Chapter 1890

Estelle's offensive was fierce and precise. Within ten minutes, the group that had tried to corner her lay

sprawled on the ground, not one left standing.

She removed her sunglasses, stepping over a few fallen bodies to get to her next destination. As she

passed by a man whom she had incapacitated with a needle to the eye, she noted he had long since

passed out. She bent down, pulled the needle from his flesh, wiped it clean on his shirt, and regarded

the gleaming metal with a playful smirk.

The tires of her SUV were blown out, so Estelle scouted the area and found another car that was still

operational. She hopped in, spun it around, and drove right over a few bodies, disappearing into the

distance in the blink of an eye.

The highway stretched endlessly, with not even a motel in sight.

Come noon, Estelle pulled over to the roadside, took out a sandwich from her bag for lunch, and then

continued on her journey.

Driving into the night, she finally stopped in an area shrouded in darkness, the only light visible coming

from a watchtower nestled among the rice fields.

She parked the car alongside the fields and made her way towards the watchtower.

Below the tower was pitch-black, but she ascended to the second floor, where a pile of hay lay in the

corner and a single solar-powered incandescent bulb hung overhead. Other than that, the place was

bare.

Surrounded by large windows offering views in every direction, Estelle leaned against one and gazed

out at the mountain range in the distance, lying like a slumbering beast upon the earth, and the rice

fields that undulated like waves. A sense of clarity washed over her, and the restlessness in her heart

began to settle.

She had a feeling she was getting closer to her brother.

This place, so vastly different from the bustle of J City, was under a sky twinkling with stars, surrounded

by silence, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the rice fields—a soothing, gentle whisper

as if the whole world had quieted down.

Estelle enjoyed the evening breeze for a while before sitting down on the hay to eat her dinner.

There were signs that the hay had been flattened, perhaps by a vagrant taking shelter there.

Her dinner was a pre-packaged sandwich. She also had some chocolate in her bag, but she decided to

save it for when she was really hungry.

After finishing her slightly stale sandwich, her phone vibrated with a video call from Jonathan.

She answered with a warm smile, "Jonathan."

He sat in his study, his voice soft, "Have you had dinner?"

"Just did. Just came from Grandpa's." she replied, hugging her knees and grinning.

"What did you have? Anything good?"

Estelle raised an eyebrow, "Peppered steak and spicy crab. Mr. Justin cooks up my favorites every

day."

"If you're eating well, I guess you don't miss me then?" Jonathan teased with a slight curl of his lips.

"You don't call, don't even send a message."

"I do miss you." Estelle tilted her head and laughed, "I didn't want to disturb your work."

"No excuses." he chided softly.

Estelle's eyes curved into a smile, her voice low, "Jonathan, I miss you."

Jonathan's eyes fixed on her, and after a moment, he spoke in a husky tone, "I miss you too. Stay for

two more days and then come back, okay? I'll come to get you."

Estelle bit her lip, "Winter's set in, and Grandpa's started coughing again. I want to stay with him a few

more days."

Jonathan frowned, "Is it serious?"

"It's not serious," she reassured him softly. "It's an old issue, and the doctor knows what medication he

needs. Don't worry."

"Take care of yourself as well."

"I will."

After chatting for a while, they ended the video call. Estelle sighed softly, lay down on the hay, and

looked up at the star-studded night sky through the window. Knowing that Jonathan was also thinking

of her filled the emptiness in her heart, and her eyes shone with a brightness like the stars above.

Turning off the overhead light, she fell asleep under the stars.

In the middle of the night, a noise from below stirred Estelle from her slumber.

Her eyes snapped open, and she crouched defensively, dagger in hand, ready for any threat.

Could it be the men from earlier, having found her car hidden in the fields, coming for revenge?

The noise grew louder, "Thud, thud." The entire watchtower seemed to vibrate.

Moments later, a large, dark figure appeared at the stairway entrance.

By the light of the moon, Estelle made out the intruder—it was a bear.