Chapter 223: Vanished Right Under My Nose

With a “bang,” a cup shattered on the floor.

Liu Fan glared at the closed door, her chest heaving with anger — a pity that its flatness failed to provide any pleasant visual effect.

She had almost daily trailed Ning Shuangshuang from her home to Dream Technology and back.

Occasionally, Liu Fan would attempt to strike up conversation with Ning Shuangshuang, and despite her consistently cold responses, Liu Fan could confirm she wasn’t an android.

Liu Fan came prepared for Dream Technology’s lifelike android technology, coordinating with her department to equip vehicles with dynamic feature capturing and thermal imaging devices, ensuring Ning Shuangshuang’s movements were consistent with her known behavioral pattern and confirming she wasn’t replaced by a cold machine.

In person, Liu Fan interacted with Ning Shuangshuang, to ascertain, up close and without doubt, that she hadn’t been swapped with an android.

Enduring the exhausting round-the-clock surveillance, Liu Fan reflected on days she felt suppressed by Ning Shuangshuang; she was determined to keep a close watch.

If she could catch Ning Shuangshuang attempting to flee the country, all the years of hardship would be avenged.

Unexpectedly, on this restful Saturday, Ning Shuangshuang deviated from her routine and headed alone to the streets rather than to Dream Technology.

Liu Fan personally led a tracking team, but they lost her in a bustling mall.

The technical team scoured the city’s surveillance footage, yet Ning Shuangshuang’s disappearance remained a mystery, as many areas in the mall escaped camera coverage.

That day, an event featuring popular star Yan Liusu exacerbated the chaos with crowds blocking the mall.

Amid the confusion, Liu Fan lost track of Ning Shuangshuang.

After stationing her team at Ning Shuangshuang’s home and Dream Technology’s front gates, Liu Fan rushed back to the office to report to Director Mo.

Liu Fan had hoped for an immediate order to lock down airports, train stations, ports, and to notify immigration services to place Ning Shuangshuang under border control.

However, Director Mo simply laughed heartily in response to Liu Fan’s report and ordered, “Stop monitoring Ning Shuangshuang and focus closely on the counterintelligence work at Wisdom Technology.”

Frustrated by Director Mo’s dismissal, Liu Fan brooded in her office and smashed her drinking glass in irritation.

Picking up her phone, she dialed a familiar number — “Uncle Qi, it’s Liu Fan.”

“Little Fan, how are things? How’s the job in Magic City?”

“Oh, don’t get me started. Ning Shuangshuang’s old subordinates show me no respect, slacking off, and now Ning Shuangshuang has vanished right under my nose.”

“Oh? Did Ning Shuangshuang really disappear right under your nose?”

The question startled Liu Fan; it sounded all too familiar.

That’s right; Director Mo had asked the same thing — were they all hoping Ning Shuangshuang would vanish right under her nose?

“Uncle Qi, why are you asking that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. You wanted me to issue a border control notice for Ning Shuangshuang, right?”

“Yes, our Director Mo seems to be protecting her, refusing to pursue her whereabouts. I have no choice but to ask for your help.”

“Little Fan, remember to follow Director Mo’s orders. Have you forgotten the old leader’s teachings?”

Uncle Qi reminded and reassured Liu Fan, “Don’t be upset. Ning Shuangshuang’s departure isn’t bad for you. Your grandfather understands the situation; just strive to achieve more than Ning Shuangshuang in Magic City.”

After the call, Liu Fan pondered the oddities, resigning to the possibility that she wasn’t privy to certain information.

Sighing, she opened her office door to find it deserted. She then recalled sending her entire team to watch Ning Shuangshuang.

She dialed Deng Quan’s number.

“Group Leader Liu, what are your instructions?”

“Inform everyone to return. The surveillance mission on Ning Shuangshuang is canceled!”

“Group Leader Liu, it’s canceled? Are you sure?”

“Do I have the time to kid around? Come back immediately; there’s a new assignment!”

“Yay, Group Leader Liu is wise! We’ll return right away!” Deng Quan’s voice buzzed with unrestrained joy, adding to Liu Fan’s frustration.

Outer space, Tang Country’s space station.

Ma Tian and Sun Chenghai, having watched the sky for three days straight, were developing panda eyes, yet no high-speed objects reappeared.

“Sun, are you sure you didn’t see things?” Ma Tian questioned for the 101st time.

Sun Chenghai was tired of correcting Ma Tian, a Germanyan who had worked on the International Space Station before eagerly learning Tang language to join Tang Country’s space program.

Ma Tian’s informal address of ‘Sun’, peculiar to his foreign tongue, had an unintendedly belittling tone but was hard to shake off.

“I’ve told you I couldn’t have been mistaken,” Sun insisted.

“So, where has it vanished to?”

“It might’ve landed on the moon or left the solar system behind the moon,” Sun speculated.

Ma Tian objected to the theory, reasoning no country had such fast missiles capable of vanishing into space.

As they debated fiercely, a ripple whispered through space, vanishing at the edge of the atmosphere — unbeknownst to them, the object they were seeking disappeared again, right under their noses.

“Star Ocean, keep an eye on that astronaut, Ma Tian. We should bring him over to our side,” Du Qiu instructed, intrigued by Ma Tian’s passion for space.

Du Qiu’s need for talents within the Heavenly Realm grew along with higher-end space combat equipment challenges.

Unsatisfied with the traditional recruitment methods, Du Qiu aimed for a broader talent pool.