Chapter 233 — Follow the Bond

Chapter 233: Chapter 233 — Follow the Bond

Chapter 233 — Follow the Bond

Victor dashed through the marketplace at full speed, Nala clinging tightly to his shoulder.

He’d tried to leave her behind.

That hadn’t gone well.

The moment Nala realized he intended to go after Lyra without her, she’d practically thrown a fit. Victor didn’t have time to argue, so he’d given in and left the apartment with her on his shoulder.

Right now, all that mattered was Lyra.

Through their Soul Bond, Victor could feel her presence moving across the Third Floor.

Fast.

Far too fast for someone who was unconscious.

Whoever had her was carrying her.

Victor pushed himself harder, weaving through the marketplace as he headed straight for the elevator. His goal was simple. If whoever had Lyra was coming down, he needed to reach the elevator first.

But as he got closer, something didn’t make sense.

Lyra wasn’t moving toward it.

Victor slowed as he reached the elevator and focused on the Soul Bond.

She was still moving.

But she was nowhere near him.

"What the hell?"

He pulled out his citizen ID and immediately called Zack.

No answer.

"Damn it. What is Zack doing?"

He stared at the elevator.

There was only one other person he could think of.

Elder Benton.

Maybe Benton could get him onto the Third Floor. Victor didn’t care how he did it. He just needed to get up there.

Fast.

Victor was scared.

But beneath that fear was anger.

Why, Lyra?

She had promised him.

She had looked him in the eyes and promised she wouldn’t go to the Graveborn estate, only to leave the moment his back was turned.

And the worst part was that there had been no reason for her to do it.

He’d practically solved the problem already.

Benton had fifty Spirit Accumulation Pills and had told Victor he expected to have something figured out by tomorrow. Benton wasn’t the type of person to give someone confidence without reason.

They could’ve gotten her parents out safely.

So why?

"Why, Lyra?"

Victor clenched his citizen ID.

"Come on. Think."

He was about to call Benton when he felt something change.

Victor froze.

Lyra’s presence was moving downward.

From the Third Floor...

To the Second.

His eyes widened.

"What?"

Victor was standing directly beside the elevator.

Yet Lyra wasn’t above him.

She was much farther away, almost on the opposite side of the Tower.

How was that possible?

Then it clicked.

Another elevator.

There had to be another way between floors.

Victor had never considered it before, but of course there could be more than one elevator inside something as enormous as the Alchemy Tower.

That changed everything.

He focused on the Soul Bond again.

Lyra’s presence descended once more.

The Main Floor.

Victor moved.

He sprinted through the marketplace at full speed, following the direction of the bond.

Ten seconds.

Maybe fifteen.

Then Lyra moved again.

Down.

Basement Level One.

Victor stopped.

"What is happening?"

He spun around and sprinted back toward the elevator.

The moment he reached it, he got inside and started descending.

Basement Level One.

Lyra had already reached Basement Level Two.

Then Three.

Then Four.

Victor’s expression became increasingly grim.

By the time she reached Basement Level Five, her presence finally stopped descending.

Victor followed.

He was only ten or fifteen seconds behind now.

The elevator doors opened onto Basement Level Five.

Victor stepped out and immediately focused on the Soul Bond.

Lyra was here.

But she was still moving.

The guards near the entrance noticed him approaching.

"Hello—"

Victor stopped just long enough to present his citizen ID.

The guard checked it and cleared him.

Victor didn’t say another word.

He was gone.

He shot into Region A at full speed.

Nala tightened her grip on his shoulder as Spiritual Energy surged through his legs.

Flash Step.

Victor disappeared forward.

He didn’t know where Lyra was being taken.

He didn’t know who had her.

But he could still feel her.

That was enough.

No matter how angry he was with her right now, none of it mattered compared to her safety.

They could argue later.

He just needed to get her back.

Victor ran.

Region A disappeared behind him.

Then Region B.

He continued deeper.

Hours passed.

By the time he reached the areas around Region C and pushed toward Region D, his clothes were damp with sweat and his breathing had grown heavier.

But there was a problem.

No matter how much distance Victor covered, Lyra kept getting farther away.

"Where are they taking you?"

