"Because you ask questions like that out loud."
He looked at Zhou Han through the open doorway.
Zhou Han, who had clearly heard everything, gave him a look of deep sympathy that helped no one.
Major Lin considered the map. "If Qingyuan follows that trail, they may divert toward West Reserve by afternoon. But they will still keep patrols around Changping and the southern farm roads."
Tang Li Yue tapped the blank destination line on the list. "Good. Let them be busy. We are not going to the annex today."
Professor Han looked at her sharply.
A flash of disappointment crossed his face before he suppressed it.
Tang Li Yue saw it.
She did not soften.
"If we go to the annex now, we die or get captured. We have injured people. We have new ability users who barely know how not to hurt themselves. We have no proper route, no count of guards, and no confirmation whether the warning was real, bait, or both."
Professor Han's jaw tightened. "My people may be there."
