Carissa knew that going out at night with a weapon and being aware of a potential attack on the Warren family would undoubtedly raise Salvador's suspicions. Although she was the deputy commander of the Mystic Army, her position was largely ceremonial, and it was not appropriate to carry weapons at night or to know the whereabouts of assassins.Salvador would suspect her, and by extension, Rafael, of having a network of spies.Carissa looked up and spoke directly, "Your Majesty, as you're aware, my family was massacred by spies. Since Ryan was found, I have been worried day and night about his safety. So, I asked my guild senior to assign a few people to keep an eye on suspicious individuals who enter the capital."A few days ago, we discovered that some suspicious individuals with strong martial arts skills had checked into Prestige Lodge. They didn't leave their rooms. It was as if they were plotting something. I was concerned they might be targeting Ryan, so I had people keep them
Since the war, the border city of Sandoria had been heavily guarded, especially now that negotiations with Starhaven were underway. Sandoria's aim was to exchange the prisoners in their custody for the city of Simonton. Consequently, the dungeon where the prisoners were held was guarded by a substantial force.After being in Sandoria for several days, Rafael and his team had finally pinpointed the location where Septimus was imprisoned—a heavily fortified outpost on the edge of the city. They had also thoroughly mapped out the prison's layout within the high walls.However, they didn't know about Oliver's five-day deadline, and what's more, tomorrow would mark the end of this period.Rafael knew that Victor would be meeting with Oliver for negotiations again the next day. Even though the prince wasn't aware of the exact deadline, he suspected that Oliver wouldn't follow his orders to delay the negotiations further.Rafael decided that while Victor was occupied with negotiations at
On the evening of June eighteenth, the ten men raised their coarse cups that were filled with cold water. For years, they hadn't had coffee or a drop of alcohol.In the border city, coffee was a luxury they couldn't afford. And though cheap, they didn't dare touch the local wine. They feared that even a single sip might lead them to reveal their identities in their drunken state, which would lead to their doom.The only time they had bought alcohol was when they learned about the deaths of Hector and his six sons. Even then, they hadn't drank it, but instead poured the liquor onto the ground in tribute to their fallen leader. That night, they had spent hours sobbing under their blankets.But they were only allowed a single night of mourning. The next day, they had to dry their tears and continue their perilous journey, as the Southern Frontier had yet to be reclaimed then.After the Southern Frontier was recaptured and Victor brought his troops to the border city, it became impossi
When Rafael saw them, his heart jumped into his throat.Where had these people suddenly come from? Also, some of them seemed to have average martial arts skills, needing hooks and ropes to scale the high wall. Who were they? What were their intentions for infiltrating the garrison in the dead of night?If these people made a commotion, Rafael's rescue plan would be ruined.Though the place where Rafael, Everett, and Jacob had landed and hidden was in the shadows, they had to remain quiet, even as these new arrivals moved quickly along the wall and approached their hiding spot.There wasn't anything Rafael and the others could do about it at this point. The guard change was nearly over, and they had to act swiftly.-Thomas and his group also noticed the three men hiding ahead. But since they were hiding in the shadows and dressed in black clothes, Thomas couldn't tell who they were, even though their faces were not covered.It was unclear whether these people were friends or foe
Three shadowy figures flew out swiftly.In truth, there was no opportune moment for their plan. The area around the small hut was lit, not bright as daylight, but sufficient to see any object or person's movement. With over a hundred pairs of eyes watching, it didn't matter how fast or skilled they were. They would eventually have to stand in front of the small hut, break the door down, and enter the dungeon.Once they were in the dungeon, they would be trapped with no way out.Having previously scouted the area, Rafael and Everett were aware of this situation. Their plan was to have Everett and Jacob engage the guards while Rafael rescued the prisoner from the dungeon.After rescuing him, Rafael would quickly transfer him to Dylan, then return to help Everett and Jacob escape. With Thomas and his group joining in, there would be even more people to distract the guards.Rafael darted straight for the small hut's iron door. Breaking through was no easy task, but the prince wielded
During the negotiations at Fangridge Mountain earlier in the day, Oliver's stance was exceptionally resolute.Before the talks began, both Timothy and Louis had urged him not to mention the Hell Monarch in front of Victor. However, Oliver believed that since they had once served under the prince, they would undoubtedly favor him. So, he agreed to keep quiet while plotting his own strategy.In previous negotiations, Oliver had been bargaining persistently. He had offered gold, food, and textiles in exchange for Septimus. Each time, Victor had rejected the terms, leading to a deadlock in the negotiations.This time, Oliver had truly lost patience. He had already made significant concessions for Septimus' sake. He had increased his offer from 5,000 gold coins to 10,000 gold coins, 400,000 pounds of grain, and 2,000 bolts of silk.If Sandoria still refused, it would be due to sheer greed.Giving them Simonton City, which had been recaptured by the Hell Monarch, was out of the question
Seeing the unusual behavior of the two men, Oliver grew suspicious.He was the one in charge of the negotiations, and he had already stated that there was no need for further discussion. So, why were the two of them trying to intercept Victor? Was there a reason behind it?Since Oliver had only assumed command after the recapture of the Southern Frontier, his subordinates were already unwilling to accept his authority. If negotiations were taken out of his hands, it would diminish his authority, which he absolutely could not accept."Both of you, come back here," he said sharply.He then instructed the translator, "Tell Marshal Crow that if he's not sincere about it, the negotiations will end. If he still has a desire to negotiate, then the terms I set must be accepted."After the translator conveyed the message, Victor turned to look at Oliver. The former's face showed clear signs of impatience, though he did not appear entirely assured. Nonetheless, he did not let his guard down
Louis and Timothy were both frustrated.How could they possibly have kept Victor at bay with such a lack of sincerity in the negotiations? Now, they could only hope that Rafael would complete the rescue mission before Victor returned. If not, the consequences would be dire.-Meanwhile, Rafael had successfully rescued Law.Upon exiting, he discovered that a fierce battle raged outside. Several of Thomas' group were already injured, but they hadn't suffered too much with Everett present. However, the enemy's numbers were increasing rapidly. They needed to retreat quickly.As Rafael dashed out, a dozen enemies closed in on him. With a swift leap into the air, he handed Law off to Dylan, who carried the injured man on his back and quickly disappeared into the night.Rafael used his Lightfoot Skill to return and assist the others in their escape. If they managed to rescue one person only to have several others captured, the mission would be considered a failure.With Sunstrike in hi