Braylon and Eryx went there to ask some questions. As soon as they arrived, they spotted someone—James. He was with a couple who were crying uncontrollably. No one invited them in, so they waited for a while. Eventually, James noticed Braylon.
"Mr. Braylon... I didn't expect to see you here," James said, walking toward Braylon with a serious expression. Though he wanted to greet them with a smile, the situation didn't allow for it.
"Well, that's actually our question, Mr. James. We didn't expect to find you here," Eryx remarked, catching James' attention.
"Apologies, Mr. Eryx, I didn't see you there," James replied, laughing awkwardly.
"How could you notice me when your eyes are glued to my man?" Eryx muttered irritably. Braylon nudged Eryx with his elbow, offering a small but sweet smile, to which Eryx let out a soft grunt.
"Actually, I come here whenever I have free time. Even though I can't do much, at least I can offer them some comfort," James said, scratching the back of his neck. He had a point—he didn't have the authority to take any real action.
"Can we speak with them today?" Braylon asked politely. James nodded, and they entered, drawing the couple's attention. The couple gave them a questioning look.
"Good morning, ma'am and sir. We're from the investigation department. We're here to look into your daughter's disappearance. Could you tell us more about her and her behavior? The more details, the better—it would really help us," Braylon asked gently, trying to be sensitive to their situation. He knew it might be painful for them, but they had no other choice but to ask.
The couple broke down into tears. Unsure of what to do, Braylon glanced at Eryx for help. Eryx let out a sigh.
"Please, don't cry. Your cooperation is crucial. If you provide us with useful information, we'll be able to find her as quickly as possible," Eryx said gently, trying to calm the situation. The couple nodded, and Braylon placed a recorder in front of them while preparing to take notes. He turned on the recorder.
"She... she's such a sweet little girl, sir," the mother began, her voice trembling. "You know, she's incredibly smart. While other kids were still learning to talk, she was already reading books. We were always so proud of her. She consistently came first in her class. And when the medical camp shared her IQ test results... we were thrilled. Her IQ was much higher than other children's."
Both Braylon and Eryx were taken aback by this revelation.
"Wait... did you say a medical camp?" Braylon asked, surprised.
The mother nodded in response.
"The Pro-Life Medical Company has always conducted medical camps here and provided for us since our village is so isolated. They even set up a small hospital. These camps happen twice a year. Two months ago, they held another camp. They tested all the children and gave us their IQ test results. It's normal for them to do IQ tests here..." the mother explained, unaware of the significance of her words. Her response was more than enough to move their investigation forward.
Everything was pointing toward the medical company. Braylon exchanged a knowing look with Eryx, who nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, the husband comforted his crying wife.
"We always knew there wasn't anything like a devil haunting us, but the villagers believed it. We didn't know what else to do. She's our only child, sir... please... save her," the father pleaded.
Eryx frowned in suspicion. "How can you be so certain there's no devil when everyone else believes it? And how do you know so much about IQ tests... especially living in a remote village?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Yes, we live in the village, but that doesn't mean we're unaware of the world outside. We both studied for our degrees in the city. Many people have left this place. But this village is our hometown, and we didn't want to abandon it. If no one stays, it'll eventually fall into the government's hands, and they'll do whatever they want with it. Maybe it's a sentimental thing, but now... we're regretting that decision," the man explained, struggling to keep his emotions in check. With his wife unable to cope, he was trying to remain strong for them both.
"I'm really sorry, sir..." Braylon apologized sincerely.
"It's alright, sir. I just hope you catch the person responsible," the man replied, subtly hinting that he might know something important.
"Do you have anyone in mind as a suspect, sir?" Eryx asked carefully, picking up on the clue.
"Yeah... maybe you could say that. I've suspected something for many years. That medical company... ever since I was a child, children have gone missing after their camps. Isn't it too much of a coincidence? My guess is they have something to do with it," the man said with conviction in his voice.
"Thank you for your cooperation, sir, ma'am. We'll continue our investigation, and we'll do everything we can to bring your daughter back," Braylon assured them with a kind smile, and they nodded in gratitude.
"We'll be on our way now," Eryx added.
"I'll see you out," James offered, and as they left, Eryx rolled his eyes, though no one noticed.
"Thank you for taking my complaint seriously. I'm really grateful," James said.
"That's okay... it's our duty," Braylon replied, shaking hands with James. Meanwhile, someone else was quietly seething with jealousy—Eryx. From his perspective, he didn't like how James looked at Braylon.
Afterward, they left, and James returned inside.
Braylon and Eryx headed to meet up with their friends. As soon as they arrived, the three others joined them.
"We've got some interesting information," Alex said, catching Braylon and Eryx's attention.
"So do we..." Eryx smirked.
"The Pro-Life Medical Company..."
They all said it at the same time, except for Franklyn, who looked surprised—he hadn't heard of them before. However, the rest weren't surprised that they'd reached the same conclusion. They all burst into light laughter, as it wasn't the first time they had spoken in unison.
"Let's go grab something to eat, guys... I'm starving," Revilla said, pulling Braylon along as she started to walk. Franklyn watched, confused by their relationship. He knew a little about their past, but he didn't realize how close they used to be. Even after not seeing each other for four years, their friendship had remained strong.
"Come on, let's go," Alex said, patting Eryx on the shoulder. Eryx, still lost in thought, was staring at Braylon, who, in his eyes, was smiling like an angel.