At noon, sunlight filtered through every nook and cranny. Noir and the others were still busy dealing with the pile of data when she suddenly caught a faint noise at the edge of the town. Stepping out to check, she glimpsed a group of strangers lurking around—not civilians. With such shadowy movements, it could only mean they'd come looking again.
Without a word, Noir quickly returned, her voice a little urgent.
"They're getting close again, bringing more reinforcements. We need to trigger the trap tonight."
"Pack up quickly. We'll have to leave this place after that."
Specter folded the map, nodding decisively.
"They are really quick…" Specter said.
Orion swung his hand, a half-smile creeping onto his face.
"Alright. We'll give them a little show."
Kaelith swallowed dryly, eyes flickering between worry and excitement.
Night fell. The sky was murky, with only a thin thread of moonlight and drifting clouds. The trap had been set along the underground route, explosive triggers were calibrated to cause disruption—strong enough to destroy tracking devices, and inflict some damage on their ship's resources.
The four members of Noir's group found a vantage point to observe the scene, while also keeping a safe escape route. It was a massive tree just over 200 meters from their old hideout.
Her cold eyes gleamed red, locked onto the distant transport route.
The sound of the train grew clearer, cars trailing one after another, entering the exact spot Noir's team had calculated—without suspicion.
Some assassins on the train laughed and joked, unaware that a pit of explosives lay beneath them.
When the first explosion rocked the ground, the chaos erupted with screams.
"BOOM! KABOOM!!!!"
The train took the brunt of the blast, a few cars were thrown into the air, cargo shattered, the agents' hoarse cries tore through the silent night. Commanders panicked, trying to control the bodies sprawled across the path. A few defective units had to be subdued with firearms before the situation stabilized.
"DAMN IT!!! WHERE DID THAT STUFF EVEN COME FROM?"
Dust clouds rose high, making the air suffocating. From a distance, Noir's group watched it all unfold.
Orion chuckled, satisfied.
"Bro, these traps are way heavier-duty than I thought."
"But I have to admit… that was so gorgeous."
"Not bad, Specter. And the little one too, haha…"
Specter smiled faintly. Kaelith looked a little worried.
"Will they find us?" she whispered.
After a long look at the spectacle, Noir answered coldly.
"Even if they do, what can they do?"
She signaled calmly.
"Move."
"Once we've gone a bit further, we'll trigger the final trap."
Specter nodded, finger ready on the button.
/A special gift for your… VOID…/ Noir thought.
The four of them quickly departed. Another explosion thundered behind, rocking the area. Chaos remained in their wake, but no one paid it much attention. They slipped through dark alleys leading into the forest behind.
On the way, the air felt more relaxed than expected. Orion shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing at Kaelith.
"Hey kitten, you should practice shouting louder. Scaring opponents takes volume, smiling like that only makes me scared."
Kaelith pouted.*crossing her arms*
"If I shout, you'd run first, for sure."
Then she hummed a little children's song, the soft notes breaking the tension of the night.
Specter walked beside Noir, voice low enough for her alone.
"Any plans after we leave that mess behind?"
Noir didn't look at him, eyes fixed on the dim path ahead. She replied shortly.
"Keep going. As long as experiments exist, the organization survives, we have to move."
Specter remained silent, but his eyes flickered with determination and a trace of warmth for her.
The four vanished into the forest, leaving behind smoldering traces of the trap, and the beginning of a new journey under the night sky.
***
On Void's transport route.
Smoke from the explosion still lingered over the secret path. The underground tunnels were shattered, communications cut off.
In a dark house, Noir's previous hideout, agents had traced their path but were a step too late. The commander slammed the table, growling.
"F*CK! A bunch of brats… dare play tricks on me!"
Agents stood with heads bowed, not daring to breathe. Noir and her team's map was spread out, empty of any useful info. Anger filled the room.
"Tear this place apart. I want their blood, not some petty games! RIGHT NOW!!"
⸻
Elsewhere, at the edge of the dark forest, Noir's group sat around a small bag of rations. Orion chewed while grumbling.
"Aizz…Should've grabbed more jerky this afternoon. Eating this is like chewing paper. Thirsty as hell."
Kaelith giggled, handing him a can of drink.
"You complain all the time, yet you eat the most."
Noir ate quietly, eyes scanning the darkness.
"Quickly. Staying here too long isn't safe."
Specter studied the map, pointing ahead.
"There's an abandoned temple. High ground, good visibility, hard to be surrounded. I think we can stay there overnight."
They agreed. Though tired, they rose and followed the forest path toward the moss-covered temple.
Stepping into the cracked stone courtyard, moonlight cast their long shadows across the damp grass. The temple was silent, derelict, yet radiated an odd tranquility.
But Noir's sharp instincts picked up the smell of gunpowder.
/Something… is here…/ she thought.
Wind whistled through the cracks of the abandoned temple.
Just as everyone thought they'd found a stopping point for the night, a few staggering figures emerged from the darkness. The stench of alcohol, blood, and rust filled the air.
A tall man squinted at Noir, then broke into a hoarse laugh.
"Yoo… this girl… looks familiar. Isn't she… the one with the bounty out there?" *waving a pistol*
Noir and her team tensed. She didn't answer, only lowered her cold gaze. Specter quietly drew his dagger, Orion nudged Kaelith behind him.
"Looks like we'll be sharing a bed with these guys." Orion snorts.
"Stand here. Don't show yourselves." He whispered to Kaelith, voice low.
The robber signaled, four or five others spilled from the shadows, weapons ready. A treasure trove right in front of them.
"Come on… little girl."
"Let's go… home with us, hahaha…"
The forest wind blew cold and harsh.