The Million-Dollar Heart

Vance was clearly growing impatient, the topic at hand obviously not to his liking.

"The big boss of the organization, Noah, is who you guys refer to as Rover," he said. Percival's tone was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

Vance had thought Percival was certain, so he admitted, "Yes, Noah is Rover. Back in the day, I was the commander, but when the plan changed at the last minute, I had to go through the boss." Percival chuckled lightly. "Figures."

It was then that Vance realized he had been played. He sighed, "Percival, you can suspect me or Micah all you want, but with Noah, there's no need."

"Because he's your mentor?" Percival raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady on Vance.

Vance nodded, "Yes, Noah was our mentor. He brought us together and led us to where we are now. He's the most accomplished commander Vanguard Agency has ever had and your mentor's idol. I can vouch for him, Percival. Noah's clean. He didn't take part in that operation!"

"But he signed off on it, Vance. I can't believe you've never doubted him," Percival's tone turned colder.

Silence fell over Vance, and for a long while, he found no words.

Indeed, after the mission's failure, not just Karen but also Micah and Vance themselves had harbored deep suspicions within Vanguard Agency.

Compared to Karen and Micah's emotional ties and utter trust, Vance was a bit more ruthless. He had even doubted Noah, the very mentor who had brought him into the fold.

Vance had investigated, sure, but Noah was Noah, without a single discrepancy.

Eventually, Vance shifted his suspicions to Micah.

That was why, later on, the rift between Micah and Vance only deepened.

These suspicions were put on hold when Vance went undercover.

Vance shared all the details of his past investigation into Noah with Percival, saying, "I did doubt him, but my mentor is innocent. You're wasting your time, Percival."

silent, his eyes holding a

he left with

stop him; he just watched

everything's fine," Vance said with a smile, seemingly at

Noah said on the other end of the line made Vance press his lips together and nod. "Yeah, I told him. Yes, cooperation is based on honesty; otherwise, how can we get their help?" After hanging up, Vance's smile faded, and he stood up somberly, leaving the

leaving the coffee shop, tapped into all his connections to dig deeper into Noah's

the name and with Percival's own savvy, he still found

enough to deepen

the "Destruction Plan" failed, Noah retired, only to be rehired by Vanguard Agency as the head trainer, and his protégés spread across all systems within the

Yorick multiple times, a comrade-in-arms bound by life and

as strong as Percival's

were Karen, Micah,

decorated, a teacher

mind as she looked over

could match Noah was

held a high office like a director or deputy director, his

the major cases

death, it made doubting such a seasoned leader

down the documents, Percival looked at Vivienne before pulling her into an embrace, fingers

declaring war or lost in thought, "Vivienne, we're in for

ahead, her gaze not fixed on any point, as if stretching out to the endless horizon. "And we

smile, his chin resting on Vivienne's head, gently rubbing against

a park in Rivenwood, F-Poison