Chapter 97: The Base

"She reached for me..."

Evan’s voice came out rough, his face still pale, and Raphael was almost certain he had rushed straight here despite being stopped by countless people along the way, judging by how disheveled his clothes were and the exhaustion lingering beneath his eyes.

For someone who had only recently awakened after lying unconscious in the intensive care unit for almost two weeks, Evan Caesar looked as though he had barely given himself time to breathe before leaving the hospital.

Raphael stared at him for a moment before asking, "When?"

"Twenty minutes ago?" Evan frowned slightly, as though he were still trying to piece together what had happened himself.

Raphael’s eyebrows rose. "Did you just wake up?"

Evan shook his head. "Not important. Now... let’s find them."

"Hold on a second." Raphael reached out and caught his arm before he could move. "You were practically at death’s door a few days ago, and now you’re standing here looking like you crawled out of a battlefield. At least tell me you didn’t rip out your own IV and scare half the hospital staff to death."

Evan gave him a flat look.

Raphael sighed. "Right. Stupid question. Of course you did."

"Screw..."

Raphael paused, slowly turning his head toward Evan. "Did you just call me Screw?"

Evan gave him a tired look. "Do you want me to spell it out for you, Number Two?"

"Unbelievable." Raphael pressed a hand to his chest, looking utterly offended. "I rush over here to help you find your precious Guide, and this is how you repay me? By insulting my intelligence?"

"Did I say anything about your intelligence?"

"You didn’t have to! Calling me Screw is practically the same thing!"

"Then at least you understand what it means."

Raphael stared at him before letting out an incredulous laugh. "You’ve barely recovered from nearly dying, and somehow your mouth is already working perfectly. What a miracle!"

Evan ignored him.

"Fine, fine!" Raphael waved a hand dismissively. "Let’s find our girl first... and then we’ll fight back."

However, before Raphael could continue complaining about his ungrateful rival, he noticed Evan had fallen silent.

The SSS-rank Sentinel was staring in a particular direction, his expression unreadable as his gaze settled on something far beyond the surrounding buildings. He hadn’t moved for several seconds, and the sudden change in his demeanor made Raphael’s smile gradually fade.

Following Evan’s line of sight, Raphael turned his head.

His eyes narrowed.

"Hell Dungeon?" he murmured.

The name hung between them as both men stared toward the distant horizon.

"Do you think their base is there?" Raphael’s eyes widened as the pieces finally fell into place.

The Hell Dungeon incident had left all three of the Empire’s strongest Sentinels severely injured. Evan had nearly died after being pierced through the chest, Raphael had lost control of his Rampage and required Celestine’s intervention to stabilize him, and Leon’s condition had been critical after being attacked continuously during the battle.

For a brief period, the Empire’s greatest deterrent had been reduced to three injured men who could barely protect themselves, let alone respond to another large-scale threat.

And if someone had planned the Hell Dungeon incident deliberately, then perhaps that had been their true objective from the beginning.

"They weren’t just trying to release those Anomalies," Evan said, his voice low and hoarse. "They wanted to weaken us."

Raphael’s expression changed as he considered the possibility.

The four S-rank Anomalies had forced them into a prolonged battle, draining their energy and pushing their bodies beyond their limits. Even with reinforcements arriving, the damage had already been done. By the time the battle ended, all three SSS-rank Sentinels had been taken out of commission.

The timing was far too convenient.

"And while we were recovering..." Raphael’s eyes narrowed. "They continued with their plan."

"Exactly." Evan’s hands tightened at his sides.

With the Empire’s strongest Sentinels incapacitated, the people behind the incident had gained the perfect opportunity to move against their targets.

Security would still be in place, and the military would not suddenly become powerless, but the one force capable of responding swiftly to a threat of this magnitude had been severely diminished.

They had created their own window of opportunity.

The kidnapping had happened while Evan remained unconscious in the hospital, Leon was still recovering, and Raphael was occupied protecting the twins at his residence. Even Reeta, an S-rank Guide, had been injured during the attack.

Every move seemed calculated to take advantage of their weakened state.

"Those bastards used the dungeon to buy themselves time," Raphael muttered, his usual playful expression disappearing completely. "And the moment we were too injured to interfere, they went after Lumi and Celestine."

Evan said nothing, but the pressure surrounding him grew heavier.

"Pei Residence," he said before vanishing in a flash.

Raphael froze for a moment.

"Huh?" He stared at the empty space where Evan had been standing, then looked toward the distant outskirts where the Hell Dungeon was located.

"Wait a damn minute! Weren’t we going to Hell Dungeon?!"

Realizing Evan had already left him behind, Raphael hurriedly swooshed after him, his expression twisting with confusion.

"Hey, Caesar! Why are we going to the Pei Residence? What does that place have to do with Hell Dungeon?"

Evan glanced at him briefly before answering, "We’ve been looking in the wrong direction."

Raphael’s expression shifted, "You’re saying their base has been the Pei Residence this entire time?"

"It’s the safest place for them."

Raphael fell silent as the realization settled in.

Of all the places an organization plotting against the Empire could choose as its headquarters, the residence of a prominent Guide family was among the last places anyone would suspect.

The Pei family had influence, resources, and enough authority to entertain visitors without raising questions. Guides coming and going would hardly attract attention, and few people would dare investigate a respected family’s private affairs without a compelling reason.

They hadn’t needed to find somewhere new to hide after the Hell Dungeon incident.

They had been hiding in plain sight all along.

"Damn it..." Raphael’s expression darkened. "And here we were searching everywhere else."

He clenched his fists, his usual playfulness disappearing completely.

"If Felix and Esther are involved, then Lumi and Celestine were never safe in that house to begin with."