Chapter 1202

He really passed out?

Ebony Fox had assumed he was just playing the frail victim for sympathy. Curious, she leaned over to take a look and frowned. "He looks awful. Is he going to be okay?"

"With me here, he won't die," Juniper replied, her voice turning raspy as she checked his pulse. "He hasn't rested at all since I went missing, has he?"

"How did you know?" Ebony Fox pressed her lips together, sighing softly as she found herself speaking up for the sly fox. "When he found out you were gone, Shanley went completely insane searching for you. If Jimmie hadn't talked him down, and if his parents hadn't pleaded with him, he probably would have worked himself to death by now."

Juniper listened in silence, quietly observing the man's face.

His complexion was ashen, and dark circles bruised the skin under his eyes. When he had fought Corvus Thorne earlier, his strength hadn't even been a tenth of what it usually was.

A man as fiercely prideful as him couldn't even stand being asked if he was "holding up okay." If he hadn't truly reached his absolute physical limit, there was no way he would have just collapsed like this.

"I see." Juniper's beautiful features tightened slightly, her eyes lowering as her clear voice rang out. "How are my parents?"

"They're okay," Ebony Fox nodded, then added, "But your dad keeps running a fever. He's relying on an antidote to keep it down. Your mom and Harold are currently trying to synthesize a cure."

"It won't be that simple." Juniper grabbed a jacket and draped it over Shanley, lowering her voice. "Corvus Thorne let me smell the antidote. The chemical composition is incredibly complex. It's not standard medication."

"Then what do we do?" Ebony Fox flared up, grinding her teeth. "That old bastard Corvus... We really shouldn't have let him slip away."

"Did you receive the twenty-day supply of the antidote he sent earlier?"

"We got it."

"That will buy us some time. I'll figure something out before it runs out."

After speaking, Juniper gently grasped Shanley's hand and leaned against his chest.

A few hours later.

The car pulled up to the entrance of the Sigma Network headquarters.

Shanley groggily opened his eyes, his voice weak. "Are we home?"

"Yeah." Juniper nodded, instinctively supporting his weight as they walked inside. Just then, Flint's desperate voice echoed through the hall. "Ms. Payne! Save me!"

Followed immediately by the piercing wails of a baby: "Waaah! Waaah!"

"Ms. Payne, what am I supposed to do with this hot potato?" Flint looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown, having been tormented by the infant the entire ride thin he's hungry, but it's not like loan nurse him!"

"We haven't located his family yet," Ebony Fox pointed out.

"Bring him inside the base for now," Juniper said, glancing at the squalling child.

"Flint, go find him some formula or goat's milk."

"Huh?" Flint held the baby awkwardly, his face twisting in misery. "Me? Where am I

supposed to find baby formula in a mercenary base?"

Juniper gave him a deadpan, chilling look and said nothing.

"Yes, ma'am," Flint squeaked, quickly averting his gaze.

"He's got surprisingly soft cheeks." Juniper looked down, trailing a finger over the baby's chubby face, and raised an eyebrow. If you keep

Crying, you don't get any milk

"Awoo—"

As if understanding the gentle threat, the little guy instantly clamped his mouth shut,

his big, round eyes staring at her in fascination.

"Ms. Payne, I think he likes you!" Flint said, overjoyed. This kid had screamed bloody murder whenever anyone else touched him, but the second she stepped in, he went mute. He half-suspected she had found the baby's volume button. Cóntent

Likes her?

Hearing this, a groggy Shanley frowned in displeasure. "Take him away. He's too loud."

"But he stopped crying..." Flint started to say, only to meet the man's icy, murderous glare. Terrified, he hugged the baby tighter. "Right away, Boss."

"Hmph." Shanley withdrew his gaze, only to find Juniper staring right at him.