Sweat streamed down Shaan’s face. He began to pant as he followed Sebastian toward Miss Daisy’s house. He never expected wearing this face mask would be this uncomfortable. To be honest, he was amazed that Sebastian could stand wearing it.

’I have to endure it.’Shaan wiped the sweat from his forehead and tried to stay calm. ’I promised Miss Daisy and the faction leaders that I’d retrieve those materials as quickly as possible.’

He let out a long breath and forced himself to focus. After pausing for a brief moment, he resumed walking and hurried after Sebastian before the thick pink fog swallowed him from sight.

Although the protective mask made him feel hot and uncomfortable, it offered an impressive advantage. Dr. Marshal crafted the mask from materials that resisted the effects of virtually any gas, allowing the wearer to move freely without worrying about the pink fog’s harmful effects.

In a way, the mask served a purpose similar to Chelsie’s Null Veil skill. However, unlike the skill, the mask required no mana, no activation, and no special conditions. Anyone could put it on and enjoy its protection.

"Shaan, we’ll be there soon." Sebastian kept walking, glancing around. "Hurry up, Shaan. We have to keep moving now before anyone notices us."

"I understand."

After walking for a while, Sebastian’s pace gradually began to slow. At first, Shaan thought they would soon reach the front door of Miss Daisy’s house, but strangely, Sebastian instead moved closer to a streetlight beside them. Even stranger, he didn’t move at all, as if he were observing something from a distance.

"Sebastian, what’s—"

"Shh."

Without saying another word, Sebastian pointed toward a house directly across from their position. Shaan followed his gaze and immediately spotted two Resistance members standing near the house. They guarded the area carefully, as though they protected something important inside.

"Damn it." Sebastian lowered his voice and bit his lower lip. "I never expected Resistance members to show up here. Looks like things won’t go as smoothly as we hoped."

"So, what should we do?" Shaan narrowed his eyes, trying to spot an alternative route. "I can’t see any other way to get inside that house."

Sebastian curled the corners of his lips. "Calm down, I have a way to take them out."

He slowly lowered his body and placed one hand against the ground. A moment later, the earth beneath his palm began to shift. The soil rose into a small mound, as if something crawled beneath the surface.

"W-wait, what is that?" Shaan rubbed his eyes, making sure what he was seeing was real. "Why is the ground moving like that?"

"Just sit back and watch it work."

The mound glided across the ground with surprising speed and headed toward the two guards who continued scanning the area. Good. Neither guard seemed to notice the moving mound. It crept closer and closer until it reached a spot directly behind them. Without wasting the opportunity, Sebastian immediately began casting a spell.

"Great, now’s my chance." A green glow burst from his palm and formed a complex magical sigil in the air. ’Akantha desmos’

In the blink of an eye, plant roots appeared from behind the mound and quickly wrapped around both officers’ bodies, immobilizing them. One of them opened his mouth and tried to call for help, but he reacted too late.

The roots shot upward and sealed his mouth shut before a single cry could escape. The vines continued spreading across their bodies, binding their arms, legs, and torsos. Within seconds, the roots completely engulfed both guards, trapping them inside living cocoons.

"Looks good. Those roots should keep them restrained for a while." Sebastian glanced at Shaan and immediately sprinted toward the gate. "Come on, Shaan. This is our chance."

"I-I understand."

When Sebastian opened the gate to Miss Daisy’s house, Shaan was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected that behind this gate lay such a spacious yard. Although he couldn’t tell for sure just how large the place actually was, due to the pink mist shrouding the area. They quickly made their way through the yard until they finally reached the front door of Miss Daisy’s house.

"Shaan, stay alert." Sebastian slowed his pace and pointed toward the wide-open entrance. "Someone might still be inside."His expression grew serious. "It could be the Resistance. We need to get to the storage room and get out of here as fast as we can."

"I understand."

As Shaan followed Sebastian through the house, he noticed signs of disorder everywhere. From chairs left lying on the floor, piles of scattered papers, to several shards of glass strewn about. The scene strengthened Sebastian’s earlier suspicion. Someone had definitely entered this house.

’Strange, what exactly is the resistance looking for in Miss Daisy’s house? Could there be something specific they’re searching for?’

’Thud!’

"Ow."

"Sebastian." Shaan immediately ran over to help Sebastian, who had fallen. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just tripped over some stuff lying around here." Sebastian nodded. "Damn. I guess I need to be more careful."

Shaan reached out his hand toward Sebastian. "Here, let me help you."

Sebastian paused for a moment, then slowly took Shaan’s hand. "Thank you."

"Sebastian, I’m still confused—why exactly is the resistance leader near the cathedral?" Shaan’s expression grew more curious. "What’s actually inside the cathedral?"

Sebastian began to explain that the Cathedral itself wasn’t a single building, but rather a vast complex consisting of two main structures. The first building served as the residence for the religious faction’s leadership and its members, while the second building housed the residence of the Twilight Sanctum’s leadership.

"The Resistance leaders are undoubtedly targeting the Twilight Sanctum’s leadership residence. The point is, we have to hurry, before the Resistance manages to get in and take full control of the Twilight Sanctum leader."

"I understand."

They kept walking until Sebastian finally stopped at the end of the hallway. There wasn’t a single door in sight; just a plain wall with absolutely nothing on it.

"Thank goodness, they haven’t found it yet." Sebastian sighed, then slowly approached the wall. "Now, we have to get into the storage room before they find us."

"Huh?" Shaan furrowed his brow, a look of confusion on his face. "Wait, Sebastian. I didn’t... "

A low rumbling sound echoed through the corridor. Shaan froze. The wall in front of them slowly slid to the left, revealing a hidden doorway behind it. His eyes widened in disbelief. He never expected a secret door to hide behind what looked like nothing more than an ordinary stone wall.

"Se-seriously...?" Shaan muttered.

Sebastian simply smiled. "Miss Daisy values her research more than anything else. Of course, she would hide her storage room."

’What exactly does she keep inside that storage room?’