Chapter 255. Caitlin And Her Brother Face To Face

The soil was too dry. James pulled out his tactical knife and started digging, working his way around the tree’s roots.

Kneeling on the ground, he had no idea how long he had been at it, how many holes he had dug, until finally—the tip of his knife hit something metal.

The sound was different.

Excitement surged through him as he dug faster, revealing a rusted metal box.

The surface was corroded, the patterns almost unrecognizable. With effort, he pried it open with his knife.

Years of exposure to water and soil had left its contents in ruins. The wooden objects inside had rotted, and plastic materials had become brittle, crumbling at the slightest touch.

James carefully sifted through the decay.

Then, finally, he found something intact.

A small metal tube, about the length of a finger and as thick as a pen.

Brushing off the dirt, he rinsed it thoroughly with bottled water until the tarnish faded away, revealing its true form—