment here. He was sure that he had never seen a guy with such facial features working here before.

In just the split second that their gazes met, Richard made the first move by hitting the man on the head. Before the person could even react, he had entered the generator room and locked himself in from the inside.

“Who are you?” The man bellowed while reaching for his gun, but Richard was faster than him. In order to stop the man from pulling the trigger, Richard sent a few punches his way. Since the man was already weakened by the initial attack, the consecutives punches made him all dizzy, as the final attack was aimed at his carotid artery by the bottle that Richard broke.

After the fight, Richard went to the generator and opened the screen door. Looking at the nest of wires inside, he slowly opened the kettle that he had and poured some water on them, causing electric sparks to occur everywhere. Then, the room descended into darkness.

Unlocking the door, Richard was greeted by pitch black darkness outside the room, as curses and sounds of people smashing things on the floor came from the hallway. Obviously, the soldiers were very upset about the sudden power outage.

Richard smiled as he fired a few shots into the main hall.

Screams of pain echoed around, all the soldiers in the dark took out their guns. In the darkness, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the gunshot and the only thing that could be seen was all the gun sparks that occured each time someone pulled the trigger. The cave had become a slaughterhouse as everybody inside had lost all sense of direction and logic to the darkness.

The gun sparks kept appearing in the cave and all the screams of pain went on and on in the darkness. However, as time went by, there were lesser curses, questions and screamings of the soldiers could be heard. A sickeningly metallic scent of blood slowly wafted through the air which was so unpleasant that it could make those who inhaled it puke.

Hiding behind a rock, Richard was silently observing the situation with a sharp and calm gaze.

Soon, the remaining soldiers came to the realization that the people around them were actually their allies and immediately stopped the fire. Yet, there were only around ten to twenty of them that were still alive.

So, they decided to regroup in the middle and form a circle, not knowing until now where the enemy was.

A gunshot then shattered their unity again. Following the gunshot was the person, who tried to command the entire team earlier, falling down. Instantly, a sea of bullets flew everywhere again.

The remaining survivors were soon reduced to five to six when bullets came flying from a spot in the dark, ending their lives with pinpoint accuracy.

Seeing this, the sole survivor put his arms behind his head and kneeled down in the pool of blood of his allies, surrendering. He then looked up and saw a dark silhouette getting close to him. He had never been so afraid in his life.

It was then a sound came from the left side in the darkness, as the man did not even look before ending the surprise assailant with a single shot. Squatting down in front of the soldier, Richard asked, “Where’s Moccan Pierce?”

“H-H-He’s in the base behind us.”

After ending the soldier’s life, Richard looked like a man that came back from hell, as he walked out of the cave to be greeted by the sky with the dark clouds dispersed, shining a faint moonlight on his face.

Right then, he looked extremely terrifying with his gaze full of bloodthirst.

Seems like this was only the place where Moccan trained his soldiers. So, he’s actually hiding in the base behind. Bending over, Richard picked up a gun from the ground and reloaded it quickly before disappearing into the night.

After half an hour, Captain Anderson and his men could not sit around any longer. Hence, he led the team to the ground right below the cliff. Seeing the two mercenaries laying on the ground, they silently climbed up the cliff only to smell the thick scent of blood wafting through the air as they climbed up. They went into the cave to have a look only for them to exit with a pale face.

They could not believe how Richard eliminated more than a hundred people in such a short amount of time.

What a godlike existence.

“He’s ahead of us again. See if he left any information behind.”

“We found the leader’s tracks. He left a message saying that Moccan is in the base behind us and that Professor Tesla must be held captive there too.”

“Let’s quickly reinforce him.” Captain Anderson waved his hand, and the team moved out.

Meanwhile, Richard had found a vantage point to observe the base behind. From there, he saw that the brightly lit base was constructed mostly using shipping containers.

He had received orders from Captain Anderson that he was forbidden from acting alone, as he needed to wait for them to strategize a plan for the battle.

After losing the support of their vanguard, their battle prowess was greatly reduced, yet the people here did not seem to know that their reinforcements had all perished.

