An Understated Dominance

After a hearty meal, the burly Warrick sprawled lazily onto the bed and dozed off. He slept soundly till dusk, lost in a deep dream. When the sky was painted in brilliant hues of the setting sun, only then did he wake up leisurely.

The exhaustion from the previous day seemed to have melted away. He felt invigorated, refreshed, and in high spirits.

At that moment, Leigh had already set the table in the hall with quiet efficiency. Compared to the first meal, this spread was far more lavish.

At the center of the table sat a whole roasted pig. Its golden-brown skin glistened with a rich, crispy sheen. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room, making it impossible not to crave a bite.

Warrick had never been one for formalities. The moment he saw the feast, he didn’t hesitate. He strode over, took a seat, and started digging in. He ate with zero restraint without sparing a single thought for Mulder, who was still out gathering intel.

After a while, half of the roast pig was gone. His face was smeared with grease, and he occasionally let out a satisfied belch.

Just then, the tightly shut door creaked open.

Mulder and his men returned, looking weary from the road..

Seeing Warrick feasting alone, his face slick with grease, Mulder wasn’t annoyed. Instead, he sat beside him and started eating as well.

His subordinates could only watch hungrily from the sidelines and didn’t dare to overstep their bounds.

“Well? Did you find anything useful?”

Warrick asked.

For now, he had eaten his fill. He set down his fork and knife, let out a loud belch, then grabbed a nearby towel and casually wiped the grease.

“I’ve got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first, Sir Prescott?”

Mulder deliberately kept him in suspense.

“The bad news,” Warrick said.

Mulder replied, “The bad news is that West Lucozia’s forces are conducting a full-scale manhunt for you. They’re combing every city and village, leaving no stone unturned. If nothing unexpected happens, they’ll find this place within two days.”

“So, you’re saying we only have two days?” Warrick narrowed his eyes.noveldrama

“That’s not all,” Mulder added. “West Lucozia’s military has locked down every port and dock, and they’ve even seized control of several smuggling routes.”

“Hm?” Warrick frowned. “So, you’re telling me there’s no way out?”

“It won’t be easy, but there’s still a chance, “Mulder replied. “I had someone look into it. Four of the five smuggling routes we planned have already been compromised. With West Lucozia’s forces patrolling the area, trying to slip through would be too risky.

“But the good news is that there’s still one last hidden route that is yet to be discovered by them, so we can use it to escape.”

“Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s move,” Warrick said urgently.

With four out of five routes already blocked, they couldn’t afford to waste any time. If they didn’t act soon, even the last remaining path might be discovered. And if that happened, escaping West Lucozia would become nearly impossible.

“Sir Prescott, don’t be so hasty. Let me finish.”

Mulder paused briefly before continuing, ” While it’s good news that there’s another escape route, we can’t rule out the possibility that this is a trap set by Austin. He might have left this opening deliberately to lure us out, only to spring the trap at the last moment and take us all down.”

“A trap?” Warrick stroked his chin and scoffed. “Austin’s just a greenhorn. Sure, he’s witty, but there’s no way he could pull something like that. You’re worrying too much.”

“This concerns our lives, so we can’t afford to be careless,” Mulder replied seriously.

Warrick nodded thoughtfully at his words.

Caution was the key to survival. The more critical the situation, the more important it was to stay calm and think clearly. Acting recklessly could ruin everything-a lesson he had learned through years of warfare.

“Since you’re worried, why not send someone ahead to check if there’s any danger?” Warrick suggested.

“I’ve already sent two unfamiliar faces to investigate, but it’ll take some time. For safety’s sake, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little longer,” Mulder replied.

“You’ve got everything arranged, so I’ll leave it at that. But let me remind you-don’t drag your feet. If we miss our chance and the West Lucozia army seals off the last smuggling route, we’ll be trapped here for good,” Warrick said sternly.

Caution was necessary, but in times like these, bold action was equally important. If they hesitated now, regret would come too late.

“Sir Prescott, please rest for a while. I’ll have an answer for you tonight,” Mulder assured him.

“It better be the right one,” Warrick replied before returning to his meal.

He had already prepared for the worst. Even if things went south tonight, he could rely on his formidable cultivation to fight his way out.

As for Mulder and the others… well, they could serve as sacrificial pawns if necessary.