"She''s never flirted with any man except Kendrick!"


    "She''s never done a single thing to betray Kendrick! She''s been loyal to him from the very start-not once has she ever strayed!"


    "So who the hell are you all to insult her? To curse her? To nder her?!"


    Soren''s voice shot up, practically echoing off the hillside. He was beyond furious


    now.


    "If we weren''t living in a country ofws, I''d have put a bullet in you all myself!"


    “Elizabeth doesn''t deserve a spot in the Bradford family cemetery? Go ahead, drag out every Bradford ancestor you''ve got. Besides Kendrick, which of them can hold a candle to her honor?"


    "She''s a hero-she sacrificed everything for her country. Which of your precious ancestors ever did something that selfless?"


    "Elizabeth joining your family''s cemetery? That''s your ancestors'' privilege, not hers!"


    Soren''s shout thundered through the foot of the hill, the echoes ringing for ages.


    If there really were such things as ghosts, you could bet everyst Bradford ancestor was hearing him loud and clear.


    Soren''s pent-up rage and frustration burst out all at once. He''d said more in these few minutes than he had in thest two daysbined.


    Ever since they''d left the border, racing back toward Jindale City, he''d barely spoken. Evenst night, holding vigil for Elizabeth at the old chapel, he hadn''t said a word—the words had all been stuck inside him, rolling around in his heart.


    When he finally saw Tarquin and the others this morning, he''d barely greeted them.


    But watching Allegra and her crowd stirring up trouble-insulting and ndering a woman as kind, upright, and brave as Elizabeth—he just couldn''t hold it in.


    A pack of bitter, selfish women, sniveling and shouting at someone who''d given everything for others-it was sickening.


    Allegra was stunned by Soren''s outburst. She''d never seen him this angry, and she definitely hadn''t expected him to hold such a high position.


    Commander of the military district? Just the title alone was intimidating.


    Trying her best to keep herposure, Allegra snapped back, "Hero? Elizabeth, a hero of the people? Really?"


    "Since when is a hero someone who just seduces men? What''s she actually done for anyone? All I''ve ever seen her do is chase after guys!"


    "You can''t just make her out to be some kind of saint because you''ve got a fancy title!"


    "This is just in corruption! Isn''t it illegal to abuse your power like this?"


    "Everyone here can see what''s happening-he''s just making up stories about Elizabeth because he''s got a thing for her!"


    "We know exactly what sort of woman Elizabeth is. If she''s a hero, I''ll personally have her name erased from the Bradford family tree!"


    The other women all nodded in agreement, chiming in, "We''ll take our names off the family record, too!"


    An Air Force officer, who''d been


    silent until now, finally explodedet


    "You''re all talking nonsense! How dare you nder a national hero and a militarymander like this!"


    s


    "The only reason you don''t know what she''s done is because some things are ssified—national security and all that."


    "But just because it can''t be made public doesn''t mean her sacrifices didn''t happen!"


    A grizzled Army officer stepped forward, eyes zing. "Commander Tan risked his life every single day on the border, and you dare nder him? Have you no shame, no. conscience?"  s


    "Spreading lies about themander and a national hero-you''re making yourselves the enemies of the whole country!"


    A Navy officer cut in, his voice like a whip, "Commander Tan is a hero who stood guard for us! You should be grateful!"


    "If it weren''t for people like him fighting on the front lines, you wouldn''t be enjoying your safe, cozy lives back here!"


    "And you should be thanking Elizabeth, too! If it weren''t for the sacrifices she and her husband made, some of you might not even be alive right now!"


    The truth about the threat they''d faced-the eighth-generation virus-was known only by those at the top It was a bioweapon,


    targeted specifically at the<fnd192> Official source is FιndＮovel</fnd192>


    countrymen. The risk had been


    unimaginable.


    s


    If it hadn''t been for Elizabeth and Kendrick''s bravery, no one dared imagine what would have happened.


    Even if the officers hadn''t known Elizabeth personally, hearing Allegra spit such venom at a genuine hero was more than they could stomach.