In the dimly lit bedroom, Brandon knelt on the ground, listening to the words emanating from the blood-soaked altar, his expression momentarily stunned.
“What… Your meaning is for me to steal from the Sealed Vault at the last moment? Mr. Buck, please reconsider. While I can easily enter the vault and retrieve items, getting those items out is a different matter entirely!” Spreading his hands, Brandon spoke with a helpless tone, addressing Buck.
“Unlike the sacred medicine, the items in the Sealed Vault can be easily detected by the Illuminating Beacon. Without adequate concealment measures, even the slightest exposure is unacceptable. I might barely have carried something out when the entire Bureau would be alerted. With the hunter squads closing in, there’s no way I could escape, Mr. Buck!”
Brandon’s voice was filled with urgency, emphasizing the danger of the mission. Buck let out a faint chuckle before speaking slowly.
“Don’t worry. I’m not about to send you recklessly into such danger. We will coordinate corresponding actions to assist you.”
Hearing Buck’s response, Brandon paused briefly, his expression filled with incredulity.
“Assistance? Mr. Buck, are you planning to send someone directly to help me?”
“No. My idea is to make use of that mysterious organization, leveraging their name to divert the Bureau’s forces,” Buck replied directly. Brandon froze for a moment before responding with astonishment.
“The mysterious organization? Do you mean the one that recently hunted down Mr. Burton?”
“Yes, them. Based on your intelligence, that organization disclosed Burton’s location to the Bureau through a flower delivery. So, I plan to imitate that organization by sending another flower to the Bureau, revealing a false location for one of our hideouts to lure the hunter squads out. This will significantly weaken the Bureau’s internal defenses, giving you the opportunity to retrieve the items.”As Buck explained, Brandon nodded in agreement.
“That makes sense... If the Serenity Bureau could respond to the first flower, they’ll respond to a second. Currently, the first and second squads are deployed outside Igwynt, leaving only the third and fourth squads stationed here. A single squad won’t suffice for a hideout raid. If we choose a time when James himself is absent and lure out both squads, stealing from the Bureau will be much easier.”
Brandon smiled as he pieced together Buck’s plan, then spoke to the altar again.
“Mr. Buck, James has been frequently visiting the Radiance Church recently and is often away from the Bureau. As long as the hunter squads are also absent, I can guarantee success in retrieving items from the Sealed Vault.”
“Good. Then I need you to examine the message and handwriting on that flower. I must replicate a similar one to send. I’ve suspected for some time that this mysterious organization might actually be a splinter faction James created within the Bureau. This is an opportunity to confirm that.”
“The flower is still in the evidence room. I can record its message for you tomorrow,” Brandon promptly replied. Buck decisively agreed.
“Good. If that organization isn’t a Bureau faction, the Bureau will undoubtedly act upon receiving the flower. When they do, seize the opportunity. By using the mysterious organization’s name, we won’t just make the Bureau lose some items—they’ll also bleed. Heh, the Bureau’s perception of that organization might even shift as a result.”
“Yes, Mr. Buck. Your wisdom is unparalleled... I can’t wait to formally return to the society,” Brandon replied with reverence, kneeling before the altar.
Unbeknownst to him, a small ear perched on his windowsill was attentively eavesdropping on the entire conspiracy.
…
Night blanketed Igwynt as a lone carriage stood silently by a residential street. Inside, Dorothy, clad in a black dress, slowly opened her eyes and exhaled deeply.
“Whew... quite the harvest tonight. Looks like the Crimson Eucharist is planning something big...”
Murmuring to herself, Dorothy reflected on the eavesdropped conversation. It was clear that the Society’s mole in the Bureau had sensed the tense atmosphere and was preparing to flee with as many stolen items as possible.
The leader, Buck, likely believed that Clifford’s corruption of Gregor was progressing smoothly. As a result, he planned to have Brandon conduct one last heist before escaping.
To facilitate this, they aimed to replicate the flower-delivery ploy Dorothy had used previously, luring the Bureau’s hunter squads away.
“Quite the cunning plan... If I hadn’t overheard it all, it might have worked. But since I did...” Dorothy muttered, a sly smile curling her lips as she contemplated intercepting the scheme to enrich her own cache of mystical resources.
However, her smile gradually faded as Buck’s final words echoed in her mind.
"By using the mysterious organization’s name, we won’t just make the Bureau lose some items—they’ll also bleed. Even the Bureau’s perception of that organization might even shift."
Dorothy’s eyes narrowed as realization dawned. The operation wasn’t just about stealing—it likely aimed to spill blood as well.
The reason for bloodshed became apparent to Dorothy in an instant. Though Buck hadn’t explicitly stated it to Brandon, the implication was clear.
The Crimson Eucharist intended to ambush the hunter squads.
If the Crimson Eucharist imitated Dorothy’s previous tactic and sent a false report to the Bureau, the location mentioned in the report would undoubtedly be chosen by the Crimson Eucharist themself. It was unthinkable that they wouldn’t use this opportunity to trap the hunter squads.
In Dorothy’s assessment, the Crimson Eucharist’s true goal was far more ambitious than a mere theft. They intended to severely cripple the Serenity Bureau through an ambush.
Broadening the scope, Dorothy considered the possibility of the Crimson Eucharist framing the mysterious organization she represented. The theft and ambush could easily be pinned on the organization, given that the initial intelligence came from them.
Even if the Bureau’s higher-ups had doubts, the sheer scale of the losses would force them to heighten their vigilance against the “mysterious organization.” Perhaps they might even launch a manhunt. If events unfolded this way, the Crimson Eucharist’s pressure in Igwynt would significantly diminish.
This was Dorothy’s interpretation of Buck’s comment about altering the Bureau’s perception.
“Well played... they’re craftier than I thought,” Dorothy murmured, realizing she couldn’t solely focus on Brandon’s side of the plan.