469 Chapter 469: Cooperation (2)
3rd Person POV
"Didn't you just say that enraging him further wasn't an option?" Mark inquired
"Yeah, that's my opinion." Trevor then sighs, "But I know that not going for him isn't an option with you guys, so I came up with a way to divide his rage, and lessen our losses while going along with you guys."
"What makes you think that not attacking him wasn't an option?"
"I know you all well enough, Rowan and Reiner would prefer getting their hands on him themselves, so they would not agree with any of your plans since they are not directly involved, as for the rest of you...well, all of you were always scared of the village from the beginning.
"Not eliminating Perseus, not eliminating the biggest threat toward our sovereignty after the war ends, it didn't help when Rowan discovered that the black rose was spying on us the whole time he wasn't here...every one of our secrets then leaked out, and I've also had a sneaking suspicion that Perseus staged the king's kidnapping a while back as well...
"Perseus is better off dead, sure, but I'd rather we leave him for last as the demon lord should have been our priority, but it is what it is, before you raise your objections to work with the demon lord, think about it. His general was killed to protect him, his right-hand man was then next, Perseus infiltrated his home and humiliated him as he left since the demon lord couldn't manage to kill him...
"He also would want to lessen the number of losses against Perseus so that he'll stand a chance against us...with him...the village's defensive prowess will finally meet an unstoppable force. Though of course, our goal here is to just kill the chief, right? Or would you rather cooperate longer and raze the whole thing?"
*****
Leilah POV
I came back home after writing down all the information I've gathered, I'm not confident in my typing skills using the stupid phone, it's too small, and I'm still confused with some of the interface or whatever the features are called, so I've written it down.
I came home to see Nyra and Rylee slightly infuriated at Perseus not putting more effort into waking them up and telling them himself, but they were more accepting this time, and Nyra had apparently run out of knives as Perseus was completely immune to her knives and strangling, it was described as prickly and ticklish.
Ruka was sitting with this weird slight smile on her face while using some of them to eavesdrop on our targets, basically working from home, usually not recommended since there's still a small chance to trace it back here, very unlikely since we have goddesses on our side, but still, we rather not take the chance.
"What's going on with you?"
"What do you mean?" Ruka asked and put her stuff down
"You look weird."
"Oh...did you not check your texts?"
I then took out my phone and checked my notifications to see several missed calls from Perseus and her. I then went on to the messaging app.
'I won and lost the bet.'
She then used her hand to put her hair behind her ear and I saw a ring.
"You're engaged?!"
"What?" Nyra and Rylee responded from where they were and Ruka only had this smug smile in return
*****
Perseus POV
Rosa and Buddy slipped in past the initial guards. It was like tossing a match into a box. They strolled in like they owned the place, which got them past the first guards, but once they were inside, it was very different.
"Hey, ain't that the demon's furry friend? The ones the boss warned us about?" one of the goons pointed out
"Yeah, it's them! I knew it!" Another recognized
"The big boss said the hunter's on his way! Scram!" the other shouted
They scattered like startled pigeons, bumping into each other, yelling nonsense, and tripping over crates. You could practically taste the fear in the air, thick enough to slice with a butter knife. Some of them, the bolder ones, tried to rally the troops.
"Get it together, you lot! The boss will skin us alive if we mess this up! Form a line, protect the goods!" a grave lackey ordered
As the chaos brewed among the goons, I seized the opportunity to focus on the real threat. From my hidden vantage point, I spotted movements in the shadows, soldiers, and mages emerging out of hiding like ghosts materializing in the mist. They weren't the run-of-the-mill lackeys either, these were the dangerous ones, more dangerous than the members of his crew that I'd met before.
To think that he would come from that village...do they know the full extent of his operations? If they do...can I use it to sever the enchanters from the heroes' party?
I scanned every corner, every shadow, trying to catch even the faintest hint of the man we were after. Nothing. No sight, no sense of his presence. It was unnerving, but I couldn't let it throw me off course.
My focus had to remain sharp. Can't believe that he got past my heightened senses...I should steal whatever he used to make that possible, the black market keeps surprising me every single time.
Among the frenzied commotion, a swift figure caught my attention as they made a determined exit. It wasn't an immediate recognition of the Soul Merchant, but the entourage surrounding this individual spoke volumes. These guards exuded a level of strength and assurance that hinted at someone of significant importance.
Much stronger than the ones that Buddy and Rosa have to deal with.
Without a second thought, I bolted into action. My feet barely grazed the ground as I navigated through the chaos, the urgency propelling me forward. The sounds of the warehouse faded behind me as I ascended to the rooftops and did an awesome parkour chase scene.
I leaped across gaps, rolled over obstacles, and flowed seamlessly from one rooftop to another.
Then, with a final, gravity-defying leap, I landed squarely in front of Zach. Dust and debris scattered as I touched down, a silent specter materializing before him. His guards, initially taken aback, quickly assumed defensive positions, their expressions shifting from surprise to cautiousness.
"What's up, Zach? How have you been?"
"I've always hated superhero landings." he responded
