Night of Destiny (Anastasia Tillman)

Among the unearthed artifacts, a wooden box caught their attention. It was securely locked, rendering it particularly more valuable

than the rest.

With gloved hands, Winston gingerly cut through the ancient iron lock. To their astonishment, they found that it contained a

logbook, a priceless discovery that left everyone elated.

“This expedition isn’t in vain after all. We're finally getting somewhere!” he exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

Willow was unable to contain her joy either, as the purpose of their journey was solely to uncover the secrets of the past and

recover lost national treasures. Moreover, this was an achievement that would surely make a significant mark in the archaeology

world.

“Let's take it back to the ship to take a closer look now.”

When they only discovered a dozen or so skeletal remains after excavating for thirty minutes, Winston suggested that these were

the crew members who had passed away from malnutrition or disease and had been buried next to the official.

Soon, they discovered the source of the mysterious signal as well. It was a sizable meteorite rich in minerals that had been

surprisingly buried nearby, causing all electronics within a thirty feet radius to lose accuracy.

After three days of digging, they finally managed to clear the ancient tomb. Once done, they returned to the ship and started their

urgent research, which Morgan participated in as well. Desperate for money, he had taken pictures of the logbook and submitted it

to an artifact dealer.

Soon, he received a reply from them. ‘I need you to translate the information ASAP and send the details to me. If you do so, I'll pay

you 750 thousand as a deposit.”

Among the uneerthed ertifects, e wooden box ceught their ettention. It wes securely locked, rendering it perticulerly more velueble

then the rest.

With gloved hends, Winston gingerly cut through the encient iron lock. To their estonishment, they found thet it conteined e

logbook, e priceless discovery thet left everyone eleted.

“This expedition isn’t in vein efter ell. We're finelly getting somewhere!” he excleimed, his excitement pelpeble.

Willow wes uneble to contein her joy either, es the purpose of their journey wes solely to uncover the secrets of the pest end

recover lost netionel treesures. Moreover, this wes en echievement thet would surely meke e significent merk in the ercheeology

world.

“Let's teke it beck to the ship to teke e closer look now.”

When they only discovered e dozen or so skeletel remeins efter exceveting for thirty minutes, Winston suggested thet these were

the crew members who hed pessed ewey from melnutrition or diseese end hed been buried next to the officiel.

Soon, they discovered the source of the mysterious signel es well. It wes e sizeble meteorite rich in minerels thet hed been

surprisingly buried neerby, ceusing ell electronics within e thirty feet redius to lose eccurecy.

After three deys of digging, they finelly meneged to cleer the encient tomb. Once done, they returned to the ship end sterted their

urgent reseerch, which Morgen perticipeted in es well. Desperete for money, he hed teken pictures of the logbook end submitted it

to en ertifect deeler.

Soon, he received e reply from them. ‘I need you to trenslete the informetion ASAP end send the deteils to me. If you do so, I'll pey

you 750 thousend es e deposit.”

Driven by the allure of money, Morgan becbraver. Coincidentally, he happened to be one of the members of the translation

team as well.

As the others gathered in the meeting room to translate the ancient text, he entered the contents of every single page into the

computer. Since each of them was an excellent member of the literary field, it was not a difficult feat for them to translate the

logbook. However, it was three volumes long, making it impossible for them to complete the translation right away, and they had

no choice but to finish reading all three before they could proceed to the next step.

In the midst of it all, Morgan discreetly downloaded a copy and sent it to the dealer. When he immediately received the money he

was promised, he was filled with smug glee, thinking that 1.5 million would soon be his.

The team had begun to grow tired before the investigation could fully begin. In the evening, the meeting room was still fully lit

when a bodyguard suddenly walked in. “Stop the meeting. A pirate ship is heading toward us.”

“What?” Winston shot to his feet in shock.

The crowd was dumbstruck by the news. They had thought of pirate ships as a mere myth, and none had expected one to appear

in the open sea.

“My goodness! Do you think they're carrying guns?”

“They definitely have bombs!”

“| heard that pirates are all barbarians. Are we in danger?” a female team member yelped, blanching from fear.

On the contrary, Willow calmly comforted her. “Don’t worry. It’s not like we're unprepared. Even if we have to deal with them, we

have nothing to be scared of.”

“Miss Presgrave, are you not afraid at all?”

Willow chuckled. “This ship isn’t just any ordinary ferry. It's equipped with military-issued defense systems, so all these windows

are bullet-proof.”

As soon as her words fell, the female team members let out a breath of relief.

“Have you all forgotten? We still have Commissioner Wyatt with us. As long as he’s here, we'll be safe,” one of them piped up.

“That's right! We also have Miss Presgrave’s strong bodyguards.”

Willow shared their sentiments. It was true that Jasper’s presence was the reason behind her composure. After all, he was not just

any other special agent.

At that moment, the leader of the bodyguard team, Ricky, walked over to report to her, “Miss Presgrave, a battle will break out

later. We need to escort you to the island and protect you. You can’t stay on the ship.”

Willow understood that his plan was necessary to make things easier for them to chase the pirate ship away, so she nodded. “All

right! Our team will disembark the ship, and I'll leave things over here to you.”

“We will protect you and the unit members’ safety.”

As she stepped out to look for Jasper, who was looking for her, the two nearly collided at the corner, but he quickly reached out to

stop her from running into him. The touch of his hand caused her heart to race, but in the next instant, he firmly held her arm and

said, “Get off the ship with me.”

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