âWait, seriously? Something really got stolen?â
Ryan was taken aback by the sudden change in the foremanâs expression.
After all, this was just one of the many guesses he had. If it wasnât this, there were plenty of other things to try. But who wouldâve thought his intuition would be so spot-on, hitting the mark on the first try?
âMr. Ryan, if I may ask, this is a pretty serious matter. How did you know?â
The foreman couldnât help but be serious. The stolen item wasnât just any ordinary thing. Only the site management and Miss Alice shouldâve known about it.
Their conversation caught Miaâs attention. She had been watching from the sidelines, just waiting for Ryan to mess up so she could swoop in and help, making him admire her. That was her plan.
But now, her brows furrowed slightly. Something felt off.
Judging by the foremanâs serious expression, whatever was stolen definitely wasnât something trivial. Even Mia, who was usually well-informed, hadnât heard anything about this.
If she didnât know, then hardly anyone else couldâve known either.
Did Ryan really just guess right?
Or⦠did Alice tell him?
Both Mia and the foreman focused their gazes on Ryan, waiting for his explanation.
This was way more important than just mixing up the workersâ dorms earlier. And yet, Ryan still looked so calm. Could it be that he really had everything under control?
Mia leaned in closer to Ryan, her big eyes filled with curiosity, staring at him so intensely that it made his skin crawl a little.
âI guessed.â
âYou guessed?â
The foreman looked skeptical, clearly not buying Ryanâs explanation.
âIf Alice told you ahead of time, just admit it. Is there really a need to act all mysterious?â the foreman thought to himself.
âYeah, just a guess.â
Ryan casually rubbed his nose, responding nonchalantly. But the more laid-back he acted, the more Mia felt like something was off. Ryan was definitely hiding something from her.
The three of them had reached the office by now. Ryan sniffed the air slightly. Even though his skill worked through sight, he still wanted to see if he could catch a whiff of that metallic, bloody scent.
Unfortunately, the bloodstains had faded after a few days of wind and rain. Even with his skill, they were barely noticeable.
âWhat exactly was stolen?â
Ryan stepped into the office. The setup was pretty basic, as expected for a temporary space.
It was a container-like structure, the kind of makeshift room youâd see all over construction sites, made from insulated panels. If the foreman hadnât pointed it out, Ryan wouldnât have been able to tell the difference between this and the workersâ dorms.
If he couldnât tell, then the worker from before probably couldnât eitherâunless it was premeditated.
âMr. Ryan, thisâ¦â
Ryan turned to look at the foreman, whose face had grown a bit awkward.
Even though Alice had already told him that Ryan had the same level of authority as her, this situation was no small matter. And Ryan claiming he just âguessedâ made it all the more suspicious.
Seeing the foremanâs hesitation, Ryan didnât push him to speak. Instead, he turned back and began inspecting the office more closely.
The bloodstains disappeared once they entered the office. That was the limitation of his A-rank skillâit was powerful, but only up to a point. If he wanted to figure out where the person had stopped or lingered, it wasnât going to be possible.
The office layout was simple. The ground floor was spacious, with seven or eight workstations neatly arranged. The desk in the center, piled high with documents, caught Ryanâs attention.
âIf someoneâs stealing something, theyâd probably go for the most valuable stuff, right?â
Mia strolled over to Ryan, giving him a playful wink before heading straight for the central desk. Before the foreman could stop her, she was already flipping through the papers.
Not that stopping her wouldâve made a difference. Even if Alice were here, Mia wouldnât necessarily listen to her. So what chance did the foreman have?
âRyan, come over and take a look.â
Mia glanced at the rolled-up blueprints in her hands, barely giving them a second look before tossing them aside. She wasnât interested in those at all.
What she was interested in, though, was whether Ryan actually knew somethingâand if so, how he knew it.
After going home last night, she had reflected on everything that had happened during the day. Like Alice, she had noticed something unusual about Ryan. She was becoming more and more curious about whether he could really turn things around.
He hadnât been taken seriously during the meeting before, but heâd ended up surprising everyone with an answer no one had expected. Could he do it again this time?
Ryan approached the desk, while Mia casually hopped up onto it, sitting down and watching him with great interest.
Ryan could feel her eyes on him, and it made him a little uneasyâlike when a teacher pulls up a chair right next to you during an exam and watches you write.
âIs there a connection between the stolen item and that guy getting hurt?â
Miaâs bright eyes were fixed on Ryanâs profile. Sheâd always heard people say that men look their best when theyâre focused, but sheâd never believed it. Now, though, she was starting to see the appeal.
Thinking back on her time with Ryan, it had always been pretty chaotic. This was the first time sheâd quietly observed him like this.
Her gaze was intense, and Ryan, feeling the heat rise to his face, turned his head away, a little uncomfortable.
But Mia wasnât about to let him off that easily. She shifted her position on the desk, scooting back into his line of sight. Propping her chin up with her hands, she looked at him with what seemed like genuine curiosity, waiting for his answer.
The foreman, standing off to the side, couldnât help but twitch at the sight. It wasnât just because of Miaâs behaviorâit was because she was sitting on his desk. Seeing the blueprints crumpled under her made his heart ache.
Maybe I should just tell Ryan what was stolen, he thought. At least that way, we can stop this circus.
But before he could say anything, Ryanâs response left everyone stunned. It was completely different from what they had initially thought.
âThe guy was after the stolen item. Getting hurt was just an accident.â
Ryanâs voice was calm and confident, just like before. The foremanâs first instinct was to dismiss it, but when Ryanâs gaze swept over him, he froze in place.
âAt first, I thought the workerâs injury was just tied to the other workersâ demands for a raise. But now, itâs clear that was just a coincidence.â
âThe stolen item isnât valuable in terms of money, but itâs crucial. Without it, the project could face serious delays.â
âIf I were the thief, I wouldnât complicate things. Iâd take the item and leave as quickly as possible.â
Ryan spoke as if he were thinking out loud, reaching over to tug at the third drawer on the right side of the desk. The lock had been broken, clearly forced open. This was the clue that had led Ryan to his conclusion.
The injured worker hadnât registered any information at the site. If heâd gone to the medical office, his identity wouldâve been checked, and his cover blown. There was no way he couldâve completed his mission after that.
The injury had been an accident, but it had forced the thief to speed up his plan. Thatâs why, despite being hurt, heâd come to the office and, when no one was around, violently broke open the drawer to steal the item heâd been after all along.
Ryan didnât even glance at the foreman. He didnât need toâhe could already imagine the manâs expression. He was probably standing there with his jaw on the floor.
Ryan had figured out everything he could at this point. If the foreman didnât tell him what had been stolen, there wasnât much more he could do.
But still, heâd set the stage. From here on out, things would move at his pace.