"Nan... Nan Di?" Xie Junping called out tentatively, but still received no response.
Ronan stood rooted to the spot. More than ten seconds later, he finally moved, looking around once more at the furnishings in the cramped space. Yet the coordination between his head, neck, and body seemed to have vanished completely. He was stiff as a rusted machine, as though he might run out of his last bit of power at any moment and freeze here forever.
Still, Ronan ultimately regained control of his body. Bracing himself against the inner wall of the tree hollow, he slowly made his way downstairs, dazed as if sleepwalking.
Xie Junping had intended to follow, but after thinking it over, he stopped and continued operating his wristband. Searching through the Order Club's Database, he indeed found something new.
Bu Qingwen, a 72nd Architecture Design Institute Doctoral Student and senior member of the Order Club. In an old electronic photograph, she was a delicate, intellectual-looking woman, perfectly suited to the decor of the Treehouse.
Perhaps because he had already formed a preconception, Xie Junping always felt that this lady bore a considerable resemblance to Ronan. He was already seventy or eighty percent certain.
Just as he was considering whether to confirm it further, an incoming call appeared on his wristband. The moment Xie Junping saw the communication number, he ground his teeth. After connecting, he opened his mouth to curse, but thinking of Ronan downstairs, he forcibly swallowed the words. Only after carefully walking over to the Viewing Window did he growl in a low voice:
"Hu San'er, are you fucking trying to get me killed... You're still talking? What kind of bullshit was that security system? Hm, a new backer? You're sure? Coming to inspect the place? At a time like this?"
Xie