My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Retrieving the Needle Overnight

"Mount Corvath," she answered without hesitation.

"Mount Corvath at this hour?" the driver asked, offering a kind warning. "Miss Grayson, there are wild animals on the mountain. It’s not safe. Why don’t we wait until dawn to head up? It’ll be safer."

"I have to go up the mountain tonight."

’I know a secret path. It’s not only safe, but I also won’t run into any wild animals.’

The driver glanced at Jared Hawthorne in the rearview mirror.

Jared Hawthorne said calmly, "Do as she says."

An hour later, the car stopped at the base of Mount Corvath.

He watched as the two of them got out and prepared to hike up the mountain.

The driver quickly called Kyle Zimmerman to report the situation.

"Since President Hawthorne hasn’t said otherwise, just wait for them at the foot of the mountain."

"Understood."

Vesper Grayson pulled a flashlight she had packed in advance from her backpack. A flicker of surprise crossed Jared Hawthorne’s narrow eyes; he hadn’t expected her to be so prepared.

As if sensing his gaze, Vesper Grayson said softly, "Elias, it’s a thirty-minute hike to the summit. If you don’t want to walk, you can wait for me in the car."

Mount Corvath hadn’t been developed for tourism, so there was no easier path up.

Jared Hawthorne raised an eyebrow. "Your man isn’t as weak as you think. Lead the way."

’Your man...’

Even though it was true, hearing him say it made her feel inexplicably shy.

They walked through the forest for no more than ten minutes before arriving at a hidden entrance concealed by vines and scattered rocks. Pushing aside the dense layers of foliage, a secret passage was revealed before them.

This passage led directly to the summit, not only shortening the journey but also allowing them to avoid the mountain’s wild animals. Her grandmaster had discovered it by accident years ago.

A trace of astonishment flashed in Jared Hawthorne’s eyes. He hadn’t expected to find a whole other world hidden behind the vines.

The two entered the passage. The floor was smooth and even, like walking on level ground. It was much warmer inside than out, and it even concealed a steaming natural hot spring.

Following the secret path, they reached the summit. There, amidst the clouds and mist, stood a quiet thatched hut.

Behind the hut stood a simple, solitary grave. Carved upon the tombstone were the words: Here Lies Clay Vance.

The characters were serene, weathered by the passage of time.

Seeing the lonely grave, Vesper Grayson felt a sting in her nose as her eyes grew hot with tears.

She stepped forward in silence, respectfully took out some incense and lit it. Holding the sticks in both hands, she bowed three times toward the tombstone before placing the incense in the burner in front of the grave.

Then, she knelt on both knees and solemnly kowtowed three times.

Jared Hawthorne mirrored her actions—lighting incense, paying his respects, and kneeling to kowtow. His movements were meticulous.

Vesper Grayson was taken aback. "Elias," she said softly, "you really don’t have to do all this..."

"It is only right that I also respect the person you revere." Jared Hawthorne stood up, his dark eyes fixed on her. "Aren’t you going to tell me about your relationship with him?"

Even though he already knew, he wanted to hear it from her lips.

Ten years ago, when he was rescued, he had never met Clay Vance, nor had he ever been to the summit.

He certainly didn’t know that the renowned Saint of Medicine, Clay Vance, had been living in seclusion here all along.

"He was my grandmaster. A kind but strict little old man, and also my grandfather’s master."

Jared Hawthorne lowered his gaze. "So you learned your medical skills from him?"

"Yes. He was incredible. He saved countless lives." As she spoke of her grandmaster, a smile touched Vesper Grayson’s lips, and her eyes filled with pride.

"So, aside from paying our respects to Mr. Vance, is there another reason we’re here?"

"To retrieve the Nine Dragon Needle."

With that, she fetched a shovel from the hut and began to dig up the grave.

"..."

’His woman is something else,’ he thought. ’Digging up a grave without even batting an eye.’

Seeing that she was having a hard time digging, he stepped forward to help.

"Let me."

