"Boss, Shawn Monroe has rebelled!"

"I know. What’s the situation inside?"

The two men were a bit surprised, but one of them immediately began to report, "Shawn Monroe’s operation was incredibly fast. He took control of The Citadel in just half a night. We got the news fairly quickly, but you weren’t here, so we didn’t dare make a move. Later, Boss York told us to pull out of The Dead City and wait for you on this road. He said you might not be interested in The Dead City anyway, and we should wait for your return before doing anything."

"After that, our moles started coming out one by one. They said Shawn Monroe was thoroughly prepared. The City Lord has likely been captured by him, but most of those old-timers were won over and haven’t put up any open resistance. Still, aside from them, there are others who object, especially some Superpower Users from the Lower District. Boss York has sent people to organize them, and they’re currently fighting back against Shawn Monroe’s forces."

"Boss York said the specific plan depends on what you want to do!"

After speaking, the subordinate paused for a moment before adding, "Boss, why don’t we just fight our way in? If we make a move, with Boss York as our inside man, we have a great chance of turning the tables!"

Paige Summers listened while she mulled things over. ’I didn’t expect this Shawn Monroe to be so capable. This must have been planned for a long time!’ As for Marcus Monroe’s side, she had heard of that "Boss York"—the man named Sylas Underwood. He was said to be a legendary figure. She hadn’t thought much of it before, but now it seemed he truly lived up to his reputation.

After hearing his subordinate’s report, Marcus Monroe didn’t make an immediate decision. While he weighed his options, Paige Summers couldn’t help but pull one of the two men aside to ask for news about Levi Young.

"Well... when we left, the area where you live was completely surrounded. We’re not sure about the exact situation inside."

The corner of Paige Summers’s mouth twitched. Grant Yardley stood beside her and silently patted her on the shoulder.

She forced a smile, thinking, ’Was the encirclement meant for me? If it was, wouldn’t Levi Young likely be taken as a hostage? That would be a huge problem! If not, maybe I could sneak into the city and get him out. But what if it was...’ After pondering for a long while, she made up her mind. No matter what, she had to go in and see for herself.

She wasn’t the only one with this idea.

Marcus Monroe also came to a quick decision. "You and the Flying Eagle’s men will stay here for now. Be careful not to expose your position. I’m taking a few people to make a trip inside."

"What? That’s too dangerous, Boss..."

Marcus Monroe waved his hand to cut them off. "I know what I’m doing. Nothing will happen. You all get ready. We’ll know soon enough whether we fight or flee."

Martin Warren and the others exchanged glances, then all requested to go with him.

Among them, with the exception of Howard Everett, most were part of the war hawk faction. They had lived in The Dead City for a long time and had grown attached to it. It wasn’t that they didn’t know their boss had another power base in Southreach; deep down, they still wanted to stay here.

They refused to submit to Shawn Monroe. If he became the City Lord of The Dead City, people like them definitely wouldn’t be able to stay. Even if they hadn’t been exposed as Marcus Monroe’s subordinates and their identities were safe, free from worry about being targeted by Shawn Monroe, they still wouldn’t want to.

Marcus Monroe picked four people: Isaiah Langley, Martin Warren, Cillian, and Paige Summers.

Before Paige Summers could even volunteer, her name was called. She hesitated for a moment but still brought up her request, "I need to go back to my place and check on things. Andy is still there."

Marcus Monroe grunted in acknowledgment. "You can act on your own once we’re inside. After that, wait at 18 Third Street in the Lower District. It would be best if you can bring him out, but even if you can’t, you need to go there. I’ll arrange for people to help you then."

Paige Summers agreed verbally, but in her heart, she had no intention of accepting the favor.

Forgive her selfishness, but while Marcus Monroe hadn’t yet decided whether to go to war with Shawn Monroe, she had no intention of getting involved if the two sides truly came to blows.

With the matter settled, the four of them made brief preparations and set out.

Sweetie and Erin Quinn were both left behind.

Sweetie, in particular, was specifically instructed to protect Erin Quinn at all costs.

The process of sneaking back into the city went rather smoothly. Shawn Monroe was currently busy defending his hard-won victory within the city walls, so he was giving it his all. Although the guards at the city gates were stricter than before, their security wasn’t yet airtight. With Cillian, a rare Earth Ability User who excelled at digging, they chose a good spot to start and entered the city under the cover of darkness.

They entered in the Lower District, not far from 18 Third Street—the contact point Sylas Underwood had left. However, Paige Summers needed to get to the Middle District, so she soon parted ways with Marcus Monroe and the others.

She set off alone on the road back to her residence.

The deeper she went, the tighter the city’s security became. There was hardly a soul to be seen on the streets. As she neared the wall to the Middle District, she discovered a major problem.

’Damn it, I can’t get through!’

’The height of the wall isn’t the problem. The real issue is the constant patrols!’

’Squad after squad... there’s no way I can solve this by picking them off with sneak attacks!’

Just as she was trying to come up with a plan, a flicker of fire suddenly erupted from a house in the Lower District not far away. It was as if the place had been doused in oil; she watched as a tiny spark went WHOOSH and instantly became a massive inferno. The sounds of people crying for help, shouting, and what seemed to be fighting quickly carried over to her location.

The patrolling guards were immediately thrown into disarray. They privately speculated that it might be the work of those Superpower Users who were rebelling against the City Lord. But they couldn’t possibly ignore the situation. If the fire grew too large, it could even spread over to their position. And if the new Deputy City Lord held them responsible, they’d all be in deep trouble.

So, the captain in charge quickly dispatched two squads to help with the rescue!

Paige Summers marveled at the golden opportunity.

Taking advantage of the moment they were dispatching their men, she dashed to a corner, took out her climbing gear, and used her momentum to leap up into the darkness. She became a fleeting shadow, silently clearing the wall.

Meanwhile, in an alley not far from the fire, Martin Warren and a Fire Ability User quickly left the scene. ’Destroying a traitor’s den and helping out Paige Summers at the same time... The boss really gave me a satisfying job!’ he thought.