She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 722

Loyce gently touched the screen, trailing her fingers over his digital image. After a brief pause, she said, "Actually, the Greenwood Archipelago isn't far from my territory."

Lucian's expression shifted slightly. "Oh?"

"Did you bring the gift I gave you?" she asked.

"The Christmas present?" Seeing her nod, he replied, "I have one on me. It's tucked in the inner pocket of my combat suit."

Hearing Robert calling Lucian's name in the background, Loyce knew it was already a miracle he had carved out time to call her in the middle of a crisis. She pulled her hand back. "Go do what you need to do. Call me whenever you're free."

Lucian reluctantly ended the call. When he turned around, the tender warmth completely vanished from his face, replaced by a steely, professional resolve. "What's the situation?"

Robert walked over with the negotiation team. He gave a sharp salute before stepping aside to introduce a middle-aged man wearing glasses. "Admiral, this is Adrian Johnson, the special First Secretary dispatched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He's serving as the chief diplomat for this negotiation."

Adrian gave a curt nod, bypassing any pleasantries and cutting straight to the chase. "Admiral Lucian Shapiro, the situation is delicate. The Eastern Isles' representative, Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan, just pitched a final proposal during the summit."

"Let's hear it," Lucian said flatly.

Adrian adjusted his glasses. "They've agreed to immediately suspend all new military deployments in the Greenwood Archipelago and allow our forces, along with international observers, limited access to specific zones."

"The conditions?" Lucian demanded.

"There are two," Adrian continued. "First, they demand we simultaneously suspend our 'offensive military construction' on our reefs in the Emerald Strait. They're calling it an 'equivalent de-escalation.'"

Lucian frowned.

"Second," Adrian's tone grew heavier, laced with caution, "regarding the investigation into the 'accidental death' of their soldier. They are no longer insisting on a fully autonomous investigation. Instead, they're proposing a joint field task force led by the highest military commanders from both sides. They want us to go to the disputed waters for an on-site verification. Hassan guaranteed our technical staff would operate the main detection equipment, and they would only send observers and a minimal security detail."

Robert couldn't stop himself from cutting in. "Admiral, that soldier died right in the middle of disputed waters, but those blurred boundaries are the easiest places to set a trap. The body drifted with the wreckage and washed up on an island well within their jurisdiction. Now they want us to go to the so-called incident site? We'd basically be walking into their territory blind."

Lucian looked at Adrian. "What's the Ministry's assessment?"

Adrian hesitated. "On paper, the Eastern Isles is making substantial concessions. It's risky, yes, but it falls within the acceptable parameters of diplomatic mediation. If we flat-out refuse, we'll lose major ground in the international press. It will look like we lack the sincerity to resolve this, and they might even spin it to make it look like we have something to hide."

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