Scarlet couldn't help but laugh. "Just what kind of special body do you have? It even—camping in the rain—with a built-in mosquito-repellent function! You wouldn't even need bug spray!"
Felicia started to respond to Scarlet's joke, but froze.
Scarlet asked, "What are you thinking?"
Tehrina murmured softly, "I'm wondering why the people behind this kidnapped so many women for sacrifice. What are the conditions for the sacrifice? And what role does the bronze bell play in all of this? Could we be one of their targets?"
"There are so many questions," Scarlet said, taking Felicia's hand. "The only way to get answers is to capture the mastermind. Don't overthink it. Once we catch the person or expose the mastermind behind this, everything will come to light."
Felicia snapped back to her senses, smiling. "Are you trying to comfort me?"
"Yes, but it seems you don't need it," Scarlet smiled.
The two hid in silence for a while longer. The mountain remained shrouded in darkness, silent and calm. It seemed the people behind the kidnappings wouldn't be coming. It was no wonder Michel had been decisive in leaving with his team. They had searched the bomb shelter, found the bronze bell, and witnessed the devastating damage inside, with all the cameras destroyed. Once the mastermind realized surveillance was down, they would know something was wrong and certainly go into hiding.
During the stakeout, Felicia returned to the shelter but found nothing of value. After considering her options, she decided to leave a note, quickly writing a line of text and placing it in a conspicuous spot.
As Felicia and Scarlet prepared to leave, they heard faint footsteps in the darkness—indistinct during the day, but the crunching of leaves was especially clear in the quiet night. Importantly, it sounded like only one person. It was definitely not Michael or any of the mercenaries. It was likely one of the masterminds behind the kidnappings!
Felicia and Scarlet exchanged a glance, crouching and blending into the darkness and grass. They slowed their breathing, minimizing their presence. Soon, the footsteps grew louder. A dark figure, cloaked in black from head to toe with a large hood obscuring their face, appeared. Their presence was chilling; they moved effortlessly, their breathing even, their footsteps perfectly synchronized.
Scarlet whispered to Felicia, "This person doesn't happen to have OCD, does he?"
As the figure approached, Felicia and Scarlet remained completely still, even resisting the urge to swat the mosquitoes. The figure entered the bomb shelter. A moment later, a single, sharp sound echoed from within—a scream. The sound reverberated, startling the birds in the trees and echoing across the mountain. Felicia gestured to Scarlet, signaling, "Your leg is injured. Stay here; I'll go in and try to capture them!"