Lucilla gave a firm nod, the motion almost childlike in its simplicity.

A wisp of amusement curved Rylie’s lips. It was clear they shared no real connection. How could they? She had never been here before. More likely, this woman was caught in the haze of a psychiatric episode, mistaking her for someone else.

Letting the matter slide, Rylie shifted the topic. “You mentioned a bear earlier. Is it your toy?”

Lucilla’s goofy grin vanished in an instant, replaced by panic. “Not a toy! It’s much bigger — even bigger than I! It can move!” she blurted out.

She jabbed a finger toward the mountain. “And there’s a massive iron cage!”

Rylie’s easygoing demeanor evaporated. She snapped her gaze in the direction Lucilla pointed, toward the slopes where students were scattered, busy with their activities.

“You’re saying the bear went up there?” Rylie asked, gesturing again toward the mountain. “Where exactly did you see it?”

“Behind there.” Lucilla pointed toward the kitchen. “Behind there.”

Rylie stood abruptly, gripping Lucilla’s arm. “Show me. Right now.”

Lucilla nodded and, almost cheerfully, clasped Rylie’s hand, leading her toward the kitchen.

The kitchen staff glanced up, their faces carrying a hint of apology. “Alright, Lucilla, let go of Rylie.”

“It’s fine,” Rylie replied. “She’s just giving me a little tour. We’ll be back soon.”

Lucilla brought her into a small bedroom with a single window. She positioned Rylie in front of it and pointed outside. “The bear.”

Rylie leaned closer to the glass. Years of field experience kicked in instantly as her eyes caught the clear imprint of deep tire tracks pressed into the muddy ground. Judging by their depth, they were left by a heavy truck.

The only truck that had come through yesterday was a refrigerated one, and Brad’s team had already inspected it without finding anything unusual.

She told Lucilla to stay put, then stepped out into the open space beside the kitchen. Crouching low, she ran her fingers over the ruts in the dirt — marks consistent with hauling an iron cage.

An adult brown bear could easily weigh over 350 kilograms. The depth of these tracks confirmed whatever had been transported was heavy.

Following the trail, she reached patches where the soil had been deliberately smoothed over. The loose dirt continued until the base of the mountain. When she looked up, her expression tightened.

The slopes were alive with scattered groups of students. If a bear had been intentionally caged and then released, especially while hungry, it could turn catastrophic.

Should any students get injured, Brad would be the primary person responsible, clearly targeted by whoever orchestrated this.

Rylie pulled out her phone to call him, but the signal was dead. Reception only worked at the base.

She spun around and made straight for the monitoring room. Inside, several soldiers sat watching the live feeds from the mountain, their heads turning in surprise as she strode in.

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