How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game - Chapter 99: Chenarus's Assassin (6)

It was a bright moonlit night. Basking in moonlight, Chenarus looked more like a silver city than a white city.

Carlyn, who had secretly slipped out of the palace, changed into prepared clothes and ran across the rooftops.

Feeling the wind. Near the target location, he sensed quite a few people’s presence through the Winds.

After spending some time, Carlyn realized there were not only devil worshippers and the Haisen Intelligence Agency but also the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

They were a small number of operatives keeping watch over Hepate. Sensing something amiss, they were on their way to request backup.

He did not have time to deal with them.

As time passed, operatives from the imperial side contacted for support would also arrive.

In other words, tonight the three groups would revel in the capital Chenarus’s night.

‘Tougher than I thought.’

Although the Haisen Intelligence Agency didn’t know, the devil worshippers had already surrounded them.

Information had definitely leaked.

Outside that encirclement, Carlyn observed all movements through the Winds.

The devil worshippers. He didn’t expect them to gather in such great numbers and from where.

-Encircled by three sides. Danger.

Winds tapped Phiri’s neck. A pre-arranged signal. Phiri responded by scratching her left cheek.

Yet he couldn’t abandon the mission. Haisen moved as planned.

The rendezvous point was an empty alley. Outwardly Hepate looked calm, but not inside.

This concerned his life. He had come to kill his own subordinates and hide himself for years.

Intelligence operatives do not lack compassion. Fear for one’s life even more so. Suicide in an emergency is usually less painful than being captured.

Seeing a silhouette approaching from across the alley, he deliberated whether it was a friend or foe.

He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. His heart thumped loudly in the silence.

“In Chenarus’s dawn…”

Hearing the promised codeword from the other side, Hepate heaved an internal sigh of relief.

“Two flowers bloom.”

“Greetings. I’ve come from Haisen.”

“Duke Brusek has shitty taste too. Using such a codeword even when defecting.”

Hepate tried to conceal his tension by grumbling, but Phiri replied impassively.

“Since time is scarce, please come with me for now.”

It was then that the devil worshippers began to move.

The capital’s night seemed quiet and tranquil, but Carlyn felt the atmosphere gradually intensifying.

He split off some mana to prepare Winds near Phiri, to respond immediately in case of an incident.

At the same time, he swiftly slipped through the gap created as the devil worshippers mobilized.

Not all devil worshippers were moving. Some remained to form the encirclement and outer perimeter.

Once they were caught up with, those who could be dealt with had to be dealt with beforehand.

‘Now that it’s clear the target must be kept alive.’

Carlyn didn’t know what information Hepate possessed, but one thing was certain.

Otherwise, the devil worshippers wouldn’t have moved. The fact that the leader had used force was evidence in itself.

Information had to be obtained at all costs. Haisen might retreat depending on the situation, but…

Carlyn reaffirmed his determination to save the target and obtain the information with Phiri tonight.

Under the moonlight, Carlyn leaped across rooftops. His shadow flew swiftly between alleyways.

Approaching cautiously was necessary.

‘They’re quite organized.’

Their movements resembled those of well-trained spies. They were originally nurtured in the Empire’s intelligence agency.

But Carlyn wasn’t incapable.

He ascended the roofs stealthily. A silent kill by Winds. There was no sound.

The devil worshippers didn’t detect Carlyn. The price for that was death.

“Hup!”

The dagger sliced the devil worshipper’s throat. The brief murmurs were blocked by the wind.

It was a silent assassination.

Before the enemy could notice, Carlyn leaped back onto the roof. In an instant, he crossed three buildings.

It was challenging but not difficult.

‘They usually don’t use elites for encirclement.’

Two, three, four… The number of bodies falling increased. Carlyn mapped out his escape route in his mind.

He had caught up from behind so needed to deal with those he could first. It was the task of creating an escape route for afterward.

After eliminating six, Carlyn halted his actions. He judged going further would be dangerous.

Just in time, the devil worshippers had also finished preparations and began full mobilization.

‘Traitorous bastards.’

Some of the Haisen operatives positioned around were clearly in locations that could confirm the enemies’ movements.

Yet there were no words or signals at all. Carlyn gritted his teeth.

It meant they were those leaders who had planted or brainwashed. He could not see their faces with the Winds, only remembering their positions. It was information to tell Phiri later.

With the betrayers’ help, the devil worshippers could advance deeper.

Only then did Haisen finally notice. It was impossible not to at this degree.

After midnight in the white city, silent signals flew back and forth across the rooftops. Phiri also confirmed the received signals on the roof.

They quickened their pace, and Hepate also intuitively felt things were going awry.

“The atmosphere feels strange…”

“It’s an ambush.”

“Dammit.”

“It appears you were under surveillance.”

Hepate could not refute it. Both the empire and devil worshippers had been watching him.

Although he had disposed of his subordinate tonight and concealed himself, he had failed to shake off the surveillance.

The sound of faint metallic clashes could be heard around Phiri and Hepate as they walked. It meant combat had begun.

However, there was little room now for Carlyn to actively intervene.

‘Haisen may recognize me.’

If Phiri called for other reinforcements in the imperial capital, only Carlyn was available.

He could only intervene as a last resort. His role was strictly supplementary.

He had promised to deal with the outer devil worshippers and assist Phiri in escaping.

Carlyn guided Phiri through the Winds, leading them to a pre-punctured hole in the encirclement.

“The escape route?”

“This way.”

Hepate questioned, and Phiri immediately answered. She had no doubt Carlyn was the most perfect person on this continent regarding operational command.

It was because he could observe the battlefield through the Winds. Hepate felt uneasy but did not dig deeper.

