Chapter 482

The discovery of the skull and numbered tag prompted the production team to set up camp nearby for the night. They decided to wait for the police to collect the remains before continuing their journey. When Mina heard the news, her face fell with disappointment. "Aww, so the skull I found is just gonna be taken away by the cops?" "Of course they have to notify the authorities. What else did you expect?" "I was thinking of turning it into a goblet for Big Bro! I saw this video recently about Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty total debauchery during his reign. After he died, grave robbers dug up his tomb and found his skull. It was huge and gorgeous, so they turned it into a jewel-encrusted drinking cup. Looked absolutely stunning with gemstones lining the edges!" She clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "I thought if I ever found a skull, I could make one too a perfect match for the rabbit bone necklace I already gave Big Bro!" "Jane, just imagine Big Bro wearing the rabbit bone necklace, sipping wine from a skull goblet. Wouldn’t that be something?" Jane: "..." John, watching the livestream from home: "..." He had no words. Just a sudden, inexplicable chill down his spine. Jane struggled to keep his expression neutral. "Sis, no matter how 'aesthetic' that skull cup looked in the video, it’s still a huge disrespect to the dead. Think about it if we died out here in the desert and someone dug up our skulls to make cups, how would you feel?" Mina shuddered violently, her tiny hands flying up to clutch her head as she shook it like a rattle. "I don’t wanna be turned into a cup!" "Exactly. So this person whether uncle or aunt probably wouldn’t want that either." Jane patiently coaxed her sister, saying, "It's an uncle!" Mina declared earnestly before kneeling in the sand and kowtowing respectfully toward the skull. "Uncle, I'm so sorry! I never meant any disrespect. It's just that the wine cup I saw in that video was so beautiful I got carried away for a moment. Please, be magnanimous and don’t hold it against a kid like me!" Watching her sister’s sincere apology, Jane finally let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t until evening that the police, after their long journey, finally arrived at the scene. After verbally commending the production crew and the children—especially Mina they took the skull and the plaque with them. Mina, who dreamed of becoming a forensic examiner, had a natural admiration for the police. Combined with the thrill of being praised by them for the first time, she was instantly over the moon. In her excitement, she immediately borrowed an officer’s phone to call someone and share the good news. Jane, standing nearby, reminded her, "Sis, our brothers are watching the livestream the whole time. You don’t need to call." Mina paused mid-dial. "Oh, right." After a moment’s thought, she added, "Then I’ll call Little Mute. He might not be watching." But as she dialed, a mechanical voice responded, "The number you have dialed is currently switched off." Politely returning the phone to the officer, Mina pouted in frustration. "Why’s Little Mute’s phone off? I’ve got such big news to share, and now I’ve got no one to tell. So lonely, so lonely!" With that, she flopped onto the now-cooled sand, casually grabbing a pack of beef jerky the officers had given them as a reward and munching away. Jane sat cross-legged beside her, propping her chin with tiny hands, and unabashedly grabbed a piece of beef jerky to unwrap. Just as she was about to take a bite, her bright, sparkling eyes caught sight of Frederick, who was busy maintaining the equipment nearby. Without hesitation, she snatched the jerky from her sister’s hand, pulled out a few strips, and handed them back before scampering off toward Frederick with the rest clutched in her little fist. Mina watched the tiny figure dart away, her small feet pattering against the ground. After a long, exasperated stare, she sighed deeply. "That fox spirit always knows how to wrap Jane around his finger!" "Brother Frederick, have some beef jerky!" Jane held up the bag eagerly. Frederick glanced at his grease-stained hands. "You eat it, Jane. I’m not hungry right now." But his longing gaze was unmistakable anyone with eyes could see he wanted a bite. Realizing he was refusing because his hands were dirty, Jane quickly plopped the bag on the ground, fished out a smaller piece, and struggled to tear the wrapper open. When her tiny fingers failed, she resorted to using her teeth. Finally victorious, she stretched onto her tiptoes and held the jerky up to his mouth. "Thank you, Jane. You’re the best," Frederick said with a warm smile. Her eyes crinkled into delighted crescents as she lifted her chin proudly. "Of course I am! Jane is definitely the best!" After chewing the jerky, Frederick bent down slightly, bringing his face closer to hers. "Jane, my sweat’s about to drip into my eyes. Could you wipe it for me?" "Okay!" She immediately stretched up on her toes, ready to help. But before she could, Ares Kai appeared out of nowhere, thrusting a tissue he’d seemingly conjured from thin air directly onto Frederick’s face. "Jane, go rest in the tent for a bit. I’ll take care of wiping Frederick’s sweat and feeding him." Riley quickly averted his gaze. The young master had spent ages playing the sympathy card to win Jane's affection, only to have Ares Kai ruin it all. Once Jane turned her back, the young master was bound to lose his temper! Jane glanced between Frederick and Ares Kai, sensing the tension between them. Worried, she reminded, "Ares Kai, you better take good care of Brother Frederick, okay? He works really hard maintaining all this equipment!" "Don't worry, Jane. I’ll make sure Frederick is well taken care of," Ares Kai promised, thumping his chest for emphasis. Still uneasy, Jane gave them a few more uncertain looks before dashing off to find her sister. The moment Jane was out of sight, the innocent smile vanished from Ares Kai’s face. "Frederick, cut the crap. Your little act is downright dirty." Frederick’s gaze turned icy. Had he been too lenient with Ares Kai because of Jane, giving him the mistaken impression that he could get away with anything? Without a word, Frederick grabbed Ares Kai by the collar and dragged him behind the logistics tent. Riley shook his head slightly. Having spent so much time with Ares Kai, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the boy. He wasn’t a bad kid just painfully oblivious and lacking in tact. Ares Kai smirked coldly at Frederick, drawling, "Even if you beat me up, it won’t change a thing. No matter how you try to manipulate Jane now, you two are impossible. You’re fourteen, and she’s only four. Even if your minds are on the same level, the age gap is an insurmountable chasm. By the time Jane figures out romance, she’ll realize an old man like you is way out of her league!" Frederick looked down at him with disdain. "I wouldn’t dirty my hands on you. But I did retrieve your phone from the production team. You might want to take a look." Panicked, Ares Kai fumbled to catch the phone Frederick tossed his way. He unlocked it and froze. When he looked up at Frederick again, he teeth were clenched in fury. "You're behind this again, aren't you?" Frederick arched an eyebrow slightly. "Your choice go handle your business or stay here and compete with me for Jane." Ares Kai turned on his heel without hesitation. As he walked away, Frederick's calm voice trailed after him. "Oh, and there's something you should know. My actual age is only two years older than Jane's. My body won't age beyond this timeline's synchronization point. So when Jane turns 20, I'll be just 22 legally eligible, wouldn't you say?" Ares Kai whipped his head around, shooting Frederick a glare that could kill. The smug look on Frederick's face made his blood boil. If only he had the power, he'd wipe that smirk off right then and there. In the end, Ares Kai chose to terminate his contract and leave the show. The dark empire he'd painstakingly built couldn't afford to be destroyed by that bastard Frederick. Besides, it was his greatest advantage in this competition for Jane's affection. Without it, how could he possibly measure up? Seeing Ares Kai about to leave, Jane grew concerned. "Ares Kai, are you quitting the show suddenly because something happened to Andrew?" "No, nothing like that," Ares Kai reassured her, seizing the chance to ruffle her soft hair. "I just have to go back for an important competition. I'll come play with you another time." Relieved that Andrew was fine, Jane beamed and waved cheerfully as Ares Kai departed.