Chapter 499
“Has Shaer mentioned any plans to you?” Aivina turned her hope towards the only other alert person in the room. “What about your organization? Is there any assistance?”
Tala appeared remarkably calm, which instinctively led Aivina to believe that Tala must have some contingency plan in mind.
After hearing Aivina's question, Tala merely glanced at her, lowering her head slightly as she replied, “No.”
“Ah?” Aivina was taken aback. In her memory, Shaer always devised meticulous plans before taking action.
“So what are we supposed to do?” Aivina couldn’t help but press further.
“What to do?” Tala pondered for a moment, then looked up at Aivina and said, “Pray, and then trust Lord Shaer.”
Aivina: “......”
For the first time, Aivina felt that this usually serious and composed girl, who seemed to have everything under control, was not as reliable as she appeared.
What does it mean to pray... What if the Strong Sound really comes?
Pray for him not to come?
And trusting Shaer... Aivina certainly believed in Shaer, but they had to be prepared in advance.
Shaer had told her to hold off for at least ten minutes... Was there any way to keep the Strong Sound from finding Shaer for at least that long?
Buzz—
A heavy, echoing sound swept through the air, and Aivina knew it was another one of the Strong Sound’s tricks...
Shaer and their location had been locked onto once again.
Clatter, clatter, clatter—
The sound of iron hooves thundered from the street below, accompanied by the clanking of soldiers’ armor as they marched in formation.
Aivina moved to the window and looked down, seeing several squads of soldiers surrounding the hotel.
Not far down the road, a white-haired figure on horseback was approaching.
The figure seemed to notice Aivina’s gaze, slowly lifting its head to meet her eyes.
In an instant, Aivina pulled the curtains shut and took a deep breath.
The Strong Sound... has arrived.
The intervals of the Strong Sound’s echoes were spaced out... Although Aivina hadn’t figured out the exact timing yet, it was at least 3-4 minutes.
During those few minutes, the Strong Sound wouldn’t be able to use the echoes to pinpoint their location again.
Aivina recalled the scene she had just seen when she opened the curtains. The building across from them was less than twenty meters away, well within the range of a 2nd-tier “Missionary” ability.
She quickly moved to her desk, grabbed a piece of paper, and began to write furiously. Then she turned the paper around to show Tala.
She would directly hold off the Strong Sound... while Tala would escape with Shaer through the window after the next scan!
It would be quite difficult for the “Crown Guard” to chase a “Missionary” who could shift positions using shadows. As long as they didn’t make a mistake, they could definitely buy enough time.
Tala took the note from Aivina, nodded, and accepted the paper without hesitation.
Tala didn’t have any particular feelings for Aivina, and it was perfectly normal for a partner of the Mother Goddess to sacrifice for her. Tala wouldn’t see anything wrong with that.
To put it bluntly, aside from Shaer, Tala didn’t value anyone else’s life much.
Seeing Tala accept her proposal, Aivina didn’t hesitate.
The Strong Sound had likely already entered the hotel; they couldn’t stay here any longer.
She stood up, opened the door, and walked out of the room, heading straight for the stairs.
By the time Aivina reached the second floor, she could already hear footsteps coming from the first floor.
Here they come...
Aivina paused for a few seconds, and the figures of the Strong Sound and several armored knights appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Aivina locked eyes with the Strong Sound as he looked up.
“Lord Strong Sound,” Aivina nodded slightly, acknowledging him.
“Lady Aivina,” the Strong Sound, with a terrifying scar on his face, looked at her and revealed a faint smile, though it appeared particularly sinister on his features. “What a coincidence, I was just about to find you.”
“Oh,” Aivina nodded slightly and asked, “What is it about?”
“It’s regarding the lady who brought you here and helped you rent a place... Miss Lucy,” the Strong Sound began, his gaze fixed on Aivina’s eyes, the smile fading from his face. “What is your relationship with her and your friends?”
“What did you do while in Boren City?”
“Who killed the ‘Keybearer’?”
Lucy?
Aivina maintained a blank expression, concealing her inner confusion.
The one who had interacted most with Lucy was Shaer... and Aivina herself had no particular ties to Lucy.
Seeing the Strong Sound mention so many things related to Lucy, especially pointing out Boren City, Aivina realized that he must have sought out Lucy before coming to them.
Now, Aivina was left wondering what Lucy had said. What had she concealed?
If their testimonies didn’t match, the Strong Sound might turn hostile on the spot.
She couldn’t answer directly, but she had to buy time.
“Lucy Xilufa?” Aivina asked nonchalantly. “The representative from the Derton Group?”
At that moment, the Strong Sound narrowed his eyes as he looked at Aivina.
Earlier, by the window, Aivina had clearly seen him... It was evident she knew he was coming and that the hotel below had been sealed off.
So why was she coming down herself?
To play dumb?
No, no... It was rumored that Lady Aivina was exceptionally intelligent, having built a business at a young age while venturing out on her own. Even in Ansu, one could occasionally hear news about her from far-off Boren City.
She wasn’t a fool.
So she... was hiding something.
Upstairs, in the room they had just left, aside from Lady Aivina, there was only a little girl and another girl lying on the bed... who looked like an ordinary person.
Could that little girl be the key?
“It’s rather inconvenient to talk here,” the Strong Sound smiled slightly, stepping past Aivina as he continued up the stairs. “Let’s call your two friends to join us for a chat...”
This is bad...
Watching the Strong Sound ascend, Aivina felt no more hesitation.
She slowly raised her head, a dark purple glow flickering in her eyes, and focused on a “Crown Guard” following closely behind the Strong Sound.
Back when she was still a “Listener,” Aivina had performed countless mental therapies for the “Crown Guard” Nia. She was well aware of their strengths and weaknesses, especially their vulnerabilities...
The “Crown Guard” following the Strong Sound, upon locking eyes with Aivina, had a strange subconscious impulse directly implanted into his mind.
He instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, drawing it with lightning speed.
This was a sword technique etched into his memory, a movement he had practiced countless times, now completely ingrained in his muscle memory.
At that moment, it was as if a switch had been flipped in his muscle memory, compelling him to execute a swift upward slash at the Strong Sound’s back!
Swish—
Buzz—!
The sharp sound of the sword being drawn was keenly sensed by the Strong Sound, who abruptly turned around, raising his hand to strike at the “Crown Guard.”
Gorgeous, illusory piano keys suddenly materialized in the path of the Strong Sound’s hand, and as his fingers glided across them, notes exploded, sending waves of sound crashing toward the “Crown Guard.”
“Boom—”
A tremendous rumble echoed, splintering wood from the building, and Aivina was propelled sideways by the shockwave, rolling once before kneeling on the ground to steady herself.
The torn hem of her skirt slid down her thigh, revealing the bindings and the array of syringes lined up on her leg.
She swiftly grabbed two of them and plunged them into her chest.
Swoosh—
The liquid from the syringes was instantly injected into Aivina’s body, and her mind felt as if it had been struck hard, a severe ringing in her ears. At that moment, she felt a haze clouding her vision, and aside from the ringing, she could hear nothing else.
Clatter—
The empty syringes were tossed aside by Aivina, who now felt a surge of power coursing through her body, her mind clearer than ever before, even the whispers in her head had been suppressed to a bare minimum.
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