"Do you think they can hear us?" General Kaiser asked, glancing at the steel gate.
They had been knocking and calling out for some time, but no one had answered yet.
Brother Elias then closed his eyes and concentrated.
"Just wait a moment. They'll come. I can sense movement upstairs."
A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps echoed from above.
Elena and Ethan soon appeared, pretending to be surprised even though they already knew they were coming.
"Brat! Elena! I'm glad to see you're both safe," General Kaiser said with a grin, clearly impressed by their well-maintained condition despite the extreme cold.
"Uncle Kaiser, Brother Elias. What a surprise. We're happy to see both of you here," Elena replied warmly, then nudged Ethan to open the gate.
"How are you managing in this freezing weather?"
"We're surviving," Brother Elias said, appreciating the warm greetings.
