At the Huntsman Institute, there were many types of instructors, but those under a ''Life-Pledge'' were a special case. Most were ves purchased by the ''school,'' meticulously trained to be its core enforcers. In other words, they were a suicide squad.


    To truly break free from the Huntsman Institute, one had to defeat every single instructor in unarmedbat. But with dozens of physically imposing, highly skilled masters, the odds of winning a fight against them all in a short time were practically


    zero.


    Beyond that, it was rumored that the Huntsman Institute used a special method to control its members, which was likely why instructors and members could leave but always ended up returning obediently.


    What was this method?


    "Don''t worry," Ebony Fox said, offering no further exnation. Her smile was tinged with sadness as she gently squeezed her sister''s hand. "I''ll be back as soon as this is settled. After all..." she trailed off, her fingers tracing the outline of Juniper''s face. In a soft whisper, she added, "I still have to find our parents and our two sisters."


    Juniper stared at Ebony Fox, a feeling of unease settling in. Something was wrong with her, and she was clearly hiding something.


    "Alright," Juniper said, deciding not to press further. "When do you leave?"


    "In a little while." Ebony Fox pulled a wallet from her pocket. "Hold onto my assets for me for now," she said gently.


    "Huh?" Juniper took it, looking confused.


    "There''s plenty in there," Ebony Fox said, trying to lighten the mood with a faint smile. "Buy whatever you want. Just use my card."


    With that, she turned to Flint. "Could you please drive me to the airport?"


    "Of course."


    At the airport, Juniper stood frozen in ce long after watching Ebony Fox''s ne take off.


    "Something''s hot right with her,"


    Shanley remarked, draping his trench coat over Juniper''s shoulders. "Life-Pledge,


    death pledge whatever. If you


    wanted the Huntsman Institute


    release someone, it would be a simple matter. Sigma Network has influence in the Amazon Rainforest. Do you need me to make a call?"


    "It''s not about, that," Juniper said, pulling the coat tighter around herself, the familiar warmth of his body seeping into her. Her voice was hoarse "If she really wanted to leave, she could have. It''s either that she doesn''t want to... or she''s being threatened and has no choice but to go back."


    Juniper pulled out her phone and dialed Binary Oracle. "What did you find on Ebony Fox at the Huntsman Institute?"


    "We found it, Boss," her subordinate replied respectfully. "To control her, the Huntsman Institute injected her with a potent toxin. She has to take a monthly antidote. If she misses a dose, her life is in danger."


    "A toxin?" Juniper''s fingers slowly tightened into a fist, her voice raspy. "What kind of poison?"


    "We haven''t identified it yet," he


    answered. "But our intel suggests it''s extremely potent, and the antidote is


    incredibly difficult to replicate. Many instructors who tried to leave t Institute died from the poison''s effects after immense suffering.


    "I see," Juniper said tly before hanging up. Her heart clenched with a pain so


    sharp she could barely stand. So that was why Ebony Fox had to go back—she was poisoned.


    "Juniper..." Shanley wrapped an arm around her waist, his brow furrowed in concern. "She''ll be alright."


    "It''s time," Juniper said, turning to look at him, her voice a raw whisper. "The Huntsman Institute is due for bankruptcy."