Chapter 327
Chapter 327
“What is the meaning of the national anthem's lyrics?” Jonathan couldn't help asking Mabel. He could only hear the passion in the song but didn't know what it was about, as he didn't speak Thymionan.
Mabel wasn't good at Thymionan either, but she was the director of the sixth division of the Department of National Security, so she had some knowledge regarding the national anthems of other countries.
When Jonathan asked her, she explained, “It means that all Thymions are connected by blood. They will defend every inch of Thymion land always. They're all united and will never let their guard down. All of them love peace and tranquility, but they fear no wars. They will fight for their independence and sovereignty to the death and are willing to shed their blood for their country. They offer their pride and victory to their motherland.”
Jonathan was immediately enlightened after hearing her explanation.
After the national anthem and flag-raising ceremony, the Thymionians got back to what they were doing.
Jonathan and Mabel were rather moved by the Thymionians' devotion to their country, but it was merely a fleeting feeling. In fact, during flag-raising ceremonies and military parades in Yaleview, the sense of national pride and cohesion was equally as strong.
Later, Jonathan and Mabel went to have breakfast.
After breakfast, they left for Mapleton University.
On their way there, Mabel showed Jonathan Vananeru's information on her phone.
Vananeru was twenty-two years old. She was breathtakingly pretty with fair skin and blue eyes that exuded the special charm of a Thymion beauty.
Her appearance gave her an innocent and pure temperament.
Of course, that was just Jonathan's first impression.
It seemed that with Jonathan and Mabel's strength, it would be like a walk in the park for them to capture Vananeru.
However, no one could guarantee what situations might arise.
What made Jonathan and Mabel confused and uneasy was that Vananeru didn't have a single bodyguard with her.
Under such circumstances, anyone who wanted to harm Vananeru could have succeeded.
As a high-ranking and powerful figure, Galad must have definitely made countless enemies. He loved his daughter so much, so there was no way he would allow his daughter to be attacked by evildoers.
There must be some conspiracy behind this.
However, Jonathan and Mabel couldn't figure out what it was.
To understand it, they had to take action.
The information that Mabel had on hand contained all the details of Vananeru's car, license plate number, dormitory number, and major at the university.
About an hour later, Jonathan and Mabel arrived at Mapleton University. The first thing they needed to consider was where to take action.
A reconnaissance like this was typically carried out by villains.
After discussion, they concluded that the best method was to wait around the corner near campus. When Vananeru's car arrived, they would directly hijack the car and take her away. That way, the plan could be carried out discreetly and would not arouse attention.
After discussing, the two of them finalized the plan.
Mabel said, “When the time comes, I'll take action first, while you stay hidden. I believe there must be a magical item on Vananeru. So, I'll trigger it. When it's the right time to strike, you can make your move.”
Jonathan nodded. “Okay!”
There was no other way, as he knew Mabel's cultivation was much higher than his own. She was capable of dealing with attacks from magical items, but he found it difficult.
After discussing and reaching an agreement, they went to a beverage shop across from Mapleton University.
They patiently waited inside the shop.
Numerous couples were patronizing the shop, whispering sweet nothings to each other and having a great time.
Jonathan and Mabel, too, looked like a couple, so they didn't look out of place.
The weather was hot.
Mapleton was warm year-round, and in April, its temperature was comparable to Chanaea's temperature in July.
The beverage shop didn't have air conditioning and had only one fan blowing.
Unfortunately, the fan didn't help much, and people tended to sweat when it was hot, which would lead to body odor.
As such, the shop was filled with the foul scent of sweat. Among the many sweaty odors, however, Jonathan could clearly smell the fragrance coming from Mabel.
However, Mabel didn't pay attention to any of that as she sipped on a glass of iced tea while pondering
over something.
Jonathan then reeled in his messy thoughts and cleared his head, too.
Time ticked by.
The duo spent a few hours in the beverage shop before moving to a fast-food restaurant.
Finally, it was five o'clock in the afternoon.
“She's here. Let's go!” said Mabel as she quickly got up from her seat.
She had received a message sent by her subordinates.
Jonathan's heart skipped a beat.
Sweat unconsciously seeped from his palms.
He had experienced many precarious incidents in the past decade and had gone through countless life-threatening situations, but he was never as nervous as he was at that moment.
His nervousness was mainly because of how little he knew about his enemy coupled with Vananeru's extraordinary identity.
There were simply too many uncontrollable uncertainties.
Mabel walked ahead, while Jonathan slowed down and trailed behind.
The evening sun was blazing like a ball of flames at that moment.
There were many temples near Mapleton University, making the campus a peaceful site surrounded by the power of religion.
The road to Mapleton University was a clean and neat tree-lined avenue.
Many university students came and went, walking along the path. All of them were youthful, vibrant, and carefree.
