The longer Jasmine remained missing, the more Theodore felt a strange sense of calm settle in his heart.


    As time went on, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Jasmine’s chances of survival were dwindling rapidly.


    In contrast, Rueben wasn’t as easygoing as his father. He stood to the side, his voice low and anxious as he said, “Dad, we need to be cautious. Charlie still has a few tricks up his sleeve. We must ensure he doesn’t catch on to any clues.”


    Theodore nodded in agreement, “Absolutely. We just need to y our parts convincingly.”


    Rueben continued, “By the way, Dad, I’ve been feeling uneasytely. Where could Jasmine have gone? How is it possible that she’s still unounted for?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Theodore scoffed, “I suspect Jasmine is likely dead, though her body hasn’t been found yet.”


    Rueben quickly questioned, “What makes you so certain?”


    Theodore replied calmly, “In situations like this, survival statistics matter. When a person goes missing, the best chance of finding them is within the first 12 hours of their disappearance.”


    “If they aren’t found within those 12 hours, the likelihood of recovery decreases significantly over time.”


    “After 24 hours, the chances drop by at least half,” he exined. “And after 48 hours, they fall below 25%…”


    “As time passes, not only does the chance of finding someone diminish, but their chances of survival also shrink.”


    Continuing on, Theodore added, “You’ve probably seen some trending stories about missing persons on TikTok. Some people go for a jog and vanish; others get into a car and never arrive.”


    Rueben nodded, “Yes, those stories pop up frequently, almost like clockwork.”


    Theodore went on, “Typically, if a person isn’t found quickly, it often leads to grim oues.”


    “There are many well-meaning individuals online trying to help locate these missing people, but eventually, the news tends to turn tragic with reports of bodies being discovered.”<fn1ba5> The source of th?s content is f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn1ba5>


    “So, given how long Jasmine has been missing, it’s highly probable she has already died.”


    “Moreover, death can ur without any evidence to prove it,” he added. “And since we’re not the ones who harmed her—Hashimoto Jin was the one who orchestrated the attack—it will be even harder for anyone to trace this back to us. If trouble arises, isn’t it Hashimoto Kinshin who will protect us? If nothing happens on his end, we can breathe easy. If something does happen, we can simply make our escape.”


    Rueben felt reassured and responded with a smile, “In that case, we should keep in touch with Hashimoto to stay informed about his activities.”


    Theodore agreed, “Exactly. For us, Hashimoto Kinshin serves as our guiding light. If we see him in distress, we know we’re in trouble too. But if all seems well, we can rx.”


    With that, Theodore took out his cell phone and dialed Hashimoto Kinshin.


    The call connected swiftly.


    Hashimoto Kinshin frequently conducts business around the globe, so his phone operates on a GSM-like service, allowing him tomunicate no matter what country he finds himself in.