The task force ventured into the outer regions of the Mermaid Kingdom, where the disappearances had occurred. They interviewed the friends and families of the missing merfolk, searching for any clues that might lead them to the cause of the vanishings. Li Xue, with her keen mind and attention to detail, began to notice a pattern in the testimonies: all of the missing merfolk had been last seen near a particular underwater cave system.
"Could these caves be connected to the ancient dark magic you mentioned?" Li Xue asked her mentor, as the task force gathered to discuss their findings.
"It is a possibility," her mentor replied, his brow furrowed in thought. "We must explore these caves and uncover any secrets they may hold."
