Kapitel 13: Chapter 13 - Trail

A soldier's yawn echoed softly through the darkened alley, breaking the eerie silence of the night.

It was his turn to patrol this sector of the city, and although the hour was late and his eyes heavy with fatigue, he continued his rounds with a sense of duty.

This was a quiet area, seldom disturbed at this hour, so when he heard muffled voices nearby, it immediately piqued his curiosity—and anxiety.

He paused, straining to catch more of the sounds. The alley was dimly lit, and shadows seemed to shift and dance with every flicker of the distant street lamps.

Gathering his courage, he cautiously approached the source of the voices, careful to stay hidden as he peered around a corner.

To his astonishment, he saw three figures wearing grotesque masks, their movements casual and unhurried as they strolled through the alley. The masks were familiar to him, resembling the faces he had seen on wanted posters distributed by the city guards.

"Aren't they the ones with the bounty?" he whispered to himself, heart racing.

The city had been abuzz with stories of masked vigilantes, and their capture would certainly curry favor with the Marquis himself. However, the soldier was alone, and the idea of confronting three potentially dangerous people made him hesitate.

Deciding to follow rather than confront, he trailed them silently, maintaining a safe distance as they crossed multiple alleyways. The trio moved without noticing the soldier trailing, eventually arriving at a dilapidated building situated deep within the maze of narrow streets.

The soldier watched as the three figures slipped inside. Curious, he edged closer to the building, finding a small hole in the wall through which he could spy on their actions.

To his surprise, he saw them disappear into what seemed to be a concealed entrance leading underground.

"Could this be... their hideout?" he muttered, his mind racing with the implications. If this truly was the lair of the masked figures, uncovering it could bring him great rewards and recognition from his superiors.

Without wasting another moment, the soldier turned on his heel and sprinted away, eager to report his discovery to the officers. His heart pounded with a mix of excitement and fear as he ran through the empty streets, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night.

…

In the dimly lit underground passage, the trio moved forward with cautious steps. The walls, lined with faintly glowing stones, cast an eerie light that flickered and danced as they walked.

"It seems he's gone," Yuna said, her voice echoing softly through the tunnel. "The soldiers will be here soon."

"As expected of Miss Yuna," Zhao Shi praised, a hint of admiration in his tone.

Zhao Shi had noticed the underground passage during his first visit, leading to Yuna's clever plan. They had intentionally let the patrolling soldier spot them, knowing he would report back and bring reinforcements.

"Quite the fancy entrance," Spark remarked, glancing around at the glowing stones embedded in the walls.

Their surroundings were more elaborate than Spark had anticipated. The aboveground building served as a mere front for the gang's operations, while this underground passage likely connected to their main hideouts.

These stones on the walls, known as glowstones, were precious gems extracted from the depths of the earth. While they were primarily used for decoration and illumination, their enchanting radiance transformed mundane environments into scenes of breathtaking beauty, infusing them with an air of magic and allure.

Spark ran his fingers along the smooth surface of one of the stones, feeling the cool, almost otherworldly energy it exuded. "Expensive taste for a bunch of bandits."

The trio ventured deeper into the underground passage. The soft glow of the glowstones bathed their path in a warm, ethereal light, but also created long, shifting shadows that writhed with each step they took.