Chapter 264 Double Compensation

Chapter 264 Double Compensation

Cecilia stepped forward, her fingers finally touching the deep blue gemstone.

The cool, smooth texture at her fingertips inexplicably reassured her. 

She bit her lip, held her breath, and carefully lifted it from the central groove of the altar. 

As soon as the gemstone left the groove, the flowing blue light dimmed abruptly, as if its life force had been drained, leaving only a lifeless dark blue.

Cecilia frowned slightly, standing still and quietly observing the gemstone. 

It was different from Brielle's blue gemstone; its surface was smoother and more rounded, its color more vibrant, and it felt heavier in her hand.

"Put it in," Christopher's voice suddenly came from behind. 

His eyes were fixed on Cecilia, cautiously watching the surroundings, but he didn't notice any changes.

Seeing that it was safe, he walked up to Cecilia and handed her a black metal box.

Cecilia glanced down and, without much hesitation, placed the gemstone in the box. 

As the lid closed, she seemed to hear a faint sigh.

She paused, lifted her head, and spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Isis's Tear is in hand, Mr. Taylor. Are you satisfied now?"

Christopher glanced at her but didn't respond.

"Next, we're going here," Ten Eyes stepped forward, unfurling a map and pointing to a marked spot, ordering Cecilia, "You lead the way."

Cecilia frowned and glanced at the map, which depicted a detailed treasure chest and several twisted characters.

She couldn't help but sneer, "Do you think too highly of me? I've never been here before. How could I know the way? Besides, I can't even read what's written here."

Ten Eyes still had traces of blood on his face. 

He squinted his golden eyes and spoke mockingly, "Then how did you know where to go earlier?"

"I..."

"Don't waste time," Christopher interrupted Cecilia coldly, "Just follow your instincts."

Hearing this, Cecilia shot Christopher a glare and reluctantly took the map. 

Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the paper. She focused on it for a while, flipping it back and forth.

Suddenly, Cecilia's eyes lit up.

These symbols reminded her of the game patterns Ursa used to draw in the sandbox when she was a child. Those blurry memories suddenly became clear.

"Look, Cecilia, the crescent moon pattern represents a hidden passage." 

Ursa's gentle voice seemed to echo in her ears, "These three little fish indicate danger in the nearby waters, and this eye-shaped symbol can guide you to where you want to go. Now, it's your turn."

The memory abruptly ended, and Cecilia's gaze darkened. 

She stared at the star-studded "eye" symbol in the corner of the map, turned slightly, and spoke in a voice barely audible, "This way."

Ten Eyes frowned and followed her gaze, but all he saw was a desolate area. 

Jagged rocks were overgrown with weeds, and thorny vines formed a tangled web, with no visible path.

"Are you sure you're not messing with us?"

"If you don't trust me, why let me lead the way?"

Cecilia laughed in exasperation, rolled her eyes at Ten Eyes, and stepped forward to push aside a dense bush, revealing a narrow moss-covered stone staircase. 

The steps were almost integrated with the mountain, making them nearly impossible to spot without careful inspection.

Ten Eyes' pupils contracted, and his eyes showed a hint of caution.

Behind them, a soft sound suddenly came from the direction of the altar. 

Christopher turned sharply, his eyes narrowing behind his mask, but the thick fog quickly spread again, obscuring his vision.

He couldn't help but frown.

"Chris, what's up?" Ten Eyes noticed Christopher's unease and warily gripped his gun.

Christopher stood still for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Nothing, let's move."

Meanwhile, in downtown Skyview City.

Alaric stood in front of the surveillance screen, the bloodshot veins in his eyes starkly visible under the harsh light. 

It was the second day, and Cecilia had vanished without a trace.

"Alaric, good news, we've found something!"

Kian suddenly burst into the room, clutching a stack of freshly printed documents. 

"The surveillance at Dream Bay Pier Warehouse No. 3 captured a suspicious vehicle. Although the license plate was covered, the model matches the black Range Rover registered under the Taylor family!"

Before Kian finished speaking, Alaric grabbed the documents, his fingers gripping the paper so tightly they nearly crumpled it. 

The blurry image on the screen showed a slender figure getting out of the passenger seat. Even from the back, he would never mistake her.

"Time?"

"Today at 4:17 AM," Kian quickly pulled up a map of the area, "Based on the tides and shipping routes, they're most likely headed to the northeastern islands."

Upon hearing this, Caroline slammed the table, "I'll contact the Coast Guard right away!"

"No," Alaric's voice was hoarse and weary, "If we alert them, they might harm Cecilia."

He grabbed his coat and strode out, "Prepare the speedboat. We're going ourselves."

Meanwhile, at the police station, in the special holding cell.

"Let me out of here!" Tamsin clutched the iron bars, her meticulously manicured nails scraping against the metal with a grating sound, "I'm innocent! I didn't frame Silas! Henry is lying, you have to believe me!"

The guard remained unmoved, "Ms. Brooks, the coroner found a head injury on Mr. Silas Wells. If you didn't push him, how could he have fallen? Stop wasting your breath. Soon, Mr. Silas Wells' body will be sent for cremation. Mr. Henry Wells has kept you here without notifying the media, which is already a favor."

"You can't keep me here forever!" Tamsin stomped her foot in anger, shouting, "I want to see Mrs. Russell!"

Another guard, who had been resting his eyes, was finally fed up with Tamsin's noise. 

He opened his eyes and snapped, "You want Mrs. Russell? She doesn't have time for someone like you. Listen up, you can't see anyone. If you keep making noise, I'll lock you in the darkest cell, and no one will care."

Hearing this, Tamsin quieted down considerably. She gripped the iron bars tightly, nearly grinding her molars.

About twenty miles from the police station, at the Russell Mansion, Brielle's face was livid. 

She stood up abruptly and hurled a bracelet at the man's head. 

He didn't dodge, and blood immediately streamed down.

"Useless! You promised I'd see Cecilia's body this morning! How did it turn into your own people dying? I spent three million dollars, and you can't even kill a little girl!? How can I trust you?"

Her chest heaved violently, the gold thread patterns on her purple coat trembling with rage, "Tell your boss I want double compensation for my losses!"