Chapter 99: Information, City Lord’s Intention (6)
"The City Lord?" Valeria’s expression changed drastically as her gaze fell upon the holo-computer inside the High Order’s hideout.
After a brief exchange, Grey immediately brought Valeria and her team down into the underground base, giving her a quick rundown of everything that had happened so far.
"Unbelievable." Valeria shook her head, still digesting the information. "To think he would actually collide with the High Order. We need to report this to the Federation immediately."
"Indeed." Grey nodded. "That’s the most optimal approach to handle this situation."
"We alone won’t be able to defeat a late-stage evolver," Werner added thoughtfully. "The Federation’s assistance might be necessary."
"But... would the Federation even care about the report?" one of the twin sisters, Meiying, asked hesitantly. "When has the Federation ever cared about what happens down here?"
The room fell silent. Even Werner didn’t respond. She was right. The Great Federation, and especially the Federation Master, had never bothered with the southern region. To them, this place was nothing more than a backwater filled with small, third-rate cities and a few struggling second-rate ones.
It had already been several years since anyone from the Federation had descended here.
"Are you hearing this, Eterna?" Grey asked in his mind with a grin. "They’re talking about the Great Federation you work for."
Lately, Grey had found plenty of chances to tease Eterna, and he wasn’t about to let these golden opportunities slip by.
"..." Eterna remained silent.
She was just an observing AI after all, bound to the artifact owned by the Federation Master. She had no authority to interfere, no power to change anything. All she could do was receive reports and, at best, push them forward in the review queue.
Grey knew that well.
"But," Eterna finally said, "I believe someone will descend from the Federation this time. We have someone from the Floating City present here."
Grey’s gaze turned toward Valeria when he heard that.
"Don’t worry." Valeria’s tone carried quiet confidence. "Once we file the report, I’ll make sure a late-stage Second Ranker, or even a Third Stage expert, descends from the Floating City."
She spoke with the natural authority of someone born in the Floating Cities, those elevated realms above the world where the Federation’s elites lived. Her confidence wasn’t arrogance; it was assurance born from influence.
Grey wasn’t surprised. Valeria’s background, her physique, and the powerful aura of her two bodyguards all proved her status. Once she reported it, someone from the Federation was bound to come.
"How long will it take for someone from the Federation to reach the Southern Region?" Grey asked.
This world was vast. The ten Floating Cities hovered at the very center of the Blue Star, while the Southern Region lay far to the south. Even a Third Rank expert would need days to travel that distance.
"It should take at least five days," Valeria estimated after a moment of thought.
"Five days..." Grey frowned. "That might be too long."
With the High Order’s means of gathering information, they would find out soon enough. And last time, Grey had been caught using a soul lamp. Who was to say other members didn’t have similar marks placed on them?
The danger was very real.
"Worst case scenario," Grey muttered under his breath, "Another Nova City incident will happen in Ashspire."
The moment hung heavy in the air.
Then, without warning, Grey rose to his feet and shot into the sky. Valeria and the others, startled, quickly followed him.
"What happened, Brother Grey?" Valeria called out, her tone tense.
"Nothing," Grey replied, his eyes narrowing as he gazed down at the sprawling Ashspire City below.
A faint glow flickered across his pupils.
Fate Insight.
And then he saw it, colors that only he could perceive.
The color of calamity.
The color of destruction.
And finally, the color of death.
It wasn’t targeted at a single person; it enveloped the entire city.
"Looks like we’re in deep trouble," Grey said softly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"Huh?" Valeria’s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
Werner’s expression hardened as he contacted Grey telepathically. "Master Grey, did you see something again?"
Having trained under Grey for a while now, Werner knew his master possessed extraordinary abilities, ones that could glimpse things beyond normal perception.
Grey, however, only shook his head and said nothing.
His eyes drifted toward the southern edge of Ashspire City, where a massive fortress stood. That was precisely where the secret realm was located. Upon closer observation, he realized there was a faint connection between the two, but what it meant, he couldn’t tell yet.
He turned to Valeria and Werner. "The secret realm opens in a few days, right?"
"That’s right," Valeria confirmed with a nod.
"Then you should be prepared," Grey said quietly, his tone mysterious. "Keep all the evolvers from the Formation Association and the Azrael Corporation on standby."
"In short," he added, "prepare for the worst. Running away might become an option too."
Everyone’s expression changed drastically at his words, especially Valeria’s.
"Grey, what did you see?" she pressed. "Is the city in danger?"
But Grey didn’t answer. His gaze lingered on the city before drifting toward the distant Three Guards Province. There, too, he saw faint threads of calamity.
"You’ll know soon enough."
"..."
Eterna’s voice echoed in his mind once again. "You saw something, didn’t you? Just like with Lia and Nova City."
Grey didn’t respond. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to; it was that speaking it aloud could hasten what was to come.
He could only guide them indirectly.
Finally, he turned to Valeria, his tone heavy.
"Contact the Federation. Make sure someone, preferably a Third Ranker, descends as soon as possible."
Things were not looking good. This calamity was definitely related to the High Order. Grey was certain of that.
The best option would be to run away. However, Grey had something else in mind.
He believed he wasn’t as powerless as he had been during the incident with Nova City.
This time, he wouldn’t let the High Order have their way.
"If everything goes well, the crisis will be safely averted, and I can put my plan into motion," Grey said with a grin.
"..." Not even Eterna could tell what Grey was thinking.
Grey now possessed a rare confidence. Even in the face of such a large crisis, he was unfazed.
He had already promised himself that he would never run away again, and he believed he didn’t have to this time.
"High Order. Let’s see how you play your cards this time," Grey thought as a sharp purple light glowed in his eyes.
There was now an unknown factor in play and that was Grey.