The atmosphere inside the cramped makeshift hut turned icy in an instant.
The relatively relaxed mood vanished, and every smile faded.
Everyone exchanged glances, unwilling to believe the news.
How could she have gone missing?
"Could she have just gone somewhere else?" Nikki asked with a frown, trying to imagine the best-case scenario. "Maybe she took a wrong turn and just hasn't made it back yet."
You nodded in agreement. "Surely nothing happened to her."
Everyone tried to reassure themselves, clinging to a sliver of hope.
Only Little Watermelon stood among them with his small face drawn tight, his eyes brimming with worry.
He shook his head gently. "No. Li Xiang wouldn't get lost."
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Little Watermelon clenched his small fists and looked up at the others, determination burning in his eyes.
"I'm going to find her!"
Before anyone could stop him, Ginro stepped forward beside him, his voice firm. "I'm going too."
Tsukasa had been assessing the situation all along.
He made the decision at once. "Going alone is too dangerous. There are people everywhere here. If anyone gets separated, we won't be able to help them in time."
"If we're searching, we're all going together."
With the decision made, everyone immediately prepared to move.
With Shrike clearing the way and covering them up front, things went much more smoothly.
That was Thorn's base, and the most likely place for someone to be held.
Meanwhile, Senku's group outside the palace also put their plan into motion.
Night blanketed the entire isolated island, and figures stirred in the shadows of the mountain forest.
But trouble broke out ahead of schedule after all.
You, who had been moving around the perimeter, slipped up and exposed himself to a patrolling guard.
The