After making her decision, Fair quickly crawled forward for a distance.
When she was about to reach Anderson, she said to him, "I'll tell you the route for the remaining part, so you should also remember it. I'm afraid I might forget later if I get nervous."
In the darkness, Anderson couldn't see her face or her expression, and he didn't have time to wonder.
He simply said, "Okay."
Fair continued, "We've already covered more than half of the distance. Now, head 35 degrees southwest for 8 meters, then turn left and go 6 meters. Finally, continue south until the end. Go down from there, and you'll be able to get out. Anderson, did you remember?"
In the darkness, Anderson replied, "I remembered."
"Then you go ahead. I'm scared," Fair said.
At that moment, they heard some commotion below them.
Anderson asked, "What's happening down there? It doesn't sound right."
Fair hushed him, saying, "Let's not worry about anything else. Anderson, from now on, let's not talk to each other. You've memorized the route, you go ahead, and I'll follow behind. Let's not communicate anymore once I count to three to avoid being discovered. Three, two, one."
After counting, silence filled the narrow ventilation duct.
Following the plan, Anderson crawled forward alone, believing that Fair was right behind him.
He never imagined that Fair didn't follow him. Instead, she quietly went back and returned directly above the hall of the activity center.
Meanwhile, Anderson was getting farther away.
Fair heard the black-clad individuals below shouting, "We found something in the women's restroom."
"What's going on?" another black-clad individual hurriedly asked, "Quick, tell me. If we can't find that child, we're doomed."
"There seems to be something happening with the ventilation duct above the utility cabinet. It looks like it has been tampered with, but it's only partially closed," the black-clad individual said.
"Could it be a routine inspection?" someone asked.
At that moment, another black-clad individual rushed out of the women's restroom and said, "It's not an inspection. I found shoeprints. They really look like a child's. There's a child hiding in the ventilation duct. We need to catch him quickly."
Fair heard everything clearly and knew that the black-clad individuals were targeting Anderson.
She absolutely couldn't let them capture Anderson.
She increased her speed as she crawled back, leading the black-clad individuals farther away, making it less likely for Anderson to be discovered.
When she returned near the women's restroom, she deliberately made some noise in the ventilation duct, exposing herself.
The black-clad individuals noticed and shouted, "I hear his voice! He's in the ventilation duct. Damn, the duct is too narrow. I can't get in. You're thinner, go inside."
Another black-clad individual was pushed into the ventilation duct and crawled forward. Finally, he caught the trembling Fair.
Fair had intentionally allowed herself to be captured.
As the black-clad individual pulled her out of the ventilation duct, she pretended to cry in fear.
"Help, help, don't capture me!" she pretended to tremble in fear, her hair disheveled, and her face dirty.
The black-clad individual frowned. "Why is it a girl? The word 'head' meant a boy. What's your name?"
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