Chapter 58: Infiltration

Chapter 58: Infiltration

RA-02 Police Station, Willow Lane, North Borough, Giaris City.

It was one of the seven police stations in North Borough, with about 100 officers stationed there.

It was around 4 P.M.

Unlike an ordinary and peaceful evening, the RA-02 police station was in a mess due to Inspector Bennett's sudden order to mobilize all forces towards Steel Mill Road. In a matter of minutes, eighty police officers in green uniforms moved out of the main building and gathered at the entrance.

Most carried weapons like truncheons and cutlasses, and some even carried revolvers and rifles.

Thanks to the commotion they were making, it instantly attracted the attention from outside.

Onlookers and pedestrians watched from outside the compound gate due to the sudden commotion and showed confused looks.

"Are they doing some kind of drill?" An older man asked as he puffed out a mouthful of smoke.

"It seems they are preparing for something battle, gramps." A young voice came from his left side.

"Who are you calling 'Gramps,' you shitty brat?" The older man glared at the person who stood beside him and tried to look at his face.

At the same time, he was about to put the cigar in his mouth, but suddenly, he froze.

At that moment, what he saw wasn't a young teenage boy's face but a freaking 35 years old man!

He wore a black vest over his white shirt, a bowler hat, and a single-breasted black jacket.

"What the? What happened to your voice? I thought you were a youngster." The older man said in a dumbfounded tone.

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old man with blonde hair, who was peeking at the gathered Police through the iron fence gap, turned around and chuckled.

Then, he greeted the older man with a light bow before walking towards Hansom's cab, which was parked on the opposite roadside.

After that, he told the coachman something and stepped into the carriage.

Before long, the carriage left the area and drove towards the deeper part of the north borough.

In the meantime, a young man in his 30s with unique red hair walked out of the police station and stood before the group of policemen.

He calmly looked at the anxious faces of the police officers and sighed.

In truth, the peaceful atmosphere of the North Borough wasn't solely due to the Police but also due to a mutual agreement between local gangs and government officials. It was a district with a population of around 400k people, so managing the whole district with only 700 policemen would be impossible.

Although it was a peaceful time, robbery and petty crime would happen all over the city every day. To maintain law and order, government officials like police officers would make some agreement with the local thugs.

However, whenever someone breaks this agreement, there will always be a consequence that would result in loss for both sides.

"I know you are all anxious. But I'm assuring you that we aren't going to war with those street thugs but to rescue someone." Bennett said in a reassuring tone.

At that moment, a young lady officer with blonde hair stepped forward and saluted him before raising a question.

"May we know whom we are going to rescue, Sir?"

"I can't tell you that information yet, Hannah. But you will know soon enough."

Saying so, he took a top hat out of thin air, put it on his head, and slightly adjusted it.

"We are going to the Streel Mill right away. Dismiss."

As soon as he spoke, police officers started moving in different directions and started to get horses and wagons.

Before long, three large wagons and tens of armed police officers on horses left the station and started marching towards the Steel Mill road.

…

Old Rice Mill factory entrance, Steel Mill Road, North Borough.

It was around 4.30 P.M

A black-painted Hansom's cab drove from the southern road and soon stopped before the Rice Mill Factory's entrance.

A moment later, a 35-year-old man with blonde hair and a sharp nose jumped down from the carriage, tossed two silvers towards the coachman, and started walking towards the two-meter-tall iron gate.

Then, he pushed open the rusty gate and stepped inside while gazing at the mill's interior.

'Wow, it's as tall as a three-storied mansion.' Raven muttered.

The rice mill was a towering building, its red brick facade weathered and marked with graffiti. The tall, arched windows were shattered, and dim light filtered through the tattered curtains. The large cobblestone yard in front was overgrown with weeds and littered with remnants of old machinery, while a rusted wrought-iron fence enclosed the area. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and chatter, the mill now a clandestine shelter for gang members. As he stepped in, the scent of stale tobacco and musty wood hung heavily in the air.

Although two young men stood guard at the factory's entrance door, they didn't even dare to stop him. Instead, they quietly greeted him by bowing their heads.

'They look like apprentice walkers.' He also saw a dozen young men in ragged clothes loitering around in the yard and thought they must be low-rank members.

After a swift look, Raven opened the wooden door and continued to walk inside.

Unlike the outer region, the interior looked good. A few magical lamps lit from the corners made the high-ceiling building a bit brighter.

It was a large hall with many old machinery and equipment scattered around. But Raven's attention was instantly drawn towards the small room at the farther end.

No, his attention was drawn to a woman in her late twenties smoking while leaning back on the wall.

'I can also hear noises from that side.' In truth, that room appeared very small and looked more like a restroom from afar.

Raven took a moment to observe the surroundings and soon walked closer to the room. Before long, he arrived near the room and noticed it was a passage to the underground basement. It was used to store rice in large quantities, but now it was used as a base area for the Gold Thieves gang.

"Aron? Why did you come back so early?" The woman noticed his odd behavior and asked.

'She was also there when I sneaked into the Holmes Mansion… Her name is Remy, a Gold Thieves member, and a fourth Circle Official Walker.'

