Chapter 1069
Chapter 1069:
The guards posted at the office door snapped to attention, their once-casual demeanor replaced by sharp vigilance at the sound.
“Who is there?” a burly guard with bushy brows bellowed, raising his torch and marching toward Paula’s direction.
The other guard crouched low, weapon in hand, eyes darting across the surroundings with hawk-like precision.
Seeing the guards’ focus wholly captured by Paula, a spark of triumph flared within me.
My moment had arrived!
I crouched and slunk swiftly behind them, moving like a whisper toward the guard captain’s office.
Reaching the door, I extended a cautious hand and gave it a gentle push.
To my astonishment, it yielded easily, swinging open just enough for me to slip through.
I glided inside, silent as a shadow, mindful not to betray my presence.
The room reeked of stale liquor, the pungent odor stinging my senses.
In the faint glow, I saw chaos—papers strewn about, bottles littering every surface.
By the desk, a man lay sprawled, his snores rumbling through the air.
Squinting, I spotted a ring of keys dangling from his belt.
My heart soared with hope.
Those had to be the keys to the cages we sought.
I crept closer, my movements feather-light, and deftly unhooked the keys. But just as I secured them, the captain stirred.
Why now?
gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰𝗈n – 𝓶𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻
My pulse raced, and I froze, barely breathing, as I ducked into the shadows behind the desk, pressing myself against the wall, silent as a ghost.
The guard captain, bleary-eyed and reeking of alcohol, hauled himself upright, his face clouded with groggy suspicion.
His unfocused gaze swept the room, as though he sensed a disturbance.
I silently prayed that he wouldn’t see me, but my heart sank as I saw the captain’s brow furrow. He scanned the room with cautious eyes, taking a few faltering steps as if hunting for something amiss.
My heart thundered so fiercely it seemed it might falter, my fingers gripping the keys in a vise, dreading the slightest sound.
The captain drew perilously close to my hiding place, and just as I braced myself for being discovered, a sudden clamor erupted outside.
He froze, his brows knitting in frustration. “What in the blazes is going on? Can’t I have a moment’s peace?”
With that, he turned and lurched toward the door, his unsteady steps carrying him out of the room.
I exhaled a trembling sigh of relief, waiting until the echo of his footsteps faded before rising swiftly and slipping out the door.
Paula and I had agreed to regroup at our hiding spot once the plan bore fruit.
Wasting no time, I hastened back.
True to her word, Paula was there, propped against the wall, her breath coming in short gasps.
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