81: Unbelievable and just like that

"How could this happen?"

Fiona was the greatest risk Tu Nan faced on the surface; she held onto Tu Nan's deepest secret—that she was a Foster Mother.

She could be bought and sold, and had no right to raise Children.

It was truly terrible for this to happen while Sheng Ranran was still watching like a tiger stalking its prey.

"When did this happen? Why didn't the Asylum notify me?"

"Three days ago! Many places have been chaotic lately, and I only found out after I happened to notice this and went to the Asylum to ask." Gaia asked her, "Should we have the police look for her?"

Tu Nan shook her head.

Asking the responding officers for a small favor last time was very different from giving them an extra major task like this.

She immediately called Li.

Now, she could only pin her hopes on Li. If he could pressure the police station using his military status, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

However, no one answered Li's communication.

Gaia saw this. "Personal communication devices are turned in during training. Do you want to go find Li? I'll take you straight to the military camp."

Tu Nan nodded.

She asked Lisa and little Owen, "Can you help me watch the Children? I'm truly worried."

Lisa kept sighing with emotion; Tu Nan was truly impeccable when it came to "friends," giving both money and effort, and now that something had happened, she even had to have her husband step in.

"Don't worry, leave it to me." Lisa agreed immediately.

Gaia drove, and the two of them sped all the way to the training grounds of the Sharp Knife Battalion.

The guard placed them in a small reception room and said quite enthusiastically that he had reported it upwards, and if Li was not executing any mission, they should be allowed a short meeting.

Tu Nan thanked him absentmindedly, then stood fixedly by the window, looking out through it. But in reality, one could see nothing here; outside was merely a towering wall.

Gaia could see Tu Nan's restlessness. With no outsiders present, he could finally speak properly.

"Actually... if Fiona is gone, then let her be. I wanted to say last time that you don't need to care about her so much, or spend such a large extra sum of money on her every month."

Tu Nan pulled herself out of her thoughts, wearily pressed her forehead against the window, and asked Gaia, "Do you also think I don't need to worry about Fiona? Even if she wants my life?"

Gaia hesitated. "That's not what I mean. I'm saying she can't threaten you now..."

"Are you saying she can't threaten my life?"

Tu Nan knew no one could understand how the System would force her to constantly move from place to place, collecting different Male Beasts.

But even setting this aside, setting aside that she was already considering whether to give up a longer life for Miao Miao and Ao Ao, for this "home."

Just speaking of—

"Is a Foster Mother's life really the same as an ordinary Female Beast's? I asked you this question before."

Gaia opened his mouth to speak, but before his words could escape, the door was pushed open forcefully.

Li rushed in.

He didn't notice Gaia at all; only Tu Nan occupied all his attention.

In a panic, Li pulled Tu Nan from the window and into his arms.

"What happened? Did something happen to you? Or the Children? The messenger said it was a very urgent matter."

Tu Nan hugged Li. For that moment, she felt a little weak, but Li's panic made her feel a sense of safety.

"Gaia said that Fiona has run away. It's been three days, and her tracks cannot be found anywhere..."

Li carefully searched his mind for a long time before recalling this person, who was unimportant in his eyes. He asked Tu Nan with some hesitation, "It's not you and the Children... just Fiona?"

Tu Nan nodded heavily.

"Yes. But this is also very, very important. Mata City is a military-controlled city, and she went missing after the Star Worms attack that day. Haven't you all thoroughly investigated the situation in every household these past few days?"

This was also one of the reasons why the sense of crisis in Tu Nan's heart had skyrocketed.

At such a special time, for a living person to actually disappear in Mata City made it impossible for her not to overthink.

She kept feeling like some conspiracy targeting her was closing in.

The hardest part was that everything Fiona said was true. Her identity could not withstand close scrutiny.

Tu Nan deeply regretted not finding an opportunity to kill Fiona back then, which had left her with such a great hidden danger. Her past life under the rule of law had left a deep imprint on her.

She hoped Li could be more capable at such a critical moment. He was no longer the lone warrior he once was; Tu Nan had already figured out how she wanted Li to communicate with the police station.

But Li...

"If Fiona has run away, then let her be. You have become unlike yourself because of her."

Li helped her tuck the hair that had been dampened by sweat from anxiety behind her ears, and rubbed her ears.

"Don't worry about others; just live your own life well. I'm still training, and it's not good for me to come out casually. If there's nothing else, I'm going back."

"Li!"

Tu Nan couldn't believe it. Did Li not realize the impact this had on her? Just like Gaia, were they, as Male Beasts, unable to understand?

"This is not someone else's business; this is very important to me." Tu Nan tugged at his sleeve and said stubbornly, "I've told you, I don't want others to know my identity; you know that."

"I want to raise Miao Miao and Ao Ao myself."

"Fiona will destroy all of this. If someone learns everything from her mouth, what am I supposed to do?"

Li's brown eyes were calm and waveless.

"Tu Nan, I've wanted to say for a long time that you just think too much. A Female Beast is only cute when she is simple; you used to be a very cute Female Beast."

Li smiled with a hint of nostalgia, his gaze somewhat distant, as if recalling the early days when they were together.

"I can provide for you very well now, and it's good that you want to raise Children, so don't worry about outside matters. You can have even more Children if you want."

"What is important about identity, as long as I treat you well?"

Tu Nan was speechless for a moment.

Ah... right, Li had always been this kind of Male Beast. How could she have thought that she could make Li understand her pursuit of life, her demands for self-respect and self-identity?

What he wanted and liked had always been that weak Female Beast that Tu Nan had pretended to be at the beginning.

Li looked at Gaia, his expression turning cold.

"Are you very idle? Why are you dragging her around, causing trouble." Li held Tu Nan's hand and walked her all the way to the camp gate.

"Don't worry, go back. I'll take care of everything."

Li returned to the camp.

Gaia's worried gaze drifted toward Tu Nan from time to time, but Tu Nan just sat blankly in the car. Until she returned to the small courtyard and thanked Lisa, she didn't say another word to him.

Tu Nan stood alone in the room, motionless, as silent as a puppet.

She thought for a long time, and finally, her eyes moved slightly. She extended her wrist and dialed the communication for McCoy, her "father."

"Father, I have something I need to trouble you with."