University life was the perfect stage in a person's life. University students were free from stress, could make good friends, and fall in love. They also would not have to face the pressure and pain brought by society.
Vehicles would pass by occasionally on this tree-lined avenue.
Jonathan and Mabel soon reached the corner where they agreed on ambushing Vananeru.
There was a flower bed there, and vehicles had to go around the flower bed to enter and exit the premises.
Therefore, as long as one was quick enough, it would be a piece of cake for one to snatch someone without anyone noticing.
Vananeru drove a cheap Volkswagen Jetta. She was exceptionally frugal for her status.
However, that was exactly what made people develop a favorable impression of her.
Jonathan would never have harmed such an innocent girl if it were not for the cacodemon's sake.
As long as Galad was willing to cooperate and release the cacodemon, Jonathan wouldn't harm Vananeru.
He didn't want to drag anyone innocent into this mess.
At that instance, the branches and leaves of the rubber tree planted in the flower bed swayed as a gentle, relaxing evening breeze brushed past them.
The sunset was so beautiful as the golden rays shone on the ground, making the world feel like a better place.
It was then that Vananeru came driving in her Jetta.
She drove slowly around the corner, causing Jonathan's heart to clench in anxiousness as he anticipated what would happen next.
The only thing he could be certain of was that Vananeru was the driver, and she was the only person in the car.
Suddenly, Mabel appeared in front of the car in a flash. She moved stealthily like a phantom within the blink of an eye.
Following a loud bang, the car hit Mabel, who immediately staggered a few steps back and showed an
agonized expression on her face.
Shocked, Vananeru quickly stopped the car before getting out.
She was clad in a white checkered shirt and a black skirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her attire was both neat and adorable, befitting of a youthful schoolgirl.
She hurried to Mabel's side and, seeing that Mabel was Chanaean, asked in Ustranasian, “Are you okay? Is everything fine?”
Mabel straightened and glanced at Vananeru before apologizing in Ustranasian, “Sorry, I was in too much of a hurry.”
Vananeru was momentarily stunned, for she initially thought it was a scam, but after giving Mabel a once-over, she realized the latter didn't seem like a scammer. She was even more sure about her surmise the moment Mabel spoke.
Vananeru immediately felt embarrassed for suspecting the other woman, and she blushed while saying, “I should be the one apologizing. Let me take you to the hospital for a checkup.”
Mabel shook her head and said, “Oh, that's not necessary. I'm fine.”
“Are you sure?” Vananeru asked, clearly still concerned. After Mabel restated that she was fine, Vananeru then offered, “Then let me give you my phone number. If you need help, just call me.”
“You don't have to,” Mabel replied before a look of anxiousness surfaced in her eyes. She said, “A friend of mine needs to undergo surgery and was just sent to St. Gionan Hospital. If it's not too much to
ask, could you give me a ride?”
Vananeru was exceedingly naïve, so she didn't consider the possibility that Mabel might be a wolf in sheep's clothing. The young lady's eyes lit up and she agreed readily, “Of course! That's no problem at all.”
She then suggested, “You should also get yourself checked at the hospital. It's better to be safe and ensure there are no internal injuries.”
Mabel expressed her gratitude and said, “Thank you so much.”
Then, the two of them got into the car, with Mabel sitting in the front passenger seat and Vananeru driving.
The car turned around the corner and drove along the tree-lined avenue of Mapleton University.
Jonathan silently followed behind. With his speed, it wasn't hard for him to catch up to the car.
Mabel secretly observed Vananeru while sitting in the car.
She confirmed that the young lady had absolutely no cultivation.
At the same time, she began investigating Vananeru, trying to find out whether the latter had any magical item on her.
If there was any, there would be residual mana fluctuations on her.
Unfortunately, Mabel still couldn't find anything after probing for a while.
In the meantime, as Vananeru drove, she was secretly observing Mabel, too.
Although she was kind and naïve, she was not stupid. She immediately noticed that Mabel's expression didn't seem to be anxious at all, which was a stark contrast to her previous behavior. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
A pang of unease assailed Vananeru as she wondered if she had encountered someone evil.
Through the rearview mirror, she scrutinized Mabel again, but her gut instincts still told her that Mabel was not a bad person.
In the end, she couldn't help asking Mabel, “Is your friend really undergoing surgery at St. Gionan Hospital?”
Knowing that Vananeru already had suspicions, Mabel answered honestly, ”No.”
At that instant, Vananeru's expression suddenly changed, and she quickly pulled over to the side of the street.
She was about to get out of the car when Mabel immediately said, “Wait. Can we talk?”
Curious as to what Mabel wanted to say, Vananeru glanced outside and thought that the woman wouldn't harm her since they were on a bustling street.
Hence, she relaxed and asked, “What do you want to say? I don't seem to know you, do I?”