Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1336: Spying Void Empire: Part-2

Ashara Nightfire’s POV

After taking down the guard, I illusioned myself as him.

Fuck yeah... it was so easy~ The spell clung to my skin like a second shadow.

Nobody even glanced my way as I melted into their ranks.

I curiously looked at the orc women who didn’t disturb the guy who was going through an intense nightmare.

Thank goodness those ladies were so nice for someone who was born here. Maybe kindness still survived in the darkest places.... Or maybe they just didn’t want trouble.

I thought with an amused tone before slowly looking around... There were many containers here, and the crates were stored in them... Stacks upon stacks!

’Are they transporting them somewhere? But why?’ I wondered with a frown.

From the information, it seems the Void Empire had not been involved with any other Empire, and even the six Empires had not seen them physically.

There was no registration in the teleportation station, too.

I felt a chill—a secret this big, moving in the shadows, with nobody noticing?

Someone was orchestrating this with care.

So what’s going on here...?

The only way to know... was to go through this path.

I looked at the straight path opposite the entrance of the Deep into Dome, and this path was big enough to take those containers... and heavily guarded there, too.

Rows of armoured men stood silent. Their numbers made my breath catch.

Dozens. No, more than that—maybe a hundred, maybe more. For a second, I wondered if I’d made a mistake sneaking in.

Even a sliver of doubt could get me killed!!

I looked at myself: flat chest, sturdy body, manly clothes. I took a breath, ”Arhhr... As long as I manage to keep this, I will be fine,” I muttered, forcing my voice lower, rougher. The illusion held, but sweat prickled down my back. If even one of them saw through the spell...

With a serious face, I stepped forward. My footsteps echoed far too loudly.

’Be careful,’ Ashara wished me. I nodded inwardly as I walked towards them. As I inched closer, my heart started to beat faster. My chest hammered against my ribs, each step a silent argument with fate.

One mistake... I knew I would be killed by those hundreds of people guarding the place. As I reached them, their faces frowned as they slightly moved forward.

I saw hands tighten on hilts.... Eyes flicked my way, cold and suspicious.

’Nope!’

Before my mind could even process, my body moved instantly 180 degrees and walked off!

My body just—reacted, spinning me away from certain death before I could convince myself to be brave.

I forced myself to look casual, whistling softly.

’Nightfire! What the hell are you doing?!!’ Ashara screamed at me furiously, as if I missed a fucking chance and turned myself into a fucking meatball!

’Oi... do you think it’s easy? The fuck, they’re holding weapons and fucking hundreds of them!! One mistake... I’m dead as fuck!!’ I screamed inwardly as I walked around the container, making sure to act like that guy who was inspecting or whatever shit he was doing before. I even bent down, pretending to check the lock,

’I—do you want to die? Did you see how many of them there were? That’s not a squad, that’s an army! The fuck, I’m not charging into that unless I want to be a pincushion!’ grinding my teeth.

’But we came this far... I am pretty sure whatever they’re hiding must be past those guards.’ Her disappointed and furious voice echoed in my mind, ’Are you really going to give up just because there are a few obstacles?’

’A few? That’s not a few, Ashara! That’s a fucking death sentence!’ I hissed back, moving further away from the patrol line, hoping nobody noticed my trembling hands.

’You want me to just walk in there and say ”Hi, mind letting me through?” because I guarantee that’s the last thing I’ll ever say.’

’Fucker, if you want to go, then why don’t you take my place!’ I said with an annoyed expression, but to my surprise, she accepted it as if she was ready to take my place.

’Fine. Move over and let me show you how it’s done,’ she shot back, voice laced with reckless confidence.

I rolled my eyes.

’You do know you will definitely fail, right? I mean, come on!!’ I groaned inwardly, not because I knew she was useless... rather, she was really useless when it came to this.

She stuck with the problem as always, and I was the one who solved it—and now... she wanted to solve the problem?

Nah, she would just fuck the problem up even more!

I was not allowing that shit.

’Then what are you going to do? If you’re going to stay here... that man’s going to wake up from his nightmare and the first thing he’ll do is alert the others. We don’t have time or any other choices!!’ she shouted furiously.

Well.... she was not wrong.

I sighed... I knew, but hundreds of them... The sheer number made my pulse pound. If just one saw through my illusion, I’d be skewered before I could blink. I needed a distraction, something wild enough to scatter them.

I needed to do something about this.

As I was planning my second move... hmm... I looked at the containers stacked one above another, so high that it seemed impossible they wouldn’t topple on their own.

Hmmm... I have an idea!

The hundreds of guards watching over the path lounged at their posts, idly chatting with one another. Steel boots scraped against stone as they shifted, some resting spears on their shoulders, others glancing over at the labourers.

”Look at those bastards... working like slaves,” one snickered, his lips curled with cruel amusement. He spat on the floor, uncaring if anyone saw.

”Haha... these people would do anything for money, ahaha!” another jeered, elbowing his companion and nodding toward a pair of exhausted workers dragging a crate across the grime-smeared floor.

”Just like us... hahaha—Oops... sorry,” a younger guard added, laughter dying quickly as the others glared at him.

”Anyway, any news when our Empress will come here again?” someone muttered, voice low, almost reverent.

”Hmmm... I think it’s around this time—”

THUD!

Every head snapped up as a massive container toppled from its precarious perch, slamming into the ground.

Boxes exploded open, scattering splintered wood and sharp-edged metal across the floor. Workers screamed and dove for cover as debris rained down, and blood splattered the stones where a man was caught beneath the falling crate.

Panic broke out instantly.

”What’s going on there?!” one of the senior guards roared, eyes wide. He surged forward, shoving aside anyone in his path.

THUD!

Another container gave way!! More boxes tumbled, smashing into workers and guards alike. Bodies rolled, some scrambling out of the chaos, others not moving at all.

”ARHHH!”

”HELP US!! My arm—my arm!!”

”NOOO!! God, please—!”

Blood spread in a sticky pool beneath the splintered boxes. Some workers clawed at the wreckage, trying to free their friends.

The guards flinched, instinct warring with orders.

Meanwhile, the handful of guards still posted at the path looked at one another, faces pale. The chaos called to them, but their orders were clear.

”Should we go there too?” one whispered, fear shining in his eyes.

”No, we cannot leave this place,” another snapped, jaw clenched. ”We guard this path. That’s what the Empress commanded.”

They stood rooted to the spot, eyes flickering back and forth between the carnage behind them and the empty darkness ahead.

No one dared step away from their post... Fear of the Empress was stronger than any sympathy for the dying.

Suddenly, out of the swirling dust and confusion, a broken and blood-covered guard staggered towards them, his armour cracked and one arm hanging uselessly at his side. His shoulders shook, each breath a shudder.

”G-Guys... help them... You need H-Help them—” he choked out, blood streaming from a gash at his temple, voice trembling, half a plea and half a warning. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed at their feet, crimson pooling around his head as he went still.

Before he could finish, that guard collapsed onto the stone, unconscious. Blood streamed from his head, pooling beneath him in a dark, sticky halo as if something massive had cracked his skull.

For a heartbeat, everyone in the corridor froze.

The remaining guards flinched and stumbled backwards, eyes wide, armour clattering as they rushed to the fallen man.

They crowded around him, grabbing his arms and shaking his limp body. ”Wake up! Damn it, wake up!” one of them barked, voice hoarse with dread.

But there was no response.