Having finally increased the distance between himself and Bob Ascher and seeing that he was about to clear the danger zone, Gilbert complained when he heard Han Shuo's instructions telling him to turn back. "Honored master, even the mighty Gilbert cannot take on an entire Gryphon Legion! We'll surely be discovered if we go back to the city like this!"
"Shut up and fly back to the hotel. We need to pick up whoever we need to pick up." Han Shuo snorted lightly as he spoke to Gilbert.
In his dark dragon form, there wasn't much space on his back for people to stand on. Han Shuo wouldn't be able to take everyone away in one go, so he started to contemplate what to do.
Thoughts racing furiously, Han Shuo's sharp eyes saw Gryphon Legion soldiers patrolling the skies as Gilbert was returning from the outskirts of Valen City.
Gilbert was such a large target that it was impossible to surreptitiously sneak back into the hotel. Han Shuo thought silently for a moment before suddenly saying, "Gilbert, land immediately since the Gryphon Legion has yet to spot us. We'll be returning to the hotel by foot."
Under Han Shuo's commands, Gilbert didn't say anything pointless and traveled stealthily at a low altitude, with everyone getting off his back in succession shortly after. When everyone had gotten off, Gilbert's huge body gradually shrunk, entombed in a dark radiance before once again transforming back into that tan-skinned, handsome, young man.
"When we were within Asher's manor just now, we had masks on. Now that we have returned under our true appearances, it's likely that they won't be able to recognize us." Han Shuo glanced over at Emily as he spoke to her.
"Right, however, if a group of strangers suddenly appears at the same time and are somehow discovered by the Gryphon Legion's people, we will definitely raise suspicions. I think we should split up, and by doing that, other people won't think that we acted together!" Emily looked at their group as she spoke.
"Alright, then let's do this. Everyone should be familiar with the way back. We'll split into two groups, and if there's danger within the hotel, we'll meet up at the block behind it." Han Shuo nodded, agreeing with Emily's plan.
Once Han Shuo had spoken, Phoebe immediately moved matter-of-factly to Han Shuo's side. As a magical pet, Gilbert naturally couldn't be separated from his master either. With the situation developing like this, Emily quickly looked at everyone and spoke again. "Since things are like this, I'll be with Miss Candice and Elder Caspian."
"Elder Caspian has entered the city before, so we need you to use magic to adjust his features. Otherwise, it will be extremely easy to recognize him." Han Shuo warned. He then turned towards Phoebe and Gilbert, saying, "Let's go."
Currently, Valen City was even more chaotic than during the day that Clark had been assassinated. The chief of the Gryphon Legion used the invasion and assassinations of the Kasi Empire as an excuse to seal off the entire city. The Griffon Legion's men whistled through the skies. and immediately carried out a severe interrogation as soon as any stranger appeared.
Under Han Shuo's sensitive eyes and ears, his group of three focused on taking small, winding paths. They scuttled under the shadow of the eaves, avoiding many troops from the Griffon Legion along the way.
Regardless of whether it was Gilbert or Pheobe, they were both extraordinary characters. Since Han Shuo's brain had developed, his powerful ability to recall things was fully deployed during this return trip. There were all types of complicated small passages that existed in Valen City, and it seemed as if there was a map imprinted into Han Shuo's heart. As Han Shuo made his way back, he moved erratically in all directions.
In the end, even Phoebe began to feel as if they were getting farther and farther away from the hotel. If it wasn't for her knowing how mysterious Han Shuo was, she definitely would have questioned whether or not Han Shuo knew where he was going. After going through many small roads and traveling through a few curved routes, the back door of the hotel suddenly appeared before their eyes.
Han Shuo's had actually managed to completely avoid the airborne Griffon Legion and soldiers on the ground. By using a few smaller, more complicated roads, the three people actually didn't encounter any danger as they appeared at the the hotel doors.
"This is too amazing!" Phoebe couldn't help but exclaim when she saw Elaine's hotel, lights dancing in her eyes as she complimented Han Shuo.
