Chapter 583: Tension.

Inside the military complex, a Colonel ran through the corridor, his face etched with fear and tension.

His polished boots struck heavily against the metallic floor as he moved as fast as he could, ignoring the curious glances of every soldier he passed.

His breathing grew heavier with each step, his heart pounding violently against his chest, yet he refused to slow down.

How could this be?

His mind churned in complete turmoil.

This shouldn’t have happened!

The Colonel’s face grew increasingly pale as he thought it through.

The Colonel’s breathing turned ragged.

’No.’

His eyes widened. ’He cannot reach that place.’

If Thoren entered the facility, everything they had spent years building could collapse in an instant.

He pushed himself harder, finally reaching the end of the corridor, where a heavily secured door stood before him.

Without slowing, he shoved it open.

Bang!

He barged into the office without a thought for manners.

Inside, a middle-aged man with an imposing, heroic bearing sat behind a large desk.

Books lined several shelves, military awards and medals covered the walls, and framed certificates and photographs of his career serving the Federation.

He was the kind of man whose very presence commanded respect.

"How dare you barge into my office without following the proper protocol?" The Major General demanded, rising to his feet.

Ordinarily the Colonel would have apologized immediately.

Not today as he barely registered the reprimand.

"Sir, we have an urgent situation," he said quickly, still catching his breath.

He had no patience left for protocol.

What was at stake was far too great to waste time on military manners.

The Major General’s expression darkened. "What happened?"

"Thoren Starfall has entered the restricted zone," the Colonel said without pause.

The Major General froze. "What did you say?"

His voice had dropped to something quieter.

The Colonel swallowed hard. "Thoren Starfall. He’s inside the Restricted Zone."

The Major General stared at him, motionless for several seconds, before his composure finally faltered.

The heroic bearing drained away, color leaving his face.

"How..." His lips moved, but the words barely came. "How did he enter?"

"He was escorted through the main gate."

The Major General’s eyes widened. "Escorted?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who authorized it?"

"The Governor."

Silence settled over the room. His jaw tightened as he turned slowly toward the window overlooking the complex.

"Why is he going toward the restricted zone?"

The Colonel hesitated. "We don’t know, sir."

"You don’t know?" His voice rose sharply.

"The soldier assigned to him tried to stop him, but Thoren ignored him completely." The Colonel took a breath.

"He’s currently moving deeper into the restricted section."

The Major General’s heart sank, his hand tightening against the edge of the desk.

No. It cannot be.

Thoren couldn’t possibly know.

There was no way he could know. The hidden facility’s location had been protected for years, its existence known to only a handful of people.

"What exactly is he doing?"

"We don’t know," the Colonel said, his voice dropping lower. "But he brought four undead with him."

The Major General’s pupils contracted.

Four undead.

The same undead that had annihilated the creatures in Glimmer District, the same ones that had made the entire city understand just how far Thoren’s true strength exceeded the rumors.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and everything around him seemed to fall silent.

They had been so close.

So close to success.

The plan had advanced further than most people would ever guess.

And now one man threatened to unravel all of it. He opened his eyes, a cold sweat beading along his forehead, and wiped it away.

"We need to stop him."

The Colonel’s expression tightened.

"How?"

He turned to the Colonel. "How far has he gone?"

"He should already be approaching the inner restricted area."

His expression shifted at Thoren speed and shocked him. This was the muster ground, not some commoner street.

How could he walk unhindered?

He had to decide immediately.

Walking to a section of the wall, he pressed his hand against a panel that looked entirely ordinary.

Click.

A hidden compartment slid open, revealing a small black communication device stripped of any visible identification markings.

He took it out, fingers moving across its surface as it activated, and entered a series of security codes to establish a secure connection.

Beep. Beep.

The connection went through.

"Report," said a deep voice from the other end.

The Major General glanced at the Colonel before speaking. "Thoren Starfall has entered the restricted zone."

For a moment, there was only silence.

He could almost picture the expression on the other end. Then the voice turned colder.

"How did he find it?"

"We don’t know."

Another silence, longer this time. He clenched his teeth. "The Governor has already ordered the military to cooperate with him."

The voice grew heavy. "Then don’t confront him openly."

"We understand."

"Keep him away from the facility."

His expression turned grim. "And if he refuses?"

Several seconds passed before the answer came. "Then use whatever means necessary."

The line went dead and the Major General lowered the device, his face solemn.

He understood exactly what those words meant.

There would be no more room for hesitation.

They couldn’t allow Thoren to uncover what lay hidden beneath the Muster Ground.

He turned to the Colonel. "Send word to the inner security teams."

The Colonel nodded at once. "What should they do?"

"Do not attack him unless absolutely necessary." His eyes turned cold. "Delay him."

"Yes, sir."

"And contact the other senior officers."

The Colonel spun around immediately. "Understood."

He rushed out of the office, leaving the Major General standing alone, staring at the closed door, his face tense.

For years they had operated beneath the surface, hiding their plans from the Governor.

Though they all claimed loyalty to the Federation, and all authority officially rested with the Governor, many among them had long since begun pursuing agendas of their own.

Some wanted power.

Some wanted immortality promised by the abyss..

Others believed, in their own way, that they were doing what humanity’s survival required.

And now...

How could any of them remain calm?