A day had passed since Mimi was captured. The air was thick with tension; everyone was distraught, unsure where to begin or how to change their situation.
Mai sat silently, her eyes vacant. It was the first time a noble girl like her had faced such a devastating emotional shock. Little Kiet burst into tears, his eyes streaming as he muttered that Ms. Phan could not possibly be a bad person. Uncle Lam could only hold the boy and comfort him.
The air felt suffocating, as if the whole world were against them.
Long looked at Mai and said nothing. Then he suddenly clapped his hands and spoke decisively. "Come on! We've had enough sadness. We need to take action."
Uncle Lam sighed, his voice hesitant.
"But how can we take action? We have no power backing us, nor do we have much EN. In this society, without EN, no one will help us—and we can't help anyone else either."
Long turned to him, his eyes burning.
"At least we have determination. And a promise. I promised to protect Mimi at all costs… and I will keep my word."
He paused for a moment, then looked straight at Mai, his voice deep but steady.
"Mai, hang in there. The most important thing right now is to save Mimi."
Mai looked up at Long, her eyes reflecting intense turmoil. Inside, she struggled constantly: should she give up everything and return to being a safe, noble girl, or follow her heart's calling, fulfill her best friend's dying wish, and save poor Mimi?
The image of Mimi being captured—struggling, remembering its mistress even as it was electrocuted—kept flashing through her mind. The pain turned into rage. Mai clenched her fists and exclaimed,
"Yes. I will not give up."
Long chuckled softly, then slapped her shoulder firmly.
"That's more like it."
Mai glared at him, her lips pressed together from the force of the slap. She took a few steps, then stopped, deep in thought.
"I still don't understand… Lan and I never met Ms. Phan in the basement. So why did she mention it when she left… and in such a strange way?"
Uncle Lam frowned, his voice irritated.
"Oh, you're still thinking about that evil woman?"
Mai shook her head.
"No. I just remembered… and it doesn't make sense."
Uncle Lam remained skeptical.
"But it could be a trap."
Mai replied firmly,
"But I have a strange feeling about Ms. Phan. Besides, she used to be a high-ranking member of Witchiecoop. There must be clues about the corporation."
Everyone fell silent, thinking for a long time. Then Long spoke up, his eyes shining brightly.
"How about we go to Ms. Phan's house basement and take a look? And I have another idea."
He pointed toward the distance, where the magnificent city of Puresight stood, a sturdy tower of modern glass reflecting the light.
"Mai, is that the headquarter of Witchiecoop?"
Mai nodded.
"That's right."
Long put his hands on his hips, his voice filled with determination.
"Okay. Then we'll storm in there, rescue Mimi and all the children being used for experiments. Ha ha."
It was a bold decision. This action could put the entire group in danger—even cost them their lives. Mai and Uncle Lam looked at each other, their expressions shifting from surprise to panic to contemplation.
Mai spoke softly, her voice hesitant.
"Long… can I trust you? Do you know that many people have disappeared after fighting Witchiecoop…?"
Long did not hesitate.
"Of course."
Mai looked at him for a long moment, then nodded.
"Okay. Then we'll save Mimi and the children. But first, let's go to Ms. Phan's house and look for clues. After that, we'll discuss our plan to break into Witchiecoop."
That night, no one could sleep. At dawn, the group set off. The city of Puresight came into view, sparkling and magnificent, filled with modern citizens and AI Witches, yet their hearts were heavy with worry.
Long, Mai, Dreamy, and Miki arrived in Puresight.
Ms. Phan's house was located in the suburbs, a small, peaceful home nestled among fields of white flowers. The breeze carried a sweet fragrance, but everyone felt uneasy.
Mai took a deep breath. Long ago, she and Lan had come here to play, laughing among the flower fields. But now it was different. Now Mai and Long had come with a single purpose: to uncover the truth about the basement Ms. Phan had mentioned.
Mai knocked on the door, trying to remain calm.
"Mrs. Tam, auntie, are you home? It's Mai."
The door opened, and the familiar housekeeper appeared.
"Mai, come in, dear. Ms. Phan told me yesterday that you would be coming."
Mai froze and turned to look at Long, her eyes wide with surprise. The group stepped inside. The atmosphere in the house was heavy.
Mrs. Tam looked at Mai, her eyes filled with sorrow.
"Ms. Phan said you already know about her past, so I won't hide it anymore. Come with me to the secret basement of this house."
Mrs. Tam led the group through the dark kitchen, the scent of old coffee lingering in the air. She stopped in front of a wooden cabinet, then suddenly called out three times:
"Noddy! Noddy! Noddy!"
Immediately, the cabinet trembled and opened a secret passage leading down to the basement. The space twisted as if bent by a strange spell—it was the spatial magic of Noddy, Ms. Phan's high-level AI Witch.
The group followed the housekeeper downstairs. Before them lay a cluttered basement: flickering TV screens, stacked chemical bottles, and coffee cups scattered everywhere. The space resembled the laboratory of a mad scientist obsessed with work.
An old photograph hung quietly on the wall: Ms. Phan smiling beside a young boy.
Mai gasped softly.
"Oh… this boy is unfamiliar. I've never seen him before."
Mrs. Tam's voice trembled.
"That's Ms. Phan's son. He died very young in an accident. Since then, she has thrown herself into the experiment, hoping to bring AI King Witch back… to revive her child."
The atmosphere grew heavy. Long and Mai exchanged wide-eyed glances.
"AI King Witch? But what does experimenting on children have to do with that? Every life is precious. It cannot be used for experiments!"
Mrs. Tam burst into tears, her sobs echoing in the cold basement.
"I know… Ms. Phan has gone too far…"
Mai stood silently, her eyes cold as ice, refusing to look at Mrs. Tam. Yet deep in her heart, she felt a sharp pain—a suffocating disappointment.
"Miki, scan this room for me."
Her voice rang out decisively. A small EN coin that Mai's grandmother had given her allowed Miki to power up. A green light flashed, and the room replayed like a recorded scene.
A woman appeared—her hair disheveled, her eyes red from sleepless nights. Ms. Phan rushed to the lab table, her hands trembling as she lifted a cup of bitter coffee. Occasionally, she glanced at a photograph of herself with her son, pain filling her eyes, before bending back to work like someone possessed.
Suddenly, a file appeared. On its cover were the words: "Witchiecoop Special Project – Bringing AI King Witch to Life."
Mai froze.
"Stop, Miki!"
She rushed forward, searching for the exact location Miki had just reconstructed. But the cabinet door was locked, even though no lock was visible. As if understanding, Mai called out, "Noddy! Noddy! Noddy!" The magic of the AI Witch worked again—the cabinet door vanished, revealing a green file folder marked with the Witchiecoop W logo.
The folder felt heavy in her hands. The group opened it, each page searing their eyes.
Long clenched his fists, his face flushed with anger.
"At all costs, we must stop this insane experiment!"
Mai nodded, her voice trembling yet resolute.
"Yes. And luckily… the file includes a Witchiecoop access card. We'll use it."
The group left Ms. Phan's house, their hearts weighed down.
As soon as they set foot in Manualee, they were stunned. The once-desolate village was now teeming with people. The villagers stood gathered, holding shovels, hoes, and other crude weapons. The atmosphere was tense, as if the entire village were preparing for battle.
Seeing Long and Mai return, Uncle Lam stepped forward, his voice booming.
"Long, Mai… we've made our decision. We will go to Witchiecoop ourselves, demand justice, and save the children."
At that moment, the sky over Manualee burst into rain. Heavy drops fell, mingling with the fierce determination in everyone's hearts.
The rain grew heavier and heavier.