As soon as Yvette finished speaking, Emmett, Bruce, Chris, and Frankie barely registered their relief before distant gunfire shattered the quiet. They wondered, "Who's there?" Considering Yvette's words, they concluded it must be Jeremiah and his men, somewhere ahead in the woods. Without hesitation, Emmett and the others charged toward the woods. Yvette, in contrast, followed at a leisurely pace, showing no urgency.

In the woods, Jeremiah and his ten elite soldiers were found, suffering only minor injuries. Their initial plan had been to hunt wild boar for lunch, but a scout's overeagerness revealed not one boar, but hundreds, perhaps thousands of pounds of them, in a cave. This discovery resulted in a relentless chase by the enraged animals. All but Jeremiah were disheveled.

Jeremiah, armed with a heavy machine gun, took down boar after boar with unerring accuracy. However, with only a dozen boars remaining, their ammunition was exhausted. Their remaining weapons were stored in a nearby cave; they hadn't anticipated needing so much ammunition.

They braced themselves for hand-to-hand combat. Each was a military elite, well-versed in close-quarters fighting. But these boars were notoriously strong; subduing a dozen thousand-pound animals would be a formidable challenge.

Jeremiah, tall and straight in his black suit and long coat, narrowed his cold eyes, a fierce determination etched on his face. His lethal aura was palpable as he stared at the approaching boars. A soldier urged him to take the lead, but Jeremiah remained unmoved. His men, understanding his intent, adopted fighting stances.

At that moment, Emmett, Bruce, Chris, and Frankie reached the edge of the woods, seeing Jeremiah and his men surrounded by the closing herd. Frankie shouted excitedly, "Mr. Chavez, we're here!"

Emmett and the others opened fire, cutting down the charging boars before they could reach Jeremiah's group. Hearing the gunfire, Jeremiah turned, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Emmett, Bruce, Frankie, Chris, and Yvette. A look of astonishment crossed his usually impassive features. He immediately strode toward Frankie.

His soldiers sensed his urgency, a subtle excitement underlying it. They hadn't expected reinforcements. They knew the perilous nature of their situation; without Jeremiah's leadership, they might have perished.

Frankie, misinterpreting Jeremiah's intent, saw a faint smile and assumed he was moved by his arrival. He hastened his steps, arms outstretched for a hug. He thought, "What a beautiful and grand love we have!" The soldiers also anticipated a hug, their eyes widening in expectation.

However, to everyone's surprise, Jeremiah bypassed Frankie, embracing Yvette instead. His touch sent a tingle through both of them. He rested his head on her shoulder, rubbing it affectionately. Yvette stiffened momentarily, wondering, "When did this man learn this trick?" A mischievous smile touched her lips. "What should I do?" she mused.

Jeremiah's minty scent filled her space, his voice low and husky. "Are you tired?" Yvette thought, "This man really is my type." If he'd asked why she came, she might have left. Instead, she replied casually, "Not tired. I'm used to it."

Jeremiah's heart swelled. He looked up and gently tidied her hair, then produced a hair tie from his pocket, skillfully braiding her slightly disheveled locks. He explained quickly, "I learned from a video. It took half an hour. And the hair tie… I saw online that men who have girlfriends should keep one on hand. It's… a man should do."

He'd practiced extensively, even using Andrew's hair (to Andrew's dismay) to avoid hurting Yvette. He coughed nervously, avoiding her gaze. Yvette tapped his chest; the touch felt deeply meaningful to him.

Frankie, left out, observed the affectionate scene. He thought, "Where is the friendship that is supposed to be greater than the heavens and the earth? Jeremiah's preference for a girlfriend over friendship is now confirmed. But thinking it was Yvette, Frankie felt balanced. In his opinion, Yvette was worth it. If it had been any other woman, Frankie would have disagreed, causing a scene and making a fuss until he spoiled the moment."

Jeremiah's soldiers were stunned. They'd initially viewed Yvette as ethereal, but now understood—she was clearly Jeremiah's future wife. It explained his years of singledom. They thought, "Who wouldn't want to keep such a beautiful girlfriend hidden?"

Emmett, Chris, and Bruce stood at a distance, Frankie joining them, looking sullen. Chris checked his watch. "How long have they been lovey-dovey?" he asked. "Ten minutes," Bruce replied. Emmett, with a straight face, said, "Should we interrupt them?"

Frankie, Bruce, and Chris were speechless. They thought, 'Emmett really isn't afraid of death.'

Jeremiah's soldiers gathered around. Many recognized Emmett, who spent considerable time with the troop as Jeremiah's assistant. One soldier said, "Emmett, you guys... Without Mr. Jeremiah Chavez, we might have lost our lives already." Another added, "Yeah, you guys are amazing. Not only are you all safe and sound, but you also brought Mr. Jeremiah Chavez's girlfriend over here unharmed. I admire you."

The other soldiers expressed similar admiration. Emmett gave a wry smile, exchanging glances with Bruce and Chris. They knew they didn't deserve such praise. "You're giving us too much credit," Emmett said. "We didn't make it here on our own, just like you, we benefited from having strong support."