Chereads / My SSS-Rank Kingdom-Building System / Chapter 17 - Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - Chapter 17

Leon's grip on his AR tightened as he saw the cloaked figure move closer, their steps deliberate but unnervingly silent. A second figure joined the first, both wearing cloaks that barely concealed the glint of armor beneath. City knights, Leon thought grimly. This wasn't a coincidence.

He turned to Elys, his voice low but firm. "Get upstairs. Don't come down until I say so."

Elys hesitated, her face pale. "Leon—"

"Now," he snapped, his tone brooking no argument.

Elys swallowed hard and darted toward the stairs, her footsteps light but hurried. As soon as she disappeared from sight, Leon checked his weapon. He flicked the safety off, his jaw tightening as he positioned himself near the door.

A loud, authoritative knock echoed through the house, followed by a cold voice. "Open the door. You're harboring contraband and violating imperial law. Surrender peacefully, and you may yet live."

Leon's lips twitched into a grim smile. Harboring contraband? He knew exactly what this was—an excuse. It didn't take much to piece it together. Somehow, word had leaked. They knew he was the one supplying the salt—a resource so rare and valuable it was practically worth its weight in gold. a luxury reserved for royalty and the elite.

Without a word, he moved to the window, peeking through the curtains. There were at least a dozen of them now, heavily armored knights forming a semicircle around the house. Two crossbowmen lingered at the back, their weapons trained on the upper windows. At the forefront stood an officer, his sword drawn, flanked by two cloaked figures who exuded an air of command.

Leon's gaze flicked to the door. He could hear them preparing to breach. The scraping of boots against stone, the faint rustle of movement—they thought they were being subtle.

He sighed, muttering under his breath. "Idiots."

The first shot from Leon's rifle shattered the silence like a thunderclap. The round tore through the wooden door, punching through the unarmored neck of the knight closest to it. He collapsed with a gurgling cry, his shield clattering uselessly to the ground.

Chaos erupted.

Leon didn't hesitate. He fired again, the high-caliber rounds ripping through the door as if it were paper. The second knight in line fell, his chestplate dented inward from the impact. The others scrambled, tripping over their comrades in a desperate attempt to avoid the invisible death raining from within.

"By the gods, what is that?!" one of the knights shouted, his voice cracking with panic.

"Keep your shields up! Form a line!" the officer barked, but his orders were lost in the chaos.

Leon adjusted his aim, shifting slightly to fire through the wall. Another shot rang out, the bullet piercing the flimsy wooden structure and striking a crossbowman attempting to take cover. The man crumpled without a sound, his weapon falling from lifeless fingers.

"He's killing through the walls!" a knight screamed, backing away. "How does he even—?"

"Stick together! Advance!" the officer roared, though his men faltered. Their shields shook in trembling hands, their formation splintering under the relentless assault.

Leon kept moving, his footsteps quiet on the creaking floorboards. He anticipated their attempts to flank, positioning himself where he could hear the scuff of boots outside the walls. Another burst of gunfire, and another knight collapsed with a strangled cry, his leg shredded as he attempted to breach the side entrance.

The officer's composure finally broke. "Fall back! FALL BACK!"

The knights scattered, their discipline shattered. Leon's shots didn't stop, each one a deliberate reminder of their vulnerability. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, mingling with the acrid tang of blood.

Outside, the scene was a massacre. Knights lay sprawled across the cobblestone street, shields and swords discarded in the mad scramble to escape. The officer stumbled, blood dripping from a gash on his arm as he retreated.

Leon exhaled deeply, the chaos outside finally subsiding. The remaining knights had retreated into the shadows, their earlier bravado replaced by fear. Smoke lingered in the air, drifting lazily through the shattered remains of the door and the bullet-riddled walls. The street outside was eerily quiet now, save for the occasional groan of the wounded.

Leon glanced toward the staircase. "Elys," he called out, his voice still firm but softer than before.

