Chapter 135: A Dangerous Invitation [ Bonus - ]

Chapter 135: A Dangerous Invitation [ Bonus Chapter ]

By the time Adesewa returned to the concealed base that afternoon, three separate contacts had attempted to reach her concerning the investigation, and two of their messages contained information she had never requested.

That alone was enough to make her suspicious.

She stood inside the communications room, examining the latest message displayed on Marcus’s terminal. It had arrived through an intermediary who occasionally supplied information about unregistered Awakener activity throughout Zenith.

The sender claimed to have discovered the identities of several individuals responsible for the recent assassination attempts and offered to arrange a private meeting that evening.

There was only one problem.

The intermediary had disappeared six days earlier.

"Are we certain this came through his usual account?" Adesewa asked, folding her arms.

Marcus nodded as he examined the message’s delivery records. "Same account, same authentication details, and the same private communication channel he’s used for years. Whoever sent this either has access to his equipment or persuaded him to cooperate."

Adesewa studied the invitation again. The sender wanted her to arrive alone at an abandoned commercial building in western Zenith, promising information concerning the organization responsible for the attacks.

"Too convenient," she remarked. "They’ve spent nearly two weeks trying to kill us, and suddenly someone wants to hand over their identities."

Marcus leaned back in his chair. "Could be someone looking to sell information. We’ve made enough noise that their people might be getting nervous."

"Possibly," Adesewa acknowledged. "But look at the wording. They’re offering exactly what we’ve been searching for, yet they haven’t provided a single detail we can verify."

Marcus frowned as he examined the message more closely.

Adesewa continued, "Someone knows which information would interest us. That means they’re either watching our investigation or they’ve gained access to someone involved in it."

The realization changed the atmosphere inside the room.

Their enemies weren’t merely sending assassins anymore.

They were attempting to enter the survivors’ information network.

---

Jet returned from Darkstar Guild shortly before evening and found Adesewa, Marcus, and Cassian gathered around the communications terminal.

He had intended to rest after his training session with Alessandro Orsini, but one glance at their expressions told him something had happened.

"What’s going on, Captain?" Jet asked, approaching the table.

Adesewa turned toward him. "Someone sent us an invitation. They claim to possess information about the people hunting us."

Jet examined the message Marcus displayed.

The proposed meeting location immediately caught his attention.

"An abandoned commercial building?" Jet asked, narrowing his eyes. "And they want you to come alone?"

"Apparently," Adesewa replied.

Jet shook his head. "That sounds like a trap."

"That’s what we’re assuming," Cassian said. "The interesting part is how they contacted us."

Marcus explained that the message had arrived through an established intermediary whose identity and communication methods were supposed to be known only to a limited number of trusted associates.

Jet listened carefully.

"Then they might have compromised more than one contact," he observed. "If they know who you’ve been speaking with, they could feed us false information without approaching us directly."

Adesewa nodded. "Exactly. That’s why we’re changing how we handle incoming reports. Nothing gets accepted without independent verification, and none of our contacts receives information about the base."

Cassian folded his arms. "We also need to consider how much money they’re spending. The equipment recovered from yesterday’s prisoners wasn’t cheap."

Marcus opened another document.

"That’s an understatement," he replied. "Some of their communication devices were imported through private suppliers. The security systems at the freight terminal were military-grade, and several vehicles used false registrations supported by legitimate-looking commercial records."

Jet examined the figures.

The amounts involved were staggering.

Maintaining dozens of trained Awakeners, purchasing specialized equipment, arranging secure transportation, and operating multiple safehouses would require an enormous financial commitment.

And that didn’t include the resources already spent on attacking the expedition survivors.

"Whoever is funding them has serious money," Jet remarked.

"Money and connections," Adesewa corrected. "They’re obtaining information, moving personnel across Zenith, and maintaining properties without attracting the attention those activities should normally receive."

Cassian looked toward her. "What do you want to do about the invitation?"

Adesewa studied the message for another moment.

Then she smiled coldly.

"We accept."

---

The abandoned commercial building stood between two deserted office blocks in western Zenith, its upper floors dark and its entrance concealed behind a rusting security gate.

At precisely seven that evening, a black vehicle approached the property.

A woman wearing a dark coat stepped out.

From the fourth floor, a masked operative watched her through a surveillance device.

"Target has arrived," he reported quietly into his communicator. "Female, matching the description. No visible escort."

A voice answered from the other end. "Confirm her identity before proceeding."

The operative adjusted the device.

His expression changed. "Wait. That’s not Afolayan."

The woman below raised her head. A moment later, the building’s entrance exploded inward.

Cassian emerged through the shattered gate, his sword already drawn.

"Wrong guest," Cassian remarked, advancing toward the lobby.

The woman beside him removed her coat, revealing a reinforced combat uniform.

Safiya.

Within seconds, the building erupted into chaos.

Masked Awakeners rushed from concealed positions, unleashing attacks that demolished the lobby’s remaining walls. Cassian intercepted a charging opponent, activated one of his Nine Returning Gates, and redirected the man’s momentum through a supporting column.

