Conquering The Game's World

"So, how are we going to start?" Alicia asked.

Diana showed a thoughtful look, then frowned. "I got no idea. Can't we just ask the professor for a hint?"

Luis was speechless at Diana's suggestion. Then, shaking his head, he said. "Let's first check out the area where the children disappeared the most."

Alicia nodded, agreeing with him. As for Diana, she reluctantly glanced around, looking for the professor. She was still hesitating whether to ask for a hint. But seeing Luis and Alicia leave, she followed them behind.

It wasn't difficult for them to get the information when they started asking around. The beast-kin were more than happy to help. A beast-woman named Mira even guided them and answered all their questions. Apparently, her child had also gone missing two days ago.

"In this area, a lot of children disappeared. There is a playground nearby, which is why many children come here. My daughter Ashly also… disappeared around here. I don't know… what state she will be in." Mira started choking up as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Miss Mira, we will bring your daughter back to you," Luis assured with a serious expression.

"Please, I beg you." Mira bowed, knowing very well that these humans were the help that the mayor called for, and they were the ones who could save her daughter.

Alicia pitied Mira's situation, but they didn't have time to comfort her. After all, the time limit is only 3 hours, from which 15 minutes have passed already.

She turned to look at the thoughtful Luis beside her. "This area is closer to the forest. Since the children aren't in the town, they are most probably taken through the forest route."

Luis nodded at her words. "Yeah, but the question is, which direction? The west forest is big, spread across an area of around 320 square miles. There's no village or town in between until we see the ocean, right?" When he said that, he also glanced at Mira as if asking for confirmation.

"Yes, the Rat-branch people used to live there, but they moved out decades ago." Mira nodded while wiping her tears.

"Hmm, if there's nothing there, then will the kidnappers take that route?" Alicia frowned. "Just who are these kidnappers? Since they kidnapped so many children in such a brief span of time, then it's most probably the work of an organization."

"It can also be the work of some weird magic," Diana added, to which Alicia also nodded seriously.

At that moment, Mira said, "We also let some dog-branch people from town try tracing the children's smell, but they couldn't find anything. It's as if all their smell also disappeared along with them."

"So, they made preparations for anti-smell tracking." Luis squinted his eyes. "That means they executed this mass kidnapping after proper planning."

***

Olivia on the side was watching everything expressionlessly. 'Although they are slowly getting on the right track. This is not enough to find the kidnappers.'

'Even if you know the kidnappers used the forest's route, can you find them? When you don't even know which direction they went.'

'*Sigh* Maybe I expected too much of them. It's already been 20 minutes and they are still in the town. At this rate, they won't be able to catch those kidnappers at all.'

'I should have given them some hints after all.' She shook her head. 'Let's just wait for them to ask for my help and end this mission.'

At this moment, she heard Alicia and Luis' conversation, which made her feel unexpected.

***

Alicia was looking at the map in her mana bracelet, as she said, "Luis, is it the South Forest? After all, although that forest is also big. It's connected to Chimut town and Malah town. For the kidnappers, using the south forest is more probable than the west forest, right?"

"Yes, they executed such a plan in a hurry. They are bound to leave some clues." Luis agreed. Then said, "I am going to focus the search on the south forest along with Lily. Alicia, you observe the west forest with her."

Alicia understood what Luis meant, so she nodded with a serious expression.

The other people had confused expressions on their faces. Diana looked like a lost cat who didn't know what to do, so Luis said. "Diana, you assist Alicia with the search."

"Yes, sir!" Diana happily went near Alicia. "You can count on me, Alicia." Her expression conveyed that she was ready to follow her command.

"Um, yes." Alicia nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by her enthusiasm.

Mira didn't understand how just the three of them were going to search the entire forest, but she didn't ask questions so as not to disturb them. She doesn't care about the process or the methods they used, as long as they can find her daughter safe and sound. She would always be thankful to them.

Olivia, who was inconspicuous, frowned. 'How are they going to search both the forests? Are they stupid? The time they have is only a few hours, not days or a week. Are they trying to leave everything to luck?'

'Diana, I can tell is a little na?ve. But Luis and Alicia are smart. They shouldn't have made such a stupid decision.'

'Did I assess them wrong from the beginning?' She couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

Then their next actions made her even more incomprehensible. 'Why are going towards that café? Weren't they going to search the forests?'

Olivia couldn't understand what they were thinking at all. 'Should I just end their mission early and go save those kids?'

'… No, let's wait and see. I have already asked Hena to do me a favor. Since they still have time. I should see how they are going to do their search while sitting inside a café.' Thinking so, Olivia followed them behind inside.

***

Inside the café, a cat girl welcomed Luis and the others. "Welcome to Maiden's Café!"

'Wow, a cat girl! Won't she Nya~?' Luis thought, but on the outside, he said with a calm expression. "A table for four. We don't want any disturbances around us. Can you do that?"

When the cat girl heard Luis' words and saw Mira beside them, she immediately understood the situation.

"Yes, please come. Don't worry, we won't let anyone disturb you."

With a serious expression on her face, the cat girl took them to an empty table and after taking the order, she left. She also asked the customers at the tables near them to leave their seats. When the customers saw the humans, they knew these people were the ones who came to save the children of their town. So, they left their seats in understanding so as not to bother them.

Alicia and Diana sat together, while Luis and Mira sat opposite them.

"Um, Mr. Luis, I don't want to offend you. But aren't you going to look for the children? Why did we come to this café?" Mira asked with some hesitation and worry in the voice. 'Are they hungry? I don't want to stop them from eating, but I am worried about Ashly.'

"Don't worry, Miss Mira. That is what we are here for. Just wait and see," Luis said with a calm expression, assuring her.

Olivia, who heard his confident words, couldn't help but be curious. 'Does this kid have something in mind?' She was sitting far away from them but as an Overlord Rank. Her hearing was powerful, so she could hear their conversation without a problem.

At this moment, she heard Alicia's sentence. That made her curious.

"Luis, just take out your drones. So, we can start." Alicia said with a neutral expression, but her voice sounded impatient.

"Yes," Luis tapped on his mana bracelet. The next moment, dozens of button-like things appeared on the table. "I have brought 90 of them. Let's use 25 to search in the west forest and the rest for the south forest."

'These button-like things are drones?' Everyone thought at the same time. Olivia was very interested in these said drones. 'It's my first time seeing this kind of drone. Is this the technology of the Suarez Family?' As she thought of this, she became annoyed and clicked her tongue, 'Tsk, rich kids!'

"Hm, okay." Alicia nodded with a serious expression. Then, tapping on her mana bracelet, she said, "Let's do this, Lily!"

{Yes, Sister Alicia!} Lily's sweet voice sounded from her mana bracelet.

"Um, hello Lily?"

{Hello, Miss Diana!}

"You know me?" Diana expressed surprise.

{Yes, Sister Alicia told me about you, but let's talk about this later. We should focus on the task at hand.}

"Yes, you are right," Diana said with a serious expression. 'Is she Alicia's sister? Her voice sounds so childish.'

Not only Diana, but even Mira and Olivia thought the same. Because Lily sounded just like a normal person, albeit a little childish. They thought she was some technical expert by Luis' side, who was going to help them in this mission.

They assumed Alicia was on a call. It could never have occurred to them that Lily was, in fact, an AI.