They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 554: You Shouldn’t Have Followed Me

Her gaze never left Carl, but her fingers were already at a hidden switch.

Before anyone could react

Hissss!

Gas began pouring into the dining hall, a thick cloud flooding the air.

"Cover your nose, Nnenna!" Somto barked

But she was already one step ahead, her collar pressed tightly over her face.

Their heads snapped toward Athena just in time to see her press another button.

With a mechanical whirr, the floor beneath her seat split open, revealing a narrow stairway. She didn’t hesitate, slipping into it with quick, precise steps as the hidden hatch began to close behind her.

"She’s getting away!" Nnenna shouted, her voice muffled by the cloth she had wrapped around her mouth and nose.

"Let her go! We need to get out of here, now," Somto snapped, his tone urgent. "We can’t hold our breath forever!"

"No," Nnenna’s eyes were razor sharp above the fabric. "She has information I need."

"Nnenna, don’t you dare—" Somto began.

But before he could finish, she was already moving, slipping through the narrowing gap with a speed that made all three men freeze in horror.

Arthur reacted first, lunging toward the control panel. He slammed the button again, trying to reopen the hatch

Click.

No movement.

panicked as he dove forward, tackling Arthur

BOOM!

been standing moments before, the shockwave slamming into the

her, and had most likely programmed the stairway’s second activation to trigger an explosion,

to check for traps. Fortunately, Somto had sharp ears; the faint click had been enough warning for him to shove Arthur

the lingering haze. "Come on. I think I know where

called out, delivering the middle aged man to one of his soldiers and already turning back, he still had to lead the

slowing. She was almost certain no one could have followed

Fast footsteps.

breath caught.

and panic clawed at her composure. She pushed harder, nearly stumbling as she burst through the end of the passage, only

sudden, dizzying drop. The cliff stretched out into open air, jagged rocks jutting from the ocean far below. The wind roared up from beneath, sharp and cold, carrying the faint, salty sting of the sea. One wrong step

a small, weathered building, stone walls streaked with moss, a single heavy wooden door set

The footsteps behind her didn’t stop. They followed, relentless,

expecting Somto or Arthur, but froze when she saw Nnenna instead. Surprise flickered in Athena’s eyes, quickly

me," Athena said,

felt like it was right beside them, yet it

brought her to me

It was warped,

sound so close? she

open, and a figure stepped out. Cloaked in a black robe that seemed to drink in the light, the stranger’s face

everything myself?" the figure muttered, voice thick with irritation