As night deepened, the streets were nearly empty under the city’s full lockdown, save for uniformed patrols. The few civilians who were out walked hurriedly, afraid of drawing trouble.
At that moment, a ten-man patrol unit approached the small courtyard where Warrick was hiding.
Leading them was Mulder Frank, a burly man with a buzz cut. After ensuring the street was clear, he stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard door.
The knocking followed a distinct rhythm, like a secret code. After the first knock, there was no response, so he knocked twice more.
On the third knock, the gate finally creaked open a crack. A shadowed figure inside revealed only half their face and muttered in a low, deep voice, “The sun shines bright in the sky.”
Without missing a beat, Mulder responded, “I raise my glass and ask the blue sky.”
It was the secret code they had set up beforehand.
“Come in, gentlemen. Sir Prescott has been expecting you.”
The courtyard door swung open, and Kalen gestured for them to enter.
Mulder nodded and led his team inside.
Once they were all in, Kalen poked his head out to scan the street. After confirming that there was nothing suspicious, he quickly closed the door.
At that moment, the residence door opened.
Warrick, accompanied by several of his personal guards, stepped out. He immediately recognized the uniforms they wore as those of the City Defenders.
After the enforcement team had taken over, the City Defenders had undergone a complete restructuring. All officials linked to Huxley had been placed under house arrest.
So, Warrick’s former contacts were no longer useful to him. However, it was clear that Huxley had already planted inside agents within the City Defenders, which were now proving invaluable.
“Sir Prescott, Lord Poseidon sent us to assist you,” Mulder said with a respectful salute.
“Poseidon?”
The Red Legion guards glanced at one another, and their faces betrayed their shock. They had all heard of Poseidon one of the four royal Gods of the Hall of Gods.
A sworn enemy of West Lucozia.
The guards hadn’t expected Warrick to have ties to the Hall of Gods. To them, such dealings bordered on treason.
But on second thought, given their dire situation, only a force as powerful as the Hall of Gods could get them safely out of Celestria.
“You have a way to get us out?” Warrick asked tentatively.
“Of course.”
Mulder gestured, and one of his men stepped forward to present a City Defender uniform with both hands.
“I’ve already made the necessary arrangements,” Mulder said. “Put this on and come with us. We’ll get you out of the city without a problem.”
“Just one uniform?” Warrick glanced at his four guards. “What about them?”
“My orders were to escort you alone. Their fate is none of my concern,” Mulder replied flatly.
“It’s just a few extra sets of clothes. Is it really that big of a deal?” Kalen couldn’t help but speak up.
One uniform or five-what difference did it make? They were all just trying to survive, so a little flexibility shouldn’t be too much to ask.
“It’s not just about the uniforms,” Mulder said. “Even if I could get more, I wouldn’t give them to you.”
“Why not?” Kalen frowned.
“Every patrol unit has a fixed number of men. I’ve secured one extra spot, just enough for Sir Prescott. If the rest of you try to blend in, it’ll raise suspicion. And if we get exposed, getting out of Celestria won’t be easy.” Mulder’s face remained unreadable.
“You little-”
Kalen was about to argue when one of his comrades held him back and said, “Our safety doesn’t matter. As long as you can get Sir Prescott out of the city safely, we’ll figure out the rest on our own.”
Mulder nodded and said nothing. He turned to Warrick and said, “We don’t have much time. Let’s go.”
Warrick frowned, displeased with the arrangement. These men had fought by his side for years, standing with him through life and death. Abandoning them now felt like a betrayal of everything he stood for.
“Sir Prescott, don’t worry about us. Just leave. We’ll find a way out on our own,” one of them said reassuringly.
“The patrol shift is about to change soon.
If we miss this opportunity, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow,” Mulder reminded him.
“This is your only chance, Sir Prescott. You have to leave now,” Geralt urged.
“That’s right,” the other guard chimed in.
“Every minute you stay here puts you in more danger. If you’re safe, we can regroup and fight another day.”
Finally, Warrick nodded. He stopped hesitating and quickly put on the uniform.
“Let’s go,” he said.
“Hold on…” Mulder cast a cold glance at the four Red Legion guards. “Sir Prescott, these men are a liability. If we leave them behind and they report us to the enemy, we’ll be in trouble.”
“What?” Warrick’s expression darkened. ”
What do you mean by that?”
