Now that the Western Xia Treasury was flooded, it could never be opened again.
Only these three people knew the truth.
Domingo and Chloe exchanged a glance and then turned to Leo, indicating that they would follow his lead.
Leo thought for a moment and said, “We don’t really know what happened. We were washed onto a rock and stayed there for half a day. When we had no other choice, we jumped into the water to see if we could find a way out. We ended up being pushed by an undercurrent into the pond at Blackwind Gulch.”
Domingo and Chloe smiled silently at Leo’s words. They had guessed that Leo would likely hide the truth about the underground palace.
After the matter was settled, Chloe worked with the excavation team at the Western Xia Treasury to wrap things up. Domingo provided on-site reporting, while Leo and Christine returned to Langstel.
The next morning after returning to Langstel, Leo stayed at the clinic with Shiloh to see patients.
Just as Leo finished treating a patient, Chasel approached him.
“Sir, you have visitors,” Chasel said.
“Visitors? Who are they?” Leo asked casually.
“Leo, have you forgotten me?” A familiar voice reached Leo’s ears.
“Xavier!” Leo put down his teacup and stood up from his chair. “What brings you to Langstel?”
As he spoke, Leo noticed a middle-aged woman standing behind Xavier. He recognized her from his time with the Bloomer family; she was Xavier’s second aunt, Jenna Key.
Leo greeted Jenna after a brief pause.
Jenna’s gaze lingered on Leo’s face for a long time. Although she knew Leo might not be her child, a mother’s instinctive reaction upon seeing her child was hard to suppress.
The three of them sat in the reception room and exchanged pleasantries. After a moment of hesitation, Jenna looked at Leo and said, “Dr. Leo, could you please go to the capital to see my husband?”
Leo was taken aback by Jenna’s request but then smiled and declined, “Mrs. Bloomer, I have many responsibilities at the clinic, and the Bloomer family doesn’t welcome me, so…”
Jenna quickly interjected, “Dr. Leo, you misunderstand. I’m not inviting you to visit the Bloomer family. My husband is in trouble and is currently lying in a hospital in the capital. I know you have excellent medical skills, and I hope you can go to the capital to save him.”
Jenna’s face was full of worry, and her tone was pleading.
“Leo, Uncle Jackson is still in a coma. Please help him,” Xavier said anxiously.
To be honest, Leo had a good first impression of Jackson. Even though they weren’t related by blood, since the family had come to him for help, he felt obligated as a doctor to take a look.
“Alright, I’ll go to the capital with you. When do we leave?” Leo nodded.
Xavier quickly replied, “Time is of the essence. Let’s leave now. We’ve chartered a private jet!”
If there’s one advantage that wealthy and powerful people have, it’s time and efficiency.
Three hours later, Leo found himself at Harmony Hospital, the best hospital in the capital, along with Xavier and Jenna.
Outside the hospital’s inpatient building were several conspicuous military vehicles.
A few uniformed men stood by the vehicles, smoking and discussing something. Their expressions were uniformly grave.
When they saw Jenna, they turned and saluted her.
Jenna nodded slightly and led the way into the inpatient building.
On the eighth floor, many people in special uniforms were standing in the corridor. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be soldiers from a special forces unit.
Jenna’s presence caused these uniformed men to stop their discussions and stand at attention, saluting in unison, “Mrs. Bloomer!”
As before, Jenna nodded slightly and walked directly to the end of the corridor.
Leo knew very well that these men respected Jenna because of Jackson.
At the end of the corridor was a ward with several people standing outside it, including some doctors in white coats.
In addition to Jason and Jacob, there were three soldiers in military uniforms. The highest-ranking officer among them was a lieutenant general named Carson Tyler.
The fact that a lieutenant general had come to visit indicated Jackson’s significant status.
Jason and others were surrounding a doctor in a white coat, inquiring about Jackson’s condition inside the ward.
“Has Jackson woken up?” Jenna asked Jason worriedly as she approached him.
Jason shook his head gravely.
Jason’s response made Jenna feel faint and unsteady on her feet.
Jacob quickly supported Jenna and comforted her, “Jenna, although Jackson hasn’t woken up yet, his vital signs are stable, and he’s not in immediate danger.”
“Jenna, with the doctors’ best efforts, Jackson will wake up. Please take care of yourself,” said Carson, the oldest lieutenant general present.
Jenna looked at Carson and saluted him solemnly.
Although Jenna was a civilian employee in the military, she was essentially considered a soldier as well.
Carson gestured for Jenna to relax and said seriously, “Jackson was injured this badly for the sake of our country. No matter what it takes, we will make sure he wakes up and recovers!”
“I’ve already spoken with the attending physician. Although Jackson is still in a coma, he’s not in immediate danger. Once Harmony Hospital’s vice president arrives, he will surely find a way to wake Jackson.”
“Sir, you mentioned yesterday that Jackson only suffered stab wounds that weren’t life-threatening. Why has he been in a coma for so long?” Jenna asked the question that had been on her mind.
“Well…” Carson hesitated. “I’m not entirely sure; we’ll have to wait for the final test results.”
Through the transparent glass on the ward door, Jenna saw Jackson lying motionless on the bed. Her eyes welled up with tears again as she asked painfully, “Can I go in and see Jackson now?”
“The doctor said it’s not possible yet,” Jason replied.
“Why?” Jenna’s emotions were on the verge of breaking down.
At that moment, someone rushed toward Jenna and knelt before her, crying out, “Jenna, I’m so sorry…!”
The person wore special forces combat gear with a buzz cut. His head was wrapped in bandages; his right hand was in a cast hanging from his neck; his left forearm was heavily bandaged.
Upon closer inspection, one could see that his left wrist was missing. The bandages were stained with blood; he had lost his left hand.