When the exaggerated screams from Nino and the others briefly and piercingly cut through the air before swiftly disappearing down the end of the corridor, the four girls left behind did not show the expected panic.
Instead Alya's lips curved into a knowing smile. She understood instantly.
The boys, especially Mark and Nathan, were not acting so dramatically as if they had seen a ghost because they were scared.
They were doing it on purpose.
They must have guessed that everyone who was captured would likely be gathered in the same place, and Jaden would certainly be there too.
Therefore, their action, which was ostensibly "being captured," was actually a "sneak-in," aimed at finding Jaden and confirming his safety.
As for Kim, he was probably just following along without fully understanding the situation.
She glanced around at Alix, Rose, and Juleka beside her.
Seeing that although they looked slightly nervous, there was no real fear deep in their eyes, but rather a look of "so that's it," Alya knew she wasn't the only one who had seen through the clumsy performance.
"Looks like you guys also figured out their'scheme,'" Alya said in a low voice, using the tone of an insider.
"The boys' performance was far too exaggerated."
Alix crossed her arms and offered a cool assessment, "Suddenly shouting and screaming, Max suddenly starting to analyze things, plus Nino's ridiculous stunt just now... anyone could tell something was off, right?"
"They..."
Rose's voice carried a hint of worry, but more so, a sweet feeling of being protected. "They probably want to go find Jaden and confirm his safety, right?
They must feel that they can't back down at a time like this."
"So what do we do now?" Juleka asked softly. Although she had noticed the clue, she was still uneasy facing the unknown situation.
She looked at Alya, thought for a moment, and then proposed a bold idea: "Alya, why don't we... just get kidnapped too?
Anyway, Hawk Moth's targets are only Ladybug and Cat Noir. Capturing us is probably just because this Akumatized Person needs hostages or energy or something.
Afterward, Ladybug's Miraculous Restoration will fix everything."
"No way!" Rose and Alix objected almost simultaneously.
"We can't cause trouble in this situation!"
Rose's tone was firm; she didn't want to become a burden to Jaden or the heroes.
Alya also felt Juleka's idea was a bit naive. But then she thought of the "little move" she had made earlier with her phone, and a cunning smile appeared on her face.
"Juleka's idea isn't completely unreasonable, but it's definitely too risky."
She whispered to the three girls, "However, I have a backup plan. In a moment, listen for my command, and we'll run in separate directions.
I bet that monster will catch all of us.
When that happens, we should all be taken to the same place.
Don't worry, it should be safe. If it wanted to do something to us, it wouldn't have just captured people earlier.
Akumatized Persons don't usually hesitate like that."
Just as her voice trailed off,
"Is everyone alright?"
A clear, powerful shout came from overhead.
Immediately after, a red figure "descended from the sky," landing deftly in front of them. It was Ladybug.
Ladybug flicked the yo-yo in her hand, striking a standard hero pose, her face etched with anxious and concerned expressions.
"Ladybug!" the four girls exclaimed simultaneously.
Alya groaned inwardly. It was over; her "kidnapping" plan, which would have allowed her to logically get to Jaden, had died in the womb.
But she reacted extremely fast, immediately slipping into the role of "on-site witness."
She rushed forward and rapidly reported the situation to Ladybug: "Ladybug! You came just in time!
The boys in our class, and Jaden, have all been captured!
It seems like all the students who were still in the school have disappeared!
We don't know what the Akumatized Person looks like, but it seems to be able to use some kind of purple slime to grab people!"
Ladybug listened to Alya's report, her face showing shock and seriousness.
She thought: I didn't expect this Akumatized Person to capture so many people in such a short time! Jaden was captured too... No, I must save him quickly!
"Don't worry, I will definitely save everyone!"
She made a hero's promise to the girls. "But right now, I must take you to a safe place first, lest you also fall into the Akumatized Person's hands!"
As she spoke, she raised her yo-yo, preparing to smash the window covered in purple slime.
She intended to break a hole, send these four "last survivors" out one by one, and then stay behind to deal with the unknown monster herself.
However, just as she made her move, a lazy, slightly teasing voice came from the shadow behind her.
"I suggest you save your strength, My Lady."
Everyone turned around to see Cat Noir leaning lazily against the wall in the shadows, his emerald cat eyes flashing cunningly in the dim light.
"I already tried,"
He pointed to a spot of purple slime on the corner that had solidified into a hard shell. "This stuff, while sticky when first sprayed, becomes firmer than steel once it dries a bit. Unless..."
He held up his right hand, which was shimmering with destructive energy. "I use Cataclysm, otherwise, your yo-yo won't break it."
As he said this, His gaze fell upon Ladybug's face, but it seemed somewhat evasive and uncertain.
He couldn't figure out if the person in front of him was the Ladybug of his world, or the Ladybug from the parallel world who had been intimately close to his other self during battle.
He decided to test her.
