Chapter 715

Chapter 715

Missing Person

Political Commissar Chen didn’t know how to answer either; he was just as confused as Lin Kangnian.

“What could possibly make her ignore the outside dangers and leave just like that, without even saying a word?” Political Commissar Chen was equally puzzled. After he voiced his thoughts, Lin Kangnian was about to say something when Political Commissar Chen suddenly stood up and said, “I need to make a call to the higher-ups. Stay here for a bit and see what they have to say.”

Lin Kangnian nodded. He needed some time to calm down as well.

Political Commissar Chen returned shortly after leaving, his face anxious. “Lin Nannan really is missing. The higher-ups said they haven’t assigned her any tasks, and she hasn’t been able to contact Lu Hang either, so she wouldn't have left for him…”

“Then why did she leave, even leaving her child behind?” Lin Kangnian’s mind was racing. The situation was too sudden, and his worry made it impossible for him to stay calm. He didn’t know how to explain it to his mother when he returned.

His mother, already feeling guilty for not being able to take care of Nan Nan after she was found, had been hoping to make it up to her. Now, knowing that Nan Nan was missing, she might not handle it well.

“Political Commissar Chen, I’d like to call home and ask my second brother to come over.” Thinking of Du Du and worried that his mother might not be able to handle the situation alone, Lin Kangnian immediately made the request.

Political Commissar Chen didn’t object and let him go make the call.

Lin Kangnian called Lin Kangjian’s workplace and reached him right away. Getting straight to the point, he explained the situation they were facing and said anxiously, “Mom will see right through any story about Nan Nan. Unless she sees Nan Nan in person, just worrying could make her faint. I also have Du Du to take care of and might not be able to handle everything alone. Please make arrangements and come over as soon as possible.”

Lin Kangjian hadn't expected that his older brother and mother had encountered such a situation while going to pick someone up. Without hesitation, he said, “Alright, I’ll make arrangements and head over right away!”

“Okay, but don’t tell the rest of the family for now!” Lin Kangnian reminded him.

“Got it, I understand!”

After hanging up, the phone rang again almost immediately. Political Commissar Chen quickly answered it, listening with a grave expression before nodding and assuring, “Yes, I’ll make the necessary arrangements!”

Lin Kangnian waited anxiously, his stomach in knots by Political Commissar Chen’s serious demeanor.

He realized that the only thing that could make him lose his composure was matters related to Lin Nannan.

After all, his sister had a way, and whenever she got involved in something, it was always alarming.

“The person on the phone said that since no one knows Lin Nannan’s whereabouts right now, she's actually safer. If we reveal anything out of worry, it could put her in danger. The higher-ups suggest that it’s best for you to leave here and act as if nothing happened. They will arrange for someone to search for her.”

Lin Kangnian knew this was the smartest move, but he wasn’t sure how his mother would react. He frowned and said, “We can go back, but I hope we can be informed about Nan Nan’s whereabouts… Otherwise, my mother won’t be able to stay calm and do nothing.”

Political Commissar Chen, aware of Lin Nannan’s background and the Lin family’s feelings, nodded and said, “I understand. I’ll make sure you know.”

Reassured by this promise, Lin Kangnian breathed a little easier. However, thinking about his mother’s deep attachment to Nan Nan, he knew the task ahead would be challenging.

He could only hope his mother would listen to him and leave with Du Du.

When Lin Kangnian returned, he saw his mother waiting on pins and needles for news. Avoiding Du Du, he explained the situation to her: “They'll have people looking quietly and will inform us if there’s any news. This will help protect Nan Nan. But if we get involved, it could put her in danger. They hope we can act as if nothing is wrong and return with Du Du.”

Zhou Cuiwei visibly resisted the idea upon hearing this.

“When will they give us news?” she asked.

“There's no telling, Mom. They have a point. If no one in the military camp knows Nan Nan has left, and we start asking around or searching, the news could leak and put Nan Nan in danger. So, we should do what they suggest and leave with Du Du tomorrow!” he said earnestly.

Zhou Cuiwei didn't want to go.

She could stay calm in other situations, but her daughter was missing, and she didn’t even know whether she was alive or dead. She simply couldn’t bring herself to leave like this.

The situation was already agonizing for her, and being told not to inquire or ask questions, she couldn't possibly relax.

"Mom," Lin Kangnian immediately discerned her thoughts and said quietly, "Du Du still doesn’t know her mother is missing. If you lose control, you’ll scare her. If she refuses to leave, think about what might happen to her."

Zhou Cuiwei turned to look at her granddaughter playing nearby. Recalling how the child had cried her heart out while searching for her mother, she took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm.

"We can leave tomorrow, but you must speak to Political Commissar Chen. They must inform us as soon as there’s any news. Otherwise, I will definitely come back," she said directly.

Lin Kangnian nodded, relieved. "Alright, I’ll go talk to Political Commissar Chen in a moment."

Seeing that his mother’s emotions were stable, Lin Kangnian first called home. Fortunately, Lin Kangjian had not yet left as he was still packing, so Lin Kangnian told him not to come and that they would return the next day.

Afterward, he went to speak with Political Commissar Chen and only returned after receiving a definite response.

The next day, Lin Kangnian and Zhou Cuiwei left with Lu Dudu. They departed while everyone else was busy with their own tasks, so no one noticed Lin Nannan’s absence or suspected that she had left the military base.

…

Meanwhile, Lin Nannan, who had left the base and made her way into the mountains, walked while gathering plants along the way. She collected anything that wasn’t available on the other side, stuffing the items into her bag regardless of whether they might be useful.

The only challenge was dealing with live creatures. She wasn’t sure if they would survive the teleportation, so she hesitated about how many to take.

If they died, they would lose their research value. Even one surviving animal would be valuable.

With this in mind, whenever she encountered live animals, she collected them without worrying about the results. She had no way of knowing how things would turn out—it all depended on luck.

After wandering through the mountains for over half a month, with no one aware of her whereabouts, she finally came out of the mountains.

Lin Nannan didn’t find her time alone in the mountains particularly difficult. She stayed busy every day and had to feed herself.

The hardest part was feeding herself. Her poor cooking skills were really hard for her, but with no one around to help, she had no choice but to swallow the half-cooked food.

Fortunately, the mountains offered plenty of things to eat, many of which didn’t require cooking. That's how she got by.