Liam took a bite of his snack. "Don't try to stop me."
Josephine was fuming, panting heavily. "Fine, if you won't go back, I'll call your parents right now."
"Go ahead," Liam shrugged. "Tell them how dangerous it is, so they can be ready for our deaths."
"Shut up!" Josephine snapped. "What kind of talk is that?"
Liam replied, "That's how I felt earlier."
Josephine, unable to argue, sat there sulking. She was usually composed, but with close friends, she was genuine.
Seeing her pout, Liam laughed. "If you can go, so can I. I'm just as skilled and fit as you."
"That's not the point," Josephine said. "You didn't plan on going. You're only going because of me. It's dangerous there."
Liam said, "If you don't let me go, I'll sneak there myself."
"You!" Josephine was exasperated.
"Just eat," Liam said. "We need our strength. The border conditions are tough; we might not get another good meal."
"And you still want to go!" Josephine rolled her eyes.
Liam laughed. "I want to help, too."
Josephine stayed silent until they reached the research institute. Liam tried to sweet-talk her, but she remained indifferent.
Liam knew this had really upset her. He couldn't be at ease with Josephine going to such a dangerous place alone.
At the institute entrance, Josephine glared at him and walked away. She couldn't stop him, but she could distance herself.
Liam called out, "Did you tell William about this?"
Josephine was puzzled. "Tell him what?"
Liam said, "Don't pretend you don't know; he likes you."
Josephine glared again. "Just because he likes me, I have to tell him? I don't like him!"
Her bratty demeanor made Liam ruffle her hair. "Got it."
"Don't touch me!" Josephine slapped his hand away. "From now on, I don't know you. We're done!"
"Got it." Liam stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You should go rest."
Watching her go inside, he turned and left. He needed to prepare for the border trip. He could endure hardships, but Josephine couldn't.
After he left, a figure emerged from the shadows. Robin had seen their interaction and was seething with jealousy. He had always been jealous of Liam's closeness to Josephine and her trust in him.
Robin didn't know why he had waited there all night. All he got was a stomach full of bitterness. But seeing Josephine was enough.
He hadn't seen her for over three months, but he wasn't in a hurry. Liam would eventually return, and Josephine would be his.
Two days later, he found out part of the research institute had gone to the border hospital, including Josephine.
Robin flew into a rage and confronted his informant. "Why didn't you tell me Josephine was going to the border?"
The informant shrugged. "You didn't ask."
Robin snapped, "Do I need to ask? Didn't I tell you to keep me updated on anything about her?"
The informant replied, "Got it."
Robin yelled, "Got what?"
The informant said, "I'll tell you next time."
Robin fumed, "Useless! She's already gone!"
Realizing his outburst was pointless, Robin knew he had to figure out his next move. Getting Josephine back seemed unlikely. If he went to the border, his intentions would be too obvious, and Stuart might get suspicious.
Meanwhile, Josephine and Liam had already arrived at the border. The area was devastated by war, with civilians suffering and many having fled. The border hospital was left with medical staff and wounded soldiers. Many soldiers with missing limbs did not leave after recovering from their injuries; instead, they chose to stay and take on tasks within their capacity in logistics.
The research institute was there to fit soldiers with prosthetics. The wounds of the recently injured soldiers had not yet healed. The institute's doctors needed to measure data and made preliminary preparations based on their conditions.
Josephine, a Doctors Without Borders physician, was quickly sought out by the hospital director. They needed her surgical skills desperately.
After coordinating with the research institute, Josephine started performing surgeries once the prosthetic work was set up. Liam, though not initially part of the medical team, contacted the research institute and got a temporary role to help out.
Despite their anger, Josephine and Liam were swamped with surgeries, often giving up their rest time to save lives.
One day, Josephine had just finished a surgery when someone called her, "Dr. Kalmien! The enemy just attacked, and a soldier is severely injured. Please come and operate!"
She rushed over, quickly assessing the patient's condition without even looking at his face. The attending doctor briefed her on the side. The injury was severe but manageable for Josephine, though it required intense focus.
Her usually cool demeanor turned serious, exuding an icy, intimidating aura. She had already proven her skills on the operating table, and the staff around her assisted silently, understanding the gravity of the situation.
The surgery took a long time, and by the time it was over, it was early morning. Feeling dizzy, Josephine leaned against the wall.
A tall man stood in front of her. "Thank you for saving our commander!"
Without opening her eyes, Josephine raised her hand. "It's my duty."
The man insisted, "No, I asked around. This surgery was very difficult; only you could do it! If it weren't for you, he would have died. Thank you!"
Josephine opened her eyes to see the man bowing deeply in gratitude.