Selene didn’t rush to enter the warehouse, because that would add her footprints to the dust on the ground, which would alert anyone if she wasn’t planning to investigate thoroughly and find out all the clues. She carefully observed the scene inside from the doorway, trying to find details she couldn’t see from the window.

But the warehouse was silent. It was as if no one had been there since it was abandoned, just like she had seen from the window. Nothing had changed. The dust still lay on the ground. The crates and shelves were still scattered around, chaotically.

… Wait, nothing changed?

Selene suddenly noticed something amiss—when she pushed open the door of the warehouse, even though she had concealed her movements and minimized her impact, there should still be an exchange of air between the outside and inside, and how could the dust on the ground still be completely undisturbed?

She tilted her body slightly to the side. Just then, a gentle breeze came from behind her. It passed over her body and blew into the warehouse.

The “heavy” dust didn’t blow up a single particle.

Selene watched this scene. Intrigued, she extended her right foot, touching the dust on the ground with her toes before lifting it up again.

No footprint remained.

“An illusion, a disguise…”

Sure enough, there was a superhuman among those who posted the assignment… What level was he? This kind of simple illusion… either he hadn’t been diligent in disguising it, or he simply wasn’t capable of doing any better… Given that this remote area is unlikely to attract high-level superhumans, the latter was more likely… He’s probably just a first-tier mage like me. But I can’t rule out the possibility of him being higher level, or having other superhuman allies… Just do some simple investigation, then go back to the station and tell Duquesne. It’s too dangerous to go it alone.

Selene pondered for a moment, then made her decision. Without hesitation, she walked confidently into the warehouse, crossing the dusty ground, leaving no trace, just as before.

She didn’t relax her vigilance because she had seen through the simple disguise. She kept using the “Shadow Blend” potion to stay concealed. She quietly moved around the darkened warehouse, silently checking to see if there were any other inconsistencies.

She scanned the crates, then, just to be sure, she gave the containers a little more force, confirming that they weren’t part of the “topic,” like the dust. They were real objects that could be moved or bumped. This information might come in handy later.

Selene slowly moved around the warehouse. Carefully reviewing the details she had seen along the way, she finally stopped in a small, empty space on the floor.

This was the most “inconsistent” part of the entire warehouse.

The place was filled with collapsed shelves, ruined crates, and fabric. The only thing that wasn’t on the ground was… the dust, which didn’t count.

After comparing the view she had from the window above to the scene she was seeing inside the warehouse, she noticed that all the items that seemed disorganized and chaotic were actually arranged in a way that formed a kind of wall around this spot. From either the front door or from above, no one would notice this spot. Their attention would be blocked by the clutter.

Selene bent down and searched the ground with her hands. Her fingers went right through the thick, heavy layer of dust, touching the ground. The scene looked a bit like a “holographic projection.”

She searched the ground for a while, passing over a tile that was a little lower than the rest of the ground. Just as she was about to carefully investigate a bit further, she heard a deep, heavy sound of footsteps on stairs and the sound of a conversation!

Selene decisively pulled her hand back and rolled out the door. She was going to leave the warehouse, close the door, and eliminate any evidence of her presence. But the person who was making the sounds down there was already very close. She had just reached the entrance, and the piece of ground that had been slightly out of place just then began to rise up, and the rectangular door embedded in the ground was lifted by the man in the worker’s uniform. He then came out from inside.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

In a flash, Selene could only hide behind the nearest fallen crate, concealing her figure in the shadows. She had already pulled out her dagger, her body tense.

She was planning to launch a surprise attack when the man discovered that the area had been violated and was still in shock.

But contrary to her expectations, after he came out from the ground, he didn’t check inside the warehouse. Instead, he circled that small empty area a few times. The thick, heavy containers were blocking his view, so he couldn’t directly see the door. He didn’t move forward a few steps to take a look. He simply called down to the people below,

“Check it out. No one’s up there!”

…What is he checking?

Selene’s original anxiety was somewhat dispelled by his perfunctory check. She gripped her dagger tightly and stealthily moved closer, hearing the response from the others underground.

“Then let’s go back… Right, what did you tell that beggar?”

The man honestly replied,

“He said there were about twenty adventurers who took on the assignment today, but they didn’t have any results. I told him that’s normal. I gave him his payment and then sent him on his way.”

“Did you check his background to make sure he’s not connected to the station or the church? Will he go report it?”

“It looks like you haven’t done any groping around in the lower levels.” The man laughed and stepped down into the stairs leading to the basement. “That kind of beggar, with limbs that are functional, and still making a living in such a way, either did something he can’t let be exposed, or he’s just a natural bum, a lazy good-for-nothing. No matter which one, neither of them like to interact with the station.”

“They prefer the church’s free lunch every day at noon, but they always leave right after they finish their meal… Because the enthusiastic priests will introduce them to jobs for those who are truly in need, but they don’t want to work and they don’t want to use their labor to earn money.”

Another voice laughed from the depths of the basement,

“It looks like you used to be one of those sad, pitiful souls.”

While they were talking, Selene, who had gotten enough information, was quietly moving towards the door. She had almost reached the entrance and could leave, but the sound of their conversation cut her off, forcing her to quietly pause for a moment.

“You and I are no different now, we’re both hunted by the station and the church. It’s so pathetic, we have to sacrifice old people and children to the Lord…”

“Hmph… If it wasn’t almost time for the sacrifice, and the Lord hadn’t cast his gaze upon us, I would have ripped your mouth off.”

The man ignored his companion’s threat, turned around, and went back down the stairs. The thick, heavy door was pulled down behind him with a “bang.”

The crisis was averted.

Selene waited patiently for another few minutes before coming out of the shadows, her expression hesitant and uncertain.

To be safe, she should go to the station immediately. It would only take an hour to go back and forth, and she could call up an “Overseer” and dozens of well-trained observers to attack those heretics… But she had just heard “It’s almost time for the sacrifice,” and this made her hesitate a bit. She didn’t know whether the time it would take her to get there would be enough to save one or more unfortunate souls from a bloody sacrifice…

She silently pondered for a few minutes, then went forward, silently and unobtrusively pulling open the heavy, unlocked door. She stepped down the stairs and used her hand to block the door. Silently, she closed it.

Then, a faint, pale purple light emanated from her fingertips. Selene used this weak light to illuminate her way down the stairs. Her footsteps were light, making no sound at all. The hazy sensation from the Shadow Blend was still covering her body.

Two minutes after Selene went into the basement, another person appeared in the warehouse.

He seemed to emerge directly from the shadows. His whole body was covered in a chaotic jumble of colors, like a mosaic, making it impossible to make out any details. The only thing you could vaguely make out was that he wasn’t very tall. Even his colors, which were constantly changing, and whether they were part of his face or the background structure, could be considered his height, and that was only about 5’4”.

The mosaic-covered man looked at the stone door embedded in the ground, as if pondering something. Finally, just like Selene, he pulled the door open and went inside.

He then released the door. The heavy iron door slammed shut, covered by a layer of shadows. It made no sound, like it had slammed into a pile of cotton. The “Watcher” of the Watcher didn’t need any light to illuminate the dark space. He could see in the dark, and quickly followed Selene down the stairs.

Selene was now at the bottom of the stairs, walking into a spacious, grand hallway. She was stunned for a moment by this scene, carefully pressing against the darkness as she walked.

The man, whose profession was “Shadow Walker,” followed closely behind her. The stealth effect provided by his profession was far beyond anything that potions could compare to. Selene couldn’t detect him, but he could securely lock on to her.

The two walked through the hallway, one in front of the other, maintaining a steady distance.