Finally, the team arrived with Captain Anderson tapping his shoulders. Even though they did not exchange verbally, the gaze from Captain Anderson told Richard that he was grateful for his actions.

Because of him, they were one step closer to accomplishing their plan and the hope of victory increased.

Drones which were as small as the size of a dragonfly were sent out and they were maneuvered silently into the base.

“There are around thirty soldiers.”

“We have to move fast. Moccan might find out that his vanguard has been eliminated. If that happens, he might get rid of the professor.”

“I’ll be the lead,” Richard stated.

Pushing his shoulders down, Captain Anderson replied, “Let my men go. You stay with me.”

Richard could only accept the order, as he saw the soldiers going down into the base. Yet, just after ten minutes, a gunfight could be heard.

“Looks like it has begun. The best course of action now is to rush in.” Captain Anderson waved, motioning the team to move toward the base.

Yet, Richard only looked at their backs, as he stayed in his spot, for he always liked accomplishing his tasks in an unorthodox method, so he went another way.

At that moment, all the soldiers’ attention was focused on the front side with the back of the base being a weak point for infiltration.

Reaching a container, Richard saw a couple of people in casual clothes walking out and they looked like the researchers. His sudden appearance had frightened them and caused them to raise their hands up in the air.

“Where’s Professor Tesla?” Richard had a wolf-like gaze.

The two researchers pointed at a container. “T-There…”

“Scram if you want to keep your lives.” Richard let them keep their lives with the two of them running to the nearest car and driving away without looking back since they were also brought here against their will in the first place. Closing in on the container Albert was in, he opened a window and looked in to

see a hastily constructed lab that was well lit with the professor being under surveillance. It was then Richard noticed a man standing beside Albert.

The man was in his fifties and had a head full of hair in the color of his age with a heavy bloodlust. It was Moccan, the person whom Richard wanted to kill the most.

At that time, Albert was clumsily packing the documents with a gun being pointed at his waist, forcing to do as he was told.

Richard wanted to end Moccan with a single shot right then, but he had to suppress his hatred if he wanted to keep the professor safe.

In the end, the group of people packed up and left for the nearest helicopter. Feeling it was now or never, he decided to get rid of the soldier closest to Albert in a corner, making him turn back in shock, as Richard said, “Professor Tesla, I’m here to save you. Come with me.”

Albert hid behind Richard immediately as Moccan, who was in front, turned around with a menacing glare before aiming his gun at them.

Another gunfight was approaching, and Moccan sensed that circumstances had worsened, so he had to flee first. However, he turned around in the midst and shouted fiercely, “I will remember your face!”

Richard left Albert in the care of his team behind him before sighting Moccan’s helicopter slowly ascending and rushing to chase it down.

“Captain Lloyd, come back!”

“Stop chasing it, Captain Lloyd!”

“Are you out of your mind, Richard?”

Despite their demands for him to stop, Richard jumped without hesitation. He gripped the helicopter’s landing gear and went up into the air with it.

“Follow it quickly. We must save him.”

Richard was not fearful even though he was in the helicopter. Moccan, on the other hand, was about to call someone when he discovered an unexpected guest onboard, and it was that young man. He grabbed his gun and fired it, shattering the door to the pilot’s cockpit. On the other hand, Richard glanced at the altitude and immediately shot the pilot. After the pilot’s death, the helicopter immediately spiraled downward out of control in the air.

Then, he pointed his gun at Moccan’s head. “Who are you?” Moccan murmured.

“The one who will take your life,” Richard said before firing the shot. He did not, however, aim for his head. Instead, Moccan was shot in the shoulder because he didn’t want this man to die immediately. He wanted him to die as painfully as possible.

Richard wanted Moccan to see himself dying while still conscious.

After glancing at the icy ground below him, Richard leaped from over ten meters. The helicopter crashed into the cliffside, sparks soaring and causing a massive explosion. He tripped and fell into the snow. He realized he had fractured his leg after landing from such a great height when he felt excruciating pain in his leg.

