A faint light shone from behind the door, like the flickering of candlelight in the distance. However, Lynch merely shook his head, showing no intention of inspecting it. It was evidently a trap, with the light intended to lure intruders closer to the door for a peek. Strong individuals, such as the straightforward-minded barbarians, might very well step up and tear the whole door down. If the thieves hadn't laced the wood with poison, or installed mechanisms in the walls on either side, it would simply indicate a lack of professional ethics. The charred marks deliberately left on the planks were likely to disguise the mottled colors caused by smeared poison.

This also indicated that there must be hidden door mechanisms on both sides of the walls, which was how the thieves entered from the sides. The Eye of Insight's meticulous observation could detect the gaps left on the walls. Even the dwarves' exquisite craftsmanship would show wear over time, so Lynch, without much effort, found the entrance.

Since his Eye of Insight no longer had the ability to penetrate matter, the mage couldn't know what awaited him on the other side. Although he hadn't noticed any hidden sentinels along the way after leaving the cell, it didn't mean they couldn't exist. After a brief pause, Lynch decided to transform himself into gas and floated through the cracks in the wall.

The process took him quite a bit of time, particularly upon seeing two figures glaring intently at the entrance behind the hidden door. Lynch had to be very cautious, making sure they did not detect the gentle airflow skimming across their cheeks.

Faint footsteps came from behind, but they quickly faded away. Even Lynch's eyes only caught a fleeting shadow in the darkness, unable to grasp its form.

The mage immediately sensed something was amiss, likely another group of thieves catching up from behind. He swiftly extracted himself from the door crack and quickly left the entry space.

His actions undoubtedly alerted the two gatekeepers; one pressed an ear to the door, while the other quickly crouched, attempting to discern irregularities from the vibrations in the walls and ground. However, they both overlooked the crack Lynch had slipped through because a colorless, transparent smoke was slowly drifting out from it.

If not for the Eye of Insight, the mage could have easily been caught up in that strange smoke. Lynch, having turned into gas, naturally moved faster than the smoke, while the two gatekeepers behind him had already slumped to the ground, whether unconscious or dead was unclear.

With such an event having occurred, Lynch was in no hurry to advance. The fellow "intruder experts" behind him would naturally help him locate the thieves' hideout. Sure enough, once the secret door opened, a group of figures dressed in identical black tight leather armor filed in and immediately took strategic positions, leaving no blind spots.

Floating above them in his gaseous form, Lynch watched these wanderers with keen interest, memorizing their attack patterns. It was evidently going to be a firefight, one gang seeking to replace another, or perhaps just an internal purge. It happened often, but was rarely witnessed. It was Lynch's first time experiencing such a thing; previously, he had only heard rumors from Felps.

Their movements were swift and silent. Black-painted knives reflected no light, and their feet were surely padded with thick cushions, so even their quick, small steps were silent. The intruders swiftly and mercilessly dealt with obstacles, ending battles with a deathblow to the back, not giving the opponents even the time to scream.

Lynch watched their progress closely, realizing the defenders seemed oblivious. If it continued like this, the battle would soon end. The mage had come to gather intelligence, and if the thieves' leader was also killed in one blow, whom would he question to understand?

Lynch let out a deliberate scream, serving as a warning to those inside, then swiftly soared over the combatants toward the deepest part of the secret passage. He had no desire for his shout to prompt the thief leader to flee. The intruders were momentarily dumbfounded, exchanging puzzled glances, unsure which fool had botched their job.

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