Chapter 42: A Full Stop.

  Adam’s POV

  The plan was simple—chaos and misdirection.

  Pao’s people would act like kidnapped kids who managed to escape, leading Alaric and his guards on a wild goose chase through multiple locations. Meanwhile, Marcus’s team would pose as rescuers, making it seem like they were here only to save the kidnapped children—not me.

  Honestly? It’s a terrible plan.

  But all I needed was a few precious minutes—long enough to slip away unnoticed.

  Logically, escaping from this scenario should be impossible.

  And let’s be real, I could lie to everyone here, sneak out with Lora on my back, and disappear into the shadows. But there’s a massive risk that Alaric or one of his aides has already locked down the perimeter. If that’s the case? I’m dead. No matter how fast or smart I think I am.

  This plan, as crazy as it is, gives me a chance.

  Now, the only problem? Pao’s kids need to be convincing.

  Normally, a scheme this desperate would have zero chance of success. But if Alaric is already stressed and impatient from his child disappearing? If he’s desperate for any clue that might lead him to a break in the case? Then maybe—just maybe—I can pull this off.

  Of course, not everyone agreed.

  Marcus’s team wasn’t exactly thrilled, and I’m sure all the higher-ups in Midnight Prowlers wouldn’t approve. But the one with the highest rank here is Dix.

  And conveniently?

  Dix’s earphone is out of battery.

  Which means I can say whatever I want and blame the whole thing on him.

  Now, as long as all the pieces fall into place, this plan can work.

  Pao’s kids will pretend they escaped, run straight to Lord Alaric, and beg for help—claiming they were held captive by some man in a shining white suit of armor.

  That single phrase alone should send his mind spiraling.

  He’ll start making connections. Jumping to conclusions.

  And that?

  That’s exactly what I need him to do.

  Marcus and his team would pose as members of the Midnight Prowlers, pretending to help the kidnapped kids escape—when in reality, they’d be covering my exit.

  Not only would this earn the Midnight Prowlers some serious credit, pushing up their popularity, but it would also buy me enough time until Lora woke up.

  It was a desperate plan, full of unpredictable variables. But I had hope that I could make it work.

  I laid it out for everyone, and to my relief, they agreed.

  "Alright, Dix, you're up," I said, adjusting Lora’s unconscious body on my shoulders.

  "Nya, you still haven’t told me what we’re doing," Dix complained, tail flicking in annoyance. "You’re just talking to everyone else and ignoring me."

  "You don’t need to do much," I assured him. "I’m heading out first. Exactly two minutes after I leave, you take the kids and get out."

  "Nya? That’s it?"

  "Yep. That’s it. Good luck to you and the kids." I looked at the ragged group behind Dix. A few of them nodded, their eyes full of uncertainty but also determination.

  “…Isn’t that a bit risky?” Nove chimed in, her voice laced with concern. “No matter the plan, Lord Alaric will reach this place within the next minute.”

  That’s exactly the plan.

  “…You’re a jerk sometimes, Adam.”

  I’m only doing this because it’s Dix. He deserves it. Besides, if Lord Alaric is as sharp as you say he is, he won’t ignore the kids.

  "…That’s true."

  With my thoughts in order, I bolted.

  I took the stairs carefully, making sure Lora’s head didn’t smack against anything. Every second counted.

  Outside, the sounds of battle raged—swords clashing, explosions rocking the ground. The mansion’s security forces scrambled in confusion, caught off guard by the sheer insanity of the entire damn military launching an attack on them.

  And in the chaos?

  I slipped through the cracks.

  "Adam, Pao’s people have made contact with House Luminari."

  "Got it." I kept my stance, gripping Lora tightly. This moment would decide whether I walked out of here alive or got dragged away in chains.

  Outside, all hell had broken loose.

  The entrance was a warzone—swords clashing, steel grinding against steel, the air thick with smoke and screams. Explosions sent shockwaves through the ground, rattling the very foundations of the mansion. The scent of burning wood and charred flesh filled the air. The entire battlefield was a mess of soldiers, security forces, and civilians caught in the crossfire.

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  But I wasn’t near the entrance—I was stuck on the side of the mansion, trapped in its labyrinthine halls. Doubling back to find the rear exit would take too long. The best option? Cut through the chaos, then bolt for the back where Marcus and his team were waiting.

