Within the abandoned potion maker's storefront, Anne and Feng Ye had just arrived. They had gone through the numerous alleyways to avoid main streets and patrols.
This building was coated in dust. It had long been abandoned. The windows here were boarded up, however, one could still see the streets from the gaps. It was safe here temporarily. At least it's much safer than the streets crawling with enforcers and mercenaries.
Anne sat on an old wooden crate, exhaling as she processed everything that had just happened. Feng Ye stood near the entrance and kept watch.
"Now," he said evenly, "I need answers."
Anne leaned back slightly, rubbing her temples.
"About what?"
"Your adventurer party. You were supposed to be with them. Where are they?"
Anne's expression darkened slightly. She was silent for a moment before sighing.
"…Gone."
Feng Ye's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean gone?"
Anne shook her head.
"They were with me. However, we caught wind of some rumors. I didn't want them involved or put them in danger."
"So you dismissed them?"
Anne exhaled and her expression became frustrated.
"We split up. It wasn't an easy decision, but I told them to leave ahead of me and regroup in the capital. I had business to finish at the auction house first."
Anne locked her gaze with Feng Ye before continuing.
Her voice quieter. "I didn't want them caught up in something bigger than they could handle. Some of them… they weren't from big backgrounds like I am. And I didn't expect the Guild to escalate this quickly."
Feng Ye was silent for a brief moment before:
"So you cut off yourself from your best allies and walked into the auction house and caused a scene?"
Anne frowned. "I thought that would be safer.."
Feng Ye gave her a look which made her stop mid sentence.
"You were lucky I was there."
Feng Ye glanced out the boarded-up window. The streets weren't quiet yet. Even now, he could see enforcers stationed at every exit.
"This isn't just a hunt or simple bounty," he muttered. "They are preparing for a purge."
Anne looked at him with a startled expression. "What do you mean by a purge?"
Feng Ye nodded. "It seems the guild is erasing anyone that could be a threat. Have you noticed that it seems the guild branch here has every key infrastructure at Redwood Town under their control or influence? They started with adventurers, then investigators, and now you."
"We'll need to leave as soon as possible." Anne clenched her fists.
"No, we can't." Feng Ye's expression sharpened. A cold glint flashed across his eyes before he explained:
"The exits are locked down. After your stunt tonight, the guild may have a more extreme response. Perhaps a rug search. Trying to leave now would be too dangerous."
"So what should we do?"
Feng Ye exhaled. "We wait… We wait for the right opening."
Anne crossed her arms, thinking."You think an opening is coming?"
"Perhaps, if not maybe we'll need to make our own."
---
Back at the guild branch leader's office. An enforcer stood in front of his desk. He stood stiffly. Sweat beads formed on his forehead. He already gave his report.
If Feng Ye had been here, he would have recognized that this was the squad leader he had met earlier that evening.
Besides the squad leader, stood a ruthless looking enforcer. This one was the enforcer who had approached Flora at the guild reception desk. It seems that the ruthless looking enforcer was higher ranked. He gazed at the squad leader as though he were looking at prey.
"You let her go?" The guild branch leader asks softly.
After swallowing, the enforcer muttered. "We didn't want to risk attracting too much attention."
"You already made a scene." The ruthless enforcer grunts while standing on the side.
"Sir, we were outnumbered. The auction house was independent, if we caused a larger scene by arresting, it could have…"
BANG.
A fist hit the desk.
The enforcer flinched.
"Useless." The branch leader exhaled and leaned back on his chair. "The auction house is useless here. We must quicken our search."
His voice contained a hint of disappointment regarding how useless his subordinates were.
"We end this before anyone from the capital starts asking questions."
He turned towards the enforcer standing on the side.
"Take control. Triple the patrols. Conduct a rug search. I don't care how many resources you need. Find her and whoever was helping her."
The ruthless enforcer nods. "Yes sir."
"Bring them alive. Forget about the name list. If the key names are removed, it doesn't matter if it's leaked. Don't let any fish slip through."
The guild branch leader turned towards the squad leader. "You will report directly to him. Don't screw up this opportunity."
"Yes."
The ruthless enforcer brought the squad leader out of the office and ordered all enforcers on the scene to prepare to conduct a rug search. A very systematic search that will leave no building unturned.
--
Back at the abandoned storefront, Anne leaned against a counter.
"You still haven't told me."
"What?" Feng Ye replied after glancing at her.
"Why are you helping me?"
Feng Ye's expression remained the same. Unchanged.
"I saw the list."
Anne frowned. "That's it?"
Feng Ye shrugs. "Who knows."
Suddenly, they both heard noise from the streets. Distant shouts could be heard.
Feng Ye glanced out the window and noticed that the streets contained more confusion. The streets were filled with more people which was unusual at this hour. Tons of people are wandering hastily with concerned looks. Some enforcers patrolled nearby.
Feng Ye signaled to Anne with a hush movement placing his finger on his lips to signal them to stay quiet.
He whispered.
"They have started their move. It looks like they might be doing a type of rug search. The streets are busier which is odd at this hour."
"They responded fast," Anne muttered.
Feng Ye turned from the window, deep in thought.
"We should be okay here for some time, but we'll need to move soon."
Anne rubbed her temple. "Where to?"
Feng Ye hesitated.
Feng Ye didn't answer right away. His mind weighed the options. Every exit out of the city was blocked. Every building would be raided soon. Every hiding spot would eventually be discovered.
However, there was one option.
"It's a gamble, but… the Adventurer's Guild."
Anne looked at him as though he'd gone insane. "What?"
"The most dangerous place is the safest."
Anne frowned. "That's risky."
"This entire journey was risky."
He gestured toward the streets outside.
"We move through the alleyways and side streets in a few hours."
Anne sighed and shook her head. "If this gets me killed, I'm haunting you."
Feng Ye didn't bother to answer. The stakes were high, he wasn't sure if this was going to work either.