A moment later, Elys appeared, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. "Are... are they gone?" she asked hesitantly, her hands clutching the railing tightly.

"For now," Leon replied. "But reinforcements will be here soon." He moved quickly, grabbing his pack from the corner of the room and slinging it over his shoulder. "We can't stay here."

Elys hesitated, looking at the destruction around them. "But where will we go? They'll be searching the entire city!"

Leon stepped toward her, gripping her hand gently. "We'll figure it out. But right now, we need to move. If we stay, we're dead. Understand?"

She nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay."

Leon grabbed a spare cloth from his pack and tossed it to her. "Wrap this around your face. We don't want anyone recognizing you."

The two of them slipped out the back, the cool night air hitting them as they emerged into a narrow alleyway. The faint glow of lanterns flickered in the distance, and the sound of hurried footsteps and shouted orders echoed faintly from the main street.

Leon kept his rifle ready, his eyes scanning every shadow. The city's labyrinthine alleys were both a blessing and a curse—they offered plenty of places to hide but just as many opportunities to be ambushed. He gestured for Elys to follow close behind.

They moved swiftly, sticking to the darkest corners and avoiding open spaces. Occasionally, Leon would pause, pressing himself against a wall and listening for the telltale clank of armored boots. Twice, they narrowly avoided patrols, slipping into doorways or ducking behind crates as knights passed mere feet away.

Elys whispered, her voice barely audible. "Leon, how do you know where to go?"

"I don't," he admitted, his tone calm despite the tension. "But the farther we get from that house, the better. Keep quiet and stay close."

As they turned a corner, a shout rang out behind them. "There! In the alley!"

Leon cursed under his breath. He grabbed Elys's hand and pulled her into a side passage, his mind racing. The alley was a dead end, but a pile of crates stacked against the wall offered a potential escape route.

"Climb," he ordered, boosting Elys onto the crates. She scrambled up, her movements clumsy but frantic. Leon followed, pulling himself over the wall just as the first knight rounded the corner. A single shot from his rifle rang out, the knight dropping before he could call for reinforcements.

They landed on the other side of the wall, a narrow canal stretching out before them. The faint stench of stagnant water filled the air, but Leon barely noticed. He pulled Elys along, their footsteps splashing quietly as they waded through the shallow water.

Behind them, the sounds of pursuit grew louder. Lanterns bobbed in the distance, the light reflecting off the damp walls of the alley. Leon's grip on his rifle tightened.

"There," he said, spotting a narrow tunnel that cut beneath the city's foundations. It was cramped and dark, but it would provide cover. "Get inside."

Elys hesitated, glancing back at the approaching knights. "Leon, are you sure—"

"Go!" he snapped, his voice leaving no room for argument.

She ducked into the tunnel, and Leon followed, crouching low as the space narrowed around them. The sound of their breathing echoed softly in the confined space, mingling with the distant shouts of their pursuers.

For several tense minutes, they moved in silence, the darkness pressing in on all sides. Finally, the tunnel opened into a small, hidden courtyard, overgrown with weeds and shrouded in shadow. Leon slumped against the wall, exhaling heavily as he checked his rifle.

Elys sat down beside him, her face pale but determined. "What now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leon glanced toward the sky, where the faint glow of dawn was just beginning to creep over the rooftops. "We lay low for now. Find a safehouse. They'll be searching everywhere, but we've bought ourselves some time."

He rested his head against the cool stone wall, his mind already working through their next move. This wasn't over—not by a long shot. But for now, they had escaped. And that was enough.

"Hm…"

Leon froze. The soft hum echoed faintly, low.

His eyes widened. Elys was right in front of him, her lips pressed in a thin line. That sound hadn't come from her.

His heart thudded against his ribs as a cold chill crawled up his spine, every hair on his body standing on end.

Goosebumps prickled his skin as he instinctively gripped his rifle tighter and spun around. His eyes scanned the shadows, the barrel of his weapon following his gaze.