  Nove was busy cracking the encryption on the window, metalweaving an escape route. Meanwhile, I stood still, my heart hammering in my chest as I waited for Dara’s signal.

  Sweat dripped down my forehead.

  Come on, come on, tell me something good…

  Then, finally—"Adam! Good news! The team managed to lure away two elites, but… the Lord is still there. I can’t tell what he’s planning."

  Nice!

  "How’d they pull that off?" I asked, my voice hushed.

  "Simple—told them there were kidnapped kids here and in two other locations connected to the nobleman. The elites split up to investigate."

  Smart move.

  "Well, at least I don’t have to face all three of them at once…" Plus their entire army.

  Dara hesitated before adding, "Honestly, I'd be more terrified of the Lord himself… Wait—hold on. The House Luminari soldiers are pulling back… No… It looks like… He’s going to intercept the mansion… directly."

  What?

  Before I could even process what she meant—

  BOOOOM.

  The entire building shook.

  The force of the blast shattered every window in the hallway. Glass shards rained down like deadly confetti, embedding themselves into the walls and floor.

  My ears rang. My vision blurred.

  Somewhere in the distance, screams pierced through the chaos.

  Then, another explosion.

  This time, I saw it happen.

  Bodies— torn apart like ragdolls. Blood splattered across the hallway as security forces were flung into the air, limbs severed mid-flight. The shockwave nearly knocked me off my feet.

  Oh hell no—

  "Yup, I'm leaving."

  "Agreed." Nove responded instantly.

  I hoisted Lora’s unconscious body higher onto my shoulders and sprinted toward the now-opened window.

  I launched myself out of the window like an Olympic sprinter on steroids, making a beeline for the back of the mansion.

  A couple of guards spotted me.

  Before I could even react—

  BOOOOOOM.

  The entire ground violently shook beneath me. I barely managed to hold onto Lora as I stumbled, watching in sheer horror as the security forces around me experienced the worst day of their lives.

  They weren’t just knocked back. They also had to watch their friends and coworkers become Practice dummy for explosions.

  They were launched like ragdolls in a hurricane—limbs flailing, weapons flying, tumbling through the air like carefree thimbleweeds caught in a tornado.

  And then they all turned to me.

  Their expressions changed instantly.

  Just a second ago, they were fully prepared to fight me. Now?

  Nope. Not today. Not their problem.

  They turned around and ran for their damn lives.

  DOES THIS GUY HAVE A POCKET PISTOL THAT SHOOTS TANK ROUNDS!? WHY THE HELL DOES IT FEEL LIKE I’M IN WORLD WAR II!?

  “Well, he is one of the strongest people in the clan.”

  Wait—Dix and the others!?

  I whipped my head toward the mansion, panic setting in.

  “Don’t worry about them! The Lord won’t do anything as long as the kids are still inside!”

  “Got it.” My response was pure reflex. Not that I could afford to think too hard about it—

  Because before I even took two steps forward,

  BOOM.

  The entire planet trembled beneath me.

  And then—

  “BAAAAAAAAAATMAAAAAAAN!!!!”

  The voice was so ungodly loud my brain vibrated inside my skull.

  “I, ALARIC LUMINARI, SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL NOT REST UNTIL I FIND YOU!!!”

  OH HELL NO.

  I booked it. No looking back. No hesitation. Just pure, unfiltered survival instinct.

  I didn't know what kind of Narnia-tier destruction Alaric was unleashing behind me, and I did not want to find out.

  My only objective? The truck hidden behind the mansion.

  As much as I wanted to slap a rune on myself for a speed or invisibility buff, I really didn’t want another Fireman Incident?—because the last thing I needed was to accidentally set Lora on fire while trying to escape.

  So, no magic. No buffs. Just running.

  The guards? Running for their lives.

  The security forces? Running in circles.

  Chaos erupted in my earpiece—shouting, alarms, the panicked voices of my team.

  But most importantly?

  Dix had already met up with the man of the hour. And somehow, he wasn’t dead yet.

  That just left me.

  And I had one job.

  Get the flippity hell out of here.

  I finally spotted Marcus, and before I could even say a word, he just yelled at me.

