Caleb Bloom and Evan arrived at the entrance of a building. They had expected Milton Adler to find any excuse to refuse a meeting, especially with Caleb Bloom. He was Flora Bloom’s father, after all. If Milton Adler was truly plotting something behind their backs and had involved Flora, he would surely try to avoid any trouble.

"Evan, what brings you two here?"

Evan stepped forward, his expression grave, and looked directly at Milton Adler.

"I think you owe us an explanation. Why did Old Lynch go missing? Even if you’re in charge of the base now, don’t you think you’ve gone too far?"

Milton Adler’s expression turned frigid, his gaze toward Evan clouded with malice.

"How dare you! Evan, who do you think you are? What gives you the right to question me?"

"As Old Lynch’s subordinate, I have every right to know where my superior is!"

Milton Adler’s ancient eyes flickered, his gaze shifting between Evan and Caleb Bloom, scrutinizing them.

"You think Sherman Lynch’s disappearance has something to do with me?" Milton Adler glanced at Caleb Bloom as he spoke. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear during my negotiations with Flora Bloom. Sherman Lynch’s disappearance is unrelated to me. Whether you believe me or not, my conscience is clear."

Evan frowned, his gaze fixed on Milton Adler. ’It seems Milton Adler is cautious around Caleb Bloom. Normally, if a subordinate questioned him like this, he would have already flown into a rage. Punishment would have been swift.’

"Then let me ask you, why were those thirty people chosen to be sent out on this mission together? And on top of that, you gambled with my daughter’s life!"

As soon as Milton Adler spoke his first sentence, Caleb Bloom’s fiery anger began to cool. ’He’s right. If he really wanted Flora Bloom and those dozens of soldiers dead, why would he spare me, my wife, and my son Caleb?’

It didn’t make sense.

"I, Milton Adler, have no need to explain myself to you. Caleb Bloom, if you’re worried about your daughter and her team, you can come with me to see Edwin Warren and we’ll check the satellite feed. I’m giving that young lady, Flora Bloom, some face, so I won’t bicker with you right now. But I’ll thank you to stay out of our base’s internal affairs."

At this, doubt rose in all three men’s minds. From Sherman Lynch’s disappearance, to the wager Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant made with Milton Adler upon their return, to today’s sudden, confrontational visit from Evan and Caleb Bloom—it felt as if an invisible hand was orchestrating everything.

’Looks like I’ll have to take the time to investigate some matters that seemed simple at first. For instance, who was in the Lighthouse Tower around the time Flora Bloom’s brother disappeared? What have those people been doing, both then and now? And who have they met?’

As the three men emerged from Milton Adler’s office, they saw Holly waiting downstairs, her face etched with anxiety.

When Holly saw Evan come out, flanked by Milton Adler and Caleb Bloom, the anxious tension on her face deepened into panic and something more complex.

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated, unable to speak.

"What is it?" Milton Adler demanded, his oppressive authority forcing the words out of her.

Only after he prompted her, seeing her anxious face, did Holly finally open her mouth.

"A-a soldier has been seriously injured! The medics want to use the advanced medical equipment to treat him, but they can’t get approval. The armory won’t release it."

Caleb Bloom wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but he felt Holly was being evasive. Her eyes kept darting toward him before quickly looking away.

"What happened? How was the soldier so badly injured?"

Holly lowered her head. "It was... it was Sienna Kensington. She used her superpower to do it. The burns on his face are severe. If he’s not treated immediately, he could die any second."

"Outrageous! Those shameless thugs! They’re completely out of control! Evan, I order you to dispatch men and arrest those three immediately."

"We can’t, sir. They’re under the express protection of the higher-ups. If we arrest them, it could damage our reputation."

Milton Adler was well aware of this complication. He hesitated, then sighed. "Holly, take my authorization to the armory. Tell the medics to do everything in their power to save that soldier."

Holly glanced at Evan and Caleb Bloom, looking as if she wanted to say more, but in the end, she just turned and ran toward the armory.

Milton Adler led the two men back to the Lighthouse Terminal. They hadn’t even started up the stairs when they heard a woman’s frantic shouts.

"Let go of me! I want to see your superior! Let me go!"

Hearing the voice, Milton Adler frowned slightly. "Who is that shouting? Don’t they know this is a restricted military area?"

But Caleb Bloom’s expression suddenly changed. He sprinted towards the source of the voice and found two soldiers gripping his wife Jade’s arms, preventing her from leaving the building.

"Let her go!"

The two soldiers looked toward the approaching Milton Adler and only released Jade after he gave a consenting nod.

"Caleb, Caleb’s missing."

Jade’s words stunned Caleb Bloom. He frowned, turning to the two soldiers who had been restraining her. "Did you see a little boy leave this building?"

The two soldiers thought for a moment, then answered in unison, "No."

Just then, Hugh Warren and Edwin Warren emerged from the terminal. Seeing Milton Adler, Evan, and the others gathered there, they asked, "What’s going on?"

Jade was on the verge of tears.

"Darling, what are we going to do? Do you think something’s happened to Caleb?"

"Milton Adler, you promised to guarantee our family’s safety. Now our son is missing. Please, help us find him."

Milton Adler frowned and immediately ordered Hugh Warren to organize a search party. Just then, Edwin Warren, who apparently had something to report, approached Milton Adler and whispered in his ear.

Everyone present—aside from the two regular soldiers, Jade, and Edwin Warren himself—had superpowers and, consequently, incredible hearing.

When Caleb Bloom overheard talk of an anomaly on the satellite map, he was instantly on alert, insisting that he be allowed to see it as well.

In the command room, the large screen displayed a satellite feed tracking Flora Bloom’s team. The image followed their convoy until it stopped at the entrance to a flour mill. As soldiers began loading supplies like grain and flour, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

’Looks like the mission was a success. As long as they make it back safely with the food, the base’s supply crisis would be averted for at least a few more days.’

Milton Adler watched the screen as Flora Bloom entered the flour mill and disappeared from view, an unreadable flicker in his eyes.

Outside the terminal building, Sienna Kensington and her two companions poked their heads out only after watching Milton Adler and the others go inside.

Sienna Kensington looked at the two bodyguards behind her and spoke to the woman. "Mindy, now that they’ve discovered the little brat is missing, they’ve definitely sent out a search party. You go back and watch him. If anyone finds their way there, kill them. Hmph. That woman, Flora Bloom... I’ll start by torturing her brother to death. I want to watch her break."

Receiving Sienna Kensington’s order, Mindy Quincy nodded and slipped away. Taking advantage of the fact that all the terminal guards were posted outside the command room, she and Freddy Donovan snuck back to their quarters on the fifth floor.

Inside the room was a child’s backpack. It contained two vibrantly red tomatoes, and besides the standard water and compressed biscuits, there were also colorful fruit candies and chocolates.

Sienna Kensington tossed the water bottle and compressed biscuits aside, unwrapped a piece of candy, and began to savor the sweets.

It had been a long time since she’d tasted anything sweet. As the flavor hit her tongue, she closed her eyes in blissful delight.