Tears fell down from the corner of Jarrod's eyes. But no one saw it.
What did his father just do?
How ridiculous!
Jarrod was in great pain as if his body was falling apart. He felt that he might die in the next moment.
However, the pain just kept tormenting him. He couldn't speak or move, like a corpse on the ground.
He didn't expect to end up being like this when he ate the Golden Bug. He thought that he could
withstand the gnawing of the bugs and cleanse his body of the bug poison. He would no longer be
manipulated and controlled by Aaron if he succeeded.
He also knew that the Golden Bug was extremely violent. He would die if he failed to endure it.
Jarrod made up his mind after Samuel and others left. He didn't have any back-up plan. Now, at the
gate of death, he finally realized that Aaron was indifferent and ruthless towards him.
Aaron had raised him for thirty years. Although Jarrod didn't feel much warmth form Aaron, he still
regarded Aaron as his father.
But Aaron disappointed him.
He was Aaron's son!
It had been 30 years. People would have developed a close relationship with their pets as time passed,
not to mention human.
But Aaron treated him like a rag that could be thrown away at any time. He didn't even give Jarrod a
coffin. Instead, Aaron asked people to throw him into the bugs' vat to stay with his mother, who had
died long ago.
Was Aaron really his father?
What was he to Aaron?
Jarrod was heartbroken, but he also felt a bit relieved.
Aaron had left so Jarrod had no anticipation now.
The relationship between him and Aaron had come to an end.
He would repay Aaron's caring with his death today.
Jarrod closed his eyes and tears flowed down his cheeks.
There were no other people here so no one would see him being vulnerable and upset. Jarrod didn't
need to hide his emotions here. He could finally cry.
Jarrod felt pain and coldness all over his body as if he was in an ice cellar.
If he couldn't make it through, he would die here. He wondered how Amelia was now. Was she worried
about him?
Jarrod was regretful as he thought about what they had experienced.
He should have spent more time with Amelia.
He knew that Amelia liked to hanging around, but he never had time to go out with her. Many women
had been pursuing him in the past years, but he didn't want to let Amelia down.
He still remembered the time when he was seriously injured. It was Amelia who pulled him out of the
pile of dead people. She was desperate and crying. But she managed to carry him to the town and
found a doctor.
That doctor said he would not save Jarrod unless Amelia slept with him. It was the first time Amelia had
killed a person. She killed a person because of him.
Jarrod still remembered how helpless and sad she was. He remembered the sound of the doctor
tearing Amelia's clothes. He even remembered how hoarse her voice was when she cried.
However, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch.
Finally, Amelia picked up a scalpel and killed the doctor in front of him.
When the blood sprayed all over his face, he saw Amelia trembling in panic. But even so, she still
found iodine and medicine from the doctor's office and treated his wounds carefully.
Jarrod did not know how he had survived those days. There was gunfire and chaotic outside. The
terrorists were everywhere. Amelia and Jarrod hid in that office for more than a week.
He had a high fever so Amelia held him and kept talking to him. She had given him all she had.
Jarrod started to see Amelia as someone important from then on.
They had been together for a long time and had experienced danger and troubles, but they did not
have children. Jarrod felt that he owed Amelia too much. He didn't know if he would have another
chance to shelter her. Fortunately, she had Samuel around. He might take care of Amelia.
Jarrod was miserable as he thought about it. The sentries outside had left. The ancestral hall was so
quiet that he could hear his faint breathing clearly.
He suddenly felt pathetic.
If he died here, people would not know it and his corpse might not be found. Perhaps when they came
here one day, there would be just a skeleton in the vat.
Jarrod forced a bitter smile as he thought about his death.
After Aaron left the ancestral hall with anger, another message came from his subordinate, saying that
Morgan had entered the ancestral hall of the Harper Town and hadn't come out. And he didn't know
what she was doing there.
Aaron was a little anxious.
"Follow me."
Aaron decided to face her personally this time. He went there with his persons.
If he caught Morgan and got the ancient book, he might be able to find the entrance to the ore vein.
Half of Aaron's subordinates went out with him. The remaining ones were busy with other matters. No
one talked about Jarrod.
He was "Mr. Jarrod" when he was alive. Now that he was dead, he was nothing to them.
Samuel was going to look for Jarrod by himself after he heard that Morgan had diverted Aaron.
However, when he was about to leave, he saw Nicole and Amelia.
