[Chapter 28]
Noah swiftly removed everyone's shackles, freeing their wrists one after another. Even after the steel fell away, the cold weight seemed to linger, a reminder of how many days they had spent chained without knowing what would happen next.
Bale kicked the broken shackles aside and rolled his shoulders.
"It feels good to be free."
Noah scoffed.
"We are not free yet. Save that feeling for after we get out."
Bale clicked his tongue.
"That will not be a problem. Preparations were made days ago. With most of the officers gone, this place is almost hollow."
Krepin leaned toward the narrow gap in the metal door and glanced outside.
"They are not here yet. Listen carefully, I will explain the plan."
After Noah gave a brief nod, Krepin continued.
"There is no hidden exit. No tunnels. No weak walls. We walk out through the front door."
The statement made Noah hesitate for a moment, but he kept quiet and let Krepin finish.
"As Bale said, most officers are gone, so the risk is low. Not zero, but low. There should still be around a dozen guards on the ground floor. That is enough to make things dangerous."
Krepin's concern was justified. Beneath the office was a dungeon that held far more dangerous prisoners, people who could not be left unattended even while chained behind steel. That was why the warden rarely left the building in the first place.
From here, prisoners were transferred to permanent jails across the county. If anyone wanted to escape, this was the only window they would ever have.
Unlike the upper floors that handled paperwork and minor duties, the dungeon was guarded by hardened soldiers who had faced both war and criminals alike.
Once Krepin finished outlining the guards' positions, Noah finally spoke.
"If there is still that much security, how do we walk out the main gate?" Noah asked.
"There was a guard at the entrance recording everyone who came in and out. The moment we step outside, anyone will recognize us as prisoners."
Noah still had his clothes, but all of his gear had been confiscated when he was arrested. The four of them now wore the same plain prison clothes, making them stand out even more if seen outside.
From the corner, Raoul spoke without looking at them.
"That was arranged too. Assuming he did not lose his nerve."
As he spoke, the steel door creaked open just enough to leave a narrow gap. A bundle of uniforms was shoved through and landed in a heap on the floor.
A subdued voice came from outside, low and tense.
"Put them on quickly. We do not have much time."
The four grabbed the uniforms and changed as fast as they could. They were Investigation Bureau uniforms, but meant for the lowest-ranking officers, the kind who could move through the building without drawing attention.
Once dressed, Noah was surprised by how well the uniform fit him. He had assumed there would not be one prepared for him, considering he joined them only recently.
'Impressive. He tested me the whole time, yet he had already decided to include me from the start.'
A brief pause followed.
'What a pity. I will have to betray him sooner or later.'
As much as Noah wanted to see the inner workings of the Revolutionary Front through Bale, he was already tied to the Imperial faction whether he liked it or not. It was only a matter of time before someone realized he did not belong and removed him.
For now, his goal remained unchanged. Find Iriel through Bale's connections, then disappear before anyone could question him.
Once they were ready, Quentin stepped into the room. Unlike them, he wore the uniform of a higher-ranking officer. Despite that, his face was pale and strained, as if he had been forced into something far beyond his control.
"Listen carefully. I will not repeat this," Quentin said quickly.
"There was a major incident in the eastern district. The warden and most of the officers have been deployed there. I do not know the details, but this is our only chance to get you out."
Quentin looked directly at Noah.
"We will act as if we are heading there as well, but we split once outside. Bale will take the newcomer to the church. I will take Raoul and Krepin. We regroup later."
He pulled the door fully open and stepped aside.
"The guards could return at any moment. Do not walk. Run. Do not speak to anyone."
They rushed out of the cell and followed Quentin through the corridors. Once past the holding area, they entered the administrative section of the building. Unlike before, the place was eerily empty, as if everyone had abandoned their posts in a hurry.
'What is happening outside?'
The question lingered in Noah's mind as he kept pace beside Quentin.
"I know this is not the time," Noah said quietly, "but what is going on out there?"
Quentin only glanced at him and kept moving.
"You will see soon enough."
Noah furrowed deeply. 'That doesn't sound good at all.'
