On the other end of the line, my best friend's voice was faint, intermittent, and indistinct, barely audible.
I understood all too well that, given the circumstances, it was highly unlikely that Xu Ze had managed to capture her so quickly. The most probable scenario was that they were communicating over the phone, just as Xu Ze and I were now.
In the blink of an eye, my best friend's voice fell completely silent.
Our call with Xu Ze remained connected, yet an oppressive silence lingered on both ends.
Where had she gone? Had she called the local militia to verify the situation? Xu Ze's earlier warning echoed in my mind—if she had successfully reached the militia, all our efforts would be for naught, and everything we had worked for would crumble into dust.
Anxiety churned in my chest, but I was helpless, with no solution in sight. All I could do was silently pray, hoping that everything would fall into place.