Hepate and Phiri were skilled intelligence operatives. Their running speed outpaced the chasers.

Haisen operatives followed behind, confronting the devil worshippers and escorting them.

Since it was an extremely confidential mission, lightly injured operatives had withdrawn, and those with heavy injuries bit down on poison pills.

Just then, Carlyn noticed the Imperial Intelligence Agency’s movements at the edge of his Winds perception.

‘Already?’

He thought it would take a bit longer. It was faster than anticipated, an undesirable situation for Carlyn.

While the devil worshippers were within expected parameters, things differed with the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

Once the empire arrived, the Haisen Intelligence Agency would withdraw. That was the pre-agreed arrangement.

Anything further would endanger the path to making the imperial princess path to become the emperor.

The escape direction was towards the west gate. Carlyn eliminated a few more devil worshippers ahead of the escape path.

Before long, the Imperial Intelligence Agency appeared. Carlyn signaled Phiri.

-Empire intervention.

To the empire, both Haisen and devil worshippers were enemies. Amidst the ongoing combat, they chose to break through one side.

A flare shot up into the night sky. It was Haisen’s retreat signal.

Though the signal flare was originally used by imperial troops, they utilized it to cause confusion.

Together with the signal, the Haisen operatives began orderly withdrawing from the battlefield.

Only Phiri remained with Hepate.

“But isn’t that the empire’s signal flare?”

“It’s our side’s escape signal.”

“What?”

This is fucked up. That was Hepate’s thought. It was already a risky move for Haisen’s position.

No matter how indebted, just this attempt alone was enough. Hepate observed Phiri’s reaction.

“Keep running. I’m not retreating.”

Brief words amidst running, but Hepate had no time to care.

The metallic sounds were already lessening. He could see those who had been protecting them between the roofs and alleys retreating.

“Why? Isn’t that insubordination?”

“You sure talk a lot. Is it because you’re an intelligence operative?”

Hepate let out a mocking snicker as they ran. Phiri continued speaking.

“I think we have devil worshipper moles too.”

“So you need my help.”

“Purely mutual interest. We’ll talk later.”

Without another word, they sped up. As skilled operatives, they still had strength left in reserve.

The Haisen operatives signaled Phiri as she did not withdraw with them, but she ignored it.

“What about Phiri?”

“She’s not pulling out even after seeing the signal. It’s insubordination.”

“What should we do?”

“Follow the plan. Duke’s orders. While Phiri as a godchild may be fine, we aren’t.”

“Still, we can’t abandon the vice-leader. I’ll go get her.”

“It’s dangerous alone. Let’s go together.”

Overheard conversation. Carlyn confirmed three Haisen operatives approaching Phiri.

He had continuously kept their allied positions in memory.

‘Those traitors from earlier.’

Carlyn thought the traitors would have tailed Phiri even if she retreated.

Killing the vice-leader would allow the leader to move more freely.

The devil worshippers were pouring into where the Haisen operatives had withdrawn. Unfortunately, the Imperial Intelligence Agency was still at a distance.

Could Phiri and the target hold out until the Imperial Intelligence Agency joined?

If this happened, puncturing through the encirclement was meaningless. It was the worst-case scenario Carlyn had hypothesized.

If only the Imperial Intelligence Agency was a bit slower or had a faster approach speed…

‘Damn it.’

Carlyn realized it was time for him to take action. Risky but necessary.

He was at a distance from Phiri after opening a path. He had to move quickly.

Just a little more to endure. This was the imperial capital Chenarus. It meant the Imperial Intelligence Agency’s headquarters.

Even the devil worshippers could not defeat the empire.

‘The leader must have wanted to take out both Phiri and the target during this gap.’

Carlyn had no intention of leaving things to his plan. Assuming the worst was natural for an intelligence operative.

He had also devised countermeasures for this situation.

The best course was to hold out until the empire arrived. Even the devil worshippers would retreat then.

They had to take that chance to escape with Phiri and the target amidst the chaos.

-Enemy, approaching. Three.

Carlyn sent a signal through the wind. He felt slightly worried. They were faster than him.

If only Haisen operatives were approaching, Phiri might have noticed the signal too.

However, devil worshippers were mixed in, so due to outward appearances there was room for misunderstanding.

If only he could relay speech through the Winds. It was Carlyn’s regret.

Strangely, hearing and sending sounds were quite different, so it remained an unskilled area.

Moreover, observing the battlefield through the Winds was already overloading his brain.

-Enemy, approaching. Three.

When the Haisen operatives had come near, he sent the signal again, but Phiri did not seem to comprehend it.

“We must escape!”

“Go first. Enemies are coming now!”

“You must come together!”

However, Phiri already knew the signal. She just didn’t want to believe it. Since they were kids she knew.

Phiri pointed her sword at the operatives running up beside them.

“Step back. Or I’ll cut you down.”

Saying so, she appraised the opponent with her eyes. They were kids who could use a sword even within the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

Devil worshippers who had already approached to point-blank range were also present. It was a difficult situation.

By now, all the Haisen operatives had withdrawn. The unscrupulous traitors grinned wickedly.

“Our young vice-leader, your perception is as sharp as ever.”

The three who had been waiting for the timing attacked simultaneously. The devil worshippers who had barely narrowed the distance joined them.

Nine. Elite who had prepared for this moment.

Taking just two breaths to cross five buildings, Carlyn released his hold on the Winds observing the battlefield.

He needed to concentrate his strength. The movements of the nine charging were completely suppressed in that instant.

Jumping down from the roof, Carlyn spun his body. In that opening, he grasped three short swords between his fingers.

Bathed in moonlight, Carlyn threw the short swords as he descended.

Author’s Thoughts

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