Rewrite Her Thrilling Life (Lillian and Sebastian) novel Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Drawing Out the Vein

The meal had come to an end, and gradually, the camp settled into a heavy silence. Nestled deep in the mountains, the stillness felt almost tangible, broken only by the distant, eerie calls of wild creatures echoing through the night air.

Inside her tent, Lillian lay stretched out on an inflatable mat, eyes closed as she quietly scanned the surroundings with her spiritual sense. By the time the clock struck two in the morning, most of the camp had slipped into a deep, undisturbed slumber. Only a handful of men remained awake, stationed as guards. Once she was absolutely sure that no one was stirring, she sat up carefully, pulled a sleek black tracksuit from her belongings, and tucked her long hair beneath a well-worn baseball cap.

Her footsteps were soft and measured as she slipped out of the tent, fading seamlessly into the shadows. Her destination was the cave, its entrance left unguarded—since they had yet to strike any ivory, nobody bothered to keep watch. Inside, the darkness felt thick and oppressive, rubble strewn haphazardly across the uneven floor. Relying on her keen night vision, she navigated the winding tunnel with practiced ease.

At the farthest point, she crouched low, hesitating for a moment before pressing her palm firmly against the ground. She willed the vein into her space, and immediately, her hand was locked fast, as if fused to the stone itself. No matter how much she tugged, it wouldn’t budge.

The vein was enormous, and it drained her energy at an alarming pace. Minutes stretched into hours. As the sky outside began to lighten with the first hints of dawn, her face had turned pale, almost ghostly, her strength nearly spent—yet her palm remained stubbornly fixed to the earth.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed at the cave’s mouth.

“Has anyone seen the girl from yesterday?” Richard’s voice carried sharply down the tunnel.

“No, sir. No sign of her nearby,” came the reply.

“What about inside the cave?”

“No one’s checked in here yet.”

Then Red’s sharp, suspicious voice cut through the silence: “I told you she couldn’t be trusted. Yesterday she said she was just going for a walk. Most likely, she was scouting the area—and now she’s run off.”

“Hmph. Where could a child possibly run in these mountains?” an older man scoffed dismissively.

“Search inside. She might be hiding here.”

Their footsteps drew closer and closer.

Lillian’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. A cold sweat trickled down her temple. Then, through the darkness, Red’s voice cracked, furious and accusing: “You—what are you doing here?”

Relieved, Richard nodded and ordered his men to resume digging.

As they filed out, Nicholas—the weathered old man—muttered hoarsely from beneath his hat, “Ms. Lillian, your gambling skill is remarkable. Do you have some special technique?”

Her smile was cold and sharp. “Isn’t that a ridiculous question? Gambling with stones is always part knowledge, part luck. If I’ve been good at it, it simply means I’ve been lucky. What else is there to say?”

The old man’s voice slid out like ice. “Then Ms. Lillian’s luck is truly extraordinary. I look forward to working with you.”

This girl was slippery—her words slick and smooth as oil, impossible to grasp.

“Don’t bother,” she said flatly. “Once you dig up your ivory, I’m going back to school. I don’t want your rewards. Just don’t ever come looking for me again.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

The men watched her retreat, their faces dark with frustration. Could she really be only fifteen? So difficult to control. If she couldn’t be brought to heel, she was a loss they simply couldn’t afford.