764 Finding Max (9)
One by one, the clones made their way back to the apartment.
Some clones, still in their human forms, had adopted elaborate disguises.
They wore a variety of attire, from the casual garb of a street vendor to the more formal dress of a business executive.
They concealed their faces with hats, sunglasses, and even theatrical masks, all intended to blend in with the city's varied population.
Meanwhile, others had chosen a more unconventional route.
They had transformed into cats and dogs. Some sauntered in as graceful Siamese cats, their sapphire eyes shimmering with intelligence.
Others trotted in as boisterous Beagles or languid Labradors.
With his eyes filled with amusement, Erik watched each return. The apartment, now teeming with his disguised clones, had taken on the appearance of a bustling animal shelter.
Yet among the returning clones, Matthias was absent.
Erik had entrusted him with the most critical mission - a task that held the key to their next move.
While waiting, Erik made use of the biological supercomputer. He hoped to see if there were news from Lyria's and July's side.
<System, locate Lyria's and July's devices using the virus. Search all available data for any information on the Blackguards in Caelora City on the devices the Virus infected, and I also want to know what they are doing. >
[SEARCH INITIATED. VIRUS PROLIFERATION UNDERWAY ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVICES. DATA EXTRACTION IN PROGRESS.]
However, it wasn't long before the supercomputer found something of interest.
It had extracted something from July's phone that concerned the Blackguards.
[INFORMATION FOUND ON JULY'S DEVICE RELATED TO BLACKGUARDS. PREPARING TO INJECT DATA.]
Then Erik felt the information being 'injected' into his brain.
The data streamed in like a relentless torrent of knowledge, a flood of information that threatened to overwhelm his senses.
It was as though he was standing amid a storm, with facts, figures, and images about the Blackguards swirling around him.
The information wasn't really detailed and expansive. July left little on her devices, but occasionally received orders through messages with some files attached.
However, Erik was far from disappointed. The data injection had yielded some information that could be useful.
According to the data, there was going to be an operation soon.
The Blackguards were scheduled to depart from Khunelerp and head towards Caelora City the following day. It was a flight journey that would take a full day.
One of the messages said that a guy named 'Momentum' was going to lead the team for whatever mission they had to perform in Caelora City.
Of course, it was obvious what kind of quest they were going to perform. However, not much was said aside from this.
The text was only meant to inform July to retreat as soon as the Blackguards' team arrived.
Based on the name alone, this 'Momentum' was not a simple adversary.
To lead a team of Blackguards, this meant the man was experience and cunning, someone who knew how to navigate the complex world of covert operations.
The Blackguards had crafted a meticulous plan, intending to launch their assault on him right in the apartment he was currently occupying.
Indeed, they had located him. This was clear from a file Erik had discovered on July's phone. Attached was a photograph of him, caught in a fleeting moment. He was gazing out of the apartment window while walking toward the couch.
The individual who had taken that photo was not only incredibly lucky, but also audacious.
They had captured the image in a moment so transient, so fleeting, it lasted only a single heartbeat.
Yet, they had seized that moment with an uncanny precision that spoke of either sheer luck or exceptional skill.
That was the most logical move, of course, as there was a huge bounty on Erik's head.
<This is shitty luck…>
However, what was done was done.
According to the information Erik uncovered, the Blackguards had been exceedingly careful not to alert him to their presence.
They had woven a veil of deception operating in the shadows to avoid triggering any of Erik's suspicions.
Erik surmised that this was likely their strategy. They were planning to weave a tale so convincing, so filled with deceit and intrigue, that it would serve as a plausible explanation for their assault on him.
08:57
However, his decision to remain within the city's boundaries had left them somewhat perplexed.
However, there were notes attached to the file explaining how they suspected he had something to do with local criminal organizations.
This assumption was entirely baseless, rooted in speculation rather than fact.
There was no tangible evidence they could have gathered to support such a claim, but that didn't mean they couldn't manufacture it.
Erik surmised that this was likely their strategy. They were planning to weave a tale so convincing, so filled with deceit and intrigue, that it would serve as a plausible explanation for their assault on him.
This fabricated narrative was their shield, their justification to present to the public eye, a smokescreen to hide the true nature of their attack.
Essentially, they were putting up an incredibly complicated and realistic play.
A knot of concern appeared in Erik's mind and refused to loosen.
<This means we have a day to search for Max… This is a problem. > His fingers drummed an uneasy rhythm on the table, the realization settling in like an unwelcome guest.
"What's the matter, master?" June asked.
"Uh? Ah… The blackguards are bound to arrive in a day."
"So soon?" June asked. "Didn't you say they had to arrive in 3 days?"
Erik sighed. "That was what Lyria told to the man at the guild's headquarters. But there is a Blackguard already in the city, and she has different information. I wonder if Lyria is aware of that, or June is hiding this from her."
"Not that it makes any difference," June said. "But Master, since we only have a day left, given all of us came back empty-handed. If Matthias found nothing, we should simply leave."
"Yeah. You are right, we would risk our lives for nothing. I got almost everything I needed from this city, anyway. Even if I can't take Max's brain crystal power, at least we won't leave empty-handed."
Forged by flames is out.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