Richard suddenly heard a great rumbling as the explosion triggered an avalanche. He closed his eyes as he turned to see the approaching white mist, and an image of Angela flashed through his mind. He ignored the pain and crept to a nearby rock, crouched, and grabbed it tightly as the snow buried him.

Captain Anderson and his men were escorting Albert to the car to rest before the avalanche. Then they heard a big commotion, and everyone instantly ran in search of a safe shelter to stay in.

“Captain Anderson, is there an earthquake?”

“No. It’s an avalanche.” He concluded based on the sound before he said, “Oh no, Richard had landed close to the avalanche.”

His troops chased him as he ran recklessly toward the direction of the avalanche. Then, they saw the valley had been buried by snow, leaving only a little ridge visible. “Richard!” Captain Anderson shouted loudly. Anxious, he was unable to determine his last known location.

“In our assessment, Richard should have landed somewhere near there…” When one of the men pointed in the direction, all they saw was a snowy meadow, leaving them with heavy hearts.

A person’s chances of survival were minimal in an avalanche. Even if they were still alive, they were buried beneath the snow.

“Grab the equipment. Get his location, quick! We must rescue Richard!” Captain Anderson yelled and instructed his men, “Drop whatever you’re doing and join with the rescue. He must still be alive. I don’t think he’s dead for a second. He’s tougher than any of us.”

The team grabbed the equipment and began looking for his location.

“Captain Anderson, I believe Richard is buried quite deep. Nothing is detected by the sensor. Captain Lloyd might be…” The team member could not continue his conversation since he was upset that the device was not getting any signals.

“Just continue. Carry the sensor with you as you go. Richard must be in this location.” Because Captain Anderson had told the vice-president that they would return in one piece, he was unwilling to give up even the slightest possibility of survival.

The team members began to walk around the area while holding the sensor. Even though their fingers and toes were numb from the cold, they kept going.

Captain Anderson had been shot in the shoulder during the gunfight. He felt depressed just now, partially kneeling on the ground, and wished he could at least catch a glimpse of Richard’s body. However, due to the lack of news, Captain Anderson would be unable to return Richard’s body home.

He punched the snow ground as tears welled up in his eyes. “Richard Lloyd, you’re a moron. Everyone thinks you’re divine, yet you’re still human in the end. How could you have died at such an early age?”

Everyone fell silent when they saw their captain break down, knowing that Richard’s chances of survival were close to none. Nobody could possibly survive an avalanche. In fact, he leaped from a helicopter tens of meters above the ground. Even if a person was physically fit, their legs would surely hurt.

“Don’t be like this, Captain Anderson. Captain Lloyd is our hero and we all respect him.” One of the team members comforted Captain Anderson.

“If we want to find him, we’ll need an excavation. Otherwise…” Another team member became distraught for a little moment.

Captain Anderson punched the ground again, obviously in deep sadness. Then, a team member yelled, “There’s a signal here! There’s a signal!”

They all raced over when they noticed a weak continuous signal from the sensor, indicating that it was Richard.

Captain Anderson ordered, “Dig fast!”

Some team members went back and grabbed shovels; those who could move around dug based on the signal displayed in the sensor. Finally, they dug about half a meter before a hand emerged from the snow, which made everyone cheer. They continued searching until half of Richard’s body was exposed. He looked like a warrior in the snow with an invincible spirit, breaking free from the terrible situation.

“You moron.” Captain Anderson jumped in the hole and hugged him.

Using the last of his strength to pat him on the back, Richard replied, “Don’t worry, Captain Anderson. I- I won’t let your mission fail…” He fainted after saying those words.

“Captain Lloyd!”

“It’s fine. He just fainted. Carry him quickly to the car and bring him back.”

Captain Anderson looked at him being taken away, and remarked, “You really are one tough young man.”

They kept Richard warm in the car while administering first aid to him, and the entire team was discussing him. He had a vivid dream. It began when he drifted in and out of consciousness while buried in snow, and this dream was the only thing keeping him alive. In the dream, a woman smiled and kept calling out to him.

