Chapter 194

Chapter 194. A Fish Caught in the Shadows

Hearing ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍that the passage had been opened, joy rose in Eli’s heart.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately waved, signaling for the soldiers inside the passage to withdraw first. After every soldier had exited,

“Everyone, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍remain quiet inside the passage,” he ordered in a low voice. Then he turned to Roland, Ron, and Buck beside him. “We will go first.”

Although ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the passage had been cleared, no one could guarantee that the other end was safe.

Having ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the four of them go at the front, especially Roland, a titled knight, was undoubtedly the best choice for dealing with any sudden change.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍night had deepened, dyeing the earth black as ink. Only a faint, almost imperceptible whitening at the edge of the sky hinted that dawn was still far away.

Time was tight. They had to find a hiding place inside Storm City as soon as possible.

Eli and Roland bent low and moved to the very front of the passage.

Sure enough, the exit was only covered by a shallow layer of loose soil and tangled grass roots.

Eli nodded to Roland. Then he carefully reached out, moving so gently that he peeled away the soft earth bit by bit.

A narrow gap was revealed.

Eli held his breath and slowly poked his head out, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings like a night owl’s.

What entered his eyes was an abandoned open space overgrown with weeds, with some broken stone and rotting wood piled nearby.

Farther away were the shadowy outlines of low houses. Behind them, the towering black walls of Storm City’s inner city cast a heavy shadow under the thin moonlight like the spine of a giant.

The area was deathly still. Only the rustle of wind through the weeds could be heard, and there was no torchlight from patrolling soldiers.

“It seems our luck is not bad. This should be an abandoned area at the edge of Storm City.”

Eli whispered this to Roland behind him, feeling somewhat more at ease.

He carefully pushed the soil blocking the hole to the sides, widening the exit, and was just about to rise and crawl out.

Suddenly, the sound of voices drawing closer made his body go rigid.

He immediately withdrew into the tunnel and made a shushing gesture to Buck and the others behind him.

“...I’m so damn tired. Lord Byrne too. Who knows what he’s trying to do, sending us out so late to do this kind of hard labor.”

“Sigh, say less. Who knows? Hurry up and take a leak, then let’s get back. If Lord Byrne finds out we slipped away, we’ll get scolded again.”

Another voice tried to soothe him, though it was filled with exhaustion.

Footsteps approached the entrance.

Eli looked through the gap and saw two men in simple Federation soldier leather armor, yawning as they untied their belts.

Clearly, they had come to find a quiet place to relieve themselves, and the direction they had chosen was precisely this side.

Eli looked at Roland beside him, his gaze clearly asking for help.

Roland nodded slightly. The aura around him instantly became drifting and dangerous.

He bent his knees slightly, like a leopard ready to spring.

The next moment, Eli felt only the faintest movement of air beside him. Roland’s figure had already vanished from the narrow passage like a ghost.

Outside the hole, the two soldiers were still chatting carelessly, utterly unaware that death had descended upon them.

Just as they stood still and prepared to relieve themselves, two hands like iron pincers reached out from beneath them without warning.

Those two hands covered their mouths and jaws.

“Mmph?!”

Their pupils shrank sharply in utter terror, but they could not make even the slightest sound.

They only felt an irresistible force from the hands gripping their jaws, as though their jawbones were about to be crushed alive.

Then an even greater force pressed down on their heads and smashed them hard into the ground.

Thud! Thud!

Two dull sounds, like blows striking leather, rang out almost simultaneously, sounding especially chilling in the silent night.

The two soldiers’ bodies twitched violently, then went completely limp, without another sound.

Everything returned to silence.

Eli lay at the tunnel entrance, taking in that lightning-fast scene from beginning to end. His heart was filled with an indescribable shock.

He had not even fully seen Roland’s movements. He had only seen a shadow flash, and the battle was already over.

So this was the strength of a titled knight?

He suppressed the ripples in his heart and carefully crawled out of the hole again.

Buck and Ron followed close behind, and the three of them alertly swept their gazes around.

Afterward, the Black Crow Knights, Golden Lion Knights, and elite Obsidian Territory soldiers emerged quietly from underground like a silent stream and quickly assembled in this empty space.

A force of more than two hundred men made no unnecessary sound beyond their heavy, suppressed breathing.

Eli immediately signaled for two soldiers to drag the two corpses on the ground beside the tunnel and hurriedly cover them with the loose earth and weeds they had dug out.

His gaze turned grave as he looked toward the district where faint firelight flickered. Clearly, that was the work site the two soldiers had mentioned just now.

“It seems we need to avoid that place,” Eli whispered.

Then he beckoned to the uneasy John. “John, find a place hidden enough to conceal all of us.”

The pale light at the edge of the sky seemed to grow slightly more obvious. There was not much time left to them.

John licked his dry lips and said hesitantly, “My lord, I also heard what those two soldiers said just now.

“The Byrne they mentioned is Lord Iman’s highly trusted military adviser, Byrne.

“He has Iman’s deep trust, and many decisions come from his hands... If we capture him...”

Hearing this, Buck immediately frowned tightly. “My lord, this is too risky.

“We are now inside the enemy camp. Our first task is to conceal ourselves and wait for the right time.

“If we act rashly and are exposed... I believe we should immediately find a hiding place. We should not create new complications.”

Eli remained silent, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hilt at his waist.

Buck’s concern was very reasonable. It was the safest course. But John’s words had stirred ripples in his heart.

A senior military adviser who knew the true state of the city held unquestionable value...

“But perhaps... this is also an opportunity,” Eli finally said.

“John, where exactly are we? Is there a suitable hiding place nearby? How far is it?”

