"So it really won't work after all…" Captain Guan's expression was mortified. He hung his head, unconsciously rubbing his palms together, at a loss for what to say.

  Kallen spoke up at that point: "Don't be angry, Rulu — this isn't Captain Guan's fault. You know as well as anyone that we're surrounded by barren mountains out here, with nothing but poor little towns and vilges nearby. It's nothing like the well-supplied Concession. On top of that, the Sanctuary's forces are hunting us everywhere. Captain Guan had to travel to several vilges and towns and take enormous risks just to bring back what he did."

  A-Bing added: "Exactly — if you want to bme someone, bme that damn Sanctuary. What does any of this have to do with our captain?"

  "Fair enough — I'm sorry…" Rulu was a reasonable person and let go of his anger at once. He turned his gaze toward Nana and said quietly: "But if things keep going like this, I'm afraid Nana won't be able to hold on."

  Captain Guan said: "How about I try to sneak into the Concession and see if I can buy some medicine there?"

  The suggestion was immediately opposed by Kallen: "Out of the question. I've heard the whole Concession has been thrown into chaos over the former Governor's death. Security there is several times tighter than before. Going to the Concession right now is no different from walking into your own grave."

  Captain Guan said: "Then what are we supposed to do — just stand here and watch Nana get worse? She's not like the rest of us, who've grown used to this kind of hardship. If she stays sick like this, it could threaten her life."

  Kallen said: "We'll just have to keep thinking. One way or another, going to the Concession is off the table."

  Captain Guan let out a long sigh, his voice heavy with self-reproach: "To think I couldn't save Mayor Qiao — and now I can't even save his daughter. I've truly failed to repay the kindness he showed us all these years."

  At that point Rulu spoke: "Captain Guan, don't bme yourself. I'll find a way to deal with Nana's situation."

  "You have a pn, Rulu?!" Captain Guan looked toward him with an expression full of hope. He knew Rulu was both sharp and capable — if he said he had a way, he almost certainly did.

  Rulu nodded. "Could you help me get a set of clean clothes for me and Nana, along with some hats and face masks — and ideally some decorative gsses as well? And a decent small vehicle. Can you manage all of that?"

  Captain Guan thought it over and said: "That shouldn't be a problem. But what do you need all of this for, Rulu?"

  "Go ahead and get them ready for me first, Captain Guan. I'll expin when the time comes."

  "Understood. Wait here — I'll be right back." With that, Captain Guan hurried out of the cave to take care of what Rulu had asked, while A-Bing and Kallen stayed behind, chatting idly as they waited for him to return.

  Just then, a special news report came over the radio:

  "Some time ago, a terrorist attack took pce in the urban district of Blue Sea City. In the incident, the Sanctuary's specially appointed Governor and several other military personnel were killed. The Mayor and his wife also lost their lives in the attack. The Mayor's daughter and adopted son remain whereabouts unknown.

  According to the Sanctuary, the terrorist attack was carried out by an outside Rebel organization. The purpose behind the attack has not yet been determined. The Sanctuary has reinforced security within the Concession to prevent simir incidents from occurring again. We will continue to follow this story as more details emerge…"

  Hearing this, A-Bing couldn't hold back: "These Sanctuary bastards really know how to spin a lie. Mayor Qiao was clearly murdered by their Governor, and they have the nerve to pin it on us — absolutely shameless."

  Kallen reacted with unsurprised calm: "Well of course. They can hardly admit that their own people killed Mayor Qiao — that would spark public outrage. To maintain order in Blue Sea City, they could never own up to it."

  A-Bing said: "So we're just stuck taking the bme?"

  Kallen replied: "What choice do we have? It's not like it's the first time we've been made the scapegoat over the years."

  A-Bing cursed under his breath: "No — I won't let them get away with it. I'm going to find Fox and have him put out a statement, tell people the truth and expose their lies."

  Rulu suddenly said: "No — don't do that. The way they've reported it actually works in our favor."

  "Huh? There's an upside to being framed?" A-Bing looked at Rulu in puzzlement.

  Rulu said: "Exactly. Since they don't dare publicly admit they killed Mayor Qiao, they also can't issue a public warrant for me and Nana. That's to our advantage. It means that even if Nana and I returned to the Concession, it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

  Kallen was startled. "You want to go back to the Concession with Nana? That's out of the question. Even if they don't issue a public warrant, the military will still be hunting you in secret. Going there would be walking straight into a trap."

  Rulu smiled. "It's fine — I have my own way of handling that. Besides, the Concession is the only pce where Nana's illness can be treated."

  Kallen stared at him. "So the pn you mentioned for saving Nana — it's going back to the Concession?!"

  "More or less. When we were escaping the Concession st time, Uncle Qiao told me that he had secretly purchased a house there. The location is very discreet — it should be no problem for me and Nana to stay there."

  Kallen challenged him: "But security in the Concession is tighter than ever now, and that underground tunnel has been completely sealed off by the Sanctuary. How exactly do you pn to slip back in without being detected?"

  Rulu didn't answer her question. Instead he swept his gaze across Kallen and A-Bing, a peculiar gleam in his eyes, and said in a tone that left no room for argument: "You two — come give my back a rub and a massage."

  A-Bing sat frozen on his stool, not moving an inch, and said with obvious irritation: "What did you just say? Who do you think you are, telling me to give you a back rub?!"

  "Sure." Kallen, however, agreed to Rulu's request without hesitation. She rose quickly and moved behind him, pcing her hands on his shoulders and beginning to knead them.