Chapter 90: Forgotten Orphanage

The person who walked into the dormitory was Fana, the girl from who had dinner with Chu Cheng earlier that day.

During the day, she was wearing a white dress, looking pure and delicate. But now she had changed into a black gothic-style dress with white lace trim. It had a mix of youthful charm and a strange, dark vibe.

Without saying a word, Fana went over to Laya's bed and started looking through her belongings.

The small room had eight beds squeezed in, so each person had very little space, which meant not many personal items could be kept there.

Fana found a thick book on a shelf—a manual about caring for plants. She gently touched the cover and opened the book, getting lost in it for a moment.

"We're trying to build a library," Dean Zhai said, standing nearby. "It's not easy, though. There are a lot of problems with the paperwork and funding.

But we believe it's important for the kids. Books are the best way for them to connect with the outside world and enrich their minds."

"This book," Fana said as she carefully closed it, "I gave it to her."

Dean Zhai looked surprised. "Oh, I didn't know. You and Laya..."

"We were friends," Fana said quietly. "Once."

"I wish I had known," Dean Zhai replied apologetically. "If I'd known Laya was your friend, I would have contacted you immediately when something happened."

"We were friends before," Fana said softly, "but we haven't spoken in a long time."

She carefully placed the book back on the shelf.

"The Public Security Bureau is still investigating. I'll let you know if there are any updates."

"Thank you."

They started to walk out. Dean Zhai, smiling warmly like a kind elder, patted Fana on the shoulder.

"Why so formal?" he said with a smile. "Even though you're not here anymore, remember that our door is always open for you. You're welcome back anytime. We're like your family."

As the dean spoke, they walked down the corridor.

Batman secretly followed them.

A pleasant chime echoed through the empty yard, signaling dinner time. The cafeteria staff brought dinner to the classrooms for the children.

They carried large silver buckets filled with thick, whitish porridge, with a few vegetable leaves floating on top.

Honestly, it looked more like animal feed than dinner.

Chu Cheng couldn't imagine living in a place like this. Even though he wasn't actually there, just watching through a screen, he could feel the lifeless atmosphere of the place.

But it wasn't caused by the infection.

He really wanted to blame the cold, lifeless feel of the place on some source of infection, some evil force. But unfortunately, what made this place so bleak wasn't anything supernatural. It was just human nature.

This place had been forgotten long before the infection spread, just like so many other neglected corners of the world.

When he saw Fana there, Chu Cheng remembered that in her file from last night, it mentioned she grew up in an orphanage before joining Secret Service Nine. But it didn't specify which orphanage.

Now, realizing this might be the place, he had Batman access the Secret Service Nine's system. Sure enough, this was where Fana had grown up. She didn't leave until she was discovered to have the special abilities that led her to join Secret Service Nine.

She knew the missing girl, Raya.

Chu Cheng noticed a black car parked outside, likely from Secret Service Nine. It seemed to be Fana's assigned car, there to keep track of her movements.

After saying goodbye to the orphanage's principal, Fana walked out, and the iron gate clanged shut behind her. The sound of the lock and chain felt like an icy barrier, cutting off this forgotten corner from the rest of the world.

Fana stopped in front of the gate, looked back at the yard for a moment, then walked toward the waiting car.

The driver started the engine, but Fana didn't get in. Instead, she leaned over and whispered something to the driver. He looked confused but nodded and turned off the engine again.

The driver stayed put while Fana began walking along the orphanage's outer wall.

Chu Cheng found this odd. From the direction she was heading, it seemed like she was going to a spot behind the orphanage, a remote area leading to an undeveloped wasteland, overgrown with weeds. No one had cared for this place in years; nature had taken over.

But Fana seemed to know something. Curious, Chu Cheng had Batman follow her.

Fana navigated through the tall weeds and bushes like she knew exactly where she was going. After a while, Chu Cheng saw what she was heading for—a natural cave.

She entered the cave cautiously, feeling her way through the pitch-black darkness. The environment provided perfect cover for Batman, who followed at a safe distance, blending into the shadows.

The small entrance barely allowed one person through, making the passage narrow and uncomfortable. But after walking several dozen steps, the path opened up into a surprisingly large space.

Chu Cheng was surprised when Batman's detective mode scanned the cave's interior. He hadn't expected to find such a hidden world in this overgrown area.

The scan also revealed that they weren't the only ones there.

At first, it was completely dark inside, but after Fana slid along the cave entrance for a bit, light began to appear ahead.

When she reached the bottom and stood on the uneven ground, the orange glow of fire greeted her.

In a huge space where rock and soil mixed, blue vines crawled all over the stone walls. Torches were bound to the walls by intricate vines, casting flickering light that projected jagged shadows like ghosts on the stone.

A figure stepped out of the shadows.

"You finally came back."

The girl in the shadows was pale, her face looking lifeless under the flickering torchlight.

It was Raya Hatta, the girl who had disappeared from the orphanage.

She looked at Fana with a strange smile, one that seemed far too unsettling for her age.

"I guess it won't be easy to take this gloomy place back from a world so pretty."