{T/N: Damage control complete...}
....
While the attendant went to deliver the message, Odis chatted with Xio. Upon learning that the enemy had followed her all the way here, he checked his pocket watch, "Thirty-two minutes have passed since I received the notification. Their reinforcements should have arrived by now."
He analyzed, "I suspect the person following you is at least a Sequence 7. Now, with their helpers, the two of us are no match for them."
Xio was slightly taken aback, realizing the Leader's analysis was spot-on, and couldn't help but feel a pang of worry.
As Odis adjusted his mystical weapons, he continued, "The reason they haven't attacked yet is because they've noticed MI9's presence in the area. But according to MI9's usual operations, they'd only assign one Sequence 8 and two Sequence 9 agents for surveillance at most. With our combined forces, we can barely manage to escort you to MI9."
"MI9?" Xio couldn't help but feel a hint of resistance upon hearing the name.
Odis reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll handle the negotiations. They won't dare touch you."
He then instructed, "Stay hidden in the carriage later. Don't try to be a hero, let MI9 take the frontline. If they die, they have generous compensation. You don't."
Xio nodded immediately, "Understood."
From the Leader's analysis, she could sense his reliability and was willing to trust him completely. So she would follow his instructions without question...
...
The attendant who had received the Leader's order didn't fully grasp his intent either. He had mentioned inviting 'them', but it wasn't clear who 'them' referred to...
Following instructions, the attendant went to the alley on the left side of the entrance. It was empty, devoid of people.
Clearing his throat, he shouted, "The 'Leader' has critical intelligence about Bruce!"
Apart from distant barking, there was no response.
Just as the attendant took a deep breath to shout again, a hand suddenly reached out from behind and tapped his shoulder.
Startled, the attendant turned to see a man in his thirties standing behind him, his expression stern, "You said 'Leader' has intel on Bruce?"
The attendant swallowed, "Y-yes, that's what the 'Leader' said."
The man pressed, "Where is he now?"
"In the sitting room inside."
The man frowned, asking, "When did he arrive?"
"Just now."
"Take me to him."
The attendant nodded, "The 'Leader' did say to invite you all inside for a discussion."
"Us?" The man couldn't help but glance back at the entrance of Unit 199 Hailin Avenue.
He had always believed their surveillance was discreet, so he couldn't help but wonder how their target noticed them.
Then it struck him... 'Leader' was a veteran in the intelligence field. So it was highly possible that he must have deduced their presence due to convention.
With that in mind, he placed his index finger in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Seconds later, a man and a woman emerged from nearby shops and residences.
The man announced loudly, "Leader has invited us inside for a discussion!"
Then, taking the lead, he entered Unit 199 Hailin Avenue.
Following behind, the attendant was in awe of the 'Leader'. With just one shout into the alley, someone had responded, and it really was 'them'...
...
At this moment, 'Leader' had already taken his usual seat during meetings, while Xio stood behind him like a young attendant.
"Please, have a seat." Odis smiled, "Let's introduce ourselves first. This is Xio Derecha. She is the one who obtained crucial intelligence for MI9."
Odis was well aware that MI9 would highly value intel on Bruce. Even if these agents weren't directly responsible for the case, they would have been briefed to collect related information.
The three MI9 agents sat across from Odis. Since 'Leader' had requested it, they briefly introduced themselves.
The man who had tapped the attendant's shoulder was named Cyril, the leader among the trio.
The other two, a man and a woman in their late twenties, had unremarkable appearances. The woman was Leona, and the man was Gene.
Odis continued, "Let's discuss how to deliver this intel to MI9 as quickly as possible."
Cyril remained stern, saying, "Why not have Miss Derecha brief us, and we'll relay it? As for payment, we won't delay it."
"It's not about payment," Odis said, summarizing Xio's account and his own suspicions about the enemy, "If any of you leave now, you'll be attacked immediately. We only have two options: first, send a distress signal and wait for reinforcements here. Second, escort Xio to MI9."
"...It's important to note that if you choose the first option, the enemy will launch their assault the moment the signal is sent. We'll have to face at least five Beyonders led by a Sequence 7. The second option may seem risky, but while we're on the move, so are they. It'll be harder for them to set up an ambush."
Cyril frowned, "You shouldn't have called all of us in!"
Otherwise, he could have left one or two agents hidden outside.
