756 A Blackguard?
"That is not an excuse to jeopardize the mission."
July shifted in her seat, her hands gripping tightly the steering wheel. She knew Lyria was right, but she couldn't help feeling frustrated by the constant need for secrecy and caution.
"How could he possibly hear us? We're in a moving car with the windows rolled up." July used a sarcastic tone, clarifying that she thought Lyria was overreacting.
Lyria's expression remained impassive, her eyes fixed ahead on the road. She knew that July's skepticism was anything but not an anomaly, and that they couldn't afford to let their guard down.
"Erik Kay. No, Erik Romano," Lyria said, "Found people that your organization couldn't locate for months, and he did it in a matter of days. You shouldn't underestimate him."
<Bingo! > Erik just got lucky. If a Blackguard was here, he could use her to gather more information.
However, he was a little disappointed. He didn't know why, but he always imagined the blackguards as stern and stoic people, cold-blooded individuals, solely focused on their work.
But the woman in front of him was a far cry from being stern and stoic. She ruined that image he built during the years.
July's eyes rolled with disbelief as she turned to face Lyria. "I still don't believe he would be able to hear us talk in a flying car at a hundred meters in the sky."
"Can you please focus on the road? Remember what I said. Do not underestimate him." The woman could only sigh. The situation was too much complex, and the target too dangerous.
July shifted in her seat, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Lyria from the rear mirror.
She couldn't help feeling frustrated by the constant need for caution and secrecy. July was a free spirit, and she preferred to live life on the edge, taking risks and embracing danger.
However, Lyria's words didn't fall on deaf ears, and she knew they had to be vigilant if they were to succeed.
The mission was too important to take it lightly, and any misstep could have dire consequences. The higher ups stressed a lot about capturing Erik Romano.
They didn't explain why, as she was at the bottom of the food chain there, but she heard rumors. If the rumors had to be true, then Erik Romano was the most dangerous individual on the planet.
July knew she needed to put aside her impulsive nature and focus on the task at hand. But it wasn't easy.
Meanwhile, Lyria's anxiety over her safety grew, her mind consumed with worry.
While she had unwavering confidence in the Blackguards' ability to apprehend Erik Romano, the pressing concern was whether they could do so before he reached her.
While knowing Erik's exceptional skills, Lyria couldn't shake the feeling that he was already aware of her presence in the city and the unfolding events.
For months, she, alongside the Blackguards, had searched for him, but he had vanished as though swallowed by the earth itself.
His departure from Testrovsc's Rest was the only certainty they clung to, yet attempting to trace his steps beyond the city's boundaries proved to be a dangerous endeavor.
The vastness outside the city rendered their search nearly futile, akin to the daunting task of locating a single, elusive needle within an expansive haystack, and that was without contemplating the Thaids.
The unexpected revelation of Erik's presence in Caelora City, however, cast a new light on their prolonged quest.
This unforeseen turn of events stirred a mix of bewilderment and strategic anticipation among them.
Here was a tangible clue, a glimmer of hope in the murky waters of uncertainty, pointing towards the potential hideout of the awakener from Frant.
This development, perplexing as it might be, opened up avenues for a more focused hunt, presenting them with a chance to close in on their target.
Erik couldn't help but be intrigued by the blackguard's behavior as he continued to observe her.
She seemed to possess a level of independence and defiance that he hadn't expected from such an organization, and his amusement grew. If there were more like her, he could exploit it.
That also made him wonder if there was more to her than just a loyal member of the organization.
Erik mulled over the idea of winning July's trust or subtly influencing her to divulge critical details about the Blackguards and their objectives. It was unfortunate he hadn't yet gained Max's brain crystal power; impersonating Lyria and interrogating July directly would have been an effective tactic.
Yet, the likelihood of July being deceived by such a ruse was uncertain. Erik's understanding of the Blackguards was too limited. He pondered whether they had received training to detect deceit or if they possessed any brain crystal powers capable of identifying falsehoods.
This gap in knowledge made him cautious. Directly approaching July without a solid understanding of her and the Blackguards' capabilities and countermeasures could be reckless.
This was not something his analysis could help him with. Erik recognized the need for a more calculated approach, considering the risks of engaging with someone as unpredictable and well-trained as July.
Besides, the woman was no ordinary individual since she was in the Blackguards, a secretive organization known to poach talented individuals from various backgrounds.
The Blackguards were hunting for people with outstanding combat abilities, powerful brain crystal powers, or distinct skills that set them apart as invaluable.
This prompted Erik to question what specific talent or ability July had that caught the Blackguards' attention, especially given her volatile nature.
While considering the risks of directly confronting July, Erik opted for a less hazardous approach.
Since approaching the woman was dangerous, Erik took an alternative but safer route. This strategy would allow him to uncover July's secret safely, without exposing himself to unnecessary danger from a direct encounter with her.
<System, I need you to create a virus to keep track of this car and both women's phones. The virus must spread to all the surrounding devices, so that I can see what she does and control their devices remotely. >
[UNDERSTOOD. CREATING VIRUS WITH THE SPECIFIED REQUIREMENTS.]
[VIRUS CREATED. SENDING VIRUS TO THE DEVICES. INJECTION COMPLETE.]
<Good. > With that done, Erik only needed to contact his clones to see if they found out something about Max.
Forged by flames is out.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