The night was deep, and the daytime clamor within Glimmerlake Base had faded into a quiet peace. Only the occasional howl of a Mutant Beast from the distance added a chill to the night air.

Paige Summers, with Erin Quinn and Howard Everett, lay prone in a patch of woods.

Across from them, separated by a narrow road just wide enough for a car, was the residence of Samuel Hughes’s mistress.

A wall nearly twice a man’s height and a tightly shut main gate completely blocked their view. But Paige Summers could faintly hear the breathing of at least seven or eight people inside the courtyard. ’Those must be the guards responsible for protecting Samuel Hughes, the Glimmerlake Base Chief!’

After carefully sensing their positions, she turned and made a few hand signals to Howard Everett.

Howard Everett’s face darkened, and he shook his head resolutely.

Seeing she couldn’t persuade him, Paige Summers simply lowered her hands. Howard Everett assumed she had given up and was about to lead the two of them away to discuss the plan in more detail. But in the next instant, Erin Quinn grabbed him in a tight embrace. Seizing the opportunity, Paige Summers vanished from sight with a WHOOSH!

Howard Everett was furious!

But it was already too late to stop Paige Summers now.

Not to mention, he didn’t dare make any sudden moves, lest he be discovered by the guards inside.

He glared resentfully at Erin Quinn, who returned his stare without a hint of fear.

While the two of them were locked in their mutual animosity, Paige Summers had already reached the back of the courtyard like a gust of wind. She pressed her ear to the wall and listened for a moment. Hearing no sounds or footsteps, she took a grappling bolt with a rope attached from her bag and loaded it onto her Crossbow.

SWISH! The bolt lodged securely a few inches from the top of the wall. Paige Summers nimbly scaled the rope, vaulted over the wall, and landed silently inside the courtyard.

The sound of two sets of footsteps, one heavy and one light, reached her from a distance. Guessing they belonged to patrolling guards, she remained calm. Instead, she quickly scanned her surroundings, took two steps, and crouched by the wall. The shadows of the trees outside the wall were cast here, making it an ideal hiding spot.

But it wasn’t a guarantee she wouldn’t be discovered.

After all, the backyard wasn’t spacious. If the two men were even slightly perceptive as they walked past, they would notice an intruder. An idea immediately formed in Paige Summers’s mind.

Just as the two guards entered her range and drew closer, she abruptly raised her Crossbow!

One arrow for each man, right in the chest!

The two men collapsed without making a sound. As they fell, Paige Summers appeared behind them just in time to catch their bodies.

She gently lowered them to the ground. She hauled the taller one up and tossed him to the base of the wall where she had just been hiding. As for the smaller one, she unhesitatingly stripped off his uniform and put it on. She also took his hat for herself before tossing his body next to his companion’s.

The house had no back door, but it did have windows.

After dealing with the two guards, Paige Summers quickly crept to a window on the left side of the house.

In the new post-apocalypse era of construction, it was impossible to use metal and glass for windows. This place was no exception; they were all wooden, so opening one wouldn’t be difficult.

With a bit of force, she easily sliced through the wooden frame with her knife.

Steadying one side, she nimbly slipped inside and then put the window frame back in place. Although it could be pushed open again with a little force, it looked perfectly intact at a glance.

Paige Summers stood behind the curtain, listening for any sounds from within the house.

She thought she would have to search for Samuel Hughes’s room, but a series of unabashed, delicate moans immediately pointed her in the right direction.

’He sure has a lot of time on his hands! The Beast Tide is almost here, and instead of thinking about the base’s future, or even his own survival, he’s in here fooling around with some woman...’

Scoffing inwardly, Paige Summers emerged from behind the curtain.

The living room was naturally empty at this hour, so she strode out openly. Following the sound of the moans, she easily located the room at the end of the hallway.

She didn’t break down the door, as that would alert the guards outside. Instead, she just waited quietly.

She waited until the intertwined moans of the man and woman inside grew louder, followed by a final, high-pitched cry that faded into exhausted gasps. Only then did she knock gently on the door.

"Who is it?" After a long moment, a delicate, languid voice called out, drained of strength.

Paige Summers calmly deepened her voice. "There’s someone outside looking for you, sir!"