Chapter 392: Chapter 368: Tracking and Exchange

Following Ivan Lowell’s directions, Aurora had Ditto find the location on a map.

It turned out to be an abandoned hospital. The location was remote, but it was very close to where Aurora had met Ivan Lowell.

So, they had likely already left.

"Ditto, analyze the shortest and safest route to the Cerulean Coast."

"Yes, Master."

From the passenger seat, Ditto projected a beam of red light onto the car’s front windshield.

To the Lowell siblings’ shock, a miniature red map appeared on half of the windshield, with several small points of light blinking on it.

Then, a yellow route appeared.

"Master, this route has fewer cameras and is more remote."

"Ditto, simulate the path of a vehicle that left here at 2:30 PM, traveling at 80 miles per hour."

"Yes, Master."

In less than thirty seconds, a green point of light appeared on the screen.

"Master, at 200 miles per hour, you can catch them on Wyrmcrest Road."

"Good..." Aurora’s gaze hardened as she stared at the green point of light. "Fasten your seatbelts."

The brother and sister in the back seat reflexively grabbed for their seatbelts. The next instant, the car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

The Lowell siblings’ hearts leaped into their throats as the car suddenly accelerated.

’Isn’t this just a regular sedan? How can it accelerate so fast?’

They both grabbed the door handles beside them, their eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Fortunately, they were on a remote road. Since it was nighttime, there was barely any other traffic.

After driving for some time, the car finally slowed a little.

Ditto’s warning alarm blared. "Priority one alert! Master, firearms detected ahead. Shall I engage level-one defenses...?"

Ivan Lowell’s eyes flew open. He stared ahead and said excitedly, "That’s the van up there. That’s the one they threw me and the Family Head into."

The vehicle ahead was an ordinary-looking van, but it was disguised to look like an ambulance.

Aurora gunned the engine, speeding past the "ambulance" and several other cars. Once she was at the front of the line, she slammed on the brakes.

Her voice rang out just as the sound of a collision echoed from behind.

"Ditto, activate level-one defensive mode!"

"Don’t you get out of the car!"

To the Lowell siblings’ utter shock, Aurora was already out of the car, clambering onto the roof of the "ambulance" behind them.

A dense volley of gunfire erupted instantly, but the figure outside weaved between the vehicles like a phantom.

The sound of shattering glass and terrified screams made Chloe Lowell cower in the back seat.

Ivan Lowell put his arm around her, his expression complicated as he watched the scene unfold behind them through the rear windshield.

If he weren’t seeing it with his own eyes, he would never have believed a human could be this powerful.

’Is that speed even human?’

While dodging bullets, Aurora checked the situation inside the van.

There really were people inside the "ambulance," bound hand and foot.

"Aurora..."

Ethan Lowell, inside the van, simply couldn’t believe his eyes.

"Ditto, rescue them."

"Yes, Master."

Ten minutes later, all the Shadow Killers inside the van were temporarily incapacitated.

Meanwhile, Ditto had rescued the members of the Lowell Family from the van.

Every member of the Lowell Family was injured, presumably from when they were captured.

Ethan Lowell was the most seriously wounded. He was covered in blood, and it looked as though his ribs had been broken.

"Ditto, scan his injuries."

"Yes, Master."

Ditto moved to Ethan Lowell’s side, scanned him, and reported, "Master, his second left rib is fractured. It would be best not to move him."

"Ditto, find the route to the nearest hospital."

"Yes, Master."

"Aurora..." Ethan Lowell said weakly. "Save... my dad... They... they took my dad..."

Aurora pressed several of his pressure points, then turned to Ditto. "Ditto, contact the Martial Affairs Bureau."

Aurora waited until the Martial Affairs Bureau’s black car was approaching before getting back on the road with Ditto.

Further ahead lay the treacherous Wyrmcrest Road, a series of winding mountain passes where high speeds were inadvisable.

It was highly likely the kidnappers were waiting for someone there.

About ten minutes after they entered the mountains, Ditto’s alarm sounded again.

Aurora had him pinpoint the location of the weapons.

According to the map, they were very close—just on the other side of a mountain. All she had to do was round the next bend to see them.

Aurora stopped the car and, with Ditto in tow, immediately began climbing the adjacent mountain.

***

「Elsewhere.」

Three SUVs were parked in a relatively spacious area with their headlights on.

A girl who bore a striking resemblance to Aurora was interrogating a man curled up on the ground.

"Where is the Lowell Family’s Sheepskin Scroll?"

The man on the ground remained silent, his resolute face already covered in bruises.

"If you don’t start talking, the next thing you’ll see is your son’s corpse."

The man closed his eyes, as if he couldn’t be bothered to even look at her.

Enraged, Elara Grant kicked him viciously. "You old bastard! Just you wait, the Master will turn you into a puppet!"

A man nearby wearing a centipede mask chuckled. "He’s a guest of the Master’s. If you hurt him like that, the Master will be quite upset."

Elara Grant glared at him, seeming a bit impatient. "Where are they? How much longer do we have to wait?"

"Patience, Young Miss. Your temper is far worse than your father’s."

Elara Grant shot him another glare, then turned and walked toward one of the SUVs, apparently intending to get some rest.

Suddenly, Centipede shouted, "Get away from the car—"

In that instant, a red laser beam shot down from the mountaintop, striking the very vehicle Elara Grant was about to enter.

"Ambush! Stay alert—"

Two Power Domains surged directly toward Aurora.

But she was so fast that the Power Domains didn’t affect her in the slightest. She even shattered one of the invisible waves of energy.

"It’s Aurora Sinclair—"

"Run—"

The Shadow Killers had crossed paths with her too many times; they knew her terrifying power all too well.

Worse, their Master had forbidden them from harming her, so their only option was to flee on sight.

Centipede hauled Stephen Lowell up from the ground and made a break for one of the vehicles.

But Aurora had already landed on the roof of their SUV, her weapon aimed squarely at him.

"Let him go—"

Before the words were even out of her mouth, Elara Grant leaped onto the roof as well, lunging at Aurora with a dagger.

The two girls clashed on the narrow rooftop of the vehicle.

Aurora’s expression darkened. She pressed her lips together, staying purely on the defensive as if she couldn’t bring herself to harm Elara Grant.

’She’d lied to Eugene Morgan.’

’Drake Trent had told her that Elara Grant was a clone of Noelle Young. Genetically speaking, that made Noelle her "mother."’

"Go, now—" Elara Grant shouted, seizing the opportunity for Centipede and the others to escape.

But Aurora shouted, "Ditto, disable the vehicles—"

A red laser lanced down from the nearby mountaintop once more, and the tires on two of the SUVs exploded.

"Aurora Sinclair—" Elara Grant shrieked.

"The ones who hurt you are always the very people you try to protect! The Shadow has never once laid a hand on you. The Master even killed for your sake! Do you even have a heart?"

Elara Grant’s face was hard, her eyes filled with an accusation and disappointment that were completely alien to the person Aurora remembered.

’That person had been gentle and kind, always speaking to her in a soft, quiet voice...’

"Let him go, and I’ll go with you to Niphoria."