"Death and suffering?"

Merlin and Leina were both shocked. They exchanged confused glances before turning back to the two men.

"What do you mean?" Leina asked coldly.

The man on the right sighed deeply. "In short, anyone who talks about the Dark Tunnel Organization is asking for death. The mayor has ordered all citizens not to mention their name. If we violate this order, we could all be severely punished—even killed."

His explanation only left Nolan and Leina even more confused.

What was wrong with mentioning the Dark Tunnel Organization?

Did they have eyes and ears all over Dunvale?

No matter how hard they thought, they couldn't come up with a reasonable answer.

Leina raised her left hand. In an instant, a barrier appeared, isolating her, Merlin, and the two men from the outside world.

"Speak now. I've sealed this place with magic. No one will know what we're talking about."

The two men were taken aback, not expecting to witness something like this.

They finally realized that the woman before them and the boy beside her were no ordinary people.

The man on the right nodded and hurriedly explained, "The Dark Tunnel Organization comes from the western region. They are madmen with a strange obsession with summoning demons. Their true goals are unclear, but according to the news, they want this world to fall into the hands of demons."

Merlin and Leina listened intently.

"I see," Leina said. "Then can you tell us why the city of Helvar fell so quickly?"

Helvar was as large as Dunvale, and it seemed impossible for such a large city to be thrown into chaos by just a handful of people in such a short time.

There had to be a reason behind it.

"That…" The man hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't know. The matter remains a mystery to this day."

Suddenly, his friend interrupted. "I know the reason."

Leina and Merlin turned at once, waiting for his explanation.

"I don't know if this is the real reason, but it's said that the mayor of Helvar was controlled by those evil people. He ordered the guards to seal the city, preventing anyone inside from escaping. Since then, Helvar has turned into a hell that no one can enter," the man explained, his face pale with fear.

What he didn't say was that he was a native of Helvar who had managed to escape.

He deliberately kept this hidden so the Dunvale authorities wouldn't expel him.

After all, Dunvale was on high alert. If they discovered he was from Helvar, they would take decisive action immediately.

Merlin and Leina's expressions darkened. After hearing this explanation, everything made more sense.

As a large city, Helvar had strong defenses. Unless someone from the inside wanted to destroy it, conquering the city from the outside would have been impossible.

"Thank you for the information." Leina softened her tone as she tossed a pouch filled with dozens of gold coins toward them. "Take this as payment."

After that, she and Merlin disappeared from sight.

At the same time, the magical barrier surrounding them vanished.

The man on the right stared at the pouch of gold coins in shock.

"Money? All of this? Am I dreaming?"

***

Leina and Merlin reappeared about two hundred meters from their previous location.

To reduce the chance of causing a commotion, they appeared in a narrow, dark alley.

"Merlin, we have enough information. Tonight, we'll go with Jason and Victor to the city of Helvar. It's time to finish this," Leina said indifferently.

Merlin gave a small nod. "I understand."

Just as they were about to leave the alley, a group of soldiers suddenly appeared and blocked their path.

"Stop!" One of the soldiers raised his sword and pointed it at them.

The two were clearly startled and immediately became alert. Leina stepped forward, pushing Merlin behind her, her cold gaze fixed on the soldiers.

"What is this? Why are you surrounding us?"

The passersby nearby turned their heads, their faces filled with confusion and curiosity.

The soldier smiled faintly. "You are suspected of being spies. Come with us to the city jail for interrogation."

Upon hearing this, Leina's anger flared. She was about to speak, but Merlin stopped her and stepped forward.

"Can you show us proof that we are spies? If you have any, please present it now," he said calmly, without the slightest hint of fear.

The soldier fell silent for a moment, then regained his composure. "We don't need proof. As long as we suspect someone, we have the right to take them to prison."

He turned to his comrades. "What are you waiting for? Arrest them."

The soldiers nodded and immediately restrained Merlin and Leina.

Leina was furious, but suddenly a voice echoed in her mind.

"Auntie, don't act rashly. The more we resist, the more complicated things will become. Don't worry—I've already informed Professors Jason and Victor about our situation. They'll definitely come to help."

Before parting, he had given Jason, Leina, and Victor a communication bracelet each.

These rare artifacts allowed them to communicate within a fifty-kilometer radius without using magic.

Leina forced herself to suppress her anger and chose to surrender.

"I understand."

With that, under the bewildered gazes of the people around them, the two were taken to the prison in the eastern part of Dunvale.

…

"Victor, did you receive the message from Merlin?" Jason asked, his voice heavy.

Victor nodded. "Yes, I did. But I didn't expect them to be caught so easily. Could it be that the guards have been watching us from the very beginning?"

Jason frowned. "That's the most logical explanation. We have to save them immediately. Otherwise, things will only become more complicated."

They had to complete the mission within five days. The longer they delayed, the more people would suffer and be sacrificed to summon the demons of the Dark Tunnel.

Victor nodded. Without hesitation, the two of them headed straight for the residence of Dunvale's mayor.

…

"Answer my question. Who are you, and what is your purpose in coming to this city?" Klein asked coldly.

Leina and Merlin sat calmly, showing no fear at all.

Leina fixed him with a sharp gaze and replied indifferently, "You don't need to know. Summon your highest authority and have them come before me immediately."

In truth, she did not want to reveal her identity as a professor of Saint Freya Academy.

After all, the mission had to remain secret.

However, she had no choice. If this continued, their precious time would be wasted.

Klein was enraged by her arrogant words. His eyes narrowed as he pressed on, "Tell me—who are you two, and what is your purpose in coming to this city? Speak now, or I'll have you imprisoned immediately."

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