They descended the stairs and reached the ground floor. It was laid out similarly to the upper levels, making it easy to find the exit. Strangely, there was not a single officer in sight, which made their escape almost too easy.
The moment Noah stepped outside, a sharp scent of gunpowder hit him.
He looked up.
Black smoke was rising into the sky from somewhere beyond the nearby buildings.
'Fire?'
Before he could process it, another explosion shook the ground behind them.
This time it was unmistakable. The blast came from the Investigation Bureau itself.
The explosion had struck the rear of the long building, so there was no direct shockwave. Even so, the heat rolling over them was enough to force everyone to pause.
The group froze for a brief moment, stunned by the blast, but the shock passed quickly.
That hesitation vanished when they noticed officers rushing back toward the building from the direction of the explosion. Even from a distance, it was clear they were returning to secure the Bureau.
Noah was not worried about them.
He was worried about the one person leading them.
Unlike the others, the warden had already arrived.
She stood directly in their path, the entrance gate behind her, as if she had been waiting for them the entire time.
No one dared to move.
Noah instinctively reached for his sword, his hand grasping at empty air. The familiar weight was gone. The Bureau had taken it when he was arrested.
If she attacked now, he would have to face her bare-handed.
His fingers curled slowly into a fist.
He glanced at Quentin, hoping for some signal or hidden plan. Instead, Quentin stared at the warden with a blank expression, his shoulders tense, as if he might collapse at any moment.
No help was coming.
'Damn it… there is no safe way out of this.'
His eyes flicked toward the side streets behind her, measuring distance, obstacles, and the crowd beyond.
If he ran alone, he might survive.
If he hesitated, he would not.
Before he could act, the warden stepped forward.
"What are you waiting for?" she said calmly.
"Reinforcements are needed in the Eastern District. I will secure this place."
Her tone left no room for doubt.
It took Quentin a moment to recover. He saluted stiffly and hurried toward the gate. The others followed, eager to leave her presence.
Noah moved with them, forcing himself not to look back.
As he passed her, Noah released a quiet breath he did not realize he had been holding.
Then her voice cut through the air.
"Stop."
His body locked in place.
Something cold touched the side of his neck. He did not need to look to know it was her blade.
"Why," she asked quietly, "is a novice adept wearing a deputy's uniform?"
The question sent a chill through Noah's spine. Beside him, Krepin's breathing became uneven, his hands trembling at his sides.
They had been exposed.
Noah's eyes shifted toward the streets beyond the Bureau. The lower district began just past the gates, a maze of cramped buildings and narrow alleys.
If he could reach that chaos, he might disappear.
It was his only chance.
Outrunning a Master Adept was impossible under normal circumstances. He knew that better than anyone.
But this was not normal.
With the city already in chaos, even a few seconds of distraction could decide everything.
He had never fought a Master before, but he had faced someone far worse.
Remembering Leon's speed made his chest tighten.
If he ran with everything he had, he could buy a moment.
Just a moment.
But that left one question.
Was he going to abandon the others?
His jaw tightened. His grip clenched.
He did not have time to weigh right and wrong.
Only survival.
The blade pressed harder against his skin, a thin line of pain forcing his decision.
"Now that I look closer, you seem familiar," the warden said.
She was starting to recognize him.
Noah moved before she could finish.
In a single burst of motion, he vanished from her reach and reappeared beside Bale. He grabbed the older man by the arm, hauled him over his shoulder, and dropped into a runner's stance.
"Run!"
His voice cracked like a command.
Then he launched forward.
The others stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened. Quentin slowly turned toward the warden, dread written across his face.
She had already shifted her stance.
Ready to strike.
Boom.
Another explosion tore through the city, stronger than the last. The ground shook violently, forcing everyone to steady themselves.
The warden glanced back toward the source.
That single distraction was enough.
The group sprinted toward the streets without hesitation. People were already flooding the area, fleeing in panic.
Within seconds, Noah and Bale disappeared into the moving crowd.
When the warden turned back, they were gone.
Her jaw tightened as their figures vanished among the civilians.
She exhaled sharply and turned toward the explosion.
"I am definitely working overtime today."
Then she stepped forward without another word.