chapter372

Night Eagle's smile was cold. "Soft-hearted? What even is that? You think I have it?"

The masked man burst out laughing. "I've never had that in my life!"

Later that afternoon, Lydia and Connor hiked back up the mountain to gather more herbs. These were for Connor. Honestly, Mount Gemspire lived up to all the hype. There were plants here you couldn't buy for any amount of money back home. Some of the herbs that had vanished from the best medicinal mountains in the country were thriving here, and in surprising numbers.

If you added up the value of all these rare plants, Connor's four-billion-dollar investment was a steal. Of course, anyone who didn't know medicine would probably think he'd thrown his money away.

"We should get more people stationed up here," Lydia said as they followed the winding path. She glanced at the dense green grass on both sides, dotted with unusual, fragrant herbs.

Mount Gemspire really was a treasure. The tall trees wove their branches into a thick, leafy canopy, protecting the precious plants below from harsh sunlight and rain. Sunbeams slipped through the gaps, painting the ground in patterns and lighting up the rare herbs growing in the cool, damp shadows.

Connor nodded. "Good idea."

He hadn't expected that the mountain he bought three years ago for just one rare plant would turn out to be this valuable. It was obvious Lydia loved this place. She treated every single herb like it was priceless.

And now, after she'd created the antidote for the Triangle virus using Mount Gemspire's name, the local groups were finally starting to realize how special this place was. He was starting to worry that word might get out and others would come sniffing around.

When they reached the summit, the view was unreal. The whole mountain looked like a living painting, with clouds curling between the peaks. The fields of herbs rolled out like a green sea, full of life and promise.

"When we get back, I'll start your treatment. We should see some results in about three months, Lydia said, turning a rare herb over in her hands, her smile gentle and bright.

Connor smiled back at her. "How am I supposed to thank you for all this?

Lydia glanced up, her eyes steady. "Just follow my instructions. That's more than enough."

Connor grinned. "If you love Mount Gemspire this much, why don't I just give it to you?"

Lydia just raised her eyebrows. "If I want any herbs, I know where to find them. You don't have to hand over the whole mountain."

Connor laughed softly. "Alright. Either way, what's mine is yours."

Lydia rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

The scenery really was stunning. Lydia pulled out her phone, found a patch of bare ground, and shot a quick video to update Sue and her followers.

"Looks awesome," Connor said, watching her. He honestly thought even just her hands were gorgeous.

Lydia agreed. There were so many interesting plants here, she decided to film a few more videos to post later, maybe one each week.

She wandered around, phone in hand, filming and gathering clips Connor followed her snapping, candid photos. Before long, his camera roll was full of her laughing,

moving, soaking in the moment.

Suddenly, Lydia stopped and looked at him. "There are a lot of people coming up the mountain."

She lifted the binoculars she'd had slung across her shoulder and

peered down. Connor squinted

all be could see were tiny dark spots moving at the base of the mountain.

"They probably heard about the antidote and want to buy some," he guessed.

Lydia moved to a better spot and watched for another moment. Then she let out a

cold little laugh. Looks like they finally lost their patience."

Connor looked at her, curious. "Yeah?"

She handed him the binoculars.

"They're pretending to come buy medicine, but they're really

Overn

spreading out and setting up

arth

bottom of the mountain."