The incident on 27th Street in Icicle was a real wake-up call for the Alliance. The fact that this famous tourist spot was hiding a big human trafficking ring was mind-blowing. The internet lit up with reactions.
"My sister disappeared after visiting Icicle, and all we got was a vague response. It's clearly a cover-up! The authorities there were protecting the local gangs!"
"It's taken over a decade for the military to act? Something's off here. We need a full investigation of the patrol units!"
"Locals have always known to steer clear of 27th Street, especially girls. It's insane this is only now getting attention!"
"Word is the military stepped in because these traffickers kidnapped the young daughter of the Snowfall family's Ren clan."
The biggest piece of evidence spreading around was the city's surveillance footage from that day.
Seeing a massive blue electromagnetic cannon was jaw-dropping and made people dig even deeper for the truth.
This led to a flood of exposes from major influencers, showing solid evidence and local stories.
Orders came fast from Elden Prime: only designated officials were allowed to investigate and handle the matter, stopping anyone else from interfering. Still, when Zarek teamed up with Icicle's police force to catch the culprits, many key figures had already disappeared.
"Damn these parasites!" Zarek shouted, slamming his fist into the table in frustration after another failed raid.
The police chief, looking outside, muttered, "The stakes are too high. Someone will always be tempted by the profit."
The investigation revealed the shocking profits of human trafficking—just from Icicle alone, the monthly turnover was twenty million, not to mention other cities.
The elder of the Rymes family also warned Zarek to be careful; provoking these criminals could bring trouble for them too.
By the time Lyra boarded her spaceship, the findings of the 27th Street investigation were out.
For the sake of the public's sanity, the released photos were heavily censored, but the data was still terrifying.
Every month, nearly a hundred victims were taken—some for their looks, others for organ compatibility with certain buyers. They were either sold or killed.
In the spaceport, the official channel was broadcasting the news on the screen.
Hearing the boarding call, Lyra grabbed her backpack, noticing the buzz of conversations around her about the incident.
"Lyra!"
A sudden tap on Lyra's shoulder and an arm around her made her turn.
"Finally found you!" she heard someone say.
Lyra had to look up to see the girl's bright, smiling face. "Haven't you been following me this whole time?"
Zinnia didn't seem the least bit embarrassed. "Oh, traveling alone is such a drag! I begged my brother to change my ticket. Now we're sharing the same cabin!"
She waved her ticket around, chatting away without a hint of boredom. "At first, he was against it, but yesterday he suddenly agreed, saying it's safer to switch cabins to avoid any potential backlash. That's strange, right?"
Lyra had a pretty good idea why, but she kept quiet. She felt like she was being dragged along by Zinnia until they reached the cabin.
It hit her then just how unfriendly the current human height standards were. The luggage rack was too high, and the bed was too long!
"Haha, let me help you with your luggage."
The luxury cabin had just two beds. Sorren was supposed to board under a fake identity but had to cancel his ticket.
The room featured two beds with a folding table in the middle, a luggage rack above, and a service panel and water dispenser by the bed. It had a simple yet upscale design with white and beige tones.
After closing the door, Zinnia jumped on the bed a few times and started playing with the control panel by the bed. "This is my first time traveling alone. I heard the snacks on the Snowfall are legendary. Let's try some. My treat, don't be shy."
Soon, a service robot showed up. "Hello, customer. Snack Robot No. 2 at your service. Here are your selected items."
The white robot, adorned with a transparent blue snowflake pattern, had a distinctive look. His round belly was filled with the snacks Zinnia ordered. The robot even managed to smile and said, "Please rate No. 2's service."
After receiving a five-star rating, his round head spun happily. He thanked the two young ladies and left. The colorful packaging of the snacks piled up on the folding table in the aisle.
"I love spicy food," Zinnia said excitedly, opening a package labeled "extra spicy."
The spicy chips were really hot, making her sneeze.
Suddenly, intense coughing erupted from across the room, loud and rapid, mixed with heavy breathing.
"What's wrong?!" Zinnia was startled, dropping the spicy chips and rushing to help Lyra, who was red-faced and struggling.
Lyra's throat was itchy and irritated. She pointed at the air purification button while trying to control her breathing.
Zinnia quickly pressed it and tossed the spicy chips into the sealed trash bin. After a flurry of activity, she stood there, helpless, watching the sweaty Lyra.
"Um… sorry, I didn't know you had respiratory issues…" said Zinnia. It was so frightening; she almost felt like she had accidentally harmed someone.
Finally, Zinnia snapped out of it and poured a glass of water for Lyra. "Are you okay? I'll call a doctor right now." She moved to press the emergency button.
Lyra grabbed her hand. "It's okay, I've had these since I was very little. I just didn't expect these spicy chips to be that hot."
Lyra's hand was thin and cool to the touch.
Zinnia, who had always been as tough as a little lion, had never encountered someone her age so fragile. She could barely believe that someone could almost be choked to death by chili peppers. Guilt and a sudden wave of pity made her eyes tear up.
Lyra sighed and set down the water cup. "Do you have any more of those spicy chips in that kind of packaging? Let me see."
Comforting people wasn't her strong suit, so she decided to change the subject.
Luckily, Zinnia was easy to distract.
"Oh, here they are." Zinnia's mood bounced back quickly. "Were you so upset by being choked that you want to eat them to get back at them?"
Lyra was momentarily speechless at Zinnia's logic. "I want to check the ingredients."
She wasn't new to spicy food, but none had ever almost choked her to death. She needed to know what to avoid in the future.
"Westland Purple Chili."
"A new variety," she remarked, handing the package back to Zinnia. "You can either eat it outside or when I'm not around. Just make sure to purify the air afterward."
"Forget it, I'm almost traumatized now."
Lyra couldn't help but laugh. "It's a new variety. It'd be a shame not to try it."
Zinnia, agreeing with this perspective, jumped up. "I'll go eat it outside to avenge you!"
Just before leaving, she turned back and said, "My brother mentioned that the fugitives from 27th Street might try to cause us trouble. Don't go out alone, okay?"
Lyra was about to respond, but Zinnia had already vanished.
Less than ten minutes later, the spaceship suddenly shuddered, and red warning lights began flashing.
"Attention, passengers. The Snowfall has come under terrorist... Ah!"
The panicked voice of the crew member turned into a scream, leaving a mark of terror in everyone's hearts.