Chapter 163 — Return

The Alchemy Tower market was just as Victor remembered it.

Crowds moved between the stalls, vendors called out to passing customers, and the smell of cooked meat mixed with herbs and alchemical ingredients filled the air.

Victor sat at a small table near one of the market stalls.

A hood covered his head.

Lyra sat beside him with her own hood pulled low over her face.

Victor glanced at her.

"Remember, Lyra. You can't take your hood off."

Lyra looked at him calmly.

"I know, Victor."

"If anyone realizes you're a Shadow Fox, they'll start asking questions. And if they figure out that we came from the Sanctuary…"

Victor didn't finish the sentence.

They couldn't let that happen.

"We have to do everything we can to keep the Sanctuary hidden."

Lyra nodded.

"Don't worry. I understand."

Victor relaxed slightly.

He leaned back in his chair and scratched his forehead.

There was one major problem.

Him.

He had been gone for six months.

There was no way the Tower hadn't noticed.

A slave had disappeared from Basement Level Five.

Someone would have been sent to investigate.

They had probably searched the area.

Maybe they had searched for days.

And yet they hadn't found him.

Now he had suddenly walked back into the Tower at Spirit Gathering Rank One.

There was no explanation that sounded normal.

Victor frowned.

Maybe he could say he had gotten trapped somewhere underground.

No.

That wouldn't be enough.

He needed something more believable.

Perhaps he could say a Beast Soldier had chased his team into an unfamiliar region, and he had been forced into hiding.

But even that sounded ridiculous.

How had he survived for six months?

And more importantly, how had a Rank 4 Body Tempering cultivator suddenly reached Spirit Gathering?

Victor sighed.

Then another thought came to him.

What if he told them he had found a cultivation treasure?

He slowly began putting the story together.

A Beast Soldier attacked his team.

Everyone else died.

He fell into an underground cavern while trying to escape.

There, he discovered a strange pool filled with an enormous amount of energy.

His body absorbed the energy.

He lost track of time.

Then, roughly two weeks ago, he woke up.

By then, his cultivation had already reached the threshold of Spirit Gathering.

He escaped the cavern and began making his way back to the Tower.

It wasn't perfect.

But it was the best explanation he had.

Victor nodded to himself.

"Yeah. That'll work."

At least, he hoped it would.

He looked toward Lyra.

"Lyra, I need you to wait here for a while."

She nodded.

"Okay."

"I'm going to take care of some business before we can get situated."

Victor stood.

He walked over to one of the nearby stalls and bought Lyra some food and a drink.

He carried everything back to the table and placed it in front of her.

"Whatever you do, stay out of trouble."

Lyra looked at him.

"Keep your hood over your head and don't show your face. We don't want to run into the wrong person."

"I get it, Victor."

"You don't have to worry about me."

Victor smiled.

"I know."

He glanced around the market.

"But this is probably how we're going to have to live for a while until we figure things out."

He looked back at her.

"I'll be back soon, okay?"

Lyra nodded.

"Okay."

Victor turned and walked away.

He had barely taken a few steps before he heard the sound of someone tearing into food.

He glanced over his shoulder.

Lyra was already eating the rotisserie chicken.

Victor stared for a moment.

She was devouring it like someone who hadn't eaten in weeks.

He shook his head with a quiet laugh.

"Unbelievable."

He had left Nala with Lyra figuring it would be safer for her there.

He pulled his hood tighter over his face and continued walking.

His destination was the Quartermaster Office.

The familiar building came into view.

Victor stepped inside.

Nothing had changed.

People rushed around the room.

Someone was yelling about needing paperwork.

Another person was arguing with a clerk.

A man was being pushed toward the exit while shouting angrily about not getting what he wanted.

Victor couldn't help but stare.

Six months had passed.

And somehow, this place looked exactly the same.

He shook his head.

"Alright, Victor."

He took a slow breath.

"Just do exactly what we planned."

He stepped forward.

A position at the counter had just opened.

Victor approached the clerk.

His heart beat a little faster.

He slowly reached up and pulled his hood back.

He expected someone to recognize him immediately.

Maybe alarms would start blaring.

Maybe the entire room would suddenly turn toward him.

Nothing happened.

The clerk looked at him.

"How can I help you, sir?"

Victor paused.

That was it?

He blinked.

"My name is Victor Ashcroft."

The clerk stared at him.

"Okay, and?"

Victor hesitated.

"I… went missing down in the cavern for about six months."

The clerk's expression changed slightly.

Victor continued.

"I'm a slave who got stuck down in Basement Level Five for six months. I finally made my way back."

The clerk stared at him for another moment.

Then he held out a hand.

"Let me see your slave bracelet."

Victor placed his arm on the counter.

The clerk scanned the bracelet.

A holographic screen immediately appeared.

Data began filling the display.

Then more.

And more.

The clerk's eyes narrowed.

Victor watched his expression carefully.

The man's eyes moved across the information.

His eyebrows slowly rose.

Then his eyes widened.

Victor's stomach tightened.

Yep.

This was exactly what he had expected.

The clerk looked back at him.

"I need to alert Law Enforcement about your situation."

Victor nodded.

"Okay. I understand."

"They're going to have a lot of questions."

Victor forced himself to remain calm.

"That's fine."

The clerk pointed toward a nearby area.

"I'll need you to have a seat over there."

He paused.

"And don't go anywhere."

Victor nodded.

"Understood."

He walked over and sat down.

For a moment, he simply stared ahead.

Whatever happened next was out of his hands.

Victor leaned back in the chair.

He could only hope that his story was convincing enough.

Because if it wasn't…

He had no idea what would happen next.