An Understated Dominance (Dustin Rhys)

With Mulder leading the way, Warrick-disguised as a member of the City Defenders-walked openly through the streets.

Night had fallen, and the streets were eerily empty-not a single soul was in sight. Only heavily armed patrols moved through the city:

Every checkpoint along the main road was heavily guarded. Even the patrol squads had to show their emblems to pass.

Warrick walked at the back of the group. His hat was pulled low so that it covered half his face. In the darkness, it was nearly impossible to make out his features unless someone got close.

“Austin is more meticulous than I expected,” he muttered. “If it weren’t for the Hall of Gods’ undercover agents helping me, I’d never make it out of Celestria.”

Seeing sentries stationed openly on the streets and hidden in the alleys, Warrick felt a chill crawl down his spine. In less than two miles, they had already passed seven or eight checkpoints.

In addition to the heavily guarded checkpoints on the main roads, countless hidden sentries kept a constant watch on the streets. At the first sign of trouble, they’d move in immediately.

Warrick had initially planned to slip out of the city with his guards if he couldn’t make contact with his allies. With his level of cultivation, escaping Celestria should have been possible.

But now, he realized how naive that plan had been.

With the city under lockdown-guards stationed every ten steps and hidden sentries every hundred-sneaking out was nearly impossible.

If he were spotted, the entire city’s forces would descend on him. Even with his extraordinary abilities, breaking through such a tight encirclement would be a hopeless task.

The streets were silent, and no one in the group spoke. Even when they passed other patrols, there was no exchange of words-just a simple nod before moving along.

seamlessly into the patrol team as they made their way

hours of walking, they were stopped at the final checkpoint just as they were about

passage between the inner and outer city-the

been

way to get a ride was to reach the outer

two was heavily guarded, with troops stationed to prevent anyone from

Defender patrols could move freely within the inner city, their authority didn’t extend to the outer city. As Mulder led the group toward the checkpoint, the hundred or

only responsible for

guard captain, fixed them with a razor-sharp gaze. His tone was firm and commanding. As he spoke, his

piercing gaze locked

frowned slightly and

gone smoothly up to this point. They’d passed through every checkpoint without

Did someone notice something?

standard procedure. Leave it to me,” Mulder murmured before striding toward Colton with a

“Mulder?”

gaze lingered on him before

here?” he asked. “I remember your unit was assigned to patrol the inner

the outer city,” Mulder replied. Then, he asked with a grin, “Could you do

you know the rules. Right now, the entire city is under strict lockdown. Without an emblem, you’re

kept a straight

deal. At worst, it might

and there was a manhunt going on. A single mistake could cost him