"Honored master, I'm super dizzy. How were you able to memorize such complicated roads?" Gilbert was also looking at Han Shuo with incredulity.
Pointing at his head, Han Shuo chuckled. "I'm just that good!"
It was like he'd said nothing with that statement, but even if he'd explained the bit about his brain being developed, the two of them most likely wouldn't have understood regardless, so he didn't bother.
Han Shuo took a deep breath after speaking and concentrated his gaze on the hotel. His eyes sparkled with dark gleams and his sensitive ears also turned towards the hotel.
Contrary to his expectations, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary in the hotel. Han Shuo heard that everything was normal inside. There were no panicked sounds of fighting, nor was there any sounds of interrogation from the soldiers of the Gryphon Legion.
"You and Gilbert head over first, I'll go find Lawrence and tell him to leave the city immediately!" Han Shuo spoke to Phoebe beside him.
Phoebe's stunning face turned to look at him as she reached for his hand. She grasped his broad, coarse hands tightly and said softly, 'Be careful!"
"Don't worry! Nothing's going to happen to me!" Han Shuo said with a smile and turned to Gilbert, "Protect her well if anything happens!"
Han Shuo was like a shadow in the dark night after he spoke. He melted into the darkness and vanished without a trace.
On his way to Lawrence's place, Han Shuo heard a bizarre sound. He quickened his steps and landed on a tree branch. Han Shuo saw a disguised Lawrence, Lucky, and the two swordsmen he'd seen before making for the direction of the hotel with Belinda and Johnny from the Calamity Church.
Coughing lightly, Han Shuo called out softly from the tree, "Lawrence!"
The group below was greatly frightened by Han Shuo's cough. They all grasped their weapons tightly and swivelled to look up into the tree, almost sending out attacks as they turned.
"Bryan, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you have left the city long ago? We saw you take the dark dragon out of the manor and leave Ascher behind!" Lawrence spoke with confusion.
"We came back again. Cut the blather and gather at the hotel. We are going to be leaving immediately. You can't stay in Valen City for a second longer." Han Shuo had no time to explain anything and responded carelessly, landing on the ground and convening with Lawrence and the others.
When he drew near, Han Shuo discovered that Johnny had not only taken a hit to his buttocks, but there was a large patch of blood on his chest and it looked like he was injured quite severely. Although Belinda still had her veil on, her gaze wasn't as sharp as before. She looked a bit weak and had also likely been wounded.
Lawrence and the others had only been involved in logistics and cleanup in this operation. They hadn't taken part in the actual battle, and so they were in relatively good spirits, with no one being injured. What Han Shuo didn't understand was why he was with Belinda. Han Shuo hadn't introduced the two to each other and so they shouldn't know each other.
Hesitating, Han Shuo couldn't keep back the questions in his heart. He looked at Lawrence and then at Belinda, "How do the two of you know each other?"
"Oh, we discovered that our two groups were going the same way when we were retreating earlier and ended up walking together!" Lawrence glanced noncommittally at Han Shuo and explained faintly.
Belinda also nodded, "It's because of Mister Lawrence's aid and that such a large number of his men went after you that we were able to make it out."
"So that's the case!" Han Shuo still felt that things weren't this simple, but since Belinda and Lawrence had the same story, he wasn't able to get anything else out of them either.
Just as Han Shuo and Lawrence were almost at the hotel, Han Shuo could hear a group of Gryphon Legion soldiers interrogating Elaine inside. He could hear her hearty laughter from a distance away, seemingly to not have a care in the world.
However, his superior vision saw that as this troop was talking to Elaine, another soldier seemed to have received some instructions and surreptitiously left the hotel, walking swiftly towards the street and waving his hand up at the two Gryphon Legion soldiers hovering in the sky.
"Damn it, we must've been made!" Although he didn't know why, Han Shuo knew that Elaine's hotel was no longer safe. He called out softly and didn't bother concealing his tracks anymore, making for the hotel like a streak of lightning.