Chapter 235 Helping You Leave
Chapter 235 Helping You Leave
The king's intentions were evident. He sought to entice Liao Ning into his fold. With her assistance, the empire could not only control the merfolk but also gain influence over the populace.
Regret seeped into the king's thoughts. He pondered how things could have been different had he simply abducted Liao Ning from the outset. If she had been brought into the empire as a princess from the beginning, the current situation wouldn't be so complicated.
His dissatisfaction with Loya reached its zenith. Given Liao Ning's arrival, he saw this as a golden opportunity not to be missed.
Meanwhile, within the rebel army, it had become apparent that Liao Ning had vanished. The production of the antidote for the loyalty potion had ceased, leaving some mermaids without access to the remedy.
"How did she escape? Did no one notice? They're all useless!" Li Xian raged, his desk in disarray. Despite his subordinates' efforts to search the base, Liao Ning remained elusive.
"Researcher Nana has also disappeared. Could it be that they were both taken away by the invisible flying device?" Tina cautiously suggested.
She found it difficult to believe that Liao Ning had orchestrated her escape from the beginning. Liao Ning had been abruptly kidnapped, and her interactions within the rebel army had been limited. It seemed implausible for her to have executed such intricate plans without anyone noticing.
"Do you know anything about Nana's background?" Zhou Ye inquired. "Without a mole, it would be impossible for Liao Ning to vanish without a trace. First, the power outage, then the invisible aircraft, and now, Nana and Liao Ning are gone. It was all premeditated."
A throbbing headache gripped Li Xian. He tried his best to maintain a composed facade, but his inner turmoil was evident.
"Tina, follow Liao Ning's previous method and produce the antidote. Even if its effectiveness is compromised, we must help the mermaids regain control," Li Xian instructed.
Turning to Zhou Ye, he continued, "Your mermen possess considerable capabilities. Lead a team to intensify the search. We must find Liao Ning."
After Zhou Ling exited the office, he promptly rendezvoused with Zhou Ye.
"Liao Ning is missing. Did you have a hand in this?"
Shaking his head, Zhou Ling retrieved a handful of silver hairs from his pocket. "Liao Ning gave these to me before she departed as proof of her identity. She informed me that Liao Nai had been abducted by the imperial family. It's likely she went to the empire."
"What?" Zhou Ye exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face. "When did Liao Ning contact you?"
Zhou Ling provided an honest response, saying, "During the power outage, she must have employed some method to render herself invisible. I didn't see her."
"She recognized you but didn't meet you directly. It seems she had urgent matters to attend to. What should we do next?"
Zhou Ye found himself plagued by a headache. Although Li Xian had instructed them to locate Liao Ning, they had already arrived at the empire and found no trace of her.
"We need to uncover the mole within the rebel army. There must still be someone operating here. But don't apprehend them just yet. I intend to establish contact," Zhou Ling revealed his plan.
Nodding in agreement, Zhou Ye realized that Zhou Ling intended to trail the spy to the empire. This presented an opportunity to rescue Liao Ning and Liao Nai.
As expected, through Zhou Ye's persistent investigation, they managed to confirm Nana's true identity. They also identified the person who assisted Nana in disabling the power supply that day.
Sensing that his cover was blown, the individual sought an exit from the camp. provided by Zhou Ling. Satisfied with the confirmation, he introduced himself as However, the guards prevented him from leaving.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm. Startled, he turned around, confronted by an unfamiliar face. Surprisingly, he didn't resist but instead allowed himself to be pulled into a secluded corner by Zhou Ling.
Speaking in hushed tones, the man inquired, "Who are you?"
"Someone like you," Zhou Ling replied, casting cautious glances around. "Escaping now would only expose you completely, jeopardizing our future operations."
Considering Zhou Ling's words, the person pondered for a moment before questioning, "Who are you? What's your code name?"
Zhou Ling was prepared for this encounter. He swiftly responded, "I'm Olift, 9762. My AI is unable to connect to the communication system. You can verify with the system."
Olift, who was actually a spy planted by the empire within the rebel army, breathed a sigh of relief. Except for a select few core members of the rebel army, no one was aware that his true identity had been uncovered. It was safer for him to maintain this false persona.
As expected, the individual activated his AI and swiftly verified the information provided by Zhou Ling. Satisfied with the confirmation, he introduced himself as Jimmy. "I've always been responsible for ensuring Miss Sami's safety. She has successfully transported Liao Ning to Planet Empire. You can come with me. My exposure is imminent, and I'll need your assistance."
Curious, Zhou Ling probed further. "Are you certain that you've been exposed?"
Jimmy nodded solemnly. "The sudden order to remove Liao Ning left me with no choice but to sabotage the cables. The location of the incident wasn't thoroughly cleaned, so it's only a matter of two or three days before they uncover my involvement."
Zhou Ling's gaze grew contemplative. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded. "Very well. Return and await my instructions. I will ensure your safe departure."