Our Family Has Fallen-Chapter 783 - 455: Retreat_2

They even took out minor bosses like the Heretic Saintess and the Limping Walker, acquiring the Meteorite and a map.

He never intended, nor was it possible, to explore the massive and complicated Beast Lair in one go. He treated it more like a piggy bank, coming to withdraw and feast on pork whenever he lacked Spiritual Essence.

Ruthlessly depleting the ancestral pension.

Besides, after the battle with the Limping Walker, no one was in good shape to continue.

"Let's go. Conveniently, the map from the Saintess shows a shortcut back to the outpost's vicinity."

"Boss... I'm fine..."

Boudica tried to resist, but Lance wouldn't listen. He took the Axe Spear from her hands and crouched to hoist her onto his back.

"Hold tight." Lance adjusted Boudica on his back to a more comfortable position, then turned his head and soothed her, "Sleep now. We'll be home when you wake up."

Boudica knew she couldn't refuse what the boss had decided, especially since she really couldn't hold on much longer; her head was spinning. Otherwise, she might have collapsed earlier.

Now, all she could do was lie on his solid back, draping her hands over his shoulders.

Boudica wasn't fat, but her lean muscles weren't light either. However, for someone with Lance's strength, carrying her didn't hinder his movements at all.

Amanda and Alhazred had no objections. Although tired from the major battle, that very fact made them even more eager to leave.

But Lance didn't forget them; he used Bless to refresh their condition, temporarily suppressing their fatigue.

The route came from the Saintess's map, but she wasn't the only one who knew it. Plenty of heretics wandered the wilderness, and it wasn't surprising that some had escaped the Honor Guard's purge.

So, they hadn't gone far before they ran into a group of heretics.

Boudica was jolted awake. Amanda and Alhazred were about to act, but then Lance made his move.

"Hold on tight."

No sooner had he spoken than Lance was in motion.

One hand secured Boudica on his back, while the other pulled Wolf Fang from the Void and charged.

Mere heretics, watch as I annihilate them in one strike!

Lance took the initiative to charge. The sharpness of Wolf Fang was far beyond what such worthless cultists could withstand; they couldn't even keep up with the speed of his swings.

The Power of Flesh and Blood, which the heretics prided themselves on, was a joke before Lance. He sliced through their bodies, spilling their lifeblood. A moment of stunned shock for them turned into eternal death.

What should have been a tense fight resembled a leisurely walk for him. Each swipe of his longsword signaled the death of a heretic; none required a second blow.

The battle ended almost as soon as it began. Amanda and the others hadn't even had a chance to act before all the heretics before them were slain, their bodies obliterated, every trace of their existence wiped clean.

If not for the blood dripping from his longsword, no one would have guessed this had been a sudden ambush.

Watching the figure charge forward, carrying someone on his back while wielding a longsword, Amanda felt an indescribable sensation.

But she didn't stop; instead, she followed.

...

Totnes, Gorge Port.

Every day, as soon as one opened their eyes, the port was a flurry of boats. Like small fish crammed into an overflowing trap, they were densely packed and seemingly chaotic, yet somehow navigated freely without collision.

Totnes was large, with several such ports, yet even these could not meet the demand. Overcrowding was common; indeed, it was the norm.

It was a wonder, then, that it had all run so smoothly for so many years.

Among these vessels, a ship of a design distinct from the Empire's docked without attracting any attention. In a cosmopolitan city like Totnes, such a sight was all too common.

They were the Romani, returning here from Hamlet.

Soon, Romani began to disembark continuously. Only their retrofitted carriages were rolled off the ship; the original convoy was gone.

The ship, no matter its size, couldn't accommodate hundreds of ordinary carriages, so those had been left behind in Hamlet.

That batch of carriages was an important part of the trade between Lance and the Romani, providing considerable transportation capacity.

The woman stepped off the ship and waved her hand with slight dissatisfaction at her clansmen.

"Someone take them to our base. Don't stir up any trouble; this isn't some backwater village."

Even after suffering a setback in Hamlet, her demeanor still carried a strong sense of confidence.

But that was to be expected. She had been operating in Totnes for many years; she was a local power broker here.

Her two guards, however, though rested and recovered, had lost their former arrogance and now appeared quite subdued.

Did they only dare to be so brazen in a "backwater place" like Hamlet, becoming meek upon returning to Totnes where important figures filled the streets? Or had Boudica's thorough beating taught them restraint?

The woman quickly gave some instructions before hastening to her headquarters; she had no time to waste on these people.

Upon returning, she immediately entered a room shrouded in ritual power. Various strange objects of indeterminable function were placed within, and runes and Curse Magic symbols covered the surroundings, emitting an eerie atmosphere.

Ever since the Spiritual Network malfunctioned, they had been forced to use more complicated rituals to communicate with the organization. Only a few of the larger bases within the Empire possessed this capability.

Regarding the information from Amanda and how to handle these Romani, she had to await the organization's orders.

She could be reckless, but she knew who she could afford to be reckless with.

Or rather, she dared to be so brazen because she had solid backing within the organization.

There were no portrait phantoms this time, and voices came through intermittently, distorted as if by interference. Fortunately, the connection was barely usable.

When the woman emerged from the ritual room, her demeanor was strange. She had evidently learned that Amanda had renounced her position as head of the Empire region and had nominated her to take over.

Although the Elders hadn't yet decided, the woman already had ideas.

This "hot potato" that others dared not touch was different for her. The biggest distinction between her and Amanda was that she had a secure base of operations in Totnes.

Whether the Romani withdrew from the Empire was irrelevant to her. Totnes certainly wouldn't be abandoned. Even if conflict erupted, as long as she maintained the organization's influence in Totnes, that was all that mattered.

In other words, she could now easily attain a higher position, which might not have been possible under normal circumstances.

But these decisions were up to those above her; she couldn't influence them.

However, there was one very important thing she *could* influence.

"Quick! Get me the files on Bastia! And filter for parties interested in Bastia..."

That's right, I need to capitalize on this information quickly. If too many people find out, it will lose its value.

As a veteran intelligence-trading power, the accuracy of their information was crucial, almost as important as their reputation.

Therefore, despite their usual tendencies, even the Romani were very cautious in this regard. The organization had a comprehensive set of procedures for handling information.

This involved an entire analysis team that would conduct a detailed study of all aspects related to any piece of intelligence.

They would first assess whether the source of the information could be trusted, then corroborate it with other related intelligence.

Fortunately, Bastia was also a major city, so they maintained similar contacts there and could obtain some locally circulating information.

Besides, no intelligence is completely airtight. Behind every event lie countless clues, and Romani analysts were skilled at deducing much from them.

After determining the probable accuracy of the information, they would analyze potential audiences as well as the intelligence's value.

It was fair to say they thrived in the intelligence world for a reason.

As she waited, the woman grew somewhat anxious. She regretted not yet being the head of the Empire region. If she were, Bastia would be within her jurisdiction, and she could have directly contacted the people in Bastia instead of going through the organization.

But all she could do now was patiently wait...