Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress novel Chapter 1780

Chapter 1780: Moles

"Penny!!"

Charles shouted from the boat, cutting across the ocean near the explosion site. "Penny!! It’s Dad!!"

He scanned the nearby boats, all searching the expanding radius around the blast zone. The aircraft had already crashed into the sea, now slowly sinking. All that remained above water was a thick column of black smoke and scattered fire.

"Major!" One of the soldiers pulled up beside Charles’s boat.

Charles turned sharply—it was Angelo. "Angelo, did you find them? Any leads?"

Angelo shook his head. "I’ve sent a dive team to search underwater. In case there’s..." He bit his tongue before finishing the sentence, ’in case they find Penny’s remains.’

"Keep looking," Charles growled, then suddenly grabbed Angelo by the collar and pulled him close. "My daughter can’t die. Do you hear me? If she does... all my children will."

Not just Zoren. All of them. Charles couldn’t endure that.

"No remains means good news," he muttered to himself. "That means they’re alive. Somewhere."

Angelo nodded quietly. "We’ll keep searching, Major."

Charles let him go, watching Angelo wave to his men to continue the sweep. They had limited equipment, but giving up was not an option. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Charles turned back to the sea. "Penny!!"

Her name echoed across the ocean as everyone joined in calling out, clinging to hope that she’d jumped before the missile struck. Even from that altitude, the fall into the ocean could’ve injured her, but if she survived, she could be drifting nearby.

Time passed. Still, no sign of Penny.

Divers resurfaced one after another empty-handed.

Still, no Penny.

Just when hope was starting to fade, one of the boats near the island’s rough side slowed down.

"I see someone," a crewman called, stopping the engine. He flicked his flashlight toward the base of the island cliff. "There—who is that?"

Two others grabbed their rifles, aiming toward the faint movement near a bush. A pair of legs could be seen sticking out from behind a rock.

"Radio the captain," the first man said while slowly steering the boat closer. "Miss Penny? Are you there? We’re with your father, Major Charles Bennet. Miss Penny?"

When the boat reached the rocky edge, one of the men scrambled up with effort. He turned and pulled his partner up, both cautiously approaching the bush.

As they got closer, their expressions darkened. They exchanged glances... then looked down.

*****

When Charles got the call from Angelo about a sighting, he didn’t waste a second. Several boats rushed toward the jagged shore where the team had reported in. The area was too rough to dock, so the men helped Charles climb up the steep rock.

Fueled by adrenaline, Charles made it up with ease.

He arrived at the small clearing where the men were waiting.

"Where?" he barked, with Angelo close behind him.

The two scouts stepped aside, revealing three men cuffed together. Two of them were wrapped in gauze like mummies.

Charles frowned. "Who the hell are these guys?"

He marched forward, eyes scanning the injured group. Only one of them wasn’t bandaged like a mummy, but that man’s mouth was gagged and his nose clearly broken.

Charles grabbed the gagged man by the collar and ripped the cloth from his mouth. The man gasped for air, and before he could get a fourth breath, Charles pressed a pistol to his forehead.

"Where’s my daughter?" he demanded, no patience for games. "Who are you?"

The man lifted his eyes in terror. "Please don’t kill me. I—I changed sides an hour ago!" (Or rather, was forced to.)

Charles narrowed his eyes.

"Miss Penny..." the man panted, and Charles’s heart skipped. "She—she wrote something. She left a note. It’s in my pocket."

Everyone instinctively glanced at the pocket, but Angelo raised a hand.

"Sir, allow one of my men—"

"There’s no time." Charles ignored him and reached into the man’s pocket himself. Several men stepped back, half-expecting a bomb or a grenade.

[To whoever finds this, I am fine. ^.^

Also, take these guys to the hospital. Two of them were dying — I don’t want to go to jail! My mom will scold me.

With love,

Alias P.

It’s not Penny. I’m not Penny, so don’t go after me if you’re the enemy.]

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