05:16 Mon, 24 Mar 0
Chapter 108
Chapter 108
Quinlyn decided to talk to Joseph, clearly hoping he would take care of Elowyn for her. But this time, Joseph didn’t go for i He even called others over, and soon a crowd gathered at the Wilson residence.
“No way. Don’t even think about it. You’re going to school tomorrow. If you don’t. I’ll tell your teacher that you’re skipping class. Stanley said, slamming the table with finality.
Larry crossed his legs, smirking, “You just had the birthday, and now you’re pulling this? You think I set off those fireworks for fun! Try to leave, and I’ll take the James father–and–daughter, along with the Suarez pair, on a cruise and let them drift at sea for a month.”
Curtis shot a serious look at her. “You’re part of the 901 Military Base. Who dares to make a move without my permission? If you have to get involved in every case, we might as well replace Bennett as the squad leader.”
Compared to Stanley’s minor squabbles earlier, the threats from Curtis and Larry felt much more real.
Stuck in the middle, Quinlyn glanced back at Joseph, her big eyes betraying a hint of resentment.
Joseph looked away, crossing his arms as he leaned against the stairs. “Don’t look at me. If you wanted to use me as a stepping stone, you should have been prepared for things to backfire.”
He really didn’t want Quinlyn to go. The experiences at the borderlands had left a mark on him. He always worried that getting involved with anything from there might ruin the stable life Quinlyn had worked so hard to build.
Finally, Curtis sighed and said. “Quinlyn, if you train well, with the big contributions you’ve made, the base could let you enlist early. You could become the youngest major or even general in no time. Or you could get into any college you wanted right now. Why go back to your old life!”
Everyone believed Quinlyn had extraordinary talent and wanted to nurture her growth.
“If you want to fight against injustice, you have to wait until you’re an adult. I promise not to interfere after you turn eighteen. How does that sound? Curtis asked.
Knowing Quinlyn had a stubborn streak, the supposed “interrogation” turned into a heartfelt, earnest attempt to persuade her.
Quinlyn knew they meant well, so this time, she didn’t act impulsively like she used to at the borderlands. Instead, she chose to come back and take the talking–to
She stood up and walked over to Curtis, reaching out to hold his hand. Looking at her small hand resting on his wrinkled skin, she smiled softly and added, “I’m still so young, there’s a long way until I turn eighteen.
Curtis’s eyes softened immediately. He covered her tiny hand with his other hand, trying to warm it. “Yeah, I want to see your grow up,” he replied, imagining her long hair in braids, dressed in cute outfits, and flashing an even brighter smile.
At first, he was drawn to her talent, but now he loved her deeply. Because of that love, he felt protective, unwilling to let her take any more risks.
“But what about those missing girls? Their families will never see them again.” Quinlyn thought about the clusters of red wildflowers, and her eyes grew misty. They were thrown into the hills, feasted upon by wolves, and never seen again.”
She had waited for so long that even when those flowers had withered, Nancy never appeared. Matthew had forbidden her from going into the mountains, warning her of dangerous wolves and how the bodies might be consumed.
Quinlyn couldn’t shake the memory of the flowers she hadn’t given away or the cries of hopeless despair from Donny. In ten years, how many more Donnys had there been? And if the criminals couldn’t be caught this time, how many more would there be?
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05:16 Mon, 24 Mar
Chapter 108
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Curtis looked at Quinlyn. As he met her bright eyes, he felt the coolness of her hand ignite into a fiery warmth. Her spirit was passionate and intense; he knew he couldn’t hold her back.
At that moment, the other three boys fell silent as well. They understood that, despite Quinlyn’s tough upbringing in a crime–filled environment, she had more compassion and empathy for the victims and their families than any of them did.
As everyone started to leave, Larry remarked, “The people at the 901 Military Base can draw attention if they follow you over. I’ll bring along some family members with you.”
Quinlyn stood on the steps by the door and nodded. “Okay.”
“You…” Larry looked at her, sighed helplessly, and reached out to ruffle her hair. He didn’t say anything else and headed home to make arrangements.
When Quinlyn turned back to Joseph, he had already gone inside. “Alright, you win. I’ll take care of Mom and Dad,” he said.
nlyn blinked, a faint smile forming at t corners of her lips.
That night, Quinlyn made a special trip back to her villa to visit Matthew’s grave.
Quinton stood behind her, bowing respectfully. ‘Grandpa, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Mom and Quinlyn.” He truly embraced his role as the oldest son of the family.
Quinlyn didn’t mention that no bodies were buried there, or that Matthew wasn’t actually a blood relative. Instead, she simply said, “If you want to live with your mom, you can bring her over and get someone to help take care of her.”
Having seen what Donny and Nancy endured, she felt that everyone longed to be with their family,
“R–really? Is that okay?” Quinton asked cautiously, hopeful but worried about causing Quinlyn any trouble.
“Yeah, if you run into any problems, you can contact Joseph.” Quinlyn handed him the number.
As she was about to leave, Quinton quickly asked, “Are you heading out? Will it be a long time before you come back?” He sensed that her words hinted she might not return soon.
“Yeah, it’s a bit far. But I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Quinlyn replied, unsure of her exact schedule. Coming back home before leaving had become a routine for her.
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When she was at the borderlands, she always tidied up the little shack before heading out, just in case she didn’t make it back. Today, it felt like paying an early visit to Matthew’s grave. Now that Quinton was around, she also left him some reminders.
The next day, Quinlyn met the task force at the airport, joined by the Hill family’s trainees and Stanley.
Joseph was too busy with an important project to come along, but surprisingly, he encouraged Stanley to join them.
As soon as Stanley spotted Bennett, his eyes filled with disdain. “An elite team, huh? Drag a kid in? Have you no shame?” They had interacted many times before, so Stanley didn’t bother with politeness.
Those words really irked the task force members.
Larry led the trainees over and said coldly. “If you don’t like us, we can leave right now–it’s a perfect opportunity to take Quinlyn to school on our way out”
That single remark left the elites speechless. After that, neither side said a word on the plane.
Mon, 24 Mar
Chapter 108
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In June, the weather in Yocriton was mild and pleasant, with flowers blooming the moment people stepped out of the airport. Who would have guessed that such a beautiful city was actually a hub of crime
Quinlyn had just reached the side of the road when a car pulled up in front of her. The driver honked a couple of times arrogantly, rolled down the window, and called out, “Quinlyn”
AD
