"Boss, is leaking this information to that girl really effective?" Chili Face asked Four Fingers, the leader, who was drinking at the table in the basement.
"Of course, that's the best way." The other person continued pouring themselves more wine, then swirled the glass and explained slowly.
"The conflict between us and the Fire Pig is too great. If we reveal this to the authorities, it will make them extremely wary. Even if we eventually deal with the Fire Pig, they will still be wary of us and suppress us."
"Furthermore, if we tell the authorities, they will be even more curious about our sources of information, and how we know more information than the authorities."
"These things are ultimately best left unsaid, so we must distance ourselves from them."
"Besides, didn't you also suffer a loss at the hands of that little girl Hedra before? You even said she was such a genius that you didn't dare to go all out and that's why you lost," Four Fingers teased.
"Uh, hehe, boss, well..." Chili Face said a little embarrassedly.
"Alright, it's good that the girl named Hedra is strong. If she can uncover the secret of where the Fire Pig is hiding, she will be a great asset to us."
"Of course, it doesn't matter if she fails. She's a star student in the Asura District. Just imagine how furious those Mage would be if she disappeared too. I think even the Fire Pig would have a headache dealing with her. They might lose everything, hehehe." After saying that, he felt much better, and the resentment he felt from being poisoned and deceived finally dissipated.
"Let's just wait for news. However, we should still send people to keep an eye on the Water Bay Street area so that we can intercept the Fire Pig as soon as it tries to escape."
"Yes, boss." Chili Face walked out of the room with an admiring look, then began to gather his familiar underlings and give them instructions for the day.
--Water Bay Street-
Is this the address mentioned in the message? Sylutia stood on the dark, dirty street, her gaze sweeping over it briefly.
Few people live here, and even those who do are mostly low-level laborers. This is because Asura District handles garbage and discharges wastewater, and certain odors linger year-round. Ordinary people would never want to live here.
Upon arriving at the address, Tia looked at the wide sewer system beside her, where there was an exposed opening from which some wastewater was being discharged. The opening was large enough that even if she walked in, she wouldn't bump her head.
Should she go in and take a look? Sylutia hesitated. It wasn't that she was spoiled, but such a dirty and messy environment was something she had never been in before, and it really tested one's mental fortitude.
A few seconds later, she jumped down from the side of the street, her small black leather shoes landing lightly on the blackened stone tunnel, and then her gaze went into the deep, dark tunnel entrance.
At this moment, the light in her eyes shifted, and a strange brilliance flowed, allowing her to see the interior scene with unparalleled clarity and distinguish the various traces within.
The information was indeed correct; people should have walked here regularly, as there were still some footprints left on the water stains and mud on the ground.
At this moment Sylutia switched to her long-unused " Scent-Smelling Technique " to distinguish the molecules remaining in the air.
Originally used to distinguish medicinal herbs and Alchemy potions, this ability is now being used for reconnaissance, proving quite effective.
There was indeed some lingering smell of Orc sweat, but no trace of Anali's scent.
This should be a stronghold of some underground organization, and considering the underground forces in the Asura District, the most likely candidate is Fire Pig.
"I have no choice but to go in and take a look, "Sylutia thought for a moment, then took out a handkerchief, covered her mouth and nose, and lightly leaped into the water, quickly moving around the puddles on the ground.
There were many forks in the road here. She quickly darted past them, choosing a direction based on the footprints left on the ground, constantly probing. After a few minutes of progress, several rats appeared in the pipe and blocked her way.
"It's supposed to be a rat, but it's huge!" Sylutia sized it up.
The three rats in front of me were each the size of an ox, their plump bodies covered in black grease, making me reluctant to approach them.
[ Sewer Vile Rat ] ( First Order - Beast Fang ); A rat that eats sewer garbage. Due to certain coincidences, it mutated and developed Aspect Power, possessing quite aggressive incisors and carrying many viruses.
"Squeak squeak squeak!"
Upon seeing the girl, the three rats rushed over as if they had found a delicious meal. To Sylutia, this scene was no less than a fourth-tier beast charging towards her.
If she got that disgusting mud on her, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep for days.
A glint appeared in her eyes, and with a flick of her fingers, several Sharpness threads sealed off the sewer. As the giant rats rushed past, they were instantly sliced into pieces.
Clutching the handkerchief tightly in her hand, Sylutia carefully avoided the bloodstains and rat carcasses on the ground as she continued forward.
