Chapter 351
Shane Holloway was so angry he wanted to slap him. "Are you insane? The staff left hours ago. Who are you going to find?"
Jude Granger ran a hand through his hair. He hesitated for a few seconds before gritting his teeth. "We have to try. We can't just sit here and wait!"
He turned and ran off without waiting for a response.
With no leads from Shane Holloway, Marcus Lawrence and Hannah Morse had no choice but to keep searching.
Strangely, they crossed the entire Zone A without seeing a single person.
Hannah Morse's eyes welled up with frustrated tears. "What do we do? It's been almost two hours since Sister Clara disappeared. We're just running around like headless chickens! We're useless!"
Seeing her tears fall, Marcus Lawrence's own composure began to crack.
"Don't cry. We're trying to think of something…"
"What is there to think of?! Nothing! I'm so worried about her. It's so dark, and the rain is so heavy… what if something happened to her?!"
"Marcus Lawrence, you're so capable. Your family is so powerful. Can't you do something? Please…"
Family.
It suddenly clicked for Marcus Lawrence. How could he have forgotten?
Damn it!
"Okay."
Hannah Morse stared, confused. "...What?"
"I said okay. I'll ask my family for help."
"Are… are you sure? I was just talking. I didn't mean to pressure you…"
She had learned about his family's background at his birthday party. She'd also witnessed their low-key style firsthand.
Their massive compound didn't even have smart toilets, just regular ones, or even squat toilets.
She deeply respected their simple and unadorned style.
Her earlier outburst was born of pure panic for Sophia Sullivan's safety.
Marcus Lawrence pulled out his phone. "You reminded me. I forgot I could ask them for help…"
He was so used to not relying on his family's connections that it didn't even occur to him.
"Are you sure it won't cause trouble for them?"
Marcus Lawrence's voice was firm. "My grandfather always said power is wasted if it isn't used to help people."
The call connected quickly.
"Uncle, it's Owen. Can I speak to Grandpa?"
His grandfather was on a two-week state visit abroad. Given the time difference, it should be midday there.
"Owen. Is it urgent? The old leader is resting…"
"Yes. It's very urgent."
The voice on the other end immediately turned serious. "Understood. Please hold."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Soon, the elder's voice came through the line.
Marcus Lawrence explained the situation concisely and asked if his grandfather could do anything.
The old man listened intently. A student was missing, and neither the school chaperone nor the botanical garden staff were addressing it.
A life was at stake. Did these people understand the gravity of the situation?!
"Don't panic. I'll contact the garden's management immediately. I'll have them handle it ASAP."
"Thank you, Grandpa."
"Owen, you did the right thing. If no one is taking charge in a situation like this, you must contact the family first. This isn't about connections or favors. Remember—a human life is paramount!"
"Understood, Grandpa."
While Marcus Lawrence was on the phone, Hannah Morse wasn't idle.
Remembering Sophia Sullivan's good relationship with Professor Shaw, she found Alexander Laurent's number and called.
No one answered. Twice.
…
Alexander Laurent was attending an academic conference.
The sky was dark. It was nearly 7 PM, and the event was winding down.
The host announced his name. Under the gaze of the crowd, he took the stage to deliver the closing address.
His phone vibrated twice in his pocket. He couldn't answer.
An inexplicable sense of foreboding washed over him. His eyelid twitched violently.
He provided a concise summary of the conference's key topics. His points were incisive, his perspectives unique.
The audience listened, captivated, nodding along.
But those familiar with his presentations noticed something different…
He usually favored a meticulous, step-by-step approach. Today, he raced through the content.
He bowed in thanks and strode out of the venue, leaving his peers staring in surprise.
He immediately tried to call back.
The line was busy.
She wasn't blocking him. She was actually on another call.
…
Unable to reach Alexander Laurent, Hannah Morse tried someone else.
She recalled Professor Professor Benjamin Murphy from the Computer Science department attending the lab's opening ceremony. He seemed friendly with Sophia Sullivan.
Professor Shang had wide connections. Maybe he could help?
Professor Benjamin Murphy was currently leading a programming team in a competition abroad. He was anxiously waiting outside the venue when Hannah Morse called.
He was already stressed about the competition. Hearing Sophia Sullivan was missing made him frantic.
He knew Alexander Laurent's schedule was packed. It was normal he couldn't answer. If they needed someone else…
A name popped into his head. The more he thought about it, the more suitable it seemed. "...The competition is about to end here. I'm completely tied up. Here's what… I'll text you a number. Call it. Explain the situation. He will definitely find a way."
"Okay. Thank you, Professor Shang."
The text arrived moments after they hung up.
She dialed immediately.
"Hello, this is Hannah Morse. Professor Shang told me to contact you. He said you could help… It's about my friend, Sister Clara…"
Sebastian Evans was initially confused. Hearing "Clara" made him sit bolt upright.
He was in the middle of a business dinner.
They had been deadlocked for half an hour over a 0.5% concession.
Sebastian Evans knew the other side was just trying to drive the price down as far as possible.
He sat there smiling, eating, making small talk. Casually, he pointed out critical flaws in their product, catching them completely off guard.
Their faces fell. They were just considering conceding when Sebastian Evans's phone rang.
The next moment, they watched the calm, decisive man's expression change drastically. He stood up abruptly.
And then…
He left.
He just walked out on a deal worth hundreds of millions?!
His vice president was equally stunned.
His boss was always professional. He never dropped the ball. What was happening?
He had to awkwardly smooth things over. "My apologies, everyone. Mr. Brown has an urgent private matter to attend to. He had to leave. Please, allow me to host the rest of the evening…"
He'd just made up an excuse. He didn't realize he'd accidentally guessed the truth.
…
Back at the base hotel, Fiona Valentine had just finished her shower. Her skin was flushed pink from the steam.
Her group had already collected the ten required basic plant specimens. They could turn in their work and get their final grades.
She was in a good mood.
Tomorrow was Friday. If they left at 5 PM, they'd be back at school by 6.
Should she… ask Ethan Roscente out to dinner?
The moonlight was cold and bleak.
A bitter wind howled outside.
But inside the bar, it was as warm as spring.
Charlie Lowell had organized a drinking game.