Chapter 126: The Little Girl’s Predicament (Part I)

Three and a half hours ago.

A small farm on the western outskirts of Atura, in the Republic of France.

Seven people dressed in crisp, official uniforms were driving two vehicles onto the property.

"The scenery around this farm is actually quite beautiful. No wonder a god-favored creature appeared here," a man in one of the cars remarked, looking out the window.

"Indeed, it’s quite nice. But here in France, we have plenty of farms with such beautiful scenery. Isn't it only natural that a god-favored creature would appear here?"

"The grace of the gods... having a god-favored creature appear in our country is a golden opportunity. At the very least, it gives us a powerful means of resistance against the Violet Moon."

"The Tree of Mystery is dominated and controlled by the American Federation, and the Lyon Federation is hiding a divine deer. Now, we finally have a god-favored creature of our own. This feeling is truly wonderful."

"Even if our creature isn't particularly powerful, its mere existence will allow us to quickly boost public morale once we announce the truth about the Violet Moon. Being a nation favored by the gods carries a symbolic weight that is no less significant than its practical utility."

Inside the cars, everyone chimed in, their voices filled with excitement and urgency.

"Alright, you idiots, don't get too carried away," a beautiful, long-haired blonde woman in the passenger seat said with a frown. "Don't forget, the little girl favored by this creature is of Asian descent. When we arrive, don't you dare scare her."

"Keep your smiles ready. Whoever frightens the little girl will be scrubbing toilets for the rest of their life."

"Understood!"

"Don't worry, Minister, we know what to do. I have no desire to scrub toilets, haha."

"Exactly. Minister, look at me—I’m so delicate, I could never complete such a grand task as scrubbing toilets. You should make Lieutenant Roy do it."

"Get lost!"

"..."

Watching the lively atmosphere among her team, Joanna offered a helpless smile and said nothing more.

In this calm manner, the two vehicles soon arrived at a relatively secluded ranch featuring only three houses. It was midday, and the sun in the sky was already somewhat blinding.

"Minister, it seems there’s no one here," one of the special department agents said immediately after knocking on the door to no response.

"That shouldn't be. It’s the weekend. Could they have just gone out? Should we wait a while?" someone suggested.

Joanna frowned but nodded. The matter regarding the little girl was strictly classified, so their arrival had not been made known to any local officials. Consequently, they had no choice but to wait, as they could not go out searching for the residents.

And so, the group began to wait quietly, watching the cattle in the pasture and taking in the scenery.

An hour and a half later, a small Buick drove in from the main road and pulled up in front of the house.

"What is this? I don't recall doing anything illegal," Yang Hongliang said, frowning as he looked at the two vehicles parked in front of his home, both clearly marked with official French government insignia.

"Yang..." Inside the car, a woman with short silver-gray hair holding a male infant looked at him, her expression flustered.

"It’s alright. Yodona, watch the children. I’ll go down and ask them," Yang Hongliang said, comforting his current wife before opening the door and stepping out.

As soon as he stepped out, he came face-to-face with Joanna, who was walking toward him.

"May I ask if you are Morse Yang?"

"Yes, that's me. Who are you?" Yang Hongliang inquired.

"Who we are is not important; I hope you can understand that. Furthermore, we would like to confirm: is your daughter, Lucy, here?"

"Lucy?" Yang Hongliang frowned. He began to suspect that these people might be from child protective services. His daughter’s situation at school was indeed concerning, and due to his divorce, it was highly likely that these people suspected him of child abuse. He had encountered such situations twice before, and the moment Joanna asked about his daughter, his expression soured.

"Lucy is here. She’s in the car. However, she isn't doing very well right now, so could you please just tell me what this is about?" Yang Hongliang’s voice grew impatient.

"Not doing well?" Joanna’s expression darkened.

At that moment, one of Joanna’s subordinates had taken the opportunity to walk to the side of the Buick and peer through the window. One look was all it took for the agent to freeze, his face quickly contorting into a look of anger.

The reason was simple. Beside the silver-haired woman, the little girl’s condition was appalling. Her cheek was covered in raw, red scratch marks, her purple-blue dress was torn in several places, she was missing one shoe, and her socks were caked in dirt and grime.

"OMG, Minister, we need to have a serious talk with this Mr. Yang," Quick exclaimed, his expression burning with indignation.

"What is it?" Hearing the voice, Joanna’s face changed, and she brushed past Yang Hongliang, walking briskly toward the Buick.

"What are you doing!" Seeing Joanna’s actions and the young man, Quick, by the car, Yang Hongliang shouted in annoyance. "This is a private family matter. I suggest you don't push your luck. Who are you people? If you don't tell me, I’m calling the police."

"A family matter?" Arriving at the car, Joanna caught sight of the little girl, who sat with her head bowed in silence. She stood up and glared at Yang Hongliang. "Mr. Yang, I think you owe us an explanation."

As she said this, Joanna flashed an official ID badge. The French National Security Agency.

Seeing the badge, Yang Hongliang was stunned, but he quickly regained his composure. "My daughter’s affairs hardly rise to the level of national security, do they?"

"No. I believe they do," Joanna said, her tone flat.

Hearing this, Yang Hongliang was startled, then felt a sense of bewilderment and unease. Looking at the people surrounding him and Joanna’s stern expression, he sighed.

"Fine. Whatever you say. Ask whatever you want to ask." He paused, adding, "But I expect a reasonable explanation for why you’ve targeted me and my daughter."

"That goes without saying," Joanna said with a faint smile. She then turned to one of her female subordinates. "Sally, bring Lucy. We’ll go inside with Mr. Yang and have a proper talk."

"Yes!"

And so, under the 'coercion' of the group, Yang Hongliang led his wife and infant inside, welcoming these uninvited guests he had so little desire to entertain.