Aishen City advanced to the finals with a 3-1 victory. The following matches were expected to be straightforward, as Zigui City was already at the peak of the Southeast Region, and Donglu City had lost its strongest player. Even managing to win one match was considered fortunate.
The Aishen City team took this opportunity to rest and recover. During this time, Ye Lan, feeling relaxed, repeatedly tried to contact Ren Yuanhao, but like Shen Lan Ni, she could not reach him.
"What's going on with this Ren Yuanhao? I wonder if he's found Lan Ni Jie yet."
As Yang Lingxue mentioned Ren Yuanhao, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, a flush appearing on her cheeks. Fearing that Ye Lan might detect her excessive concern from her tone, she deliberately tried to appear calm.
"More than that, I'm more worried about the weather outside."
A hint of fear flickered in Ye Lan's eyes. The dim light on the screen was like a vortex, seeming to steal her very soul, leaving her a beautiful, empty shell.
On the screen, less than ten inches across, a rapidly moving vortex of energy was clearly visible. Wherever it went, it caused devastation. It felt as though one could hear the roaring wind accompanying the scene, coupled with thunder, tossing huge waves, kicking up dust, and descending like a suffocating blanket.
"Are we just going to wait like this?" Yang Lingxue glanced at the tropical cyclone on the screen, feeling as though her own soul had been snatched away.
"Neither of us knows martial arts, nor are we espers. Although Leng Zi Yu was defeated, he hasn't left yet, and we don't know what he might do to us. We should just do our jobs and leave the best outcome to Lan Ni Jie. That's probably all we can do."
Ye Lan adjusted her glasses, continuously harvesting terminal data. By using more powerful satellite maps and forensic methods to track the route, they might still find some clues. Just then, Yang Lingxue suddenly asked, "Ye Lan, heading towards the sea in such terrible weather, doesn't that strike you as odd? Also, do you remember what Zhang Liang said in the hotel this morning?"
"Yes, it seemed to be related to Shen Yun Shu and Lionheart Building, but I just can't connect the two."
What Ye Lan was more concerned about was the situation the previous night at the coast while eating barbecue, when Shen Lan Ni and Shen Yun Shu compared the similar swallow-shaped birthmarks on their arms.
Logically, such a birthmark, which neither affected appearance nor was very noticeable, would have no reason for an ordinary person to tamper with it. However, why would Shen Yun Shu, who had lost her memory and was in a daze, choose to remove it? What had she gone through before?
While deep in thought, Yang Lingxue suddenly rejoiced and exclaimed, "Why don't you use your hacking skills to infiltrate Lionheart Building and see what that company is all about?"
To her surprise, Ye Lan smiled bitterly and shook her head. "I've already tried. The company's internal network is more difficult to penetrate than I expected, even more so than the network of a global assassination syndicate. If I were back in my home server room, there might be a thirty percent chance."
"If even you can't do it, that further proves that Lionheart Building has problems!" Yang Lingxue surmised logically.
"Your reasoning isn't wrong. After all, the more information a company possesses, the harder its internal security system is to breach. Moreover, even if I could breach it, the opposing hackers could counterattack immediately. So..."
Yang Lingxue sighed, thinking that she had found a potential entry point to clarify the relationships, but it was instantly negated.
"Don't sigh yet. Although Lionheart Building is impenetrable, look what I've found!"
Ye Lan's fingertips flew across the screen, while her other hand continuously slid across the display. Yang Lingxue leaned closer with a hint of curiosity. On the screen, a magnified satellite cross-section map showed a bright red dot flashing frantically at a location in the southeastern corner of the map.
"What is this red dot?"
"It's the GPS location of the phone I gave to Lan Ni Jie. Fortunately, when I wrote the tracking program, I included a feature that, after device damage, would transmit signals at four times the normal power!"
Ye Lan zoomed in further, revealing a derelict manor, a billboard, and a yacht on the screen!
"A manor?"
Before Yang Lingxue could finish speaking, the image transmission on the screen instantly cut off.
"What a strange place. This manor looks like it's been abandoned for a long time, but it still has electronic shielding capabilities," Ye Lan said gravely. After a brief deduction, she reached a conclusion. "I suspect Lan Ni Jie and the others are likely within this manor. However, how can we get this map to Ren Yuanhao?"
Yang Lingxue was completely ignorant of electronic communication technology, but a statement she made at this moment inadvertently reminded Ye Lan.
"I remember the radio broadcasts continuously even in this severe weather. If we could use the radio..."
"Radio? How did I not think of that!"
Ye Lan saw no need to explain. After a series of mind-boggling finger movements, local radio wavebands and frequency values appeared directly and forcefully on the screen.
"There are still two local radio stations that can be used."
"So what do we do now?"
Yang Lingxue knew nothing about this and could only look expectantly at Ye Lan.
"I can hijack its radio wave signal and connect it to Ren Yuanhao's phone."
Ye Lan quickly operated her phone, and after securely connecting the data cable, she typed a series of commands into the mini PC. Her phone's battery life plummeted.
Without hesitation, she immediately dialed Ren Yuanhao's number.
Meanwhile, far away on the sand-strewn beach, Ren Yuanhao was awakened by a piercing phone ring. His lying position was extremely uncomfortable. He struggled to reach for his phone through what was originally the skylight and picked it up. However, he was greeted by an extremely jarring static.
Fortunately, the static gradually transformed into a clear and familiar female voice.
"Hello, Yuan Hao, it's Ye Lan. Time is tight, so keep it brief. I've found the location where Lan Ni Jie's phone was lost. It's in the southeastern sea area of Donglu City, a very remote place. It's a hidden, abandoned resort manor. You might be able to see it if you keep heading southeast!"
"Okay, Thank—"
Before he could finish the word "Thank," the signal was interrupted. Ren Yuanhao released the phone and only then realized how awkward his posture was.
The Alfa Romeo had flipped over, so he was now upside down. The bloodstain on his forehead was still fresh, indicating that not much time had passed. He unbuckled his seatbelt and tilted to one side. The storm winds poured in through the shattered window, and when they neared his nostrils, it felt like a veil, making breathing difficult and suffocating.
Lightning struck down, and thunder roared at the churning sea surface. Ren Yuanhao felt his eardrums vibrate intensely, almost rupturing.