Free Web NovelChapter 648: Chapter 647: Taking the Initiative - Part 1
Abigail dove down from above the clouds, the entire city coming into view.
Her vision, far surpassing that of humans, allowed her to quickly lock onto the location of Rose Iron Prison, and then she began to dive, progressively closing the distance.
After breaking through the clouds, she once again used her powers to split her body apart, turning into a flock of crows, which was slightly less conspicuous than a half-woman, half-bird figure.
The clamorous swarm of crows skimmed over the rooftops of the city, flying toward the prison, and then descended in nearby alleys and low buildings, transforming once again into several cats.
Abigail sent the cats her body had turned into to patrol around the prison because she had suddenly felt some unusual presences after flying close to the prison.
Although her body could take on various forms, her consciousness was always singular; thus, when transforming into multiple animals or a group of animals, she couldn’t allow them to stray too far apart. Either they moved together as a group, or her consciousness would switch between different individual animals.
After several switches of consciousness, Abigail was certain of her feelings.
Just as it was during the time she played chess at Aiden’s house, around the prison, under those gloomy eaves and beside the trees along the roads, bats were hiding—Abigail couldn’t feel any signs of life from them.
They were high-ranking vampires, mostly likely from the Blood Moon Cult’s Reaper faction.
They were gathered around the prison, but they could not possibly breach the prison’s Anti-Magic Barrier. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Abigail guessed that these people were probably just loyal followers of Mr. Bloodcoat, meant to be expendable for the "sacrificial" power.
Should she eliminate them?
For an instant, the idea surfaced in Abigail’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it herself.
The action held little meaning. In a direct confrontation, Abigail could easily kill them, but it was unrealistic to capture them all at once in the current situation—the moment she killed one, the others would surely notice and flee.
Completing the task she was entrusted with was enough. There was no need to go to such lengths for that warden.
With that thought, Abigail guided the cats her body had split into toward the prison’s main gate.
...
Meanwhile, deep within the Rose Iron Prison Core Zone, in a closed area on the underground level, a large alchemical array was operating. Mercury, having reacted with Anti-Magic Stone Powder, was slowly flowing through the channels of the alchemical array, maintaining the Anti-Magic Barrier that enveloped the entire core zone.
Fully armed riot squad members sat in a duty room next to the corridor, guarding the passage leading to the barrier area.
A masked prison guard approached and waved at them, greeting them in a muffled voice.
"Who is it?" asked the guard on duty.
"It’s me." The guard pulled down the mask to show his face briefly, then put it back on immediately.
"Finally time for a shift change?" the on-duty guard cheerfully asked after confirming his identity, "I’m about to suffocate being here alone."
"What shift change? The higher-ups said everyone should stay at their posts and not wander off... Speaking of which, you guys better put on your masks, or you’ll get reprimanded if you’re seen," the arriving guard said helplessly.
"If it’s just me here, what’s there to fear, a contagion? If you’re not here to change shifts, what are you here for?"
"The higher-ups said we need to turn the barrier’s power to maximum," replied the arriving guard, "After all, it’s an emergency situation."
"What happened? What does a contagion have to do with the barrier?" the guard was taken aback.
"Who knows, they give the orders, we follow them, clear division of labor," shrugged the visiting guard.
"Where’s the authorization letter?" the guard asked, "The warden needs to sign off on this."
"I wasn’t given one, the deputy zone director told me to come directly," the arriving guard scratched his head.
"That doesn’t seem right," the guard hesitated, "Go back and tell him, I don’t want to get scolded."
If the zone director or the warden were to find out about this later, he’d have to take the blame and get reprimanded.
"I don’t want to get scolded either," the arriving guard said, "but the deputy zone director mentioned everyone is so busy right now that the warden doesn’t have time to issue orders for each and every thing."
The two guards were at a standstill after a back-and-forth, when another older guard with a face mask strode over: "Is it not done yet?"
"Deputy zone director?" the guard recognized the voice.
"Yes, it’s me." The deputy zone director took off his mask to show the guard briefly, "Didn’t I say we have to adjust the barrier strength?"
"But there’s no paperwork," the guard said, still uneasy.
"What time do you think it is to be so inflexible?!" the deputy zone director retorted. "Everyone above is doing the work of two people because of the lack of hands; who has the time to issue paperwork?"
"Err, but..." the guard still hesitated.
"I’ll take responsibility, alright? Just vouch for each other," the deputy zone director said impatiently, pointing back and forth between them, "Hurry up and get the keys!"
"Alright then," the guard finally turned to get the keys.
The prison had suddenly entered an emergency lockdown without warning, leading to some chaos in management below, and he had been asked to stay at his original post without changing shifts, where he had already been working overtime for quite a while.
"And, you go up and take a shift near the treasury," the deputy zone director said. "You’re here anyway, might as well switch shifts."
"Is that okay?" the guard’s eyes lit up. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
The lighting on the underground first floor was dim, relying on gas lamps even during the day and eerily quiet. Although there wasn’t much to do on this shift, it was quite oppressive.
"I guess you’d have some complaints if you had to keep watching it all the time. Go ahead," the deputy zone director waved his hand.
"Thank you, sir!" the guard saluted happily.
"Put on your mask!!" the deputy zone director exclaimed loudly.
He was naturally happy to be switched to a post above ground. In his opinion, there was really no need for watching over this area, as those currently allowed to move about in the prison were all seasoned guards, undoubtedly their own people. The only concern would be if the prisoners rioted and damaged facilities, but as it stood, most prisoners had been locked in their cells.
However, as he was leaving, one seemingly insignificant thought flashed through his mind.
Just now, when they had lowered their masks to confirm identity, it seemed their complexions were terribly poor, utterly pale, practically like... the dead.
Could it be they were already infected? But they seemed to be in good spirits... It must be the poor lighting underground.
The deputy zone director and the shift-changing guard watched as the watching guard walked away.
"Playing a double act with oneself..." the deputy zone director’s face twisted into a somewhat hideous smile.
"My acting should pass muster, right?" The shift-changing guard also revealed a smile identical to the other’s, "No harm, no fatalities, and no mind control allowed... But there’s no rule against causing some destruction."
The deputy zone director took the keys, jingled them, and looked up, "Since this is your territory, extend some hospitality. I apologize for this, but in this game, I’ll make the first move!"
