On stage, Yvette casually sidestepped Kaiden's furious charge, then swiftly countered, her blade flashing. Kaiden couldn't react in time; Yvette's sword pierced his shoulder. He awkwardly bowed, his visor falling, hair disheveled, blood seeping from his chest.

Kaiden clutched his chest, swallowing a surge of blood. Glaring at Yvette, he said, "You're still you, never changed."

Yvette ignored him, leaving Kaiden on the ground, clearly unwilling to accept defeat. He let his hands fall, his face ashen. He knew he'd lost, but couldn't accept losing everything—losing Kyle's support and all his hard-won opportunities.

A deathly silence fell over the crowd. No one anticipated the final strike would not only tear Kaiden's fencing suit but also seriously injure him; the blood had clearly been there for some time. The match ended, the screen displaying a three-to-zero score, a stinging rebuke to the visiting delegation.

Jase turned to Kyle, whose face was dark with anger, and calmly said, "Prime Minister Kyle, I concede."

Kyle, unable to maintain his composure, stormed out, pursued by reporters. Jase looked back at the stage where Kaiden bowed in despair; Yvette was gone.

Meanwhile, Clifford received a call from Jeremiah: Aurora had been rescued. He approached Jase, saying, "Dad, Aurora has been rescued. I won't be returning with you."

Jase nodded, tapping his cane. "Go. What good is being present in body but not in spirit? Go check on your daughter-in-law." He paused, his tone hardening. "What about the kidnappers? Did Jeremiah say?"

Clifford's voice was grave. "Jeremiah said they've been apprehended. My daughter-in-law wants to handle them herself."

Jase was silent for a moment. "Don't intervene. Let her handle it. She knows what she's doing."

Clifford nodded. "We know what kind of person Yvette is. Those who fall into her hands... will have a hard time. Anyone who dares to touch my wife deserves to die a thousand times over."

After leaving the Eastern Hotel, Yvette found Samantha waiting by her sports car, having watched the livestream. "Another day dazzled by Yve's charm! That final strike was remarkable," Samantha exclaimed, rushing over. "Yve, are we going back to Skyland?"

Yvette nodded, her lips parting slightly. "No, the First Military District."

Samantha paused. "Yve, the First Military District?"

Yvette replied, "Mm-hmm."

At the District's entrance, Yvette drove, her expression impassive. Samantha, in the passenger seat, nervously patted her chest, sweating. The winding mountain road tested her nerves as Yvette sped through the curves. Samantha felt her legs wobble; each curve felt like a near-death experience, yet Yvette remained unfazed, her calm unsettling.

Samantha took a deep breath. "Yve, are you a professional race car driver?"

Yvette switched off the engine, tilting her head and smirking slightly. "I played around with it for a few years, but it's not interesting."

Samantha was stunned. 'I knew it! But what does "not interesting" even mean?'

The massive gate opened, revealing Jeremiah in uniform, flanked by soldiers. Yvette's car had been tracked since the mountain base; the command center had witnessed her thrilling drive.

Yvette stepped out; Jeremiah approached her, ignoring Samantha. Samantha shrugged; she was used to being overlooked when Yvette was around.

"Jeremiah," Samantha greeted.

Jeremiah nodded. "Mm." He took Yvette's hand. "The kidnappers are in the interrogation room. My men questioned them, but they're tough—suicide warriors and Tradecrafters trained by Steel Serpents. Getting information will be difficult."

Jeremiah had faced such warriors before. Years ago, capturing an international fugitive in Ybaulla, those people chose death over revealing information. He'd had to find the fugitive's location himself.

This time, Ybaulla and Kaiden seemed determined; they'd deployed Tradecrafters, a costly and resource-intensive undertaking. Jeremiah had captured five high-level Tradecrafters—an impressive feat.

Samantha understood. "So Aurora was kidnapped by Ybaullans, and they even used Tradecrafters? That's despicable!"

Yvette nodded coldly. "They'll talk."

Jeremiah paused, internally amazed. 'How is she so sure? Getting Tradecrafters and suicide warriors to talk? That's no easy task.'