Not long after the Adventurer set sail, the atmosphere in the inconspicuous private house on the edge of the port was extremely solemn.
Investigation Squad Several people dragged their tired bodies and pushed open the door.
They all had obvious frustration and confusion on their faces, and the shipyard that had been reduced to ruins was almost turned upside down by them. However, except for an empty secret room, they did not find any more valuable clues. The core members of the cult, especially the mysterious "Cult Leader" in the intelligence, disappeared without a trace.
"Captain, we are back." Anles's voice was hoarse and filled with suppressed anger. He wiped the sweat from his face, "We searched inside and outside the shipyard, and not even a mouse was caught. The back door of the shipyard is connected to an abandoned boatman's passage, leading directly to the coast. Those damn bastards probably escaped through the waterway!"
Edgar stood by the window with his back to the door, his figure looking particularly cold in the dim light. He did not turn around, but nodded slightly as a response.
Lina then added, "We also interrogated a few prisoners who could still speak. They were all poor people who had been brainwashed. They only knew that the higher-ups ordered the transfer, but they didn't know where they were going. It is speculated that key information was deliberately concealed from unimportant members."
Philip looked pale and moved his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but in this depressing atmosphere, he finally just closed his mouth silently.
Edgar then turned around. The shadow of his wide-brimmed hat completely covered his face, leaving only his tight jaw exposed. He did not immediately respond to the team members' complaints. Instead, he tapped the rough wooden window sill with his knuckles, as if thinking about something.
"Helena, is there still no news?" Lina's voice was filled with worry.
"Helena She..." Edgar's voice was low and hoarse, breaking the silence. "She also lost contact over there. I went to the scene to see it, and there was no trace left."
Anles and Lina looked at each other, and their expressions instantly became uglier. Helena is an adjutant with strong combat power and rich experience in patrolling. His strength in the team is second only to Edgar, who is the captain. Her loss of contact is no small matter.
Not to mention, before losing contact, her mission was to keep an eye on the "canary".
"Moreover." Edgar's voice became a little deeper, with an indescribable seriousness, "'Canary' is also missing."
The operation code name "Canary" refers to which several people here except Philip naturally know very well. That is the most important goal of their trip. Once the goal is lost, their mission will naturally end in failure. The ending waiting for them may not be easier than death.
Anles suddenly punched the wooden table next to him, making a dull sound, "Damn it! We were fooled around! Cult of Eternal Life Those madmen ran away, Helena lost contact, and even..."
He didn't say the next words, but the anger and anxiety in his eyes said it all. Lina bit his lower lip tightly, his face was pale, and Philip was completely confused about the current situation.
The team members looked at each other, feeling a huge sense of frustration and confusion. The mission was completely out of control. Where should they go next?
At this moment, there was a slight "click" sound from the door lock.
Everyone was instantly alert. Anles and Lina touched their weapons almost at the same time. Philip subconsciously took half a step back, and Edgar's eyes were as sharp as a falcon's towards the door.
The door was pushed open, and the first person to walk in was Helena, whom they thought they had lost contact with. Her face was slightly pale, but her expression was relatively calm, and there were no obvious injuries on her body.
Anles's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and he almost blurted out in surprise. "Helena, you..."
The next words suddenly got stuck in his throat.
Because Helena was not alone, she first glanced at Edgar with a complicated look, with a hint of helplessness and meaning, then stepped aside and lowered her head slightly, revealing the figure behind her.
Behind her, stood a blond girl wearing a simple and elegant dress. The afterglow of the sunset happened to shine in from the alley, outlining her slender and straight back. Her pale golden hair was gently blowing in the breeze, as if it had been coated with a soft golden edge by the sun. She folded her hands in front of her, with a faint smile on her face, her posture was calm and elegant, her undisguised golden eyes calmly swept over the people in the stronghold, and finally landed on the expressionless Edgar in the center of the room.
There was dead silence in the room. Anles put his hand on the weapon, his body stiffened and his eyes tightened; Lina's eyes were full of disbelief, and he subconsciously reached out to the casting medium; Philip was puzzled at first, but when he saw the girl's gold-like clear pupils, memories came to his mind instantly, and he almost fell to the ground when his feet went weak.
Edgar was the first to react. He did not hesitate at all. He instantly suppressed all his emotions, put his right hand on his chest, and bowed deeply to the figure at the door with impeccable etiquette. His voice was low and steady, and there was no trace of waves:
"I have met His Highness Victoria. Captain of the Kingdom General Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Team, Edgar Lorraine, I salute you. I apologize for not being able to greet His Highness in time."
His action broke the deadlock and was like a clear signal. Anles immediately came to his senses and bowed almost reflexively, with his head lowered. Lina also hurriedly pulled Philip, who was still confused, to salute with him.
Victoria's eyes calmly swept across the nervous Investigation Bureau members in the room, and finally landed on Edgar who stood up straight. The faint smile on her face did not change at all, as if she had turned a blind eye to the tense atmosphere in the room just now and the panic at the moment.
"You don't have to be polite." Elf Princess's voice was gentle and soft, but it carried an unquestionable power that made people dare not have the idea of disobedience. "This happened suddenly. I took the liberty to disturb everyone's work."
Her eyes fell on Edgar who was still in the saluting posture again, and the arc at the corners of her lips deepened a little.
"I did not come here intentionally to interfere with the Investigation Bureau's actions. Please don't worry about my existence and identity." Victoria said, with the expression on his face unchanged. "Based on some intelligence, I am worried that the situation in the Port Belen area will get out of control. After all,, Eternal Life Blessing Cult's goal seems to be related to something sleeping in the shadow of the kingdom's history. I think everyone at the Investigation Bureau will not refuse an ordinary citizen who is familiar with local history and also cares about the safety of the kingdom to provide some trivial assistance, right?"
She paused slightly, and her clear golden eyes swept across every nervous or suspicious face in the room, and finally fell back on Edgar. Her eyes were calm, but seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts.
"Of course." Princess Victoria's voice echoed clearly in the silent stronghold, with a strange comfort and pressure. "More importantly, I want to ensure that certain things are under complete control."