“My lord, this is the outskirts of Storm City, close to the old district. As for a nearby place suitable for hiding... there is an abandoned church!”

“A church?”

“Yes, my lord,” John explained. “The Federation and the Western Frontier have different faiths and worship different gods.

“When the city fell, that church belonging to the Western Frontier faith was the first to be plundered and destroyed. Now it has been completely abandoned and turned into a deserted ruin...

“It is over there, not far from here.” He pointed in the opposite direction from the district lit by firelight.

Eli quickly made his decision. “Good. Buck, Lord Roland, the three of us will go to that district and see if we can capture Byrne.

“Ron, take the force and have John guide you. Go immediately to the church ruins and hide there to await orders.

“Remember, maintain the highest vigilance. Without my order, you must not act rashly.”

A trace of helplessness flashed across Buck’s face, but seeing Eli’s determined gaze, he swallowed the words of dissuasion. This was the Eli he knew.

“Yes, my lord.”

Roland, meanwhile, still wore that relaxed and composed expression.

Ron hesitated for a moment, clearly also feeling that this move was rather risky. In the end, he nodded and accepted the order.

“Understood, Eli. You must be careful!”

Afterward, the force of over two hundred men melted into the shadows. Under John’s guidance, they moved silently toward the church.

Watching the main force disappear into the night, Eli, Roland, and Buck instead slipped toward the district where firelight flickered.

As they drew closer, the rough voices of Federation soldiers and the sounds of heavy objects being moved grew clearer.

Using the shadows of broken walls as cover, they carefully approached.

Eli hid behind a half-collapsed low wall and cautiously poked his head out to observe.

He saw about eight soldiers listlessly dismantling bricks, stones, and timber from several damaged houses, piling them together in a disorderly heap.

And among them stood a man who looked utterly out of place in his surroundings.

He wore a relatively neat dark robe. His figure was thin, and beneath the flickering torchlight, his face appeared somewhat pale. From time to time, he quietly urged the soldiers to move faster.

His bearing, completely different from that of ordinary soldiers, undoubtedly marked him as the target—Military Adviser Byrne.

Eight scattered soldiers and one primary target.

Eli looked toward Roland beside him and asked in a low voice, “Lord Roland, can these men be dealt with silently?”

Roland narrowed his eyes. “The six below are no problem.

“But the two on the roof are a little farther away. You will need to deal with them and make sure they cannot raise the alarm.”

Buck, beside them, immediately replied, “Leave the ones on the roof to me. My lord, you will control Byrne.”

Eli nodded. He drew a deep breath, his left hand gripping the hilt at his waist tightly.

Roland closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them again.

In that instant, Eli seemed to see a faint green light flash through the depths of his eyes.

Roland took out two exquisitely crafted daggers from somewhere unknown and held them in reverse grip.

He looked at Eli and Buck, then nodded slightly.

Move!

Three dark figures erupted from the darkness like hunting leopards!

Roland moved so quickly that the naked eye could barely follow him. He swept across the site like a wind of death.

As his figure flickered, the daggers in his hands traced elegant yet deadly arcs, precisely passing over the necks of the soldiers at work.

Blood did not even have time to spray. The soldiers’ expressions of confusion and terror had only just appeared when their lives came to an abrupt end, and they collapsed limply to the ground.

The last soldier happened to have his back turned to Roland. Hearing the successive dull sounds of heavy objects falling behind him, he instinctively turned his head and happened to see his comrades silently collapsing.

Ultimate terror seized him in an instant, and his mouth opened wide.

“Ene—”

However, before the sound could fully leave his mouth, a blue-gleaming dagger shot toward him and plunged with perfect precision into his open mouth.

The dagger carried a spray of blood and fragments from the back of his skull, pinning the rest of his cry dead inside his chest.

Its momentum did not fade. It flew a short distance farther before striking into a broken wall with a thunk.

At the same time, when the two sentries noticed something strange below and leaned out in alarm to look,

Buck’s powerful arms clamped around their necks like iron hoops and twisted violently.

Two soft cracks rang out almost at the same time. The two soldiers’ eyes bulged instantly, their bodies struggled violently once, then went completely limp.

Buck gently lowered their bodies, avoiding any sound.

As for Eli, the moment Roland moved, his target had already locked onto Byrne.

He rushed in front of Byrne with explosive speed, clamped his uninjured left hand firmly over Byrne’s mouth, and knocked him straight to the ground with the force of his charge.

Eli then pressed his knee into Byrne’s lower back and bore down with his full weight, pinning him firmly in place.

Byrne was completely stunned by the sudden attack, his mind going blank.

All he could feel was the immense force of the hand over his mouth and the suffocating weight pressing down on his body.

He struggled futilely, making meaningless muffled sounds in his throat, his eyes full of despair and pleading.

At the side, Roland did not even look at the fallen soldiers. He merely made a grabbing motion in the air toward the dagger stuck in the wall.

The dagger seemed to be pulled by an invisible thread. With a whoosh, it flew back and landed steadily in his palm.

He nodded to Eli, who had successfully subdued Byrne, his movements relaxed and effortless.

Eli was once again astonished by Roland’s almost miraculous technique.

But he quickly regained focus. Now was not the time to marvel. He hissed to Buck and Roland, “Deal with their bodies. We leave!”

He roughly hauled the nearly limp Byrne up from the ground, his left hand still clamped tightly over Byrne’s mouth, and half-dragged, half-pulled him into the darkness.

After Roland and Buck finished handling the bodies, they immediately followed.

The three men took their prize and swiftly vanished into the same shadows from which they had come, leaving behind only deathly silence and the faint smell of blood spreading through the air.

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