Chapter 28
Lucas and Blake stood to the side as Natalie smiled and began speaking.
"Three months ago, when I was traveling back home after visiting the land our Count family controls to check its development, which all happened in secret nobody knew I was going there except for my guarding soldiers and my family.
"My soldiers were at the Bronze Stage, at least two of them, and a few were at the Copper Stage. Even with that level of strength, which to you two might seem like nothing, all my soldiers were killed and I was taken. They brought me to some slave place; I don't know the location. Different men raped me day and night. Soon they were planning to change the location which before i know it we were being transported, and a man dressed in all black, carrying a black katana, managed to enter the secret path they planned to use to reach another location.
"All the cultivators in that group some reaching Bronze Stage and a single Iron Stage were killed by him. He freed us and disappeared into the darkness."
Natalie explained it as if it were just another day, her eyes hollow. Lucas's expression changed when she spoke about the black swordsman; a faint smile appeared on his face for a single moment before returning to seriousness.
"We managed to find our way to a nearby town. I sent a letter to my father, telling him my location and what happened. He came to pick me up within hours, along with a huge army. That's all I know about what happened that day," Natalie continued.
"Since you aren't pregnant, that means the men who raped you must have been cultivators. There's a technique that destroys any sperm that enters you," Lucas said with a cold tone. "So we're looking for cultivators who aren't connected to any of the Hidden Cities, or defectors from them. If that's the case, and if the person who was teleporting you was at the Iron Stage, then we're facing opponents who are 5-star or 6-star. That means this would still be a B-rank mission. But if the leader of this operation is 7-star or 8-star, then this mission becomes an A-rank mission."
Natalie looked at him and smiled.
"But we were told this mission can only be B-rank. From what you're saying, it could possibly be an A-rank mission," Lucas said, questioning her.
"Isn't the mission about to find the person who leaked the information about her travel path?" Blake asked, looking slightly confused.
"Yes, but she's hoping that for us to find who it is, we will need to destroy the entire organization," Lucas said, then asked, "Isn't that right, Miss Natalie?"
She chuckled. "Yes, it is."
Blake nodded, then said, "The chances of that happening are extremely low unless the person is already part of the organization, which I doubt. Otherwise, your kidnapping would have happened in a more secret way—like letting them enter the manor when the defenses were down. Since that didn't happen, the information must have been communicated outside. Secret organizations spread information through many connected people, so we can find the traitor without facing the entire organization. But it seems like you want us to do that."
Natalie said, "You two are young but already this smart. I know this isn't connected to the mission I submitted to the Hidden City, but I want you to destroy and kill everyone connected to the people who took me."
Both Lucas and Blake went quiet before Blake finally said, "We can't do anything that isn't connected to the mission we accepted."
Natalie's expression changed slightly. "If it's money, I will pay as much as you want."
Lucas asked, "Why didn't you just tell the Mission Headquarters your request? The mission would've been assigned as A-rank instead of B-rank."
"You know better than me. Because of the incident that happened in the Hidden City of Sky, all high-ranking elites are waiting. They aren't allowed to do anything without the Sky King's permission. That means 7-stars and above aren't allowed to leave. If I made my request there, my mission would've been taken a year or even six months later," Natalie explained.
"Hmmm…" Lucas thought for a moment and said, "We'll take 50 million Zony, and you must contact me for any problem you face in the future. I promise you will receive the heads of everyone connected to this organization—and the person who leaked the information."
Natalie smiled. "That's a deal. If you're this young and can handle this, your potential is great."
Lucas nodded. "Where were you attacked?"
"The Western Capital Pathway, Number 27," Natalie answered with a bright smile.
Lucas nodded, walked back to the window they came from, and asked, "Do you have a time limit?"
"No. Take your time," Natalie replied. As she spoke, Lucas and Blake had already vanished.
Soon, they appeared in a dark alleyway as Blake asked, "Why would you accept such a mission? It might turn into an A-rank mission, which is above what we can handle."
"Don't worry. Even if it does turn into an A-rank mission, I can handle it. But I doubt it will become one. I've studied all the organizations the Hidden City of Sky knows about that aren't connected to the Sky Empire. From what I know, there are only three organizations capable of raising a mission to A-rank, but even those aren't worth the Hidden City's attention. They can be destroyed at any moment, so they stay extremely secretive—they don't want anyone placing missions against them and giving the City a reason to wipe them out.
"So I doubt they're involved. That leaves other organizations that don't understand the true hidden rules of power. But if it does end up being an A-rank mission, you can go back to the Hidden City. I will meet you there," Lucas said, looking up at the sky.
"Okay," Blake replied.
Lucas smiled. "Let's finish this mission as fast as possible."