After drinking some water, I remained standing beside the window for a while, allowing the cool night air to gradually wash away the lingering unease left behind by the dream.
It was already midnight, and the district seemed almost deserted. Earlier in the evening, the streets outside Daylight Inn had been crowded with travelers, merchants, and customers moving between the various buildings. Now, no one could be seen roaming outside. Moonlight spilled across the road below, bathing the empty streets in a pale silver glow.
A gentle breeze drifted through the district, carrying with it the cool scent of the night and rustling the occasional sign hanging outside the nearby establishments.
For several moments, I simply stood there in silence, gazing out at the peaceful scene. The strange dream still lingered in the back of my mind, its vivid images refusing to disappear completely. Even so, the quiet atmosphere and cool night air gradually helped settle my thoughts, easing the tension that had remained in my chest since waking up.
Eventually, I turned away from the window. The strange dream had already disturbed enough of my sleep, and I had no intention of spending the rest of the night staring at empty streets.
However, just as I was about to return to bed, movement at the edge of my vision caught my attention. Instinctively, I paused and looked back toward the window.
A figure had suddenly appeared at the far end of the street.
Someone was running.
Although the darkness made it difficult to distinguish the person's appearance, it was obvious that something was wrong. Their movements were unsteady, and several times they nearly stumbled while sprinting across the road. Even from this distance, there was a sense of urgency and desperation in their actions, as though they were fleeing from something.
A few moments later, the figure abruptly changed direction and rushed toward a narrow lane located opposite the inn. I followed their movement with my eyes and soon realized the problem... the lane ended in a dead end.
A few moments later, several more figures appeared at the far end of the street.
There were five of them.
They moved quickly through the moonlit road, their gazes sweeping across the surrounding area as they searched for someone. Even without hearing their conversation, it was obvious they were pursuing the injured figure. From my position at the window, I watched silently as the group spread out and began checking different corners of the street while exchanging hurried words with one another.
Meanwhile, the injured person remained hidden within the narrow alley opposite the inn.
For a brief moment, I thought they might actually avoid detection.
Unfortunately, that hope didn't last long.
One of the men suddenly stopped and pointed toward the alley. The reaction was immediate. The others rushed forward without hesitation, and a muffled shout echoed through the night.
Realizing they had been discovered, the hidden figure immediately bolted from the alley and attempted to flee once more. However, their injuries had clearly taken their toll. Their movements were unstable, and whatever strength they had left was rapidly fading.
They barely managed a few steps before one of the pursuers lunged forward and caught them. The figure struggled desperately, twisting and pulling in an attempt to break free, but the effort accomplished little. The man maintained his grip and forcefully dragged them back toward the others, ending the brief escape attempt almost as quickly as it had begun.
As the struggle continued, moonlight briefly illuminated the scene.
Although the distance and darkness made it difficult to see the figure clearly, I could vaguely make out a slender frame. Based on the person's build and appearance, it seemed to be a woman.
At the same time, I quietly extended my senses toward the group.
Two of the pursuers possessed noticeable energy fluctuations.
Low-level Controllers.
The remaining three appeared to be ordinary people with no signs of cultivation whatsoever. What caught my attention, however, was the fact that the person currently restraining the woman wasn't one of the Controllers. Despite being an ordinary person, he had managed to overpower her and drag her back toward the group.
The woman continued resisting, but her efforts appeared increasingly weak. Her movements lacked strength, and the energy fluctuations surrounding her were unstable, as though she had already pushed herself far beyond her limits. Whatever had happened before arriving here, she had clearly expended most of her energy already.
Under normal circumstances, an ordinary person shouldn't have been capable of restraining a Controller so easily. Yet in her current condition, she seemed barely able to remain conscious, let alone put up an effective fight.
One of the Controllers stepped forward and, without the slightest hesitation, struck the side of the woman's neck.
The effect was immediate.
The woman's body went limp, and the little resistance she had been able to offer vanished completely. Her unconscious form nearly collapsed to the ground before the others caught her.
With the struggle finally over, the group wasted no time. Two of the men lifted her between them and immediately began moving away from the area.
My eyes narrowed slightly. Something about the entire situation felt... very wrong.
Perhaps it was the fact that they were moving through the streets in the middle of the night. Perhaps it was the way they had pursued the woman, or perhaps it was simply instinct.
Whatever the reason, I couldn't ignore it.
Without making a sound, I reached toward my face and removed the face-changing mask. Moments later, my original appearance returned. After carefully storing the artifact away, I turned my head and glanced toward Charlie.
He remained asleep on the floor, completely unaware of the events unfolding outside.
After making sure Charlie remained asleep, I quietly pushed the window open further and climbed onto the narrow ledge outside.
The group had already begun moving away, their figures gradually disappearing into the moonlit streets below.
Without wasting any more time, I formed a small translucent energy step beneath my feet. The moment I stepped onto it, another appeared slightly lower in the air. One after another, translucent steps materialized beneath me as I descended from the second floor, each fading away shortly after serving its purpose.
The process was quick and nearly silent.
A few moments later, my feet touched the ground. The final energy step dissolved into countless particles of light behind me as I turned my attention toward the departing group.
They had already gained some distance.
Remaining within the shadows and keeping a safe distance between us, I quietly began following them through the darkness.
The group moved quickly through the sleeping district while I followed from a distance, careful not to attract their attention. My original intention had been to determine where they were taking the woman before deciding whether or not to intervene.
The pursuers seemed completely unaware that someone was following them.
Keeping to the shadows, I quietly followed the group as they made their way down the street. The unconscious woman was being carried between two of the men, her arms resting over their shoulders while they supported her weight. The remaining pursuers walked nearby, occasionally scanning their surroundings as though wary of attracting attention.
After several minutes, the group finally exited the street, and a horse carriage came into view in the distance. Parked quietly beneath the moonlight, it appeared to have been waiting for their arrival all along.
One of the men immediately moved toward the carriage and opened its door while the others approached with the unconscious woman. Seeing that, I immediately understood their intention... they were planning to leave.