Mary glanced around the kitchen. There was only white rice left, nothing else. Mary quietly added two drops of spiritual spring water into the soup, careful not to expose anything from her space.
Fortunately, Albert and William would be able to contact the authorities in the morning. Help would arrive soon.
Ryan, seeing Miranda's behavior, called out sharply, adding to Mary's statement, "If you don't want to eat, no one's forcing you. Cook your own food if you want. Do you not have arms or legs?"
Miranda's eyes instantly filled with tears. She covered her face and ran out.
Mary felt a surge of satisfaction. She liked it when her man stood firmly on her side.
After Miranda left, Mary finally ate. She and Ryan finished their bowls, then brought food to William and Albert.
The dozen or so criminals in the rooms had all been drugged earlier by Mary to prevent any escape attempts during the night. Letting these animals run free was out of the question.
Once everything was settled, Mary arranged simple sleeping places for the rescued women. Many of them hadn't slept under blankets in a long time, and tears quietly slid down their faces as they lay down.
They had spent countless nights on straw-infested cave floors, bugs crawling beneath them. Just the thought of it made them shiver.
When they heard that the police would arrive in the morning, hope finally bloomed in their eyes. Tomorrow meant they might be able to go home.
Mary and Ryan chose to sit outside on watch, wary of any unexpected trouble. Albert and William wanted to help, but Mary refused. They were injured and would need strength to report everything properly in the morning.
Under the quiet night sky, Mary leaned against Ryan and said softly, "They're so pitiful. These wounds will haunt them for the rest of their lives."
Ryan wrapped an arm around her. "At least we were here. Otherwise, they would've continued being tortured and sold like goods."
Mary lifted her head slightly. "Do you know people in public security? If some families refuse to take them back, I want to help them. Even if it's arranging work or letting them support themselves."
Her voice was calm, but her resolve was unmistakable.
Ryan thought for a moment before answering. "There should be. When we get back, I'll ask around and see who's responsible for this area."
Mary nodded. "Tonight, you and I should keep watch together. Even though they've all been drugged, accidents can still happen."
She spread a blanket on the ground and lay down beside him.
The night air was cool, and the forest was quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves.
Ryan looked at the girl lying next to him, a rare sense of contentment settling in his chest. In moments like this, he felt that everything he had endured before was worth it.
From a distance, Miranda watched the two of them. Seeing how close and comfortable they looked together made her chest feel tight and sour. She turned her face away, pretending not to care, but the bitterness lingered.
Albert noticed Miranda sitting alone, looking especially pitiful.
Hesitating for a moment, he walked over and sat down beside her. He took an apple from his pocket and handed it to her. He had found it earlier in one of the rooms and, thinking of Miranda's delicate appearance, had kept it without knowing why. Now it seemed almost fated.
Miranda had been sulking, but when she saw the apple and then Albert, her eyes immediately brightened. She accepted it and asked casually, "Which factory are you from?"
"Our factory's more than two hours away," Albert replied, clearly pleased. "Why do you ask?"
Miranda's thoughts raced. More than two hours away meant a neighboring county. That meant she still had a chance. She took another bite of the apple and asked again, "That man over there, is he your factory manager?" Then she pointed toward Mary. "And is that woman his wife?"
Seeing how interested Miranda seemed, Albert eagerly told her everything he knew about Ryan and Mary. He genuinely believed she was listening because she had a good impression of him.
In truth, Miranda was thinking something else entirely. A man who treated his wife so well, even shortly after marriage, was rare. On top of that, he was handsome and capable. Mary's face looked decent, but in Miranda's eyes, she was a bit too chubby and felt like that man was slightly high for Mary.
Her father was about to be promoted, and Ryan was also on the rise. If she could be with him… the thought made her heart flutter. She even imagined having a beautiful child with him, and a smile crept onto her face.
Albert, sitting beside her, was lost in his own dreams. After Ryan's promotion, he would surely be promoted as well. And Miranda was beautiful, far better than any village girl. If she could marry him, how wonderful that would be!
Lost in his fantasies, Albert didn't even notice when Miranda suddenly shoved the apple back into his hands and walked away without a word.
Confused, Albert took the apple and went over to William. Sitting down beside him, he recounted everything and asked anxiously, "What do you think she meant?"
William, who had never really been in a relationship, scratched his head. "She might be interested in you," he said seriously. "Do you think she'll come to the factory to look for you later?"
Seeing Albert deep in thought and unresponsive, William added, "Just go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow. Don't let your imagination run wild. That girl's background doesn't seem ordinary."
Nearby, Ryan watched Mary sleeping peacefully and felt reluctant to wake her. Thinking back on everything that had happened in the past few days, he couldn't help but feel grateful. If he had hesitated back then, he might have missed all of this.
It was almost four in the morning when Mary finally woke up. She frowned slightly and said, "Why didn't you wake me? I'll go wash my face. You should sleep for a while, or you won't have any energy later."
"I'm not tired," Ryan replied calmly. "I've worked overtime for days without sleep before."
Mary went out to wash her face. When she came back and saw Ryan still awake, she asked, "Why aren't you sleeping? I'll go into the mindscape and make you something to eat."
"Alright. Just be careful," Ryan said.
Mary entered the mindscape once more. The crops inside had grown again, wheat and corn glowing golden under the light. The sight filled her with satisfaction.
"Cleo, I'm back!" she called.
Cleo, who usually appeared in an instant, walked over slowly this time. "Master, you're bullying me. It took you so long to come back again."
Mary squatted down and stroked Cleo's head gently. "It won't happen again. By the way, can you leave the mindscape?"
"Just upgrade the mindscape a little more," Cleo replied, rolling over as Mary rubbed her belly.
Standing up, Mary harvested the ripe crops and planted another batch. Watching the grains and vegetables multiply so quickly made her smile. At this rate, she could come in to harvest every day.
Before cooking, she soaked in a bath inside the mindscape.
As warm water enveloped her, Mary let out a long sigh.