Apocalypse Villainess? Nah, I'm Nice

”This must be where Nora Lowell was once imprisoned,” Paige Summers said slowly.

Marcus Monroe took a breath of the heavy, damp air, frowning at the foul odor permeating the cave.

”Shawn Monroe’s doing?”

”Mhm.”

Marcus Monroe scoffed. ”He really is a good-for-nothing. Instead of killing her when he should have, he played these little games of torture and abuse. And in the end... Hmph!”

’He really did overplay his hand... He had the situation completely under control, and now it’s ended with him digging his own grave.’

Paige Summers crouched down with a sigh, examining the marks on the ground.

After a moment, her brow furrowed slightly.

”Just as I thought. There’s a hidden faction at play. Come look here. The tracks are faint, but these are definitely men’s footprints, and it looks like more than one person. It means that after Shawn Monroe, other people came here. Nora Lowell’s transformation into a Zombie is very likely connected to them.”

Marcus Monroe took a look and nodded in agreement.

”Now this is interesting.”

He pondered for a moment but couldn’t immediately think of any suspects.

However, given his knowledge of Central City and The Dead City, it was unlikely to be anyone from those two bases. The possibility of it being someone from Southreach was also minimal. That left Norgate as the prime suspect, or perhaps some small settlement was harboring hidden masters.

For even Jovitas’s vast intelligence network to have no leads, it just goes to show how well these people have kept themselves hidden!

Just as he was wondering how to lure them out, Paige Summers suddenly gripped his arm, her eyes fixed on a certain direction.

”Come out!”

Paige Summers’s sharp shout echoed through the cave.

The sound of slow clapping echoed from the bend up ahead. At the same time, a slender figure dressed all in black emerged. Their face was so completely covered that only their eyes were visible.

”You two are as impressive as they say. Astonishing powers of observation!”

Marcus Monroe’s eyes narrowed as he sized up the stranger, certain he had never seen this person before. But for them to have evaded his notice, even while he was distracted, was proof enough that this person was no simple character.

As if guessing his thoughts, the person stopped clapping and raised their hands innocently. ”No need to be so tense. I’m just good at hiding, that’s all. My combat strength is definitely no match for you two.”

’A deliberate show of weakness?’ Paige Summers raised an eyebrow. ”What do you want? Just say it.”

The masked figure seemed to chuckle, their voice raspy. ”As straightforward as the rumors say, I see. But don’t you two find it a bit cramped in here? How about we move this conversation elsewhere?”

”Fine,” Marcus Monroe was the first to agree. The stench in here was truly awful. In any case, it was best to get outside first.

Paige Summers didn’t object.

’Even if a fight breaks out, it’s better to be outside. After the damage Ben caused last time, this cave probably can’t take much more. The slightest commotion could cause a collapse.’

Keeping a safe distance from the masked figure, they quickly left the area.

The cave entrance had originally been blocked by a massive boulder and numerous vines, which were now piled to the sides. Paige Summers observed the scene and determined that this was not the route the mysterious party and their researchers had used to retreat. In other words, the tunnel system had a third exit.

’Who knew this tunnel system was so complex?’

’Logically, Gryphon Lowell must have been the one to create these. But if that’s true, then according to what Kent Kane said, when Nora Lowell attacked, the Central Army confronted her first. Holed up in The Citadel, there’s no way he wouldn’t have had time to escape through the tunnels. So how did Nora Lowell end up catching him?’

’Unless... this masked figure’s group already knew about the tunnels’ existence and had prepared for it.’

’A mole?!’

’According to Hugh Whitlock, Gryphon Lowell was by no means an incompetent man, yet these people managed to plant a key spy right by his side. This group clearly plays for high stakes. Their ambitions must be huge!’

She mulled this over while following the masked figure through the undergrowth, not forgetting to scan her surroundings.

Just as she thought, they weren’t far from the cliff she had escaped from last time.

This area was already behind the Central Army’s encampment. Kiera Walsh and her people hadn’t stationed any soldiers here, creating a gap in their perimeter.

The realization sent a jolt of alarm through her.

’Isn’t this a classic misdirection... creating a diversion here to attack somewhere else? Could their real target be Central City itself?!’

’Who on earth are these people?’

She glanced at Marcus Monroe. His expression had turned grim, a clear sign that he, too, had realized the scope of their ambition.

Paige Summers breathed a silent sigh of relief.

But immediately after, she felt a wave of anger from Marcus Monroe, and it seemed... as if it were directed at her...

’Why?’ she wondered, completely baffled.

’Still, those were questions for later.’

The masked figure had already slowed their pace. After a journey of ten-some minutes, they had arrived at a location southwest of Norgate.

From here, they could faintly make out the mountain range to their front left, which marked the border with Eldoria. Ordinarily, they would be sure to encounter Hunting Parties from Norgate in this area, but now, it was unsettlingly quiet.