So, he sought out his contact and explained that his friend’s daughter was in trouble, begging for help. Of course, he didn’t say that Paige Summers had offended Shawn Monroe. Instead, he named the son of a certain Noble House from the Upper District. This person was a notorious degenerate with a terrible reputation. Woody had heard rumors about him back in the Lower District, and after moving to the Middle District, he’d heard even more gossip from his clients. So, he took the liberty of adding another crime to the man’s name.

Lusting after a minor and having sadistic tendencies!

There were many kinds of sons from Noble Houses, and the one he mentioned was clearly the type who coasted on his family’s name but had no real power. Even if a conflict arose, it wouldn’t be too difficult to handle.

So after gaining the man’s sympathy, he offered a hefty sum of Crystal Cores at just the right moment.

After weighing the pros and cons, the contact readily agreed!

And now, all they had to do was get to the Hunting Party in disguise. The captain would then assign them suitable identities during the inspection and lead them out of the city!

The plan was solid. Paige Summers ran through it in her head, found no flaws, and decided to follow Woody Warren’s lead.

Thanks to her skillful work, she and Levi Young had completely new appearances. Their faces were now much more ordinary—the kind that were completely unremarkable, drawing no attention whatsoever.

Woody Warren nodded in satisfaction and was about to lead them out the door.

Just then, two people blocked their path.

Without waiting for them to speak, Paige Summers threw the powder. Before they could collapse, she and Levi Young each dragged one of them back into the house.

She knew they were Quentin Sutton’s men.

’He may have lured Nora Lowell away, but he was never going to let me go that easily.’

’But he’s seriously underestimating me. Did he really think these two could stop me?!’

Paige Summers thought for a moment, then took out a small vial containing a bit of the powder and placed it in one of the men’s pockets. She knew Quentin Sutton would probably return soon, but she also knew he was obsessed with his research. Once he got his hands on something new, he would be eager to test it.

’Even if this only buys us a little time, it’ll be enough to get out of the city!’

But there was one thing she couldn’t stop worrying about...

After getting in the car, she hesitated for a moment before saying to Woody Warren, "Boss! You should come with us! Shawn Monroe will definitely find out you helped us, and you’ll be in a terrible position!"

But Woody Warren just smiled. "Of course I’m leaving too, but I have to wait for Nora Lowell to come back so we can leave together. Before that, I’ll find a solid alibi to prove I wasn’t at the ’scene’!" He winked at Paige Summers. "You two just borrowed my house to hide out without my knowledge. What’s that got to do with me?"

Paige Summers slowly shook her head. "While you were out, Nora Lowell brought people here to search for us. She was convinced we had nowhere else to go and thought you had a secret room. She was about to order them to tear the whole house down..." If even Nora Lowell didn’t believe he hadn’t helped them, how could Shawn Monroe? Perhaps she wouldn’t even have to wait for Shawn Monroe to strike; Nora Lowell herself would turn on Woody Warren!

At her words, Woody Warren slammed on the brakes. A piercing screech filled the air as the car skidded to a stop on the road.

He slammed his hand on the steering wheel, his expression nearly contorted in a snarl as he turned to Paige Summers, fuming. "Nonsense! That’s impossible! She... she’s my only family! She’s my sister’s only child! How could she... how could she..."

His furious questions died on his lips under Paige Summers’ calm gaze. Woody Warren took a ragged breath, turned back to the front, and restarted the car.

As they drove on, he was silent for a long time, his jaw clenched and his brow deeply furrowed.

Paige Summers didn’t try to persuade him further.

He had to decide what to do for himself.

She was sure he knew she wasn’t lying.

He just couldn’t accept it.

Soon, they reached the Hunting Party’s rendezvous point without any trouble.

A tall, burly man with a rough-hewn face but shrewd eyes emerged after they got out of the car. "Old Man Warren, these the two?"

Woody Warren nodded and pushed the two of them forward.

The man sized them up for a moment, then laughed. "Not bad, not bad." He reached past them to clap Woody Warren on the shoulder, leaned in, and whispered, "Don’t look so glum. These two kids look pretty sharp. This hunting trip will be no problem; they’ll be perfectly safe!"

Woody Warren forced a smile. "I’m counting on you, then."

The man patted him on the shoulder again, straightened up, and called out to a nearby truck, "Liam! Get them on board!"

Before she left, Paige Summers said one last thing to Woody Warren in a low voice, "It’s not too late to leave now."

He let out a long sigh, his face pale but his expression resolute. "No, I can’t just leave her all alone. You need to go. Any later, and... it won’t be good."

Paige Summers paused, then suddenly rushed forward and hugged him, whispering urgently, "There’s a bag of Crystal Cores on the seat. Use them wisely." With that, she turned and scrambled onto the truck. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The captain waiting by the truck grinned. "A good kid, with a conscience," he muttered, waving goodbye to Woody Warren.

Thanks to the identification papers from the Hunting Party captain, Paige Summers and Levi Young passed through the Middle District gate without a hitch, never even having to leave the truck.

When they reached the outer gate of the Lower District, the inspection was much stricter.

Although they still didn’t have to get out, the Guard Captain conducting the inspection uncharacteristically boarded the truck!

Though their faces remained impassive, a cold sweat broke out on Paige’s and Levi’s palms.

’This is it. Make or break.’

The Guard Captain’s gaze swept over everyone’s faces before finally landing on them.

"These two are new faces, huh?"

The Hunting Party captain let out a hearty "HA HA" and turned his head. "New recruits! They might look a little scrawny, but they’re stronger than they look. Full of potential! Come on, you two, hop out. Let the Guard Captain have a little spar, see if I’m bluffing. Don’t you dare make me look bad!"

Seeing his brazen confidence, the Guard Captain’s suspicions abated. He spat. "No wonder they call you the mad captain. Spar my ass! Let me tell you, we’ve got bigwigs watching this gate. You start a ruckus here, you must have a death wish!"

"Heh heh, never! You know how I am, I just get carried away in front of a crowd! Just do us a solid, and we’ll have a big beast to add to the pot for dinner tonight!" When the Guard Captain shot him a look that said, ’You know the score,’ and started to leave, he shouted to Paige and Levi again, "Alright, alright, stay put! You don’t actually have to get out. You really thought I was serious? Bunch of greenhorns, HA HA HA!"

Under the Guard Captain’s amused gaze, the Hunting Party’s truck sped away like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Paige Summers finally let out a sigh of relief.

Unbeknownst to her, just inside the gate, two other figures watched the truck depart.

One of them asked, confused, "Brother Clarence, you had me follow them all this time, and now that we’ve found them, you’re not stopping them. What’s going on?"

Quentin Sutton slowly drew his gaze back, his expression complex as he tightened his grip on the vial in his hand.

"Let them go... It’s for the best."

’Keeping them here, especially Levi Young, the one who can create this medicine, would only destabilize my position in The Citadel. But killing them myself would leave me too vulnerable; it would be too easy for my enemies to use it against me.’

’Given the choice, it’s better to just let them go.’

’As long as I can figure out how to make the medicine Shawn Monroe wants, this whole affair will be completely insignificant!’