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Chapter 503 115.1 - First Mission

 As I sat on the edge of my bed, I reviewed the information I had gathered so far, piecing together the details that led to my decision to attend the upcoming banquet organized by the Cux family.

The banquet itself was just an elaborate pretense, a social event designed to flaunt their wealth and influence. But beneath the surface, it was much more than that.

\'Silas Vayne…\' The name lingered in my mind, a focal point of my thoughts. From the information I\'d managed to extract, it became clear that Silas had deep connections with the Cux family.

This wasn\'t just some passing acquaintance; it was a relationship rooted in mutual benefit, secrecy, and power.

The Cux family, known for their influence in both the legal and shadowy aspects of the Federation, was involved in more than just business.

They were deeply entrenched in the political machinations and underhanded dealings that shaped the world from the shadows. Silas Vayne, with his own agenda, was a key player in their latest scheme.

There was a deal set to take place during the banquet, something crucial enough to bring Silas out into the open, away from the usual layers of secrecy he shrouded himself in. That was why I needed to be there.

\'After all, if he is there, that means I can mark him.\'

The investigation and the tracking would take too long for me if I were to just normally conduct it all by myself.

I need to track him, looking for his past traces to reveal where he is hiding himself. Even the organization had no way of completely knowing where that bastard was staying.

That is why I need to deal with him when he shows his face. Though, it will be tricky and hard.

\'Especially since there will be many eyes on the banquet.\'

But that does not mean he will be impossible to be caught. After all, there are many intervals that can be exploited if planned correctly.

\'This could be my only chance,\' I realized, my resolve hardening.

If I missed this opportunity, it could set me back months, maybe even years, in my pursuit.

The banquet was the perfect opportunity to gather intel, to observe, and, if necessary, to act.

With that in mind, I began to mentally prepare for what was in the future, though for the time being, my focus must be on the mission that I will be sent.

********

The next morning, I woke up early, just as before. After a quick shower, I dressed in my standard gear, making sure everything was in place.

I checked my reflection in the mirror one last time, ensuring that nothing was out of place.

\'All set,\' I thought, feeling the familiar weight of readiness settle over me.

I left my room and headed to the dining area for an early breakfast. The halls were quiet, the rest of the facility still wrapped in the last remnants of sleep. The cafeteria was nearly empty, with just a few staff members preparing for the day. I grabbed a simple meal, focusing on nourishment rather than taste—today was not a day for indulgence.

The meal was quick, and my mind was already on the task ahead. I finished and left the cafeteria, making my way to the area where the Warp Gates were located.

The facility was sprawling, but I knew the layout well. I moved with purpose, navigating the corridors with ease.

When I arrived at the Warp Gates, the area was alive with activity. Personnel moved efficiently, coordinating the various operations required to maintain the gates. The Warp Gates themselves stood in a wide, open space, each one a towering structure humming with energy. They were the lifelines that connected different parts of the Federation, enabling instant travel across vast distances.

I headed straight for Warp Gate Number 3, weaving through the organized chaos. The gate loomed ahead, its surface shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light. As I approached, the personnel stationed there noticed me and moved to confirm my identity.

One of them, a sharp-eyed woman in a uniform, stepped forward with a device in hand. "Adept Astron Natusalune?" she asked, her voice brisk but polite.

I nodded. "That\'s correct."

She scanned the device over a small card I produced, checking the details. A moment later, she looked up and confirmed, "Destination: Veilcroft. Everything checks out, Adept Natusalune. You\'re clear to proceed."

"Thank you," I replied, stepping forward as the personnel activated the gate.

The shimmering light of the Warp Gate intensified, forming a swirling vortex of energy within the frame.

I took a deep breath and stepped through, feeling the familiar, disorienting sensation of being pulled through space. The world around me twisted and blurred, and for a brief moment, everything was a rush of colors and sound.

As I stepped out of the Warp Gate, the disorienting swirl of colors and sound gradually faded, giving way to the reality of Veilcroft. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

–ẘ̸̬̓͐̃̓̇̈́̽͛͋̚̚h̴̨̨͕̘̮̞̟̜̦̲͕̜͉͛ḭ̴̎̿̇̋́̇s̴̢͉͉͉͇̦̯̓̌̏̔̾̃̋̃̈̈́̐p̷̨̛͖͎̦̥̬̺̯̌̀̈̎̀̇̐̓̐̆͝ę̴̲̱̠̼̞̲͔͎͕̼̃̃́͘͝ŗ̵̢͈̮̞̙̩̝̗̙͉̖̽̂͝͝ ̴̞̠͈̖̣͇̹̣̩̗̪̗̉̔̈́̚͜w̷̢̠̺̺̠̱̝̠͈̹͊̀̅̆̍͗̑͜h̶̢̧̳̞̖̼̲̦̍̀̾̆͆̅̓͊͂̇͋̕̚͝í̸̧̛̞̣̞̐͊̌͆̍̓̽̏̅̈́̚̚ś̷̨̝̪̥͚̞̫̯̩ͅp̴̧͙̳̜̙̈̔͂͆̅͌͠ͅe̷̡̗̗̅̉̔̎̀̇̌͘͠͝ŕ̶̨͉̒̊̽͋̌͒̕͝͠͝ ̴̨̛̛͉͈̪̼͎̲̣̥̮̼̖̞̍̾͊̄̊́̃͠ͅw̷̛̫͕̣̗͓̪̘̮̙͙͚̩̩̰̔̀͌̄͌̎̏̈̐̕h̶̢̡̟̖̼̮̮̦̲̞̳̗͐̊͂͗̈́͆̓͌́́̉̊̕̚͠į̸̡͓̲͚̙̲̝͔̲̬̍̇͘͝s̷̡̛̙͍̤͙̿́̌͌̆̔͘̕͝p̸̧̧͎͎̻̬͉̯̫̞̭͚̟͐͗́͜͠ͅe̶̢̡̘̲̳͍̪̹̘͖͚̬̱̯̜͆̃͌̇̚r̴̦̬̮̻̘͇̖̺͔̦͔̙͔̹̃̓͛͗͌͌͗̒̓̇͠͝ͅ ̸̯͇͍̹̮͕̻̩̟̣̯̫͇̈́̋̊̅̆̾̊̀͋͘̕͜͝͝

The gate behind me closed with a sharp hum, the swirling vortex of energy collapsing into nothingness as if it had never existed.

