Chapter 558 Blenheim Close (1)
Erik began preparing for his undercover operation as the darkness engulfed his motel room. The distant buzz of automobiles and the odd siren wail permeated the heated air. The night's unknowns and prospective perils fell heavy on him, yet his hunger for answers drove him forward.
Erik went through his strategy one last time in the warm glow of his dimly lit room. The Chameleon Veil served as his go-to tool for stealth and discretion. But tonight, he'd also use something he rarely did: Conal's brain crystal power.
The Chameleon Veil would allow him to blend seamlessly into his surroundings. Still, Conal's unique ability to morph into Thaids and animals would give him an added layer of camouflage, making it easier to move around without arousing suspicion.
However, he planned on using it later. A cat in the streets wasn't something that someone would find weird, and he couldn't waste mana.
While contemplating this, he remembered the strange sensation of his bones rearranging, his muscles contracting, and his senses becoming razor-sharp the first time he tapped into Conal's power.
Erik's shape-shifting abilities were previously limited to specific Thaids. But a recent meeting with some dead cats and dogs had allowed him to absorb their DNA, broadening his transformation choices, although in a disturbing manner.
But entirely morphing into an animal came with its challenges. To begin, he'd have to be entirely naked. With clothes on, partial transformations, such as shifting a hand or a foot, were possible. Still, a full-body transformation required the capacity to morph without fabric constraints.
Taking a deep breath, Erik undressed, neatly folding his clothes into a compact bag. He caught his reflection in the mirror—his eyes were as determined as ever. Still, a flicker of uncertainty was there, too. He knew the risks he was taking tonight, but his resolve was unshakable.
He closed his eyes and summoned mana, which he then directed through the neural links belonging to Conal's power. The transformation started deep within him and spread outward. As his bones twisted and contorted, the disorienting experience caused him some mild pain.
A few moments later, a sleek black cat flexed its muscles and stretched in the spot where Erik had been standing just a couple of minutes before. Its piercing brown eyes scanned the room as it got used to seeing things from this new, lower point.
The world appeared more expansive, smelled more vividly, and sounded more distinct. After Erik also activated the Chameleon Veil, a soft shimmer surrounded him, making it nearly impossible to tell him apart from the shadows around him.
He moved through his apartment with such grace that it was almost ghostly, and then he vanished into the darkness.
As Erik was in his feline form, walking through the city streets gave him a unique sensory experience. He was more sensitive to the minute details, such as the scurrying of rats in dark alleys, the fluttering of birds near the streetlights, and even the far-off thumping of music from a nightclub.
Despite this barrage of stimuli, Erik's concentration remained unwavering, and he carried out his task without hesitation.
As his visage was that of a black cat silently walking through the streets, he navigated the city with an elegance that concealed his true identity.
The urban symphony of distant car horns, muffled conversations, and the occasional distant siren didn't bother him.
The twitching of his whiskers in response to the night's offerings and the assured raising of his tail made him appear to be a cat like any other. There was no way anyone could tell that it was not a real cat.
The Moonlight danced on his glossy fur, giving his form an almost ethereal glow. The towering buildings cast intricate shadows on the cobblestone below.
Erik used these pockets of darkness to his advantage, effortlessly gliding in and out of them. Every now and then, his green eyes would catch the light, flashing with an intelligence and alertness that were anything but animalistic.
As he moved, the city's bouquet of smells enveloped him—the fresh scent of bread from a late-night bakery, the smoky aroma of a far-off barbecue, and the earthy dampness lingering after a rain.
Occasionally, he'd stop, cocking his head as if pondering a peculiar sound or scent. It was a weird feeling; the ability to pick up the scents in the air at great distances and hear sounds kilometers away from his position was undoubtedly a significant stimulus for his brain.
As he neared his target, Erik's feline steps became more measured. He was close, and every fiber of his being sensed it.
The imposing metallic door of the Silver Serpents' headquarters stood before him, bathed in the soft light of nearby street lamps. It was a formidable barrier, clearly designed to deter intruders. Yet, with the biological supercomputer, Erik found most obstacles trivial.
<Open the entrance door,> Erik mentally commanded.
[DOOR ACCESS INITIATED], the biological supercomputer communicated back. A faint mechanical whir filled the air as the door's advanced lock was bypassed, and the door creaked open just enough for entry.
Without hesitation, the black cat slipped through the gap, his feline agility making the maneuver look effortless.
The corridor inside was dim, its amber lighting casting elongated shadows. The soft hum of air conditioning and distant, muffled conversations were the only audible signs of life.
<Better activate the Chameleon Veil,> Erik thought. He increased his mana output, confident that the added layer of invisibility would keep him undetected in the dim corridor.
With cautious precision, Erik explored the building. His heightened feline senses detected the minutest movements, the faintest sounds, and a complex tapestry of smells.
He felt the floor's vibrations whenever someone walked nearby, and his keen ears picked up whispered conversations behind closed doors. The place was buzzing, even at this late hour.
While the biological supercomputer was a powerful ally, Erik leaned heavily on his animal instincts, particularly in this unfamiliar setting. He sought hiding spots, pausing to survey his environment or eavesdrop on the building's inhabitants.
More than once, he narrowly dodged guards or Silver Serpent members. Each time, he melted into the shadows, his chameleon-like abilities rendering him nearly invisible against the corridor's dark backdrop.
His main goal was information gathering, but he also hoped to encounter Doran or perhaps even Uncle Benjamin. With each step, he drew closer to the answers that had eluded him, and the stakes felt higher than ever.
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