Feng Ye and Anne moved cautiously through Redwood Town's side streets. The patrols were out in full force since the auction house incident. The guild's enforcers combed through buildings in a rushed manner. However, they were very cautious to not let anyone slip through.
The guild's headquarters would be considered the most dangerous in Redwood Town. Which is why it was the best place to hide.
Feng Ye led Anne through a discreet back alley. This was near the back of the guild. Anne hints towards a narrow passage behind an abandoned shop that led to a hidden service door meant for supply shipments.
Anne definitely knew how to get in. She led the way but hesitated before continuing.
"You're serious about hiding inside the guild branch?"
Feng Ye nodded with a serious depression. "It's the last place they'll think to look."
She frowned but led the way.
--
Inside the guild, Flora was currently on shift at the receptionist desk. The guild was very busy. Enforcers came and went. The atmosphere was tense. However, that did not stop mercenaries and adventurers from receiving quests and submitting quest rewards.
"Flora, time to switch." A nearby uniformed receptionist who had just finished up her break taps her on the shoulder. She indicated that her shift was over and the next rotation started.
"Thanks." Flora nods before stepping away from the receptionist's desk. Flora decided to check on some inventory and walked to a storage room.
A few rooms away, Feng Ye and Anne wore hooded cloaks. They kept their hoods low blocking their facial features. The rug search outside had kept most of the guild's focus outside, thus the inside had significantly fewer guards and enforcers.
The plan was simple. First on the agenda was to meet up with Flora. Next was to stay under the radar here at the guild branch and figure out next steps.
Feng Ye and Anne moved room to room with purpose looking for somewhere suitable. They enter the storage room that Flora is in.
The sudden appearance of hooded cloak strangers entering the storage room startled Flora. Immediately she turned and grabbed a dagger from the nearby storage crate. This sudden movement also startled Feng Ye and Anne.
They also drew their weapons. Feng Ye drew his dagger, while fragments of a spell being formed crackled at Anne's fingertips.
Feng Ye immediately recognized that it was Flora.
"Flora, it's us. I'm Ye Feng.." Feng Ye whispered.
All three calmed down as the realization struck. Flora put down the dagger. Feng Ye put away his as well. The spell that was forming on Anne's fingertips also disappeared leaving no trace behind.
Flora's eyes widened. "You're insane!" She immediately brushes past Feng Ye and Anne and closes the large wooden door behind them. She locates the large deadbolt lock and immediately locks the door to prevent any others from coming in.
In the dim room, the three glanced at each other. Flora in a frustrated voice continues.
"What are you doing here?"
"There was no choice." Feng Ye replies. "By the way, I found Anne. It was the one I knew."
Anne nods and supplements. "All exits have been blocked and the gates have been locked down."
Flora looks at Anne. "I'm sure you know that you are a target due to your relations with headquarters."
Anne signs. "Yes."
Feng Ye nearby doesn't waste time. "What happened to Red?" He figured that if the list was removed, Red would definitely be implicated.
Flora shook her head. "He's gone."
Anne tensed. "Gone as in?"
Flora grimly replies:
"Held in the lower levels of the guild. He should be unharmed as he has a ton of knowledge that the guild still needs."
Feng Ye's mind raced for possible ideas.
Red was too valuable to kill at this time.
A majority of the guild's resources were spent on the rug search, which meant there was an opportunity. Feng Ye sat on a nearby wooden crate, thinking.
Noticing this, Flora asks.
"Ye Feng, got any ideas?"
After a moment of silence, Feng Ye calmly replies.
"The number of enforcers here are mostly outside and busy with the rug search. This is an opportunity. Flora, do you know where the guild branch leader's office is?"
With a worried expression, Flora answers. "You mean to strike first?"
Feng Ye nods firmly. "Yes, with Anne here, we have a chance to take out the head first. The rest will fall into place as long as we have him captured."
Anne on the side nods. "Yes, we should be able to take the guild head out first. This is a chance as security is lighter."
Flora shakes her head. "That won't work. The Guild Branch Leader doesn't just rely on his enforcers. He has personal guards. A few are still here."
Anne narrowed her eyes. "What if we take them out first?"
Flora shakes her head again. "No, that would cause too big of a scene. We need a distraction. We just need to make them leave."
Feng Ye stood up from the crate he had been sitting on a moment ago. "Let's try this. Flora, you spread a false report that you spotted Anne on this level in the back storage area. Make sure to get the enforcers to follow and go out the backdoors into the streets."
He turned to Anne. "Anne and I will head to the guild branch leader's office and take him out."
Anne nods. "Okay." She turns to Flora, "Where is the office?"
Flora replies. It's on the third level. Red's office was the second level. You'll need to go up another level. His office takes up most of the third level and is hard to miss.
Feng Ye nods and locks his gaze with Flora. "Once the enforcers start a rug search in the streets behind the guild, find a chance to slip away and go find Red from the lower levels."
Flora nods. She bit her lips. "If this fails, we are dead."
Feng Ye grinned. "If we don't act, we might as well just give up and turn ourselves in."
Anne exhaled sharply. "Then, let's not fail."