"Why did you come out?"
"You won't be able to leave here without me."
Amelia looked at Samuel and whispered, "I am the only one who knows how to get out of the Eight
Trigrams Formation. And I know how to get into the secret passage of the ancestral hall."
"But you are too weak now...."
"I'm fine."
Seeing Samuel's worried expression, Nicole said, "I will take care of Amelia. Samuel, she is worried
about Jarrod. And I am worried about you. It's a torment for Amelia if you let her stay here and wait for
news. Why can't we go with you? I will protect her and won't make any trouble. OK?"
She looked at Samuel with pleading eyes.
Samuel didn't want to disappoint her.
"Alright. But you must listen to me."
"OK."
They left Emory's camp.
Under Amelia's guidance, Samuel and Nicole entered the secret passage of the ancestral hall. But this
time, Amelia had quickened her pace.
She felt uneasy as if a stone was oppressing her heart. It seemed that something bad had happened.
"Amelia, slow down. Be careful."
Nicole was very worried about her, but Amelia was too anxious to listen.
Samuel followed closely with his brows knitted.
When they arrived at the ancestral hall, they saw Jarrod lying motionless on the ground.
"Mr. Jarrod! Mr. Jarrod!"
Amelia quickly ran to him and held him.
His body was so cold that Amelia was frightened and burst into tears.
"Jarrod! Mr. Jarrod! Wake up! What happened? Wake up and tell me!"
Samuel and Nicole were stunned.
"What's going on?"
Samuel immediately walked over and stretched a finger to feel Jarrod's breath. It was so weak that
Samuel widened his eyes.
"What happened? He looked well when we left. What was Aaron doing?"
"I've told you that Aaron doesn't care about him. But you said a father would not hurt his son. You
thought that I'm alarmist. Now he's dead. Is that enough?"
Tears poured down Amelia's cheeks.
She held Jarrod in her arms and said, "I'm pregnant. We will have a child. But if we have to get this
child at the price of your death, I would rather I've never have it. Mr. Jarrod, I have known my mission
since I was eighteen. I'm your adulthood gift, your bodyguard, and your woman of sacrifice. If you die,
what should I do with the unborn child? I can't live without you. You can't leave me like this. Get up!
What do you want me to do? You must tell me personally. I don't want to hear it from others. You said I
am your adulthood gift. Tell me, what should I do? To die, or to live? I can do anything for you. But you
have to tell me by yourself. I will continue my life and take of our child if you want that. It doesn't count
if I have to hear your wish from others."
Her tears fell on Jarrod's face, but there was no response.
Nicole froze as she looked at Jarrod. Samuel was sorrowful. Amelia was desperate. Nicole took a deep
breath and said, "Is Jarrod really dead?"
"There's faint breathing, but...."
Samuel could not bear to finish it.
Nicole managed to remain calm.
She said in a low voice, "Let's get him out of here. Joseph may be able to save him. It seems that he is
poisoned by bugs. He looked well when we left. What happened to him?"
"He had bug poison in his body. He has been testing and developing bugs for many years so the
poison couldn't be avoided. I know that he has been risking his life. He has succeeded for many times,
but there were occasions when he almost died. They bugs would gradually damage his health. If he
fails to control the poison in his body, he would be devoured by the bugs and bleed to death. A bug
practitioner will have someone to protect him during the test, but Jarrod didn't. So, I have been afraid
that he would fall sick. I think he has asked you to take care of me because he noticed that his health
was getting worse. I don't know whether our child will be delivered. Even if the child will be born, I don't
know what it will be like after being influenced by the bug poison. Will it have some defects or toxins?
I'm not as optimistic as him. He wants a child, but I just want him to be alive."
Nicole was shocked.
She thought that it was good for Amelia to be pregnant with Jarrod's child, but now she was confused.
"No matter what, we are taking him back. Let's see what Joseph can do. We will find a way to save
him. He is still alive so there is hope. Besides, we can ask Joseph to contact Morgan. She is from the
Harper Town. She must know how to get rid of the bug poison."
Amelia's eyes brightened up.
"A descendant of the Harper Town?"
Samuel answered, "Yes. And she is in the town right now. Let's get Jarrod out of here first. He should
not die in such a place. He is my brother. I can't let him stay here alone."
Samuel directly went forward to pick up Jarrod. However, he suddenly felt a pain in his chest when he
approached Jarrod.
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