  “FOLLOW ME!”

  No explanations. No questions. Just run.

  I sprinted after him as he yanked away a blue tarp, revealing our getaway vehicle—

  A two-seater truck with an open back.

  Without hesitation, I vaulted onto the back, carefully laying Lora down.

  “Where’s the rest of the team!?” I shouted over the revving engine.

  “Distracting the other two elites!”

  VROOM.

  Marcus didn’t even give me time to breathe before slamming his foot on the gas.

  The truck lurched forward so violently I was nearly yeeted off the back.

  And just as I got my balance back—

  SCREEEEEECH.

  Marcus took a sharp right turn, drifting like we were in a Fast & Furious movie, sending me slamming into the truck’s side.

  “DO YOU KNOW HOW ANGRY I AM WITH YOU, ADAM!?”

  “ME?! WHAT DID I DO?!”

  “WHO THE HELL MAKES TWO TO THREE REVISIONS TO A PLAN MID-MISSION!?”

  “OH, I DON’T KNOW, MAYBE BECAUSE WE’RE UP AGAINST A FLIPPIN’ ARMY USING NUKES LIKE THEY’RE EATING HOT POCKETS!!!”

  The second I said that, The ground shook once more I saw a giant Explosion at the mansion.

  I still have no idea how that Mansion is still standing.

  But the mansion—which was still an absolute warzone of fire, explosions, and who-knows-what level of destruction—started disappearing into the distance.

  Finally… We made it. I thought as I sighed.

  “Oh my god… I can’t believe we actually escaped that hell.”

  “NO! ADAM! YOU’LL JINX US!”

  The second Nove said that—

  SCREEEEEEEEECH.

  The truck slammed to a dead stop.

  I went FLYING.

  "WAH!" I screamed as I rolled in the air from the momentum.

  THUD.

  I faceplanted into the dirt in front of the truck.

  -23 flashed before my eyes like a cruel joke.

  “WHAT THE HELL, MARCUS!?” I groaned, pushing myself up. “WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?”

  No response.

  I turned to him—and all the blood had drained from his face.

  He was frozen in fear, staring at something behind me.

  “…See? I told you.” Nove said in my head.

  I swallowed hard.

  Slowly… ever so slowly…

  I turned around.

  And standing there—

  Was a woman.

  She had medium-long blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

  She was gorgeous.

  She was wearing the House Luminari armor, shiny metallic armor gleamed with golden linings, and a red scarf with matching gold trim draped over her shoulders.

  “Beautiful…” I muttered under my breath.

  … Bad move.

  Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening slightly like she’d just seen a ghost.

  “Adam…” Nove’s voice cut in, snapping me back to reality. “That’s Lyra Whisperwind. Master Artisan and the clan’s Oracle.”

  Oh.

  The one we were desperately trying to avoid.

  Before I could react, Dara’s panicked voice blared through my earpiece.

  “Wait! That’s not possible! Lyra of House Luminari is being led by one of our teams Right this moment!”

  Oh, how I wish that were true.

  Nove was quick to explain. “Lyra has abilities that allow her to create a copy of herself and make herself invisible. But I don’t understand why she’s here… The only conclusion I can make is that she has created Core Nodes specialized in detecting lies and deception.”

  …Wait.

  Detecting lies and deception.

  Isn’t that, like, my ONE main weakness?!

  Oh no.

  Wait. Hold on. If she’s been tracking me this whole time… Doesn’t that mean House Luminari has known about my entire plan from the start?!

  She was still staring at me.

  Shocked. Conflicted. Like her brain just short-circuited. There was rejection written all over her face like she can’t believe it.

  Then, her expression darkened. Her eyes narrowed with confusion and tension.

  A magic circle formed in front of her face, glowing faintly as her eyes shimmered with an unnatural light.

  Then, in the softest whisper—

  “…Alper?”

  Uh Oh.

  Dara’s voice exploded in my ear.

  “ADAM! I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT AFTER RESCUING DIX AND THE OTHER KIDS, THE HOUSE LUMINARI FORCES ARE MAKING A STRAIGHT BEELINE TOWARD YOU! THEY’LL BE THERE IN ABOUT THREE MINUTES!”

  …

  Damn.

  She got me good.