At the same time, at a dock in City N’s tourist area.
Because it was the peak travel season in City N, tourists would line up in long queues every year at this time, all eager to get on the boats to the scenic spots.
A dark-skinned boatman sat on a small boat nearby, smoking a cigarette and squinting his eyes as he watched the seemingly endless line of people waiting.
“Every year, I don’t know where all these people come from, wanting to go to the island. Should’ve worked harder to get in earlier,” he said with a laugh.
The boatman shook his head, “Alright, we just need to focus on delivering goods.”
Apart from the main island, City N was surrounded by several smaller islands. Some locals used small fishing boats to shuttle between them, bypassing the ticket booths and just paying cash. It was much more convenient since they didn’t have to wait for the scheduled ferries.
“Sir, are you heading to Flower Market?” the girl asked.
“Yeah, we’re leaving soon. 20 bucks,” the boatman replied.
The girl wore a black trench coat, her face hidden behind a mask. The large, loose-fitting coat made it impossible to see her figure.
The small boat was also transporting goods, and there were already four people aboard, all in their fifties or sixties.
“What are you going there for?” one of them asked.
Lillian lifted her gaze and smiled. “I’m here to visit my aunt.”
“Oh, I see.”
The island was small, and everyone knew each other.
After getting on the boat, Lillian took out the new phone she had just bought, swapped the SIM card, and packed her things. There were a few clothes and some cash in the suitcase, but she didn’t plan to stay long. She was in the mood to go anywhere, free to leave whenever.
Once they arrived at Flower Market, she got off the boat and transferred to another one, traveling through several islands until she reached a bus station in a small town.
She boarded a bus that was just about to depart.
Lillian clutched her bag, never daring to remove her mask, even putting on a wig and changing into men’s clothing when she got on the bus.
When she finally opened her eyes again, the sun was rising slowly.
The huge, warm light shone down on her face.
Lillian’s pupils slightly widened, and she felt a strong urge to rush toward freedom, to shout toward the bright horizon.
So when she saw the vast, green saltwater sea, she got off the bus.
She ran toward the unfamiliar landscape.
She had been sitting there for a long, long time-long enough for the tourists around her to come and go.
A new batch of people arrived, and as the sun began to set, Lillian got on another bus, this time with a group of young travelers. There were both men and women, fresh graduates from college.
They were full of curiosity about stepping into the real world and excitement for the future.
But Lillian didn’t have the urge to join their conversation.
She had seen too much.
At only in her twenties, her heart and mind had already aged beyond her years.
Silently, she waved goodbye at the next stop, leaving them behind as she embarked on the journey she had to take.
She would leave everything in City N behind her soon.
******
“How could we not find her?!” Conrad kicked the coffee table over in frustration.
The airport manager glanced at Lionel, “There were no passengers named Lillian on the flight. None.”
Conrad’s voice turned cold, “Are you telling me that my ring flew off on its own?”
It had been a whole day and night! Lillian had already been gone for so long!
But this damn news-she wasn’t on the plane?!
Lionel grabbed Conrad by the arm. “Calm down, the security at our airport is very strict. It’s highly likely that Lillian really didn’t board the plane!”
“How do you expect me to calm down?!”
“What will not being calm do to help?” Lionel pointed at the dense array of surveillance monitors in front of them. “With all the cameras and the security checks, forget about finding Lillian, I could even find someone with the same name as her, regardless of gender! Are you planning to raid someone’s house now?!”
The entire surveillance room was packed with people. Everyone had been called into work late at night. They were working overtime, eating, drinking, and even holding their bathroom needs in just so they wouldn’t miss a single second. But this woman… it was like she had disappeared into thin air.
Conrad stared at the screen, his eyes bloodshot, and it looked like he wanted to smash the monitor into pieces with his fist.
“Boss,” Lionel’s secretary entered, holding up a small, brocade box. “The ring was found. It was in the bag of a passenger named Bishop.”
Conrad turned sharply, and there it was-the understated, black wolf ring-now resting in the secretary’s hand.
Conrad grabbed the ring, his chest tightening in fury.
“What’s his connection to Lillian?”
Ford, who had come back with him, adjusted his glasses and said, “No real connection. He was just passing by the entrance of H University while buying coffee when he happened to brush past Miss Lillian. She must have slipped the ring into his bag at that time. He didn’t know where it came from, just thought it was a lucky find. It seemed nice, so he just threw it into his bag.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure.”
Conrad forced a sneer, but his handsome face twisted in a way that made the smile look more like a snarl.
“It must have been planned from the beginning. Now what do you plan to do?” Lionel asked, crossing his arms.
But Conrad didn’t answer. He simply walked out of the surveillance room.
The airport staff nervously turned to Lionel. “Boss?”
“Good job. You can all go home and get some sleep.”
“… Okay.”
The staff quickly grabbed their bags and scattered.
When Hogan called, Lionel answered. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“We couldn’t find her. She’s gone. We don’t know if she’s still in City N.”
“He’s gone crazy! He’s called in search teams and is digging through every street and alley in town. He’s probably going to turn City N upside down.”
Lionel’s family’s private air fleet was also involved now.
“Do you have any other ideas?”
Since Lillian’s disappearance, Conrad had completely lost it. He had blocked off highways the night before, rushing to another city’s airport, only to miss her. Then, he turned around and came back, tearing through the entire airport. Now, he was planning to search through the entire city.
Boyd Town had been prepared as well. People had already been stationed at her grandmother’s grave and at the small house, with surveillance cameras set up. Once Lillian’s whereabouts were discovered, they would notify him immediately.
“I knew this day would come, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon…” Lionel said, his voice low.
Lillian didn’t seem like the type to willingly follow Conrad anymore.
In the past, she’d had reasons-her grandmother, her debts. But now? What could she possibly still be following him for?
When a woman has truly given up, she becomes the sharpest weapon.