"No, don’t. It’s fine if I do it, but if you dig, my grandmaster might just chase you down in your dreams," Vesper Grayson said jokingly.

"..."

The real reason was that she knew exactly where it was buried and could dig with precision.

Ten minutes later, the shovel suddenly sank deeper with a THUD, striking a hard wooden box.

She stopped immediately, crouched down, and carefully brushed the dirt away with her hands. She lifted the wooden box out gently, as if afraid of disturbing someone’s rest.

It was a high-quality sandalwood box. Its color was deep and dignified, its grain fine and smooth. One look was enough to tell it was no ordinary antique.

She opened the box. The Nine Dragon Needle set lay quietly on a satin lining. The nine silver needles were of an ancient, simple design, their cold glint restrained.

Vesper Grayson smiled at him. "Let’s go. We can head back down the mountain now."

Back in the car, Jared Hawthorne received a call from Leon Quillan.

"President Hawthorne, we have the analysis of the medicine’s components. I’m sending you the lab report now."

A moment later, Jared Hawthorne passed his phone to Vesper Grayson.

"Take a look."

The black pill contained not only cinnabar, but also stimulants, small amounts of heavy metals, honey, and powdered Chinese herbs. In the short term, taking it would make one feel a hundred times more energetic, producing an effect like a final burst of life. In reality, it was a potent, slow-acting poison. Prolonged use would rapidly deplete one’s qi and blood, cause extreme damage to the liver and kidneys, and ultimately lead to death by organ failure.

The red pill contained high doses of sleeping medication and sedatives. It made the user drowsy and seemingly stable, but in truth, it numbed the nervous system, making them weaker with every dose.

And Old Mrs. Kensington’s weakness was caused by a blockage in her cardiac meridians.

This was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

"We need to send this lab report to President Kensington now. He has to be informed."

’She definitely can’t take that medicine anymore.’

Jared Hawthorne immediately forwarded the lab report to Sebastian Kensington. If Sebastian hadn’t believed them at all, he wouldn’t have given the medicine to Noah in the first place.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Kensington hadn’t slept either. He had people investigating Julian Churchill’s true identity; the name itself sounded fake.

He was on the phone with one of his subordinates, who reported that Julian Churchill had gone to a private apartment in the suburbs.

"Have someone keep a close watch on him."

After hanging up, he received the message from Jared Hawthorne.

After reading it, his refined, handsome face instantly darkened. The gentle eyes behind his glasses were now veiled in an icy chill. His usual warmth vanished, replaced by a sharp coldness and profound anger.

Even without a medical degree, he knew how much damage those ingredients would do to a person’s body.

’How is this any different from poison?’

’To think he dared to deceive the Kensington Family!’

He immediately contacted the Kensington Family’s medical team and ordered a full examination for Old Mrs. Kensington.

Such a large commotion immediately woke Mr. and Mrs. Kensington.

Startled from their sleep, Mrs. Kensington came out to see what was happening, only to find her son, Sebastian Kensington, his face grim, leading the medical team into Old Mrs. Kensington’s room.

Her heart lurched.

’Could something have happened to Old Mrs. Kensington?’

She quickly went to tell Mr. Kensington.

They both hastily threw on some clothes and hurried to Old Mrs. Kensington’s room.

"Sebastian, what’s going on?" Mrs. Kensington asked anxiously.

The doctors were examining Old Mrs. Kensington. She was sleeping peacefully, completely unaware as various medical instruments were used on her, showing no signs of waking.

Sebastian Kensington’s expression was grave. "Mom, Dad, that Miss Grayson was right. That man, Julian Churchill, is a fraud. We were too desperate and shouldn’t have let Grandma take that medicine without confirming what was in it."

He told them the results of the lab analysis for the two pills, and Mr. and Mrs. Kensington’s expressions instantly turned grim.

"My God, how can Dr. Churchill be a fraud? He seemed so capable," Mrs. Kensington said, covering her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

Mr. Kensington flew into a rage. "Harming my mother with fake medicine... he deserves to die! Someone, go and drag him here!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!