She glanced at Soren's retreating figure, knowing full well her recent tie in combat was just a stroke of luck.

Soren was still nursing an old injury, not yet back in top form.

Percival approached with the detached professionalism of a captain, addressing Anna, "A month from now will be the final assessment. Pass that, and I'll arrange for you to start interning in the lab while carrying out missions."

Anna saluted smartly. "Yes, sir. I won't let you or Vivienne down."

Vivienne watched her with a hint of amusement. The girl was a quick study.

While Leopold drove Vivienne and Percival back to their estate, Anna was left at the Vanguard Agency's training camp to hone her skills.

On the way, Leopold queried, "Vivienne, do you think Anna's got what it takes? The Agency's training isn't for the faint of heart."

Despite Anna's draw with Soren, he was worried.

"If you made it through, she will too," Vivienne replied nonchalantly, leaning on Percival's shoulder.

Percival nodded in agreement, "Right, makes sense."

Leopold glanced in the rear-view mirror, catching the couple's affectionate display, and asked belatedly, "Hang on. What do you mean 'if I made it through'? I'm way better than Anna, okay?" Vivienne lifted her gaze lazily, "She's nineteen. How old are you?"

Leopold fell silent.

Alright, he asked for it. He should just shut up!

With a snap, he pulled down the visor.

Out of sight, out of mind, right?

A month later.

at Vanguard Agency officially began. The YQ and TCL labs had merged, keeping the YQ

lab first, taking in

up just like the one her mother, Karen, had

month meticulously restoring it to its

her mother working diligently as she approached

the path her mother had

emerged from within, followed by

the head of YQ lab, Holden had been orienting his team to the lab's environment and its various

eyes catching an unfinished experimental

to replicate that 3D biological printer,

operation, Holden and his team had been busy

said, "These numbers are correct, but you've got the direction mixed up. Give it

stuck for a month, but Vivienne had seen the solution

Admiration was an understatement.

they eagerly surrounded

brief discussion, Vivienne asked, "Who's

crowd parted, revealing a young man holding a copy of Hippocrates' Corpus. His hair was neatly trimmed, his nails clean, and he wore silver-rimmed glasses

him up, feeling an odd sense of

capabilities, Holden quickly added, “Ma'am, his name is Rex. He's a recent hire. Young,

over his half-finished report. Each word was deliberate and

impressed by his

unclear about. I'll report back to the director once I've figured them out,"

and scribbled a series of numbers.

moment,

set down the pen and said, "How long have

this morning," Rex replied casually, clutching the report as

utterly devoted to

However, Rex's dedication reminded her of someone, though that person was not nearly

they spoke, Percival entered, "Anna's

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