Chapter 183: Finding Someone

Irene narrowed her eyes and took a few steps back. From the looks of it, Mag seemed to have gone mad. Her previous threats were effective only against those with rational minds. Faced with a lunatic like Mag, Irene didn't want to risk breaking Mag's arm or getting her face scratched. Just then, Stefan burst through the door with a bang. Mag, startled, curled up in a corner, hugging her knees, and stared at Irene with a terrified expression, mumbling, "It's the devil, the devil..." Stefan put his arm around Irene's shoulders and asked, "Are you okay?" Irene shook her head and placed her hand over Stefan's. Mag continued to mutter to herself, "Jojo, you must study hard, live well, then Mommy will be happy. You should wear the prettiest dresses and marry the best person." She started shaking her head frantically again, making Harper, who was watching, worry that Mag might actually break her neck from the violent movement. "No, no, no, that's not right! I didn't have a daughter! I had a son! A son!" Mag suddenly laughed, making a motion as if she were cradling a baby, saying, "Son, let Mommy hold you. Oh, you're so cute..." Stefan gently pulled Irene out of the room. It was clear that Mag had lost her mind. However, Irene knew that the real problem wasn’t with Mag but with Klan. Irene sighed inwardly. The soldiers had taken Klan to the hospital for a check-up before he would be sent to prison. One of the tests revealed that Klan had a significantly low sperm count, 80% below the average. Mag couldn't have children because of Klan's infertility. Standing in the private room on the top floor of the town’s hospital, Irene looked out the window. Behind her, Itha lay sleeping, while in front of her, the view opened up to the village, where the occasional red roof peeked through the lush greenery. The outdated customs of this village extended far beyond just human trafficking. What would happen to the village's future? Irene couldn’t predict or control it. It would depend on whether the next mayor had the ability to address these issues. She had come to this village hoping to bring about some change, even if it was just planting a seed of thought. If the girls in the village saw her and heard her story, maybe some smart and brave girls would one day want to leave the mountains, the village, and see the outside world, changing the age-old customs of their families. True freedom is the freedom of the mind. It’s the strong will of a person that leads them to a broader world. Her visit wasn’t in vain. At least she had saved many people. But what was wrong with Mag? Was it really a curse? Irene wasn’t sure. She wasn’t an expert in mysticism, though she had read some books out of interest, but not extensively. Whatever was happening to Mag wasn't something that could be easily accomplished. But why hadn’t anything similar happened to Klan? Klan had confessed everything without resistance, cooperating fully. Nothing strange had happened to Klan. This was a significant and costly operation, not something an individual could accomplish alone. Only a large organization could afford to employ such a curse-maker, perhaps even ones from both Western and Eastern mystical traditions. If such an organization truly existed, Irene needed to be on guard. She had created a darknet that encompassed hackers worldwide, yet this was the first time she had encountered hints of such an organization. Irene's thoughts went even deeper. Stefan's gun had also been tampered with in a similar way. This organization seemed like a lurking beast in the darkness, watching everyone’s every move and occasionally revealing a few whiskers, leaving vague and elusive clues. This was the second time Irene had felt its presence. A subtle, almost imperceptible pain pricked Irene's heart, like a needle gently piercing her. It wasn’t a good sign. But right now, her most pressing task was to retrieve her hairband. Irene pushed aside these thoughts and looked up, meeting Stefan’s gentle and concerned gaze. His caring expression made Irene feel a warm, comforting sensation in her heart. So, this is what it feels like to be cared for by someone? Irene smiled and leaned lightly against Stefan. Later that evening, Stefan’s secretary had arranged a hotel, and Irene and Emma shared a room. Initially, Stefan had offered them two separate rooms, but Emma wasn’t keen on the idea. After everything that had happened, Emma felt more at ease staying with Irene. It wasn’t that Emma was scared; rather, being with Irene helped reduce her stress responses. Otherwise, Irene genuinely worried that if a hotel staff member knocked on the door, Emma might do something irrational, like knocking them out. That night, after Emma had fallen asleep, Irene sat up in bed and sent a text message. At that moment, Hausman was at home, watching his younger brother. Earlier, Hausman’s father had been motivated by Irene’s recent academic achievements. With the family business already handed over to Hausman, his father had little to do other than entertain himself and pressure Hausman’s younger brother with extra schoolwork. When Irene's message came through, Hausman straightened up, his usual lazy demeanor replaced with alertness. He immediately texted back. "Boss, whatever you need, just say the word!" "Why did you head out to that village without telling me? I could have helped you out there!" Hausman was a bit envious. How come his subordinates had met with the boss, reporting their movements and plans, and mentioned that the boss was there too, while he had heard nothing? Irene, used to Hausman’s casual attitude with his own people, got straight to the point. "Find someone for me. In the eastern district of City A, last name Ross. He used to deal in antiques, but his current occupation is unclear." Hausman, though almost certain that the Irene he had met earlier was indeed the boss, decided to ask one more question just to be sure. "Boss, your recent test results were amazing!" Irene was a bit confused by the sudden flattery. That was ages ago. If he was going to suck up, he should’ve done it sooner. She responded, "Are you angling to train the newbies again? Stop stealing others’ jobs, or they’ll keep coming to me to complain." Hausman chuckled. As expected, Irene was indeed the boss! No one else knew about this, right? Just him! Hausman was thoroughly satisfied with this knowledge. As for others, like Emma, Hausman didn’t even consider them a threat. To him, Emma was just a kid who hadn’t grown up yet. From what Hausman knew about Irene, she was taking care of Emma like a child, not because of her capabilities. Haha! Hausman thought, I am truly the boss’s most reliable right-hand man! Meanwhile, Hausman's younger brother, Faure Turner, stared at him in horror as Hausman worked on his homework with an odd expression. Is my big brother going crazy?