The uniforms were all different–it was clear they came from three separate groups.

Seeing this, Will couldn’t help but frown in confusion. “Why are there so many rescue teams here?”

The principal stammered, “I’m not entirely sure… they all arrived so quickly. I didn’t even have time to react–one after another, they just showed up."

As he spoke, the principal began to sound a little aggrieved himself. Will looked at him and rolled his eyes internally.

What a useless idiot. Even now, did he still not understand where he’d gone wrong?

“Get lost. You’re completely useless,” Will said, beyond fed up. After all this time, the principal hadn’t learned a thing. He was absolutely worthless. Didn’t he realize someone important was buried under there? If anything happened to that boy, none of them were walking away unscathed. It couldn’t have been more obvious.

The principal watched Will pacing restlessly, clearly on edge, and couldn’t help but feel puzzled. He gathered the courage to ask, “Mr. Hall, is something wrong? You seem really anxious. Did something happen?”

Truthfully, ever since Will arrived, the principal had sensed something was off. Normally, the man never bothered to show up for things like this–but this time, he’d come so fast it was suspicious. It was obvious someone higher up had pressured him to come.

Will looked at the principal’s clueless, dopey smile and, though exasperated, figured he might as well let him die knowing why.

“Enough. Stop standing around like an idiot and focus on getting them out. We still don’t know if they’re dead or alive. Let me make this clear–there’s a boy down there whose family background is not someone we can afford to mess with. We can’t offend them, not even a little.”

Hearing that, the principal’s mouth dropped open, and a wave of panic rose in his chest. What boy? He knew the general background of the five students trapped below–none of them came from particularly powerful families. He couldn’t recall anyone that fit that description.

Puzzled, he voiced his concern. “Mr. Hall, but as far as I remember, the families of those five kids are all pretty average, right? I don’t think any of them are that influential."

Will looked at him and felt even more hopeless. He was standing out here and still knew exactly what was going on and who was down there. And yet the principal, who worked inside the school, had no clue? Will could’ve rolled his eyes on the spot.

“Forget it. You don’t need to know that much. Just understand that there’s someone very important down there.”

At that, the principal had no choice but to shut up. In the end, he said nothing more. All he could do now was wait quietly for the outcome. Who knew what would happen after this?

Arnold had overheard everything and repeated it word for word to Grace. Grace only glanced at him briefly, then gave a small nod.

“Alright. Just focus on ourselves. Don’t bother with the rest of them.”

Her own daughter was still trapped beneath the rubble, her fate unknown. She had no time to waste worrying about anything else. What a joke. They could talk once the girl was rescued. If her daughter made it out safely this time, she would never treat her the same way again.