By this time, she could see some fairly obvious traces, indicating that the other organization was quite at ease with this area and no longer bothered to carefully conceal it from the entrance.
A few minutes later, she stopped. Before her appeared a round lid made of a simple black wooden board, but it was covered by some seaweed and could only be seen with great care.
Opening this door should allow us to enter their interior, but having to touch something like this with her hands was something that Sylutia was finding hard to bear.
She could only try the Magic Hand Control " technique, which she was still not proficient in. This was supposed to be an intermediate spell that could only be learned at the fourth rank, but she could barely cast it now, although its strength was definitely far less than expected.
As the shimmering sand coalesced, a pair of light blue hands appeared before her, grasped one side of the lid, and slowly lifted it to reveal the dark passage inside.
After thinking for a moment, Sylutia decided not to go in immediately. Instead, she summoned a Thread Bird and then used the Art of Empathic Connection " to grant it the Flying Bird's vision.
The Flying Bird flew into the passage ahead of time, flapping its wings and moving forward to scout out the surroundings. After navigating through a complex network of branching paths, it finally entered a huge cave where many braziers were lit and some Pigman in steel armor were patrolling.
"Oh? "Sylutia's eyes blinked; it seemed she really had gained something.
She had the Flying Bird find a secluded spot to lie still, and then slowly observed the cave.
This must be the Fire Pig's secret base. There are some smaller caves around the huge cave, which can be used to store supplies and food. Of course, the most eye-catching thing is the huge round stone table placed in the open space in the center of the cave.
Around this stone table, there are about thirty people who can sit. Stone chairs of varying heights and sizes are arranged in a row. One chair is particularly huge, like a small mountain. It is hard to imagine that anyone could sit in such a position.
The stone table is now engraved with many patterns, the lines of which are bold but the spirit remains, vividly depicting a banquet scene. In front of each seat, there are also marks written in ancient script.
From these ancient symbols, Sylutia slowly deciphered some information, roughly meaning to thank a great being and to congratulate the host of the banquet on gaining power and immortality.
In the center of the stone table was a sunken food bowl containing dried blood, suggesting that this was where blood was collected during the banquet.
The various details led Sylutia to conclude that this was the venue for some kind of Feast Ritual, and that the ceremony could be held immediately once the resources and personnel were in place.
The one preparing this must be "Fire Pig," and only this underground leader would have such abundant resources and manpower.
However, we are currently in a period of intense official investigation, and Fire Pig could be summoned and reprimanded at any time. He cannot easily come to this secret base during this period. If the heat of the incident subsides, he will probably be eager to move here for the Feast Ritual ".
Sylutia slowly analyzed the reasons, and then let the Flying Bird continue to search for clues.
Anali might have been captured and imprisoned here, because if it were the area where the Fire Pig originally roamed, the authorities would check it at any time, and people couldn't be hidden there. But there's also the possibility that Anali is being held elsewhere, because the authorities might be led here while searching for Anali's whereabouts, so they need to avoid it.
Sylutia once again directed Flying Bird to carefully search the area, but unfortunately, many of the passageways were blocked by doors, and those doors were also equipped with special mechanisms. If they were opened, they would inevitably make a lot of noise.
It seems this " Fire Pig " has quite a bit of experience. After all, some assassins and thieves with the " Mist Shadow " Aspect Power can easily make themselves invisible. If the door opens and closes silently, it's easy for outsiders to take advantage of the situation.
At the same time, as the distance increased, Sylutia's control and perception of the Flying Bird became weaker and less clear.
She had no choice but to go herself. She looked at the dark opening in front of her and carefully jumped in.
Soon, Sylutia arrived at one of the cave entrances and stood in the shadow of the firelight to observe the situation below. On her shoulder, a silver Flying Bird perched, occasionally hopping around as if it were alive.
The guards stationed here are at most Tier 2, and it wouldn't be difficult for her to take them all out. However, she has been dealing with monsters and enemies on the battlefield for a long time, so this sudden killing spree made Sylutia hesitate.
"I'm still a little soft-hearted," the girl muttered to herself, then took out a special potion. It was one of the fruits of her studies from the previous semester. Since the time she encountered an enemy who used a potion she had made to escape, Sylutia rarely sold the potions she made, keeping most of them for herself.
[ Sleep Dream Potion ] (Tier 2, Rare): A potion that can quickly induce a deep sleep, but the person will wake up after suffering significant damage or stimulation.
Opening the potion bottle, Sylutia poured the liquid onto the silver Flying Bird in front of her, the potion soaking into the lifelike feathers and threads before covering it.