"'Cough,' 'Cough,'" Raven coughed loudly before shaking his head and stepping towards the staircase.

'What's up with him? Even his cough sounds like a child.' Although Remy was confused, she didn't put too much thought into it and continued to smoke.

Meanwhile, Raven moved downstairs through the staircase and soon reached the underground basement.

'I thought it would be an underground dungeon hall, but this looks more like a residential area.'

As Raven muttered inwardly, he was hit by a pungent, almost overwhelming odor that filled the basement air. The sharp, acrid scent of alcohol mingled with the musty dampness of the underground space, creating a heavy atmosphere that was almost suffocating.

The unmistakable aroma of cheap whiskey and gin wafted through the hallway, mingling with the sickly sweet smell of opium smoke that lingered like a fog. Empty bottles littered the floor, and Raven could see the telltale signs of drug use scattered across the path: crumpled papers, burnt spoons, and makeshift pipes hastily discarded by their users.

In one corner of a small room on his left, a group of gang members sat huddled together, their eyes glazed and distant as they passed around a bottle and took long drags from a shared opium pipe. The haze of smoke clung to their clothes, casting a dull sheen over their vacant expressions.

Another group was gathered around a rickety table, engaged in a card game that seemed more about passing the time than any real chance of winning. Their movements were sluggish, and their laughter was punctuated by coughing and the clinking of bottles.

He even heard moaning sounds of women coming from a few rooms ahead.

'I-I think I came to the wrong area.'

Raven wrinkled his nose against the stench, trying to focus on the task.

Although flustered initially, he soon composed himself and checked the surroundings.

Multiple lamps were attached on either side of the corridor walls, illuminating the whole region in yellowish light. If not for the old walls and cracked doors along the way, this underground basement might look more like a residential building.

He also saw a few men and women standing ten meters away and discussing something.

Among them, he also saw two familiar faces.

'If I'm right, they are Tomy and Zyad.'

'I managed to sneak in somehow, but what should I do next?' He couldn't help but ask.

[There are twelve rooms in the front while another ten rooms in the back. But if you look closer, you will notice a clear difference. Only the front side has many magical lamps installed. On the other hand, the other side has only two lamps. Even they kept them in the farthest corner.]

'That's where they imprisoned Thomas?' Raven was stunned by her clear judgment.

He was about to turn around and take a look, but Zera stopped him.

[Don't look back. Just walk ahead like you are in deep thought and enter the third room on your left. It's the only room locked from outside. Don't make eye contact with the people in the hallway or anyone in the rooms.] He could tell many people were staying in the rooms and seemed to be taking drugs or drinking.

'I don't think they will find something odd.' Raven complained but decided to listen to her. He then walked ahead, showing his face that looked like he was in deep thought, and soon walked past the group.

After walking a few more steps, he arrived near a wooden door, opened it quietly, and entered. It was a small room with two tables and a few arranged chairs. He also saw a brand-new whiskey bottle placed on the nearby table and grabbed it.

"It will come in handy." He said while storing it in his inventory.

[What are you going to do next?] Zera asked.

"I'll wait until the Police arrive. Once they arrest the gang members, I'll use that chance to rescue Thomas and bring him out of here."

[Oh? You should use the 'Face Morph' spell on Thomas and replace him.]

"… I'm unsure about whether to rescue him or replace him, Zera. But I'll think about it after I have done rescuing him." Just as he spoke, a loud male voice came from the outside corridor, followed by running footsteps.

"POLICE ARE COMING!!! ALERT THE BOSS!"

"What??! Didn't our boss have some ties with the RA-02 Police? What happened?" A young female voice asked. It was Remy's voice.

"I don't know. But Jess saw many policemen marching towards the Steel Mill Road in horses and wagons." The male voice responded.

Within seconds, shouts and panicking voices were heard from outside.

"Are you sure, Alvin?" Another female voice echoed.

It was the Vice Leader of Gold Thieves, Mia!

"Did you see them marching here?"

"I won't lie on this matter, Vice Leader. Although I didn't get closer, I indeed saw tens of horses and three wagons moving towards our street. If not for Jeff's earlier warning, I wouldn't have noticed this." The man named Alvin responded solemnly.

"Damn it. The Police came at the worst time. Boss isn't here!" Remy panicked.

"Oh my god! The hostage!" Tommy instantly realized the reason for the Police's arrival.

"Did someone sell us out? What should we do? If the news of us kidnapping noble blood leaks out, we will be killed for sure!" As Zyad spoke, almost everyone got panicked.

Meanwhile, Mia made a quick judgment and spoke.

"You guys should pick up whatever you have and hold them off at the entrance. They won't use rifles without any warrant and will only try to subdue everyone with force. In the meantime, I'll take the hostage and escape through the backdoor. As long as the boss and I don't get caught, we will seek a lawyer and bail you guys out."

As soon as the members heard her words, they hurriedly grabbed weapons from the storage room and moved towards the staircase.

In the meantime, Mia made her way towards the other side of the corridor. 

…