After the three of them drove back to The tropolis Residences, Sophie Thorne and lody Sumrs agreed to visit Brianna White in the hospital again in a couple of days.
Hearing this, Officer Tristan Tanner said with so disapproval, "You two should go out less these days. More and more people are disappearing in the city, and won your age have always been the kidnappers’ pri targets."
The long, deep night now ruled the world, and all the evil that once dared not show itself in the light of day was now eagerly bubbling to the surface.
With darkness providing round-the-clock cover, criminals were always ready to strike, and the pressure on the police to maintain public order had skyrocketed. If not for military support, the city would be on the brink of total chaos.
Kidnapping cases had beco frequent in the city recently. So people would just go downstairs for a mont to take out the trash, only to be ambushed by soone lunging from the shadows. Their mouths and noses would be covered, and they’d be dragged away, disappearing without a trace.
Many people were too afraid to go out anymore. If they absolutely had to leave their hos, they did so in large groups, never daring to be caught alone.
lody Sumrs thought about the kidnapping Grace Sutton and Joanna Dunn had experienced. ’Officer Roman Rhodes said that group of kidnappers had been completely apprehended, but new cases are still popping up endlessly.’
’It looks like these kidnappers are part of a massive organization...’
Sophie Thorne, however, replied reassuringly, "I always have at least six bodyguards with when I go out. You can rest assured."
Hearing this, Officer Tristan Tanner could only offer a helpless smile. He reminded them one last ti to be careful, then hurried back to the ergency response office.
After saying goodbye to Sophie Thorne, lody Sumrs returned ho.
The mont she stepped into the living room, she gave her grandmother and Miss Lowell, who were watching TV on the sofa, a fright.
Her grandmother shot up from the sofa and rushed over to lody, asking in a panic, "What happened to you! Why are you covered in blood?!"
Miss Lowell also grabbed lody worriedly, looking her over from head to toe to check for any injuries.
lody looked down and cursed inwardly. ’Oh, no—’
She had forgotten she was still spattered with the blood Brianna White had coughed up, which had now dried to a dark, blackish color.
Not wanting to frighten her grandmother and Miss Lowell, lody quickly recounted everything that had just happened.
Her grandmother was a naturally tender-hearted woman. She was in tears after hearing about Brianna White’s ordeal. "Oh, dear, that poor girl. How could she go through sothing like that? People these days have such wicked hearts! They’ll drive soone to their death without a second thought!"
Miss Lowell could relate to Brianna White’s situation. She’d had a similar experience herself, and it was disheartening to think that after so many years, people were still being trapped in the sa kind of predicant.
Miss Lowell sighed, pushing aside her thoughts. She said to lody, "Quick, go take a shower and change your clothes. I made your favorite fried lotus root and pork patties today. There are also fresh lotus seeds, with the bitter pith already removed. They’re tender and sweet."
lody was taken aback. ’Lotus root patties? Lotus seeds?’
She asked, puzzled, "Where did we get lotus root and lotus seeds?"
’To avoid making her family suspicious, I haven’t dared to take out the lotus roots and seed pods from my space,’ lody thought. ’I’m starting to regret not planting so lotuses in our backyard pond back then.’
Her grandmother smiled and replied, "Officer Roman Rhodes brought them over. He brought lots of lotus roots and seed pods, and even a huge lobster as long as your arm! We’ll grill it for you tomorrow."
lody was stunned. ’The lotus roots and seed pods from Officer Rhodes must have been from the lotus gift set he bought at The Arcadia Store.’
She couldn’t help but marvel at his generosity. ’A gift set worth tens of thousands, and he just gives it away. Not to ntion, ever since the New Year, he’s been bringing food over every so often. He’s truly treating Miss Lowell like his own elder.’
’I was just worrying about how to get the lotus roots and seed pods out of my space,’ lody thought. ’Thank goodness Officer Rhodes is so generous. Now the family can eat the lotus roots and seeds from my space too.’
lody hurried upstairs to change out of her blood-stained clothes.
She took a hot shower and changed into a soft set of pajamas.
By the ti she ca back downstairs, Winnie Sumrs and Colin Sumrs were already ho. The entire family was waiting for lody to join them for dinner.
Grace Sutton had returned to work after her recovery, but she was now living on-site. From now on, she would live and eat at the clothing factory.
There had been far too many kidnappings and robberies in the city lately. For safety, many factories were having their employees live on-site.
The factories were protected by governnt-assigned soldiers, and food and water were also provided by the governnt.
The Sumrs Family was finally able to rest easy, since commuting back and forth every day had beco far too dangerous.
At the dinner table, the family spent a long ti discussing the suicide attempt in their community that was triggered by online bullying. Her grandmother kept sighing, "Thank goodness she was saved. Otherwise, she would have died a terrible, unjust death!"
Winnie Sumrs also sighed. "With the sun gone for so long, many residents have been affected psychologically to so degree. The ergency response office is going to start sending people door-to-door to conduct wellness checks."
’But the ergency response office is short-staffed,’ she thought. ’With so many residents, it’s impossible to get to everyone right away...’
Unlike physical ailnts like injuries, the most frightening aspect of ntal health issues is that many sufferers don’t actively seek help. They often don’t even realize they are ill.
It starts with just feeling down and losing interest in the world around them. Gradually, it evolves into excessive tension and anxiety, making it impossible to sleep properly, until finally, thoughts of self-harm or suicide begin to surface.
Unfortunately, the country hadn’t paid much attention to ntal health in the past. According to the older generation, as long as you had a full stomach, that was all that mattered. Any other "psychological problems" were just people being overly dramatic.
Many from the older generation would say things like: "Depression? Anxiety? That’s just from being overfed. How co no one in our generation was depressed?"
But in reality, in the forgotten corners of the countryside, suicides due to ntal health issues were not at all uncommon. Many rural won, feeling they could no longer go on, would simply drink pesticides to end their lives.
How was that not a ntal health issue? It was simply that nobody cared.
lody recalled a story that had left a deep impression on her. It was about a rural woman who, unable to bear the abuse from her in-laws and the indifference of her own family, chose to end her life by drinking pesticide.
Because the pesticide was so bitter, she had added a lot of sugar to it. But the sugar wouldn’t dissolve and simply settled at the bottom of the cup.
She had lived a bitter life, and even in death, she never got a single taste of sweetness.
lody sighed inwardly. ’Hopefully, the ergency response office’s proactive counseling visits will help the current situation.’
Seeing her grandmother was still worried about Brianna White, lody offered so comfort. "Sophie Thorne and I arranged to go visit her in a couple of days. Don’t worry, Grandma."
But Colin Sumrs frowned at her words. "I heard from Ford at the property managent center that kidnappings under the cover of darkness are on the rise. His sister, who lives in the Garden Community, was just taking out the trash when two n lying in ambush grabbed her. They still haven’t found her. You should stay ho!"
Miss Lowell also frowned and nodded. "That’s right. When Roman Rhodes was here today, he also warned us to stay inside as much as possible. There are so many kidnappings right now. It’s not just girls—n and won, young and old, lots of people are being kidnapped or just disappearing without a trace."
lody could only try to reassure them. "Don’t worry, I’ll be with Sophie Thorne. She always has at least six bodyguards with her. They can definitely handle a few common kidnappers."
Her family was still worried and continued to try and persuade her. lody had to keep promising that she absolutely would not go out unless she was with Sophie, and only then did they finally relax.
User Comments
0 comments from readers