?Chapter 458:


    “We’re afraid we cannot ept the money, Chief Instructor,” Terry said.


    “Why not? Is it because you’re aware of how dangerous it is to go to Skytop Mansion? Are you getting cold feet?”


    “Of course not,” Marc quickly replied. “As trainees of the Doomsday Base, it is our duty to help you retrieve the lost file. We are not looking for any rewards.”


    Marissa smiled when she heard this. “All right, let me put it another way then.” Her expression suddenly turned serious, and when she spoke again, she yelled at them, “Take the money and pay off all your debts! Then eat something good and recuperate well! Your pale faces are ruining my mood.”


    Marc and Terry trembled where they stood. As soon as their Chief Instructor’s face soured, they felt their legs go limp. They grabbed the card and lowered their heads in fear.


    Marissa shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Seriously. What’s the use of putting on a show in front of me? Do I need to yell at you every time I try to treat you nicely?”


    Both men turned red in embarrassment and sheepishly scratched their napes. While they had indeed been yelled at, they felt a warmth in their chest. When all was said and done, their Chief Instructor truly cared for them.


    Your next adventure is at g  al n ovels . con


    They knew that Marissa was worried about their burgeoning debts, and they also knew that she was giving them money out of her own pocket. She could insist that it was a reward for their mission, but they knew something so simple didn’t warrant such incredible generosity.


    It was five hundred million dors, after all. Even their own parents would never lend them such a hefty amount, though the money would literally save their lives. And so, if one asked Marc and Terry, that small piece of stic symbolized their Chief Instructor’s love and affection for them.


    The more they thought about it, the more they felt their hearts melt. Eventually, they lifted their heads and smiled shyly at Marissa. Their eyes gleamed with adoration, making Marissa feel a little awkward and uneasy.


    She huffed and waved them away. “Now, get out of here. Go and have a nice meal. You guys are filling me with that disgusting smell of pickles.”


    “Yes, of course,” Marc nodded earnestly. “We’ll be taking our leave now.”


    “You have a good rest too,” Terry chimed in. “Bye!”


    The two men turned away in unison and left. Marissa breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Atst, she was free from the exaggerated reverence of those fanboys.


    Her relief was cut short, however, when Marc and Terry barged back inside just a few secondster.


    “What is it?” Marissa asked with a frown.


    “You haven’t told us when to attack the Skytop Mansion,” Marc said. “Or what we need to prepare to execute the mission.”


    “Just head back and recuperate for now. Wait for my instructions before you do anything else.”


    Marc nodded. “Understood.”


    “Are you returning to the Daniels Manor with us?” Terry asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.


    “I’m not going back. I still have things to deal with,” Marissa replied, though she didn’t dare to show her feelings. Once again, the men left.


    When she was finally alone, Marissa picked up her phone and sent a message to Xander.


    “Are you still awake?”


    It was short and simple, just to check if he was avable.


    Xander’s reply came almost immediately. “I’ve already taken care of the allegations circling online, Chief Instructor. Please go ahead and see if the results are to your satisfaction.”


    In truth, Marissa never took the matter to heart at all. It wasn’t a big deal to her, but since Xander had kicked up a fuss about it, she feltpelled to at least take a look.


    She logged on to Twitter and checked the trending topics to read about the allegations concerning her. As soon as she clicked on the trending list, she found a barrage of news covering Xander’s tweet. Theizens were in an uproar.


    Marissa then went to check Xander’s Twitter profile.


    Ah, yes. The man was indeed a devil, like the rumors said. He tackled the issue in his usual ruthless manner, with no regard for whom he trampled on in the process.


    If it had been any other person, perhaps someone who valuedmon courtesy, they might have phrased their statement in a much less offensive way—something short and concise just to settle the facts.


    But since the task had fallen on Xander, the public received nothing short of verbal abuse. He had used vulgarnguage, cursing Emilee’s entire family. The post naturally garnered a lot of reactions, ultimatelynding it on the headlines of tabloid pages.


    Marissa burst outughing after reading Xander’s online tirade. Her first thought was that Silver Fox would absolutely love this development.


    She was still chuckling when she sent Xander another message. “I have a huge assignment for you.”


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