Tears stread silently down a few faces.
"So pray," Garin continued, his expression twisting into sothing malicious, "that you stay quiet. Make even a sound, and you’ll die by my hand before help ever arrives."
Above ground, inside the police station, Lana and Monica finally stepped into a secure room.
Lana imdiately contacted Mr. Crow through their link. ’Scan everyone.’
Only after confirming there were no listening devices did she look at Monica, her expression turning sharp and serious.
"I’ve confird it," Lana said quietly. "My theory was right."
Monica frowned in confusion, a crease forming between her brows as she turned toward Lana and motioned for her to continue.
The room slled faintly of old paper and cold tea, the silence pressing lightly against her temples.
Lana swallowed hard, resisting the urge to gag as the mory resurfaced, and then spoke.
"Mr. Crow saw it."
Monica’s hand paused midair.
"He heard it too," Lana continued, her fingers curling unconsciously against her palm.
"The sound of a bomb. That noise alone was enough to make him reconsider everything. He even warned not to take any irrational steps."
When Lana finally finished, the words lingered in the air like dust that refused to settle.
Monica leaned back and massaged her temples, a dull ache spreading across her forehead.
"I never imagined a simple school case could spiral into sothing this complex."
She lifted her gaze toward Lana, her eyes sharp despite the fatigue.
"So tell , what do you plan to do now?"
Lana tapped her fingers against the arm of the sofa in a slow, thoughtful rhythm, the fabric warm beneath her touch.
"First, we make sure that the man nad Garin transfers all the children right in front of us. Only then can we find the right mont, the critical second, to snatch every single child away."
Monica’s eyes glimred, a spark of admiration flashing through her exhaustion. A small smile curved her lips.
"You really are smart."
An assistant officer nearby shifted slightly, clearly impressed. Lana waved her hand dismissively.
"It’s not a big deal."
Then she looked straight at Monica, her gaze steady.
"It would be better if you execute the plan imdiately."
Monica nodded without hesitation.
Lana, on the other hand, returned to her mansion.
The mont she stepped into her room, the exhaustion she had been suppressing ca crashing down.
She slept for an entire day, drained not just physically but ntally, and when she finally left the palace again, her body still felt heavy.
Later, Monica nodded at Lana once more and gave a subtle signal. Lana imdiately dialed Garin’s number.
At that mont, Garin was seated calmly, a warm cup of tea cradled in his hands as he prepared for the next step of the ritual.
When he saw Lana’s na flash across the screen, his brows knitted together.
’Why is she calling now?’
He considered ignoring it, but after a brief pause, he pressed the answer button.
The mont the call connected, Lana’s voice burst through, bright and enthusiastic.
"How are you, Mr. Garin?"
"I’m doing well," Garin replied, his tone carefully neutral.
Lana let out a slightly distorted laugh, light but oddly unsettling.
"I have so news," she said. "Sothing I think you might be very interested in. Would you like to hear it?"
Garin’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly.
"This news is extrely important," Lana added smoothly. "It concerns the hidden child."
At those words, Garin’s composure cracked.
His voice softened unconsciously, worry seeping through despite his effort to suppress it. "What information have you obtained?"
"Recently," Lana replied, "the police station uncovered clues suggesting that the child is hidden within one of the twelve families. All they need to do is dig beneath the ground, and they’ll find a hidden chamber near the edge of the parents’ mansion."
Garin’s expression darkened instantly.
’Impossible... I was so careful.’
Even with every precaution he had taken, they had still discovered his secret hideout.
"When will this investigation take place?" he demanded.
Lana suddenly laughed, a sound that hovered between delight and concern.
Garin, who had dealt with countless people over the years, instantly understood the aning behind that laugh and released a quiet breath.
’She’s simple.’
Relief washed over him. She had no idea how valuable this information was.
"I’m willing to give you ten million dollars," he said without hesitation.
"One hundred million," Lana replied calmly.
Garin’s jaw tightened.
"Why would you think I’d give you that much," he snapped, "just to hear news about my son being found?"
Beneath his anger was a careful probe. ’Does she suspect ? Does she have proof?’
If Lana suspected him, there would be no reason for her to remain alive. But if she was rely fishing for profit, then she could still be controlled.
Lana chuckled softly.
"Because I know how worried you are about your son," she said.
"And because you’d want to know everything firsthand. This isn’t just about this ti. I can continue reporting to you... whenever you want to know more about your son’s kidnapping."
Garin finally relaxed, a long sigh escaping him.
"If that’s the case," he said, "I’ll transfer fifty million."
"That’s still a lowball," Lana replied, sounding mildly dissatisfied.
"This is my final offer."
Lana imdiately adopted a tense tone.
"Alright, alright. I agree."
She hung up the call without another word.
Garin leaned back, his thoughts drifting to the report he had once read about her.
Lana had originally co from a wealthy family, who would have thought she’d been cast out beyond the border?
Disowned, abandoned, left without any backing.
The only reason she had joined Monica’s team was because they needed extra help, and she happened to have a tenuous connection to mystical cultivation.
Though she had no real credentials, her association with a mystical cultivator and her knowledge of talisman practitioner made her useful.
Only after reviewing the records did Garin understand why Monica had brought her in... Lana was valuable, but naive.
’She’s just a girl struggling to survive.’
There was no way she could be plotting anything deeper.
With that thought, Garin smiled smugly to himself and prepared to transfer the money.
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