I paused for a moment, letting the familiar sensation of vertigo settle. The faint whispers that accompanied the transition lingered in my mind, though I couldn\'t quite make out their meaning. \'This feeling…\' I thought, narrowing my eyes as I tried to grasp the elusive memory. It reminded me of the first time I entered the organization\'s base, the same eerie commotion, like distant voices just beyond the edge of comprehension.

\'What is it about these gates that carry this echo?\' I wondered, but there was no time to dwell on it. I had a mission to focus on, and distractions could be costly.

The space around me was a stark contrast to the bustling Warp Gate facility I had just left.

\'Outskirts….I see.\' I scanned my surroundings, taking in the sparse landscape and the traces of wear on the buildings nearby. The outskirts… it made sense. The last time I used a Warp Gate to enter, I had been taken from a similarly remote location. \'A precaution,\' I mused, \'to keep our arrivals discreet.\'

The area was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The air carried a stillness that seemed out of place as if even the wind knew better than to stir up trouble here. The buildings were functional and sturdy, with none of the ornate touches found in the heart of a city. It was clear that this was a place where function mattered more than form, where people came to do business and then left without looking back.

As I took a step forward, the faint crunch of gravel under my boots brought me back to the present.

RING! Just then, my smartwatch buzzed softly, pulling my attention downward. I lifted my wrist and tapped the screen, bringing up the latest directive. A map appeared, and the location of the mission base was marked clearly in red. The place wasn\'t exactly close—it was on the other side of the city, deeper into Veilcroft.

\'At least they gave me some clarity,\' I thought, mentally calculating the distance. It was far enough that walking would be impractical, and while I could use the time to familiarize myself with the area, there were better ways to do that.

I glanced around again, noting the lack of obvious transportation options. \'Taxi it is,\' I decided.

One of the perks of my new Adept status was a slightly more generous allowance, and quite a bit of money for the mission had already been deposited.

However, since that money could only be used for missions, any signs of corruption would result in a penalty.

I started walking toward the nearest main road, my pace steady but unhurried. \'No need to draw attention,\' I reminded myself. Blending in was crucial, especially in a city where unknown entities might be watching. As I reached the road, I spotted a taxi idling nearby, its driver lazily flipping through a magazine.

I approached and knocked on the window. The driver, a grizzled man with a worn cap pulled low over his eyes, looked up and gave me a once-over before rolling down the window. "Need a ride?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and boredom.

"Yeah," I replied, showing him the map on my smartwatch. "I need to get here."

He glanced at the map, nodded, and motioned for me to get in. "Hop in. I\'ll get you there."

I slid into the backseat, the leather creaking under me as the driver turned the key, and the engine rumbled to life. As we pulled away from the curb, I let my gaze drift out the window, watching the outskirts of Veilcroft fade into the distance.

The taxi hummed along the road as we left the outskirts behind, the city of Veilcroft slowly unfolding before my eyes. The streets grew busier as we moved further in, lined with shops and buildings that bore the marks of time and use. It wasn\'t exactly a thriving metropolis, but there was a certain vitality to the place—one that hinted at layers beneath the surface.

As I observed the passing scenery, I couldn\'t help but notice the taxi driver glancing at me in the rearview mirror. His eyes, though weary, held a sharpness that belied his casual demeanor. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke up.

"You look pretty young," he remarked, his voice rough but not unkind. "What brings you to a city like Veilcroft? Not exactly the kind of place you see many fresh faces."

I met his gaze in the mirror, assessing the situation. Normally, I wouldn\'t indulge in small talk, but information could be valuable, especially in a new city. If this driver knew the area well, he might have insights that could be useful later on.

"I\'m here for an internship," I replied, keeping my tone light and unassuming. "Part of my training requires me to spend some time in different cities and learn the ropes, you know?"

He chuckled a dry sound that suggested he didn\'t fully buy the story but wasn\'t about to call me out on it. "Internship, huh? It must really be some internship to bring you all the way out here. What kind of work are you doing?"

"Mostly administrative stuff," I said, keeping the details vague. "But I\'m also supposed to get a feel for how things operate on the ground level. Veilcroft\'s got a reputation, so it seemed like a good place to learn."

The driver grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes flicking back to the road. "Reputation, yeah. This city\'s seen better days. A lot of folks come through here thinking they can make a difference. Most of \'em don\'t stick around."

I tilted my head slightly, feigning curiosity. "Why\'s that? The city seems… interesting."

"Interesting\'s one way to put it," he said, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "Veilcroft\'s got its charms, but it\'s got its dark side too. Not everything you see on the surface is what it seems. You\'ll find that out soon enough if you\'re paying attention."

 \'Ah….Don\'t worry, I can see that already.\'

Just as he said, this place was under a veil of darkness.