However, the interrogation Serie expected did not come. Chloe only asked with concern, "Are you feeling better?"
Serie breathed a slight sigh of relief and nodded.
"We are temporarily safe. My subordinates have already picked us up, and we will reach headquarters in less than half an hour." Chloe's gaze swept over Serie's small face, stained with sand and blood, with genuine gratitude, "You've worked hard, Goluthos."
Serie returned a shallow smile, accepting the thanks.
Of course, she got more than that. Now Serie had three more ability points.
Once they arrived, she would have to carefully consider which branch of which witch to allocate them to.
More than ten minutes later, Serie and the others got out of the car at another bay.
The sputtering of the inflatable boat engine replaced the roar of the jeep, carrying them through a bay where the wind and waves were growing stronger.
The salty sea breeze hit her face, but Serie shivered involuntarily.
It wasn't because of the cold, but because the deep-sea phobia left by Billie that time was suddenly triggered. Serie could only force herself to avert her gaze, not daring to look closely at the churning, ink-blue sea surface that seemed to hide countless pairs of eyes.
The small inflatable boat finally, like a withered leaf, was violently slapped by the waves onto a beach covered with black, rugged volcanic rocks.
The sea breeze was mixed with the pungent smell of seabird droppings and rotten seaweed.
Serie followed Chloe out of the boat, and the biting seawater instantly soaked her bare feet.
She looked up, surveying the island, which was not very large.
It was completely covered by dense, almost primitive vegetation.
The coastline was rugged and steep, and a precipitous limestone hill rose abruptly.
There were hardly any traces of human structures, as if it were a forgotten savage fortress.
"Drag the boat up and hide it in that mangrove lagoon." Chloe pointed to a hidden body of water in the distance surrounded by mangrove roots.
Several young men, already waiting there, with skin tanned and gleaming, began to move.
They wore worn-out waterproof pants and moved as nimbly as fishermen by the sea.
They followed orders, expertly dividing into two groups. One group quickly worked together to drag the heavy inflatable boat towards the lagoon, while the other carefully helped the injured Tarak and the driver Ventura, leading them deep into the dense forest.
Serie trudged behind Chloe, stepping on the black sand covered with broken shells and pebbles.
It was fortunate that Serie had Tough Skin, otherwise, with her delicate skin, stepping barefoot on it would probably make her scream in pain.
After rounding a steep rock wall, a cave entrance, half-hidden by huge vines and dense ferns, suddenly appeared before their eyes.
This did not seem to be a natural cave entrance, but rather an abandoned air-raid shelter.
The entrance was not large, just wide enough for three people to walk abreast. Water droplets condensed on the damp rock walls, and the ground at the entrance was unusually smooth.
Upon entering the cave, the light suddenly dimmed a few shades.
The initial section of the passage was narrow and damp, with the clear sound of dripping water.
The air was filled with the earthy smell of rock, the salty smell of the sea breeze, and a faint, almost imperceptible… smell of burning wood.
After penetrating dozens of meters, the passage began to slope downwards, and the space also opened up.
Traces of secondary modification began to become obvious.
Crude oil lamps and LED strips powered by batteries were fixed to the cave walls, casting a dim but sufficient light.
Thick electrical wires ran along the rock wall, carefully secured.
On both sides of the passage, artificially carved small niches began to appear.
Inside were stacked tightly wrapped supply boxes, bundles of fishing nets, several barrels of pungent marine fuel, and several well-maintained, gleaming firearms covered with tarpaulins.
The further down they went, the air became constant and slightly cool, with the enclosed feeling characteristic of underground fortifications.
At the end of the passage, it suddenly opened up.
A wide, tunnel-like concrete space appeared before their eyes.
This was clearly the core area of the air-raid shelter—a main shelter large enough to accommodate hundreds of people.
A towering concrete dome supported the vast space.
Thick supporting pillars were regularly distributed throughout, with blurred military numbers or faded safety slogans remaining on them.
A relatively open area near the entrance was transformed into a plaza.
A dozen people were gathered around here—
Tattooed youths were disassembling and wiping weapon parts; Old Women were weaving fishing nets and mending clothes; several half-grown children were sprawled in front of a table made of old door panels, led by a slightly older girl, writing and drawing in worn notebooks, softly reciting lessons.
Deep within the space, near a modified exhaust pipe utilizing the original ventilation shaft, several large iron pots were steaming.
The smoke from the firewood was trying to escape through the pipe.
A sturdy woman wearing an apron was stirring the soup in the pot with a long-handled spoon, and the aroma filled the air.
Next to a simple stove built with bricks, several sea fish were roasting, and oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a sizzling sound.
Along the edge of the main space, utilizing the gaps between the supporting pillars and some of the original rooms, several canvas tents and single rooms separated by tarpaulins were set up, possibly as living quarters. Faintly, one could see moving figures and hanging clothes inside.
In the deepest room, large hand-drawn maps and scattered documents were laid out.
Next to it were several old military radio devices with blinking indicator lights.
A focused white-haired old man was guarding the equipment, his fingers rapidly tapping on the telegraph key.
Around the platform, there were also some tables and stools made from ammunition boxes.
Serie was slightly surprised; at first, she thought Black Queen would be an organization similar in scale to the Control Bureau.
But now, looking at it, it clearly resembled more a refugee gathering place stubbornly rooted in abandoned fortifications.
It was not on the same level at all.
At the same time, Tarak, who was walking at the very front, supported by two young men, was particularly conspicuous and was the first to attract the attention of some people.
Victoria, the girl who was teaching the children, turned her head.
When she clearly saw the person being supported, her large eyes instantly widened, her small mouth slightly agape, her face filled with disbelief: "Brother?! How… how are you here?!"
She subconsciously pressed, her voice filled with urgency, "Where's my Big Sister?"
Before Tarak could answer, Victoria's gaze had already swept past his broad shoulders, accurately catching the familiar figure behind him.
"Big Sister!!!" A shriek of pure joy instantly pierced through the surrounding noise!
Victoria, like a lit firecracker, shot out from among the children with a "whoosh," aiming directly at Chloe.
Serie's pupils contracted.
Behind Victoria, a pair of snow-white wings extended out of thin air. The wings unconsciously fluttered, and the strong wind they created pushed her to run extremely fast.
When Tarak saw his sister running towards him with such excitement, a brilliant smile, mixed with surprise and pride, immediately bloomed on his face.
He quickly broke free from the support, enduring the pain to straighten his back, and spread his muscular arms.
However—
The wind Victoria created only whistled briefly through his open arms.
Her eyes, filled with adoration and excitement, remained firmly fixed on Chloe the entire time.
As if Tarak was just an annoying pillar by the roadside, Victoria simply bypassed him without stopping.
Tarak's outstretched arms froze in mid-air, the smile on his face completely petrified, like a forgotten sculpture.
Tarak:...This scene...why does it feel so familiar?
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"