Chapter 27 It Doesn't Mean I Can Sit Back and Do Nothing Now!

"The top priority is to uncover the true identity of 'Hades.'" I slammed the documents in my hand onto the table and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. "Maybe he's the leader of Hecate."

For the past few days, I had been poring over Andrew's files, trying to find any clues, but I had come up empty-handed.

Fatigue and anxiety gnawed at me like a relentless parasite, making it impossible to eat or sleep.

Suddenly, my eyes landed on a photograph.

In the photo, Andrew was standing next to a young man in a suit, his hair meticulously groomed, and a confident smile on his face. It was Aiden!

My heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from my feet to my head, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, leaving me cold all over.

Could Aiden's disappearance really be connected to Andrew?

I immediately enlarged the photo, scrutinizing Aiden's expression. To me, his smile seemed filled with bitterness and helplessness, as if he was hiding some unspeakable secret.

I suddenly remembered something Aiden once told me: 'Some things are beyond our control.'

Could Aiden be coerced by Andrew?

This thought pierced my heart like a venomous fang, causing me unbearable pain.

I couldn't accept that Aiden might be involved with a criminal organization, nor could I accept that he might be suffering inhuman torture.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Michael's number. "Michael, I've found a new lead!"

"What is it?" Michael's voice sounded tired, clearly worn out by the Hecate case.

I said, "I found a connection between Aiden and Andrew! I suspect Aiden is being coerced by Andrew!"

"What? Aiden and Andrew are connected? How is that possible?" Michael said, feeling incredulous.

"Michael, I don't have time to explain everything right now," I said, trying to suppress my inner turmoil. "I need to find Aiden as soon as possible. I suspect he's in Lannan!"

"Lannan? You..."

"Michael, I know what you're worried about, but I have to go! Aiden's life is at stake. Just because we failed last time doesn't mean I can sit idly by now!" I interrupted Michael. "I'll be careful, please trust me!"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, followed by Michael's resigned sigh. "Alright, I know I can't stop you. I'll arrange for some people to assist you in the investigation. But you must promise me to be careful and report any situation immediately."

"Thank you, Michael!" I said gratefully, then hung up the phone.

I couldn't wait any longer. I had to head to Lannan immediately, find 'Hades,' and rescue Aiden!

I quickly packed my bags, ready to depart.

Isabella and Harper were coming with me. Although Michael was worried about our safety, he eventually agreed.

"Be careful!" Michael reminded us repeatedly before we left. "Report any situation immediately!"

"We will!" we responded in unison.

We took the earliest flight to Lannan, our second trip to this place.

The flight, lasting over ten hours, felt like an eternity.

I sat by the window, looking at the thick clouds outside, my mind racing.

'Aiden, where are you now? Are you still alive?' I thought.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

Finally, the plane broke through the clouds and began its descent.

Through the window, I saw the land of Lannan—a hilly area covered in green vegetation, with distant mountains shrouded in mist, exuding a sense of mystery and danger.

The plane landed at a simple airport. As soon as we disembarked, a wave of heat hit us, the air filled with humidity and a stifling heat, mixed with the smell of gasoline and an indescribable fragrance, making me feel like I had stepped into a sauna.

My clothes were instantly soaked with sweat, sticking to my body uncomfortably.

After arriving in Lannan, we didn't head straight to Hecate's base. Instead, we disguised ourselves and blended in with the locals.

To avoid drawing attention, we wore the local attire. Isabella even wore a straw hat to hide her overly delicate face.

I observed our surroundings. Most of the people on the street were dressed plainly.

Street vendors were selling various cheap goods, the air filled with the mixed smells of food and sweat, creating a peculiar scent that felt oppressively heavy.

In a small store, we overheard a few men talking in low voices.

They spoke in a thick accent that I couldn't fully understand, but from their expressions and tone, I sensed they were plotting something.

I signaled Isabella and Harper to move closer and eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Business has been getting tougher lately."

A man with a face full of scars complained, scratching his greasy hair in frustration and crushing his cigarette butt in the ashtray. "People are getting smarter, harder to fool."

"Yeah," a skinny man agreed, taking a swig from a bottle of cheap beer, as if trying to wash away his frustration. "I almost got caught by a woman the other day. Luckily, I reacted quickly and blocked her contact."

"Do you think we should try a different approach?" suggested a man with a scar on his face, rubbing the scar on his chin with rough fingers. "Online scams are popular now, and I hear they're quite profitable."

"Online scams? What's that?" the scar-faced man asked curiously, seemingly unfamiliar with the new tricks on the internet.

"It's where you start an online relationship with older single women, gain their trust, and then..." The scarred man lowered his voice, leaning in closer to the others. "Then convince them to invest in cryptocurrency. Once they put their money in, you block their contact and run off with the cash."

"That's messed up, man," the skinny man hesitated, seemingly still holding onto a shred of conscience. "What if we get caught?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" the scarred man said nonchalantly. "We're in Lannan; the cops can't touch us. Besides, those women are asking for it, being so trusting."

"I have a new idea," the scar-faced man suddenly interjected. "I've been driving for a ride-hailing service recently and met a lot of wealthy women. They often chat with me in the car, bragging about their wealth. I think we can target them."