“Richard, you can do it! You must come back!”

“I’m waiting for you, Richard! Don’t you die on me!”

“Richard…”

It was the sound of Angela’s voice. She would constantly smile at him, and at one moment, she would cry and beg him to come to her. Her words gave him strength while he was buried deep beneath the

snow. Little by little, he climbed. Even though he was on the brink of death, he forced himself to stay alive so that he could see her again. Whatever he promised her, he was going to keep it.

Midway through the drive, Richard experienced a high fever and fell unconscious. When he was in such a state of delirium, everyone could hear him mumble, “Angela!”

Everyone can guess who Angela is. It must be the woman Richard loves! Did he only manage to crawl out from the snow because this person gave him the strength he needed?

Meanwhile, at the vice-president’s office, the man who had just hung up the phone heaved a massive sigh as if releasing some tension. He had just finished hearing about the most recent situation. The news was both startling and reassuring. They had completed the mission and were on their way back.

Ren phoned Scarlet to deliver the news. He would not mention the unpleasant process; only a safe return result will be reported.

“Really? Richard completed his mission and victoriously returned?” She shed joyful tears.

“Yes. Richard finally got his wish.”

“That’s great. Richard has finally avenged his father. I believe his heart can now be at peace. He is not hurt, is he?”

“Mostly superficial injuries. There isn’t much other than a fracture in his leg.”

“We don’t even know how bad his injury is!” Scarlet still felt pain in her heart since she couldn’t bear the thought of her son being injured.

“It is nothing. He’ll get treated when he returns.”

“Ren, try to transfer him back! After all, he and Angela will soon be married. I don’t want him to follow in his father’s footsteps by constantly traveling the world.”

“Okay! I’ll work to get him transferred back within this year.”

Scarlet cheerfully replied, “That will be great. If that happens, I’ll be there to keep him company. We’ve grown apart since he hasn’t been staying with me all these years.” She then questioned, “Is the Translation Department also hiring?”

“I’m not too sure. Why?”

“Ruka will be returning soon. So, I wanted to find out whether they were hiring. If they are, she can give it a shot because she specializes in translation.”

“Ruka has returned?” Ren asked, his voice solemn.

“Yes. She’ll be back by next week.”

“Okay. I’ll ask around,” he calmly stated.

After the call ended, he contacted the Translation Department. “Are you planning to hire?”

“May I know who is asking?”

“Ren Husson,” he spoke in an authoritative voice.

The person whom he spoke with was so shocked that he stuttered, “Oh, i-it’s the vice-president, sir. Yes, we have just completed the recruitment of six interns.”

“Add one more. Name, Ruka Singed.”

“Of course, of course. We’ll add her immediately.”

Ren responded and then ended the call. He pondered for a bit before smirking. I have not seen this spoiled brat in years.

Scarlet’s next call, though, was to Angela, who was in the midst of a departmental meeting. Daphne, hoping for her daughter to have experience in every department, assigned her to the project department so that she could develop her skills in all areas.

Since Angela became the department head upon her arrival, it was rather stressful for her. Yet, at that moment, she had forgotten entirely about her subordinates, as only Scarlet’s voice remained in her mind.

“Angela, Richard has successfully completed his mission and is on his way home.”

Angela fell into tears at hearing this news and cried, “That’s wonderful, Ms. Husson!”

“Please wait calmly for his return, as you two will be reunited soon.”

She felt utterly relieved. “Sure, Ms. Husson. When the time comes, may I accompany you in picking him up?”

“Of course. When he arrives, I will definitely bring you along.” Scarlet knew that Richard was no longer attached to her but to Angela.

Angela had been tormented by insomnia for the past half month, as the mental tension she was experiencing prevented her from falling asleep without medication. Her mother was worried that she was about to have a nervous breakdown. At that moment, this joyful news relieved all of her concerns. She was previously in pain regularly. Finally, the good news she had been expecting arrived today.