Silas observed the two sides fighting below.
One side consisted of people wearing various colored masks, their bodies often emanating heavy oppressive auras.
The other side appeared eerie and mysterious, either hiding their forms in shadows with only snow-bright blades glinting in the moonlight, or with faces painted in oil colors, moving with extreme agility.
The manuscript lay quietly on the ground. No one had managed to obtain it.
"Rosago, we've already destroyed several of your marionettes. Do you still want to continue?"
A Beyonder wearing a golden mask called out.
"Hehe, who's Rosago? Never heard of him."
A voice echoed through the street, though its source was unclear.
"Hmph, how long are you going to keep pretending? Your boss is currently hosting a public ball to make it look like he has nothing to do with this."
The golden mask's voice carried mockery. "He's living it up while you're fighting for your lives. Is it worth it?"
Rosago?
Silas thought to himself. An Intis-style name.
Based on what the golden mask said, he quickly sorted out the factions.
The masked side should be Military Intelligence Nine, while those concealing their forms naturally were Intis intelligence operatives.
"That's quite a speech. If I really were the person you claim, perhaps I'd be persuaded."
The voice came with amusement. Clearly, he was completely unaffected by the golden mask's words and had no intention of admitting his identity.
"Unfortunately, I'm not him."
This last sentence was spoken in three different voices, coming from different mouths among his faction. The effect was eerie yet somewhat comical.
What a strange sensation...
Silas sensed the people over there, feeling somewhat puzzled.
The Shepherd's characteristics allowed him to sense the existence of soul-bearing entities, but although there were clearly several people on the other side, he only sensed one lamb's soul.
Could it be that the rest had no souls at all and weren't living beings?
"Spin whatever nonsense you want, Rosago."
The golden mask also sneered.
"I've lost quite a few people, but your marionettes are almost completely destroyed too.
Tonight, there's no way you're getting this manuscript. If you give up the manuscript and leave now, we'll treat tonight as if it never happened."
"But if you insist on dragging this out, when our reinforcements arrive, you'll definitely lose.
Guess how much Becquerel would be willing to pay to ransom you if we caught your true body?"
By the end, his voice carried undisguised threats.
On the other side, Rosago fell silent after he finished speaking. A moment later, he chuckled softly.
"You're right. From the moment you discovered me, my mission failed. I really can't take the manuscript."
He frankly admitted his failure.
"However..."
Rosago's tone shifted. "Just because I failed doesn't mean you've won, does it?"
"What do you mean?"
The golden mask asked in a heavy voice.
"I mean... I think giving the item to a third party here would be better."
Third party?
Shit!
He discovered me?
Silas's heart jumped. He was clearly hidden in the shadows. How did he discover him?
Just as he thought this, he felt the world before his eyes become choppy and rigid, as if it had turned into a stuttering video playing frame by frame.
What's happening...
Not only his vision, but Silas's thinking also became sluggish. It turned out it wasn't the world that had slowed down, but himself!
What the hell... No, I need to save myself...
"Whoosh..."
As thoughts stirred in Silas's mind, the illusory sound of ocean tides immediately rang in his head, surging down powerfully.
That feeling of being controlled was consequently neutralized.
"Hmm?"
A light sound of surprise came from Rosago's direction, as if puzzled that Silas could break free from control so easily.
"Who's there!"
On the Military Intelligence Nine side, the operatives suddenly became agitated.
Although Silas hadn't been exposed, they shouted in great alarm, as if they'd discovered something.
Silas looked down accordingly and discovered that within the Military Intelligence Nine crowd, a ripple-like strange fluctuation suddenly appeared.
Then the ripples burst open, and a figure appeared abruptly.
Besides him, someone else had also infiltrated!
"Huh?"
This was a pretty young girl with fiery red long hair, her face bearing youthful innocence.
When her figure manifested, she first showed a surprised expression, her mouth slightly open, tilting her head in confusion.
Only when she saw the operatives aggressively surrounding her did she react. Unhurried, she drew the longsword at her waist and plunged it into the ground.
"Boom!"
Dazzling light surged furiously from beneath her feet like a terrifying storm, raging with her as the center.
Those operatives charging over were immediately engulfed and blasted by the storm of endless light!
Several operatives were blown away, scattered across the ground. The red-haired girl took this opportunity to quickly break away from the crowd and run toward where the manuscript lay.
"Stop!"
The golden mask roared and was about to chase the girl when he saw all the figures on Rosago's side simultaneously pounce toward him.
They were actually using their last resort, going all out to block him!
"Bastard!"
He roared, putting on a black iron-colored metal glove.
"Passage is forbidden here!"
He proclaimed loudly while snapping his fingers.
The charging figures immediately stalled.
"Theft is forbidden here!"
He continued.
The girl who had rushed to the manuscript and was about to bend down to pick it up stopped her movement due to invisible pressure.
It was as if inviolable laws existed in this space, and violators would face severe punishment.
However, the girl only paused for a very short time before a black brooch on her chest automatically activated.
The brooch spread out peculiar fluctuations that chaotically interfered with the laws, allowing her to move again and successfully grab the manuscript!
"Yes!"
After obtaining the manuscript, the red-haired girl seemed very pleased.
Just as she was about to leave, for some reason her eyes rolled, and she deliberately looked at the golden mask and mocked:
"Is this all Military Intelligence Nine of Loen amounts to?"
Her words carried a Feysac accent with slightly slurred pronunciation, but the mockery within was crystal clear.
"Damn it!"
The golden mask let out an extremely angry sound. His fist clenched and swung with full force, shattering the last figure blocking him into pieces.
"Hehe, seems neither of these two are ordinary people. Well then, I'll be going first. Gentlemen of Military Intelligence Nine, please enjoy yourselves."
After exhausting his methods, Rosago let out a light laugh, then the direction where he'd been became quietly silent. Silas could feel he'd already left.
At the same time, the red-haired girl somehow produced a cloak from somewhere and draped it over her back.
Immediately, invisible air currents surged, rapidly lifting her body upward.
She was going to fly away!
How does she have so many Beyonder items?!
"Stop her!"
The golden mask was furious.
A whole night's effort and massive losses, and just when they were finally about to succeed, some little girl from who-knows-where had snatched the fruits of victory.
This wouldn't do!
The operatives closed in, but the red-haired girl had already risen to a height they couldn't reach, flying toward the distance.
"Flight is forbidden here!"
The golden mask continued snapping his fingers and shouted.
"Ah!"
The flying girl let out a startled cry and immediately plummeted.
The place where she fell happened to be not far from Silas's hiding spot.