There was no answer.

Only the faint pull of the Soul Bond guiding him forward.

So Victor followed.

Hour after hour.

Flash Step after Flash Step.

His legs began to ache. Spiritual Energy drained from his body and recovered whenever he slowed enough to cultivate, only to be spent again the moment he could move.

Still, he followed.

Nearly thirteen hours passed before something finally changed.

Victor slowed.

Lyra was close.

Very close.

But her presence wasn’t directly ahead of him.

It was somewhere on the other side of the cavern wall.

Victor placed a hand against the cold stone.

There.

He could feel her through the Soul Bond.

She was somewhere beyond it.

But he had no idea how to reach her.

Breaking through the cavern wall wasn’t an option. Even if he could manage it, he had no idea how thick the stone was or what damaging it might do to the surrounding tunnels.

The last thing he needed was to cause a collapse with Lyra somewhere on the other side.

"No."

He needed to find the entrance.

Victor began moving along the cavern wall.

The area was completely dark.

Thankfully, that wasn’t a problem.

Through his bond with Lyra, Victor still possessed the enhanced night vision he’d gained from her.

The cavern gradually came into focus around him in shades of gray.

He moved carefully through the darkness, following the wall deeper into the area around Region F.

Then he rounded a corner.

Movement.

Victor immediately stopped.

Two figures were walking ahead.

He narrowed his eyes.

Then his heart jumped.

Both were wearing beast masks.

Victor’s expression changed instantly.

The Evil God Organization.

They had Lyra.

For several seconds, Victor could only stare.

Why?

Why would they want her?

Then the answer hit him.

Me.

This was because of him.

He’d been worried about something like this happening ever since he’d started sticking his nose into their business. He’d investigated their worshippers, questioned people, followed disappearances, and made it painfully obvious that he wasn’t going to leave them alone.

He’d practically asked them to come after him.

And Lyra...

Lyra had unknowingly served herself up to them on a platter.

Then another thought entered Victor’s mind.

The Graveborns.

Lyra had gone to the Graveborn estate.

Now, somehow, she had ended up in a hidden area being guarded by members of the Evil God Organization.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

That was no longer something he could ignore.

Either the Graveborns were involved, or something had happened inside that estate that he didn’t understand.

But there was no time to figure out which.

Victor focused on the two masked figures ahead.

He could sense their cultivation.

Rank Seven Spirit Gathering.

Both of them.

His expression darkened.

One Rank Seven Spirit Gathering cultivator was already dangerous.

Two at once?

Victor could fight.

With everything he had, he might even be able to take both of them.

But he would have to reveal nearly every secret he possessed.

Liam’s sword.

The Black Phoenix Form.

Everything.

And even then, there was no guarantee he would win.

More importantly, he had no idea what waited beyond them.

These two weren’t necessarily alone.

If this was one of the Evil God Organization’s bases, there could be dozens of people inside.

Maybe stronger ones.

Victor clenched his fists.

Every instinct in his body screamed at him to keep going.

Lyra was right there.

He could feel her.

After thirteen hours of chasing her across the Tower and through Basement Level Five, she was finally within reach.

All he had to do was keep moving.

Victor took a step forward.

Then stopped.

Two Rank Sevens that he could see.

An unknown number that he couldn’t.

No idea of the layout.

No idea who had taken Lyra.

No idea what cultivation level waited inside.

Charging in wouldn’t be bravery.

It would be exactly what Lyra had done.

Victor’s jaw tightened.

She had rushed into the Graveborn estate because someone she loved was in danger.

She hadn’t waited for help.

She hadn’t thought far enough ahead.

And now she was somewhere beyond that wall.

Victor couldn’t make the same mistake.

Slowly, painfully, he forced himself to step back.

He hated it.

But he knew what he had to do.

He needed help.

Victor turned and began heading back the way he’d come.

For now, Lyra was still alive.

He could still feel her through the Soul Bond.

That was what mattered.

He would get help.

Then he would come back.

Victor glanced once over his shoulder toward the darkness where the masked figures had disappeared.

His jaw tightened.

Just hold on, Lyra.

Then he disappeared into the cavern.

He could only hope she would be safe until he returned.