Chapter 56: We Must Find Molly!

The bespectacled tech team lead stood up promptly at the director’s call, adjusted his glasses, and quickly confirmed the rolling data streams on the main screen in his hand.

Then he looked up, his face bearing that particular calm seriousness typical of technical officials.

“Director, we’ve verified it repeatedly.

Captain Bai Shimo’s personal communication signal was completely lost approximately sixty-seven minutes before the barrier core was breached, near the old auditorium on campus.

“Based on retrospective analysis of her locator’s final movement trajectory, before the signal was lost, she was not suddenly attacked or trapped—rather, she actively deviated from the evacuation route, which was relatively safe at the time, and entered the area with the highest concentration of white mist.”

As he spoke, he called up a simulated trajectory map and projected it into the air.

“Since then, neither communication channels nor positioning signals have been captured by any monitoring equipment.

“We’ve deployed additional special operations teams to conduct high-density grid searches centered around the last known signal location, and have simultaneously intensified monitoring of anomalous mana fluctuations in the surrounding area.

However…”

“As for actively establishing contact with her… we’ve had no success so far.”

The director listened in silence, his jaw set tight.

He gave a heavy nod.

“…I understand.”

He slowly sat back down in his chair at the head of the table, hands clasped on the surface.

“Meeting adjourned for now.

Tech team, continue trying every possible means to establish contact.

Combat units, expand the search radius and maintain highest alert.

As for the members of Star Vault…”

His tone softened slightly.

“You fought hard.

Please take some time to rest, but remain on standby.

As soon as I have any concrete news, I’ll notify you immediately.”

***

After the meeting, the young women of Star Vault filed out of the Security Bureau headquarters one after another.

Outside, the sky was overcast, thick clouds pressing down heavily over the city.

In the gray haze, there was a distinct sense of an approaching storm.

They walked in silence, each lost in the same thought—Bai Shimo.

They had been walking for a long time when a trembling voice, thick with suppressed tears, finally broke the silence:

“You… all know it too, don’t you?”

It was Lotus.

She kept her head down, her voice already choked with emotion.

“Molly charged into that white mist alone because… she wanted to break through the barrier herself and save everyone at the school…”

“She’s always like this… always thinking of everyone else… but… but she herself…”

Boom—

A low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky at that moment.

The heavy clouds finally gave way, releasing a drizzle of raindrops.

“Oh, it’s raining.”

Azalea quickly pulled an umbrella from her bag, snapped it open, and held it over Lotus’s head.

“Come on, moping alone won’t help.

Even the tech team can’t pick up her signal—what good is us searching on foot?”

She tried to console her.

“How about… we grab something to eat first?

Lotus, you were injured in the fight at the factory too, and you were still charging ahead so recklessly…”

“That’s because—”

Lotus suddenly lifted her head, tears finally breaking through, mingling with the cold rain streaming down her face.

“Because I wanted to finish the fight there as fast as I could, so I could go support Molly!”

Her voice trembled with emotion.

“But… but I never expected that even after trying so hard, I’d still be too late… Molly, she…”

Before she could finish, a small, cool hand reached over from the side and gently took Lotus’s hand.

Lotus turned her head slowly and saw her sister, Sunflower.

Sunflower was holding a small umbrella in her other hand.

She stepped forward, subtly nudging Azalea’s umbrella aside, and pulled her sister under her own.

“Sister, it’s okay.

This isn’t your fault.”

Sunflower said softly, though her eyes darted guiltily.

“Molly… Molly might be found soon, right?”

“Sister, you’ve been so worried—your body will break down.

Let’s… let’s go get something to eat and relax, okay?”

“Molly is missing!

How can I think about food?!”

Lotus’s voice rose sharply, and she yanked her hand out of Sunflower’s grasp.

“But, Sister…”

Sunflower seemed startled by her sister’s rare anger.

Her grip loosened.

The small umbrella, not held steady, was caught by a sudden gust of wind and flipped inside out.

Rain immediately soaked the bangs that usually hid half her face.

“Don’t say any more.”

Lotus didn’t look at her.

She turned and strode ahead.

“If you want to rest, if you want to celebrate, go ahead.

But don’t try to stop me—I’m going to find Molly.

I will find her.”

“Hey, what are you thinking?”

Thorn, who had been silent for most of the walk, finally couldn’t hold back.

She crossed her arms behind her head, her tone carrying a hint of blunt exasperation.

“That area’s been searched top to bottom.

You won’t find anything new by going there.”

“You’re always wound so tight.

The captain might just be temporarily trapped.

With her skills, something bad happening to her isn’t that easy.”

Sunflower quickly chimed in, her voice small: “Y-yeah, Sister, Thorn’s right… don’t worry so much…”

As if remembering something, she timidly pulled a piece of fruit candy wrapped in colorful foil from her pocket, carefully unwrapped it, and held the translucent emerald-green candy to Lotus’s lips.

“Sister, you’re too anxious… here, have some candy?

Something sweet might help you feel better…”

But Lotus didn’t slow down at all.

She kept walking straight ahead, not lowering her head, not responding.

The candy, offered so carefully, only grazed her lips before falling—plop—into a small puddle by the roadside.

The murky water rippled, reflecting Sunflower’s lost, helpless face.

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