Chapter 1312: The Mysterious City

"What do we do now?"

Arthur looked at the World Mirror for a moment before answering.

"We need to investigate."

Mordred frowned. "With the Vampire Hunters?"

"No."

Arthur shook his head.

"Their training is not finished, and I have no intention of sending fifty-five of our strongest knights into an unknown situation without knowing what we’re dealing with."

He glanced toward the report lying on the table.

"Atrium City has gone silent, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the city has fallen. We need to know what is happening inside before we make our next move."

Mordred nodded slowly.

"Scouts?"

"Three of them."

Arthur turned toward one of the royal guards.

"Bring me the best reconnaissance specialists we have. I don’t want soldiers who look like soldiers. I want people who can enter the city without anyone realizing who they are."

The guard immediately left the chamber.

It didn’t take long.

Several hours later, three people stood before Arthur.

They were members of a small reconnaissance unit that had served the Order of the Sky Sword for many years. None of them were famous, and none had participated in major battles. Their names were rarely mentioned in reports.

That was exactly why they were valuable.

The first was Batsaikhan, a tall man with dark hair tied behind his head and weathered features. He specialized in infiltration and disguise. He could imitate merchants, travelers, mercenaries, and even low-ranking officials well enough to pass through most inspections.

The second was Temuulen, a quiet man with a thin mustache. He specialized in tracking and gathering information. Unlike Batsaikhan, he preferred to remain unnoticed rather than disguise himself completely.

The third was Altan, a younger scout with slit eyes and a lazy smile. He specialized in trade routes, languages, and interacting with civilians. He could spend an entire day inside a marketplace and leave with more useful information than most spies could gather in a week.

Arthur looked at the three men.

"You will enter Atrium City separately. I don’t want any of you to approach the tower. Don’t investigate the Dawnblades. Don’t confront anyone. Your only objective is to determine whether Atrium City is still functioning normally."

The three scouts nodded.

"If you notice anything suspicious, don’t investigate it immediately. Observe first. We need information, not heroes. All our informants there disappeared without a trace... You all need to be careful."

Batsaikhan smiled slightly.

"Understood."

**

Soon, the three scouts left the Capital separately.

Batsaikhan traveled with a small merchant caravan heading toward Atrium City. He wore simple clothing, carried several crates of inexpensive goods, and had enough paperwork to appear like an ordinary trader.

Temuulen took a completely different route.

He traveled alone on horseback, carrying a worn sword and a few pieces of equipment that made him look like a mercenary who had spent years traveling between kingdoms. He intentionally avoided the main roads whenever possible, entering villages and stopping at roadside inns along the way.

Meanwhile, Altan traveled by carriage.

He dressed like an ordinary young adventurer, carrying a small backpack and a short sword at his waist. His identity was deliberately unremarkable.

They entered Atrium City at different times and through different gates.

None of them knew exactly what the others were doing.

That was intentional.

If one of them was discovered, the other two would still be able to complete the mission.

Batsaikhan arrived first.

He joined a line of merchants waiting outside the western gate and patiently waited for the guards to inspect the caravan.

Everything appeared normal.

The guards checked the merchants’ documents, examined several crates, and collected the required entry fees.

There were no signs of panic.

"Mhmm... Nothing feels strange."

There was no increased military presence or any signs that the city had recently been attacked.

Batsaikhan looked around carefully as he waited.

The streets beyond the gate were crowded.

Merchants were shouting about their goods. Carriages moved through the streets. Adventurers walked toward the Adventurers Guild while ordinary citizens hurried toward markets and shops.

It looked exactly like a normal day in Atrium City.

When his turn came, Batsaikhan handed over his documents.

The guard checked them before returning them.

"You’re staying for how long?"

"Three days, perhaps four."

"Any restricted goods?"

"Nothing like that."

The guard nodded and waved him through.

Batsaikhan entered the city.

’Too normal.’

That was the first thought that crossed his mind.

He had expected something.

Even if the city had been attacked by an unknown force, there should have been some evidence.

Instead, the city seemed really peaceful.

He began walking through the streets with the rest of the merchants.

As he moved through the marketplace, he quietly observed the guards.

Their equipment looked normal, and their patrols were organized.

They weren’t even paying much attention to the enormous black tower visible in the distance.

That made Batsaikhan’s expression slightly more serious.

He had expected the tower to dominate the city’s attention.

Instead, people were simply going about their daily lives.

"Interesting... I should take my time investigating..."

***

Temuulen entered Atrium City several hours later.

His appearance was completely different.

He wore a worn leather coat, carried a sword at his side, and looked like an experienced mercenary who had recently arrived from another region.

The guard at the gate barely looked at him.

"Business?"

"Looking for work."

"There are plenty of mercenary groups in the city. Try the Adventurers Guild. Good luck..."

Temuulen nodded.

"Thanks."

He entered without difficulty.

His first destination was the Adventurers Guild.

If something had happened to Atrium City, the Guild would be one of the first places where information would spread.

Yet when he entered the building, he found dozens of adventurers sitting around tables, drinking, eating, accepting commissions, and discussing monster hunts.

The receptionists were working normally.

The commission board was full.

A group of adventurers was arguing over the reward for a monster extermination request.

Another group was preparing to leave the city.

Temuulen quietly observed them.

Nothing seemed unusual.

He approached the reception desk.

"I’m looking for work."

The receptionist smiled politely.

"We have several monster extermination requests available. What rank are you?"

"Gold."

She immediately began explaining several available commissions.

Temuulen listened while carefully observing her.

She didn’t seem frightened or nervous at all.

However, there wasn’t a single request related to investigating the Black Tower.

At this point, he was tempted to ask about it.

But something at the back of his mind warned him not to.

For some reason, he felt that asking about the Black Tower might draw unnecessary attention to himself.