Master Of Astral Summoner-Chapter 153: The Enemy within

Shaan's heartbeat pounded harder with every step he took. Unease crept into his thoughts. The surroundings felt far too quiet, and for some reason, he saw no one at all—only the flicker of old yellow lamps stretching along the road.

'That man should be around here somewhere,' Shaan looked around. 'But why can't I see him at all?'

"I've found the materials you need-verulene leaf powder as you ordered,' a faint voice came from inside the alley.

That voice… It has to be the mysterious man I saw earlier. What is he really planning?

Shaan strained to catch the man's words, but the voice remained unclear. Damn it. The distance was too great, and he needed to find the perfect position to hear more clearly.

'There has to be a place I can use to listen to him properly. But… where?'

Under the poor lighting, Shaan noticed the silhouette of a stack of wooden crates not far from where he stood. Good. The crates might serve as a perfect hiding spot. They rose high enough to conceal him and sat close to the mysterious man's position.

'Hopefully, my decision this time is not wrong.'

With great caution, Shaan crept closer to the pile of boxes until he finally managed to hide there without the mysterious man noticing his presence. Thankfully, at least now he could hear the mysterious man's conversation more clearly.

"Good... it's almost time," another voice replied to the mysterious man. "Our plan will work perfectly."

"Yes, sir. I agree with you," the mysterious man said as he lowered his head slightly. "I'm certain this plan will succeed, and no one will ever find out."

"Hahaha… This time, everything will change. Twilight Sanctum will fall, and the Resistance will reclaim control over Twilight Sanctum."

'Re-resistance?' Shaan's breath stopped for a moment. 'B-but how is that possible? How can they be inside Twilight Sanctum?'

Shaan tried to peer through the gaps between the crates that hid him. The openings were too narrow, forcing him to lean his face closer to see who the mysterious figures really were.

'In this position, I should be able to—'

"Bruk!"

"Who's there?" The mysterious man immediately turned toward the pile of boxes where Shaan was hiding.

'Oh, damn it! Shaan quickly crouched down behind the wooden boxes. Idiot. Idiot. How did I manage to knock one over?'

"Sir, it seems someone heard our conversation," said the mysterious man as he walked closer to Shaan. "I'll check it out first."

One step. Two steps. Shaan heard each footfall clearly, and his heartbeat pounded harder with every sound. His face turned pale. Cold sweat streamed down his skin as the footsteps drew closer and closer. This wasn't good. His position was completely exposed, and he had no idea what to do if the man were to discover him.

'Shaan, calm down.' Shaan took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. 'Don't panic. I'm sure he won't find me.'

Shaan held his breath and even covered his mouth when the mysterious man stopped right in front of the stack of crates. Damn it. If he made even the slightest sound, everything would be over.

"The sound is coming from here," said the mysterious man, looking around. "I'm sure there's something around here."

Then, without warning, the man's voice vanished. The sound of his footsteps disappeared as well. Shaan heard nothing at all, as if the figure had faded away without a trace—no movement, no sound. Strange. What was really going on? Was the man... still around here?

Curiosity began to gnaw at Shaan's mind. To be honest, he felt a strong urge to catch even a brief glimpse of the mysterious man. He felt fairly certain that the man might have already left, and that this could be the perfect moment to step out of hiding.

However... deep down, he felt a sense of doubt. He doubted that the mysterious man had disappeared and was deliberately playing a trick like this to lure Shaan out of the hiding place that had been protecting him from the mysterious man's threats.

'Argh, damn it. Damn it. What should I—'

"I was wrong. Maybe it was just the sound of a rodent," said the mysterious man, walking away from the box. "Sir, we'd better end our conversation for today. We can't let the others become suspicious of our movements."

"You're right."

The two mysterious figures then left and disappeared into the darkness. Shaan remained hidden behind the crates, unable to say a word. His entire body still trembled, weak and drained, as his heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment when he realized how close he had come to being discovered. Thankfully, he had listened to his instincts. Otherwise… he didn't dare imagine what would have happened to him.

'I—I need to tell the others about this. Everyone needs to know.'

As fast as he could, Shaan sprinted out of the narrow alley, desperate to deliver the important news to Dr. Marshal, Chelsie, Nalira, and even the other faction leaders. They all needed to know about this. The Resistance was already in the twilight sanctum and planning something terrible there.

"I-I have to meet with the others right away, to—"

"Bruk!"

"Hey, watch where you're going." The silver-haired officer's annoyed expression showed clearly on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"O-officer, please listen to me," Shaan said in a panicked voice. "The Re-Resistance—they're here. Th-they're planning something terrible, and we need to warn the others immediately."

"The Resistance, you say?" The officer laughed mockingly. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about? There's no way the Resistance could enter Twilight Sanctum. Security here is extremely tight. That cursed group couldn't possibly slip inside so easily."

"Pl-please believe me. I heard them talking inside that alley myself." Shaan's expression stiffened. "They're planning to destroy Twilight Sanctum. Please, believe me."

The officer stared at him with a puzzled look. "Hmm… if what you say is true, then show me some proof. Only then will I consider your words."

'Damn it, I don't have any proof at all.' Shaan shook his head. 'How can I convince them of what I'm saying?'

"Hey, what's going on? Answer my question."

"…."

The officer shook his head and slapped Shaan's shoulder firmly. "Listen to me carefully. Never try to spread false information involving all of Twilight Sanctum again, or you will face a punishment far worse than anything you can imagine."