Odis smiled, saying, "At this point, we need to consolidate all our strength."
In truth, he wanted to firmly bind the three MI9 agents to himself and Xio.
Cyril sighed in resignation, then said, "We're running out of time."
Odis nodded in agreement. The moment the MI9 agents entered the room, the enemy commander should've been weighing their options; those being either to launch an immediate attack, or to wait for a better opportunity...
Odis said, "If you're undecided, bring your carriage around. We'll head straight to MI9."
Cyril asked, "So you think we should escort Miss Derecha to MI9?"
Odis nodded, "Yes."
If this were Gale's Herbal Shop or his home, Odis would suggest holding their ground. Both locations were fortified enough to withstand an attack from several Beyonders.
However, to avoid revealing Leader's expertise in arrays, the Mysticism Research Society's meeting place had no defensive setups or escape routes.
In that case, engaging the enemy while moving was the better choice. This was Backlund, after all. To avoid drawing the attention of demigods, the enemy wouldn't dare launch too aggressive an attack in the streets...
After a brief deliberation, Cyril agreed, "Alright, we'll follow your lead." He then instructed Gene, "Get the carriage ready."
Gene stood and hurried out.
Odis picked up his bag of mystical weapons and moved to the wall near the entrance, peering out through the glass pane on the door.
Once Gene brought the carriage around, Odis loaded a metal bolt into his crossbow, then asked, "Do you have guns?"
Cyril and Leona both drew revolvers and cocked them.
Odis ordered, "Follow me out, and aim at the one o'clock direction!"
With that, he charged out first...
The moment they emerged, Gene pulled the carriage to a stop right at the entrance.
Almost simultaneously, two men burst out of a shop across the street, running toward them while drawing their guns.
From Odis' perspective, they were at the one o'clock position. Before the two men could raise their weapons, he fired his already prepared crossbow. The finely crafted metal bolt struck one assailant in the chest.
*Bang! Bang!* *Bang! Bang!*
Cyril and Leona were also quicker on the draw, each firing two shots. Both hit their marks, dropping the enemies into pools of blood.
The sudden gunfire sent nearby pedestrians screaming and scrambling, throwing the street into chaos.
"Good marksmanship." Odis complemented.
As he spoke, he gestured for Xio to board the carriage first while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
Once all four were inside, Gene flicked the reins with a shout, "Hyah!"
With a neigh, the two horses surged forward, pulling the carriage at rapid speed.
Inside the carriage, despite their vigilance as they scanned the streets outside, the four couldn't help but wear slight smiles after their initial victory.
Xio, still watching the surroundings, asked, "Leader, how did you know enemies would be in that direction?"
"Simple." Odis explained, "Because that's where the horses and driver were. If I were their commander, knowing the enemy had called for a carriage, I'd send men to kill the horses and the driver. And if that were the plan, they wouldn't attack from the carriage's direction, would they?"
Xio nodded slightly, deeply impressed.
Cyril added, "I've long heard of Mr. Leader's strategic mind. Today proves the rumors true."
Odis chuckled, "I suspect you'd use 'cunning' rather than 'strategic' to describe me, right?"
Cyril and Leona exchanged faint smiles but didn't respond.
Suddenly, Gene shouted from the driver's seat, "Incoming! Fire Ravens!"
As he yelled, he yanked the reins hard, veering the carriage into a narrow alley.
During the turn, Odis and the others glimpsed through the window a flock of FireRavens streaking toward them.
Even as the carriage swerved, the fiery birds adjusted their flight, closing in rapidly. Though the horses galloped desperately, the Fire Ravens were faster.
Odis immediately stood, smashed the rear window of the carriage, and hurled a blue axe, his cryo-bomb, at the pursuing flock as they neared.
Upon hitting one of the ravens, the axe exploded with a soft whump, encasing everything within a five-meter radius in frost. Even the Fire Ravens froze mid-air.
While Cyril was inwardly stunned by the weapon's potency, he said coldly, "It's a Pyromaniac!"
Then Gene's panicked shout came again, "Enemies boarding the carriage! Ah–"
Gunfire rang out alongside his cry, Gene had been hit...
...
{T/N: 'Pyromaniac' is Sequence 7 of the 'Red Priest' Pathway... Fire Ravens is one of the Beyonder abilities acquired in this Sequence...}