The snow fell harder and harder.
The howling frigid wind churned the boundless silver-white, and the snowflakes falling from heaven seemed ready to swallow every subject who looked up at them.
Joey, clad in heavy exoskeleton armor, looked up at the low-hanging sky.
Was it because night was about to fall?
The clouds seemed to be getting lower and lower.
For a moment, he suddenly felt that this settlement was like a well, and every person trapped inside it was like a beast, desperate to bite a chunk of flesh from the other beasts...
"They found Alisa!"
The voice over the comms channel interrupted Joey's thoughts.
The technical team operating the military drones had already locked onto Alisa's coordinates. Her location was shown in an alley leading toward the outer city.
The aerial footage came through next.
Seeing her standing together with a group of rioters, Joey's heart clenched. He swiftly tapped his helmet with his index finger and raised his voice to issue an order.
"All teams, the target's location has been uploaded to your terminals. We must bring her back to her parents before this situation becomes irreversible."
"Move!"
A synchronized response came through the comms channel.
"Roger!"
Without another moment's hesitation, Joey waved his hand and led his subordinates toward that alley as well.
That girl was about the same age as his daughter.
Though he disliked some of Melvin's methods, which had made everyone's lives "both rich and poor," children were innocent.
No matter what, he still hoped Alisa could return safely to her parents.
He had promised his own children.
He would be their role model.
He would bring victory and glory home...
In the alley.
The girl, frozen stiff by the wind and snow, slowly dropped to her knees.
"I'm sorry..."
She lowered