The air felt heavier as Riven waited for their response in heavy silence. A moment later, Null glared at him from behind the mask and spoke, breaking the heavy silence.
"If we stick together then our collective strength will boost our chances of success greatly. Do you have another agenda or is it just a lack of strategic intelligence that made you suggest such a terrible strategy?"
Riven didn't reply immediately. Null was spot on — he did have another agenda but he couldn't let him know. He had to convince him somehow to agree to his plan, not for himself, but for the sake of his sister's survival. He thought for a moment and said emotionlessly.
"None, I just truly believed that my plan was the best."
He sincerely believed what he said. The only catch was — it was not for their mission but for his own goal.
Null crossed his arms and said
"Why do you think so?"
Now was the chance. He had to come up with reasons good enough for Null to accept his plan. So he thought for a moment and then replied.
"The manufacturing complex is heavily guarded. We can't get inside without being spotted. So I plan to walk right under their nose by disguising myself as a slave."
Null didn't immediately show any reaction instead he asked.
"Why you? Why not one of us?"
He was expecting this so he immediately replied.
"Because I know the path to the weapons depot. Even with the location, you won't find it easily — the route is complex enough that searching for it increases the chance of failure. I can go straight there."
Null fell silent. He didn't respond; instead, rubbing his chin as he did, Gravitor's voice echoed through his ears.
"Kid, didn't you hear what Ascended Vrekhar was saying to his subordinate? They were very much talking about you so everyone probably knows your face by now."
Riven turned towards him and said.
"I know that but I am certain that no one knows my face except Voric."
Gravitor pressed on and asked.
"How are you so certain?"
Riven continued and said.
"They have no record of us, not even our names let alone our faces because they see us as nothing but insects. The only ones that can recognize me are those who saw me on that day I was escaping."
Gravitor added a moment later.
"What if when the guards of humans see you they notice that you have been missing since that day? If they do then it won't take long to connect the dots."
Riven laughed not because it was funny but because the very idea was absurd and nothing more than wishful thinking in this slave camp.
"People die here or go into torture cells effectively go missing for months and no one notices anything."
As he was talking with Gravitor, Null's voice echoed through his ears.
"Alright, you have convinced me but let's not waste any more time. We will stay near the manufacturing complex and respond if anything goes wrong while you are inside the complex."
This was not perfect. He wanted to keep them very far away from the manufacturing complex.
But he didn't say anything and just nodded his head since he could tell that it was his bottom line. Besides, he might be able to use this to his advantage.
If he planned his move right then they might prove useful to him…
He might be able to use them if anything went wrong while trying to get information about the whereabouts of his sister from Dreykal. All under the disguise of him getting caught while trying to fulfil their mission.
***
Riven ran past countless structures with the others — when no Vrekhar guard was watching over the area. He looked in front of him and saw towering walls in front of him. Black smoke rose from inside those walls.
That was his destination but he had to stop by another building first to take the preparation entrance. His eyes locked onto a certain building a few hundred meters far away from the gate.
This was the same building that he had entered months ago for the Vrekhar to put chains around him.
He was going there for the same reason since if he didn't look like a slave then that would be a death giveaway so he had to disguise himself as one.
This building had no security — no guard and no locked doors because it had chains which they considered worthless. So he could easily enter it.
They continued advancing and then appeared in front of the building's entrance. The door was open and there was not even a single guard standing in front just as Riven expected.
So they stepped inside and immediately Riven saw countless chains and collars hanging from the walls all around him. They were the same ones that he had worn while he was a slave here.
Riven took off his mask and the armor that he was wearing. He handed them and his sword to Null then He walked towards one of the chains hanging on the walls then turned to Null and the others them he said.
"Mind help me put these on?"
No one said a single word instead Forest Princess started to walk toward him.
Then suddenly Gravitor grabbed her arm, stared at him, and said.
"I will do it… There is no need for you to touch this kid."
Forest Princess just looked at him and said in a playful tone.
"Why? Are you jealous?"
Gravitor replied but there was a little bit of a delay.
"No… Not at all it's just that I think it's beneath you to touch him."
Forest Princess laughed and said.
"Hahaha! Whatever you say Mr Gravitor."
Forest stepped back and stood beside Null. Then Gravitor walked towards him and started to chain him…
By the time Gravitor was done, Riven looked exactly like he had looked when he was a slave here, especially since he didn't have time to change his clothes after escaping.
The only difference was that the chains no longer felt uncomfortable. The chains didn't feel oppressive anymore — he could break them anytime he wanted to due to his Awakened strength.
Then Null walked towards him then he grabbed his palm and put something on it. He stared intensely at the palm and saw a large pouch.
"What's inside?"
Null replied.
"This contains explosive beads — use them to destroy the Weapons Depot. Just channel your mana and they will explode in a few seconds."
Riven stared at it for a heartbeat. Then he put it inside his torn pocket, he kept it in a way that no one would notice and it would not fall out of his pockets. Then he said.
"Thanks…"
Riven paused as he started to walk towards the entrance. Then he added, his voice flat.
"I will now be heading off fo fulfil my mission."
He was going to get out, hunt down Dreykal, and interrogate him until he gave up everything he knew. Then return to the complex and complete the mission. And if anything went wrong — he would run.