As the sear□h con□inued, cryptic c□ues sta□t□□ to □merge, □d□ing another □ayer of□int□igue to□t□e ca□e. Sy□bols car□ed into trees, strange□m□rki□□□ on□rock□, and□cryptic not□□ left behind □□l□ d□epened the myst□ry surrounding the missing ni□e. Were □hese□clu□s in□entio□ally l□ft behin□,□or□were t□ey sim□ly a pr□d□c□ of the group's paran□□a and□unra□□li□g □tat□ of mi□d?