He slowly stepped forward, approaching Ladybug, wearing Cat Noir's slightly frivolous smile, leaning forward slightly, attempting to make a familiar gesture he would normally make when interacting with "My Lady."
However, as soon as he took one step closer, he was met with a pair of icy blue eyes that seemed capable of frosting over.
"You have time to chat here?"
Ladybug's voice was devoid of warmth, filled with impatience and disgust. "Can't you see everyone is missing? Get away from me!"
Seeing the genuine, unfeigned look of disgust and anxiety on her face, Cat Noir understood instantly.
He took a step back and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender: "Alright, alright, I get it."
Well, this was definitely the Ladybug of this world.
After all, the other Ladybug would only express her distance with stiff, fake movements and expressions, never with such vivid and natural aversion.
He told himself this in his mind... Meanwhile, in a corner, a monster the size of a palm, resembling a miniature salamander, was quietly taking it all in.
Its third eye blinked, seemingly tallying the numbers silently.
One, two, three, four, five, six... Wait, a few seemed to be missing.
Through the psychic link with the Fear Monster, Hawk Moth, far away in another dimension in his lair, voiced his confusion.
"Cat Noir and Ladybug? How did they manage to arrive at the school so quickly?"
He muttered to himself in the empty lair.
Based on the details Nathalie reminded him to watch out for, he could confirm through the Fear Monster that nothing had happened near the school that would draw the heroes' attention.
Yet now, so soon after the screams began, both heroes had appeared on the scene.
Moreover, judging from the perspective transmitted by the Sentimonster, there were no signs of violent intrusion into the school.
Therefore, there was only one plausible explanation.
A thought that made him tremble with excitement surfaced in his mind.
—These two heroes were already inside the school! They are students at this school!
"Soon... I will soon learn your true identities!"
His voice was distorted by excitement. He immediately commanded: "Nathalie! Immediately prepare a list of all students at François Dupont High School for me! Hurry!"
Nathalie quickly retrieved the data and projected it onto the light screen.
Hawk Moth began the process of elimination.
First, those captured by the "Fear Monster" could be eliminated.
Then, the four girls still present at the scene could also be temporarily eliminated.
Finally, His gaze fell upon the short remaining list.
Incredulously, he read out the name he had been obsessing over, word by word.
"A... dri... en..."
How could this be?
How could it be him?
His son, Alternate Adrien, was actually Cat Noir, the one who had constantly opposed him and hindered him from resurrecting Emilie?
Impossible! Something must be wrong!
His mind was in chaos.
His brain told him it was absurd, yet his reason told him that all evidence pointed to this single, yet most improbable, answer.
But what... what if it was true?
Then the black cat miraculous he had been desperately searching for was actually within arm's reach.
If it was Alternate Adrien, he had countless ways to easily obtain that ring.
Then, as long as he engineered a way to capture Ladybug and take her earrings, he could gather both ultimate miraculous.
At that time, his beloved Emilie could return to his side!
But what if it wasn't? What if this was just a coincidence?
He fell into difficult contemplation.
Just then, a new conversation transmitted from the Terror Monster interrupted his thoughts.
Inside the school, Rose asked Ladybug a question: "Ladybug, how did you... get here?
I mean, isn't the outside completely wrapped up in that pink stuff, turning it into an airtight prison?"
This question struck Ladybug's heart like a heavy hammer.
She was instantly speechless and flustered.
Yes, how did she get in?
She hadn't gone out at all! She couldn't possibly say that she was a student at this school and was present when the Akumatization incident occurred, right?
Just as her mind went blank, unsure how to cover up the lie, Cat Noir, standing nearby, spoke up lazily once again.
"That is, of course, because,"
He pointed to Alya beside him, His tone returning to its usual easygoing manner, "I received an emergency distress signal sent by this 'Ladybug' blogger.
She posted a warning on her blog that an Akumatized Person might appear at the school, which is why I rushed over immediately."
Ladybug immediately caught on and quickly chimed in: "That's right! I also came after receiving the distress signal!"
Rose, Juleka, and Alix's gazes all turned towards Alya.
Alya puffed out her chest, wearing a professional expression that suggested "this is just what I do," and patted her phone: "Of course! I sent out a message immediately before I came out.
After all, when something like this happens, you have to call in the professionals. And I am a professional 'distress signaler.'"
"Of course, you are the most professional," Cat Noir replied with a smile.
This exchange allowed both Cat Noir and Ladybug to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
The former was relieved that he had casually checked the news while calling Alternate Adrien earlier and saw Alya's Miraculous Blog update, which provided the excuse to cover up;
the latter was relieved that thanks to Cat Noir's quick thinking, she hadn't completely exposed her identity.
And in the lair of the other world, Hawk Moth listened to the conversation transmitted through the psychic link and temporarily put aside his suspicion of his son.
So, they just received a distress signal... It seems I was overthinking things.