The column shattered, bringing down part of the ceiling.

Safiya struck another assassin across the shoulder, leaving a clean wound before activating Hounds of Ngalam.

A Hunt Mark appeared. The injured man fled upstairs, but Safiya already knew which direction he would take.

Outside, Marcus stood beside Bastian, watching the building tremble beneath the fighting.

"Three attempting to escape through the rear," Marcus reported.

Bastian adjusted his shield. "Then let’s make sure they don’t get far."

The rear wall burst outward.

Three masked Awakeners emerged through the debris, only to discover Marcus waiting in the street.

King’s Measure spread across the pavement.

The first assassin lost his footing as Marcus imposed a temporary change upon his balance. Before the man could recover, Bastian struck him with his shield, sending him crashing into an abandoned delivery truck.

The remaining two attempted to retreat.

Marcus intercepted one while Bastian pursued the other.

Within minutes, the escape route had been secured.

But Adesewa was nowhere near the building.

---

Several kilometers away, she stood outside a private storage facility in an older industrial district.

The invitation had served its purpose.

While the assassins concentrated their attention on the proposed meeting location, Adesewa had followed a separate lead obtained from the communication equipment recovered during the previous day’s operation.

The records identified a company responsible for supplying several of the assassins’ vehicles.

That company rented space inside the facility before her.

Adesewa approached the entrance.

Two armed guards stepped forward.

"Private property," one warned, resting his hand on his weapon. "You’ll need authorization to enter."

Adesewa looked past them toward the reinforced doors.

"Tell whoever is inside that Adesewa Afolayan is here," she instructed calmly.

The guards exchanged glances.

Then one reached for his communicator.

Adesewa moved.

Her fist struck the first guard before he could react, sending him through the security booth. She seized the second by his collar and slammed him into the concrete hard enough to render him unconscious.

The reinforced entrance collapsed beneath her next blow.

Inside, several operatives scrambled toward their weapons.

Adesewa crossed the warehouse before the first could finish drawing his sword.

Her palm struck his chest.

The impact launched him through a row of storage containers, crushing several beneath his body.

Another operative unleashed a concentrated Mana attack.

Adesewa struck through it, scattering the energy before driving her knee into his abdomen.

The man collapsed, vomiting blood.

"Alive," Adesewa muttered, lowering him to the ground. "You’ll be answering questions."

The remaining operatives attempted to flee through a secondary exit.

Adesewa caught the first by his ankle and hurled him into the others.

Their bodies smashed through a partition wall, leaving a heap of broken masonry.

The entire confrontation lasted less than a minute.

When the dust settled, Adesewa walked toward an office overlooking the warehouse floor.

Inside, she discovered communication equipment, financial records, and several documents listing properties throughout Zenith.

Some records contained enormous transfers between companies whose names had already appeared in Marcus’s investigation.

Others revealed payments to private security contractors, vehicle suppliers, and unidentified Awakener operatives.

Adesewa examined the documents with growing interest.

Their enemies had constructed an extensive support network.

But every network depended on people, money, and places.

And those could be found.

---

By nine that evening, the operation had expanded to two additional properties identified through the recovered records.

One was an apartment used to accommodate visiting operatives. The other was a small office functioning as a communications relay.

Cassian and Marcus handled the apartment, capturing two Awakeners after a brief confrontation that demolished much of its interior.

Safiya tracked a wounded operative from the commercial building to the communications office, where Bastian forced entry and disabled the remaining guards.

Several enemies were killed during the resistance, while others were taken alive for questioning.

Adesewa ordered the recovered documents and equipment transferred to a secure location separate from their concealed base.

She had no intention of allowing another compromised intermediary to discover where the survivors were hiding.

When Cassian contacted her with the final report, his voice carried unmistakable satisfaction.

"Three locations secured, Captain," he announced. "We’ve captured several operatives, and Marcus is already examining their records."

"Any civilian casualties?" Adesewa asked.

"None confirmed," Cassian replied. "We kept the fighting inside the evacuated industrial and commercial properties."

Adesewa nodded. "Good. Return to the rendezvous point. We’re finished for tonight."

---

Elsewhere in Zenith, a man stood inside a darkened office, listening to a report from one of his subordinates.

The information was unpleasant.

Three operational locations had been compromised, several trained Awakeners were missing or dead, and substantial amounts of equipment and documentation had fallen into enemy hands.

The subordinate hesitated before continuing.

"Sir, the losses are becoming difficult to ignore. Every time we establish another position, Afolayan finds a way to strike it."

The man remained silent.

"She’s already destroyed several teams," the subordinate added nervously. "And the other survivors are considerably stronger than our original assessments suggested."

The man turned toward the window, looking out across Zenith’s illuminated skyline.

For several moments, he considered the situation.

Then he spoke.

"Change our priorities," he ordered coldly. "The others can wait."

The subordinate straightened. "And Afolayan, sir?"

The man slowly clenched his fist.

"She’s become our greatest immediate threat," he answered. "Until she’s dealt with, nothing else matters."