2026-10-26 07:01:02Maria Sten was startled by the middle-aged man's sudden rise in volume. What made it worse was that he was storming toward her, anger radiating from every step. She found herself backing away instinctively, her pulse quickening.
"Sir, please, whatever the issue is, we can discuss this calmly. There's no need for this," Cornell said, stepping out from behind Maria and spreading his arms to shield her."There's nothing to discuss with heartless profiteers like you!" the man roared, hi
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Chapter 051
Cornell Bateman still remembered the time Hannah Beatty had turned her gun on him in a fit of rage, forcing him to apologize. Wounded as he was, he had no intention of provoking Hannah into doing something she might regret.As his thoughts drifted to their current predicament, Cornell's expression grew somber. Gritting his teeth against the bone-deep pain radiating through his body, he forced himself upright. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony through his injuries, but he pushed through it."Thanks, Hannah. You took good care of me, and I'm feeling much better now," he said, his voice tight. "But I need to see General Sten. Right now."After a full night's rest, his strength had returned considerably. His priority was confirming the General's condition, no matter the cost."You can't go." Hannah reached out to steady him, her grip firm on his shoulder. "Edmund Sten isn't an idiot. He won't let you anywhere near General Sten. He'll have people waiting for yo
Chapter 050
"Bear with me."Hannah Beatty furrowed her brow as she pressed the blade into Cornell Bateman's mangled wound, carefully working to extract the bullet lodged inside. Without anesthesia, this kind of flesh-cutting agony tested the limits of human endurance. Several times, Cornell nearly passed out from the pain.When it came to field extraction, Hannah had no experience. She fumbled with the knife for nearly a minute, yet still hadn't managed to remove the bullet. Cornell could barely hold on anymore. Sweat soaked through his clothes, clinging to his skin."Cornell, I..." Watching him suffer like this, Hannah began to blame herself. Tears welled up in her eyes as panic made her clumsy hands even more unsteady. What had started as a small wound was now a gaping gash, blood flowing freely."Don't rush. Take your time," Cornell said, forcing a smile despite the agony.Hannah took a deep breath, willing herself to focus. She steadied her nerves and resumed the ex
Chapter 049
Hannah knew exactly what Cornell intended to do. She found cover to shield herself and quickly secured a favorable sniping position. From here, she could block any potential enemy reinforcements while also providing support for Cornell's retreat if needed.She had faith in Cornell's abilities. Once he locked onto a target, the sniper wouldn't escape alive.When Cornell reached the iron door leading to the rooftop, he scooped up a metal rod from the ground and kicked the door open with one powerful strike. The rooftop sprawled before him, littered with debris and concrete fragments.The sniper was an elite among mercenaries. After missing his shot and losing sight of his target, he understood his precarious situation all too well. The rooftop was cluttered with broken concrete blocks scattered everywhere, offering countless hiding spots. He'd vanished into the maze of debris, waiting for his moment.Concrete crunched under each step as Cornell advanced, fragments
Chapter 048
"I'm heading to Dunswell City tonight."Cornell Bateman had made up his mind. He needed to see Austin Sten in person. Something felt off. Though General Sten had been unwell before, it hadn't been serious enough that a single piece of bad news over the phone would cause him to collapse. With the precedent of the Sten family's eldest uncle fresh in his mind, Cornell found it hard to trust that everyone around General Sten was truly loyal.Maria Sten felt her mind spinning in chaos. Without asking further questions, she turned and walked toward the villa.The irritation in her eyes didn't escape Cornell's notice. But since she wasn't willing to say more, he wouldn't push. From the very beginning, Maria had looked down on him, so her attitude was nothing new. He'd long since grown used to it and didn't take it to heart.Back at the villa, Cornell rolled up a couple of shirts to take with him. He stood in the courtyard and smoked a cigarette, the ember glowing faintl
Chapter 047
Cornell Bateman knew all too well what it felt like to be betrayed by someone close. He'd lived through it himself. All he could do was swallow his pride and suffer in silence.Because the betrayer, heartless and without conscience, could never comprehend the complex storm of emotions their victim would feel upon learning the truth."Betrayal is betrayal," Cornell said flatly. "Once you've done it, you have to face the consequences. If you were in her position, I doubt you'd ever trust someone who betrayed you to work for you again either."He gestured for Maria Sten to call Mr. Cregger and officially inform him that Mabel Tull was being fired.Maria handed him the phone instead, her voice strained. "You tell him. I'm not in the right state of mind. I'm afraid if I start talking, I won't even be able to trust Mr. Cregger's words anymore.""I understand." Cornell sighed, patting her shoulder with genuine sympathy before stepping aside to make the call.L
Chapter 046
Maria Sten suddenly understood, slapping her palm in realization. "If it really is my uncle pulling the strings behind the scenes, he values his reputation too much to show his face directly, let alone leave me any evidence. So even if the mole reports to him, they won't get any reply. But the mole won't be able to resist the chance to claim credit, so they'll definitely follow us on their own.""Exactly. And that's how we'll expose them."Cornell Bateman smiled, a sly curve of his lips, though this time Maria found it reassuring, the confident grin of someone holding all the cards.Without further discussion, at the next intersection Maria and Cornell split up. She drove alone to the locations they'd agreed on the night before.These routes were all chosen for their sparse traffic, frequented mostly by trucks and pickups with hardly any private vehicles passing through.Not long after Maria and Cornell left Wethercrest Estates, a gray sedan parked along a n
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