Then the Flying Bird flew out with incredible speed, swooping down and quickly passing over the Orc guards present. Some were grazed on the arms, some on the necks, and some on the legs. The potion seeped into the tiny wounds, giving them a cool sensation, but soon a wave of drowsiness washed over them.
One after another, Orc fell, but a few of them with strong resistance activated their Breathing Technique, constantly accelerating their blood flow and making their will boil, trying to break free from drowsiness.
At that moment, they saw a black-haired girl gracefully descend from the sky. Several of them, holding Steel Axe, tried to rush up and attack. The girl raised her hand, and black longswords appeared beside her. Then, these longswords flew out with a shrill sound, pinning them one by one to the walls and the ground.
Faced with these howling Pigman, the girl shook her head slightly, took out a potion from her waist again, and poured it into their mouths, quickly silencing them.
Minutes later, the cave was empty of standing figures, only the sound of snoring could be heard. Sylutia crossed the hall and began searching the branching caves.
The first cave was filled with chests made of Black Steel, each chest full of gold coins. It seemed that most of the wealth that the Fire Pig had accumulated over the years was here.
The second cave contained a number of weapons and armor, most of which were high-quality First Order or Tier 2 items, with only a few being Tier 3 creations. It seemed that obtaining these weapons was no easy feat for him.
The third cave contained a lot of jewelry and artwork, which were probably stolen goods that the Fire Pig had acquired from somewhere, and it would be difficult to sell them.
The fourth cave is exceptionally well-sealed, with several locked doors. Even if Sylutia wanted to open it, it would take her quite a while.
"I'll have to leave it here for now," Sylutia as she entered the next cave, where she found some books and documents, many of which were about the Feast Ritual." There was also a rough and messy notebook that described the resources and procedures needed to construct the " Flesh Feast."
From this perspective, the Fire Pig's purpose in sending people to steal the Dragon Eye "treasure" was probably to hold Flesh Feast.
After understanding the situation clearly, many vague things became clear instantly, Sylutia also guessed the other party's general plan.
She then circled around the area again, but unfortunately found no trace of Anali or the Dragon Eye Treasure.
Anali and the Dragon Eye Treasure must be hidden elsewhere, but she has already subdued the guards here. If the Fire Pig sends people over again, they will definitely notice and might choose to kill them to silence them and eliminate the evidence.
Anali's hiding place must be found before the other party becomes aware of it. Negotiation is impossible. Stealing the treasure of the Bionics School " is an unforgivable crime of death for the leaders of this underworld. Even Sylutia cannot plead for her; the other party will definitely deny and resist to the death.
What if we report this situation to the Police Station and other authorities?
While this might garner some assistance, it also carries significant risks. The Police Station and authorities don't care about the life or death of an ordinary Orc girl. If they immediately arrest her, pushing the Fire Pig to its limits, Anali's safety could be jeopardized.
Sylutia paced back and forth in the cave, pondering a solution. Then she saw several Pigman fast asleep and had an idea.
Half a minute later, a Pigman was awakened by the water. Upon seeing the girl in front of him, he began to struggle, but he was bound by ropes and could not break free for the time being.
"Alright, stop struggling." Sylutia felt that her tone of voice now sounded somewhat like the villain she remembered.
"I'm going to ask you some questions, and if you can't answer them, I'll turn you into a roasted pig." She flicked her finger, and arcs of flame appeared, flying towards the Pigman and circling around him. The heat emanating from the flames made him tremble.
"Hmph, hmph----" The other person uttered strange words, completely like the clever language of the human world.
Oh no, these guys seem to know how to talk a good game. It seems the pig didn't teach them any of that in order to control them, making it difficult to turn them against their will. They just foolishly obey orders.
Although they're considered the same kind, pigs don't treat these guys like humans either.
Tia tried for a while and found that even though she was good at communicating, she couldn't teach the other person to speak cleverly in just a few minutes.
What to do now? Tia rubbed her forehead, thinking quickly.
The only ones who know about Anali's detention location are Fire Pig and his closest confidants, and such people should be at their organization's headquarters right now.
It seems that the only loss was the order. Weng tried to pry information out of the orderers, but that was an easy task for him.
She glanced at the grunting Pigman before her, then used her flying Phantom Flying Sword to cut the ropes, allowing him to escape freely towards a passage within the cave. She then directed the Flying Bird on her shoulder to quickly follow.
Now, all that's missing is going to their headquarters.