Lockdown

At the entrance to the Orphanage, the purple-haired beauty in professional attire walked down the steps alone.

Seeing no one around, she said softly:

"Silver Wolf, you'll never guess. A-Mu's little sister really does look like you. I was shocked when I saw her."

"Keep making things up, Kafka!" Silver Wolf's scornful voice came through the Micro Earpiece. "How alike could we possibly look? Besides, he hasn't even agreed to let you adopt him, and you're already calling him A-Mu every other sentence. Isn't that a little sickening?"

"Heh, I'll send you a photo. See for yourself." Kafka tapped her sunglasses and sent a photo she had secretly taken.

A beep sounded on the other end as Silver Wolf received the photo through the Headset.

There was a brief silence, followed by a loud exclamation:

"Photo editing is bad civilization!"

"You can use your technical skills to check whether the photo's been retouched." Kafka chuckled. "How fascinating. To think there are two people in the universe who look so alike."

"She isn't me." Silver Wolf's voice dropped, then rose several decibels. "Holy crap, why does this kid look so much like me?!"

"Your personalities are very different, though." Kafka shook her head. "She looks much better behaved than you."

"Hmph, you can tell at a glance that a goody-two-shoes like her is a bit dim. I'm way smarter!" Silver Wolf protested.

At that, the corners of Kafka's lips curled up slightly.

"But aside from your looks, you have one other thing in common."

"What thing?" Silver Wolf asked instinctively, then realized she seemed to have fallen into a verbal trap.

Sure enough, Kafka's voice came through:

"You're both A-Mu's little sisters."

Silver Wolf: "..."

She muttered:

"Who would call that little brat their big brother? Does he know hacking technology? Does he know how to use the internet? Living in a civilization that backward, he probably doesn't even know how to play video games!"

"But A-Mu is my child." Kafka smiled. "And you're my good girl too, aren't you?"

"Like hell I am!" Only then did Silver Wolf realize that she had unwittingly demoted herself by a generation.

I'm your coworker!

She was about to say something when Kafka suddenly interrupted:

"We'll talk later. Someone's coming."

Then she ended the call.

A squad of Silvermane Guards was walking toward her.

The captain at their head approached Kafka, his eyes beneath his helmet filled with puzzlement.

Why would such a glamorous woman visit an orphanage in the Underworld?

"Is something the matter, officer?" Kafka interrupted his thoughts and took the initiative to ask.

"This place is now under lockdown. Please leave as soon as possible," the captain said sternly.

With that, he hurried toward the Orphanage with his squad.

Watching them, Kafka grew thoughtful.

Inside the Orphanage, the captain found the Old Director.

He removed his helmet, revealing a resolute, upright face.

It was Oleg!

"Director, I'll have to ask everyone to stay inside the Orphanage for the next two days." Oleg relayed the orders from above. "No one is allowed out. If anyone is still outside, have them return before tonight!"

He paused, then lowered his voice and asked:

"Is everyone here?"

"I'll need to check the roster and do a head count before I can answer you." The Old Director glanced at the soldiers lined up behind Oleg and asked anxiously, "Has something happened? Our orphanage is full of women and children. We wouldn't be involved in any crime..."

"Relax, Director," Oleg reassured her. "An important person from the Upper District is coming here. For their safety, and to maintain the necessary secrecy, our squad has to place this area under lockdown. I hope you understand."

"An important person?" The Old Director looked at Oleg in surprise. "Can you tell me who?"

"Well, I don't know either." Oleg shook his head. "Information that confidential isn't something someone in my position has access to."

"All right." The Old Director nodded helplessly. "We'll do everything we can to cooperate."

Just then, Oleg remembered something and asked:

"Director, did a woman with purple hair visit the Orphanage just now?"

"Do you mean Ms. Fuka?" the Old Director asked.

"Ms. Fuka?" Oleg looked puzzled, clearly unfamiliar with the name.

"Yes, Ms. Fuka. She's an official in charge of internal affairs at Kliperburg. Young and accomplished, but without the slightest airs. In fact, she's very approachable," the Old Director said, unable to help praising her.

But her eyes soon lowered again, and she sighed:

"Ah, she wanted to adopt Chu Mu. She even obtained a Special Permit that would let her bypass the restrictions on adoption between the Upper District and the Underworld. Unfortunately, something happened."

"An Internal Affairs Officer from Kliperburg..." Oleg frowned. "Did you check her identification?"

"Of course. She showed it of her own accord as soon as she came in, and I didn't notice anything wrong." The Old Director looked up at Oleg and asked cautiously, "Is there a problem with her identity?"

"No. I just don't think an Internal Affairs Officer from Kliperburg would come to the Underworld alone." Oleg patted his armor. "When important people like that travel, they usually notify us in advance and have us receive them here. Just like now."

"Perhaps Ms. Fuka prefers to keep a low profile," the Old Director instinctively defended her.

But her voice had clearly lost its confidence.

After all, Ms. Fuka's lavish outfit hardly seemed to have anything to do with keeping a low profile.

"If she shows up again, I'll check her identification myself." Oleg's expression was grave. "If she wants to take Chu Mu away, we have to make sure he's safe. If she really is an Internal Affairs Officer, I'll take responsibility for offending a superior. If she isn't, then she's a dangerous criminal!"

Oleg now had a suspicion. The vagrants who had died last night, and the finely crafted shell casings on the ground, might be connected to the mysterious woman he had just seen outside.

With the Underworld on the brink of unrest, what was this woman planning by showing up here and asking to adopt Chu Mu?

Whatever the case, Oleg would never let such a plot succeed!

The Old Director also realized the gravity of the situation and said earnestly:

"The next time she appears, I'll be sure to notify you. I won't hand Chu Mu over to her right away."

Oleg slowly nodded.

He then ordered his soldiers to seal off the Orphanage's entrance and post sentries at every key location.

The children at the Orphanage weren't frightened by the sight. Instead, they found it rather interesting.

Children their age were intensely curious about anything unfamiliar.

Some stood at attention alongside the soldiers, holding broken table legs as weapons.

Others even followed behind the soldiers, marching around on patrol like little shadows.

The Silvermane Guards on duty weren't wary of the children either. During their breaks, they even pulled candy from their pockets and handed it out.

Being stationed at the Orphanage was undoubtedly much easier than guarding a dangerous vagrant camp. It could even be called pleasant.

Around these harmless children, they didn't have to worry about shots or arrows from ambush. All they had to do was respond to sincerity with sincerity.

The Silvermane Guards felt completely relaxed. They almost wished that important visitor would never arrive, so they could remain stationed here forever.

They couldn't help imagining what it would be like if life in the Underworld were always this easy and pleasant-

How wonderful that would be.