Ang restored the traps covering the Magic Teleportation Array one by one, then carefully erased every trace he had left behind, ensuring nothing could be discovered.
Afterward, he chose a storage room to hide in.
The room had accumulated dust for a long time and had clearly gone unused for ages.
It was filled with all manner of clutter. Wooden crates, old cloth, and damaged tools lay scattered in the corners.
Ang picked out two old door panels and draped them over himself, concealing his body completely.
The air in the room was stuffy, carrying a faint smell of mildew. Ang held his breath, closed his eyes, and forced himself into shallow meditation to restore his energy.
The prolonged pursuit and the effort of infiltrating the place had left his mind somewhat exhausted.
When he opened his eyes again, he could see faint daylight outside through the gaps between the door panels. A full day had apparently passed.
The castle remained deathly quiet, as though the entire building had been sealed away in silence.
Just as Ang was about to shift his stiff body, he suddenly sensed fluctuations in the magical energy outside, as if some sealed barrier had been opened.
Ang immediately held his breath and pressed himself back against the floor, focusing on the sounds outside.
Before long, heavy footsteps sounded outside. Figures filed in through the castle entrance.
Through the gap beneath the storage room door, Ang could see only vague shadows moving about, accompanied from time to time by subdued curses.
"The president made such a huge show of it, yet we still found nothing. There's bound to be punishment next..." a low voice said.
"Is that our fault?" another Black Mage replied hoarsely, sounding helpless. "Who could have imagined that a mere lizardman would cost