?Chapter 1176:


    It indeed resembled a person!


    In this remote mountain, could it possibly be Brady?


    A surge of emotion tightened Eric’s throat as he forced himself to stand, eximing in pain, “Fuck! That hurts!”


    The action strained his injured leg, causing a burst of stars to appear before his eyes as he gritted his teeth against the sharp pain.


    Despite the agony, Eric took a few deep breaths and hurried toward the figure, dropping to one knee to turn the body over.


    Brady’s eyes were shut, and he was still dressed in the same hospital gown beneath his coat from the day he went missing.


    “Brady!” Eric’s voice shook with overwhelming relief, tears beginning to form. “Thank goodness!”


    He had found him. There was still hope for Joy.


    “Brady!” Eric repeated, blinking rapidly to clear the tears from his eyes. He extended his hand to support Brady, gently patting his face. “Wake up! Can you hear me? Brady?”


    Yet, Brady remained unresponsive, his eyes sealed shut.


    The situation was urgent!


    Brady had obviously been sedated and had now ended up here, possibly injured.


    Eric pondered their predicament. He was hurt, and it seemed Brady was too.


    They could wait for Cordell to locate them, but considering Brady’s condition, waiting might not be an option.


    Decisiveness took over.


    “Come on! Get up!” Eric urged, taking a deep breath as he lifted Brady’s arm, trying to help him to his feet.


    What was his next move?


    Eric ignited the lighter once more, casting light around to better assess their surroundings.


    The cave’s end was still hidden in darkness, yet a draft suggested an opening ahead.


    Eric had a hunch that this might be a tunnel with another way out. Knowing that retracing his steps was not an option, he decided to press forward.


    Before embarking, Eric removed his jacket and ced it at the spot where he had firstnded. This would serve as a marker—if Cordell and his team found it, they would know he had passed this way. Next, he carefully lifted Brady onto his back. As he did so, Eric let out a groan, his bnce wavering for a moment.


    Under normal conditions, carrying Brady would not have been a challenge, given the man’s manageable weight.


    However, the deep cut on Eric’s leg made every movement a test of willpower. Drawing upon his remaining strength, Eric clenched his teeth and focused on stabilizing his breathing.


    Once steady, he took the first tentative step, then another, gradually moving forward.


    All the while, he spoke to Brady, coaxing him to regain consciousness. “Brady, you tough guy. Noreen plotted to stop you from donating bone marrow to Joy. But you’re still determined to go back and save her, aren’t you? By the way…” Eric paused, a thought striking him. “I forgot to thank you.”


    Though Brady’s efforts to save Joy were not directly linked to Eric, being Joy’s father, Eric believed he owed Brady at least a thank you. Despite Eric’s ongoing monologue, Brady remained silent and unresponsive on his back.


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