CHAPTER 209: HIDE AND WAIT

The fog outside the Blinding Town Administrative Hall was thick as ever, curling like pale smoke around the street lamps. But inside Mayor Everlyn’s office, the atmosphere was far heavier than the weather.

The faint hum of the air conditioner did little to cool the tension that filled the room. Everlyn sat behind her broad mahogany desk, her posture sharp and regal. Her long dark hair was tied back, and the faint reflection of the town’s flickering lights glowed behind her through the glass wall.

Across from her stood Ling Fei, Vivian, Veronica, and Kenneth — all looking equally worn from their journey but resolute.

On the desk, Everlyn’s phone buzzed with constant alerts from city security, journalists, and the military liaison, but she ignored them. Her attention was fixed solely on the four standing before her.

And eventually, Everlyn spoke coolly"You’ve had your chance to talk at the checkpoint. I assume you’re here to repeat yourselves — or to waste more of my time?"

Ling Fei didn’t flinch. She took a quiet step forward, setting her handbag down on the corner of the desk.

"We’re here because we care about Hutton. We’re not your enemies, Mayor. Whatever you think of us — that’s the truth."

Everlyn leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, her heels clicking faintly against the desk frame.

"You say that as if caring about him gives you clearance to meddle in my town, to interfere in official investigations, or to block my roads with SUVs."

Vivian interjected gently, her tone diplomatic.

"We only wanted to make sure he was safe. We know how bad things have gotten. The World Families are already moving, and they won’t stop until they find him. If he’s here — and we believe he is — keeping him hidden without support could put everyone in Blinding Town in danger."

Everlyn’s gaze flickered, but only slightly.

"That’s a bold assumption. Do you have proof that he’s here?"

Veronica stepped forward this time, her voice sharp.

"Proof isn’t the point. My family and others have been tracking energy anomalies from this region since last night’s incident. If the World Families picked up the same readings, then your cover is already thin. We’re offering to help reinforce it — not expose it."

But suddenly, Everlyn’s voice turned icy as she asked "Help me? Or monitor me?"

Kenneth, who’d remained quiet till now, finally spoke. His tone carried weight — not as a soldier, but as someone who had been through very precarious situations for the same man they were talking about.

"Mayor Everlyn... You might not know this, but I was helping Hutton monitor one of his businesses which is called the Hidden Eye Agency when a creature way beyond my scope of imagination suddenly a creature called the Harbinger came looking for Hutton. I know what that kind of power looks like. You can’t hold it off forever — not alone. If Hutton’s here, then we all need to stand on the same side before this gets out of hand."

The room fell silent. The ticking of Everlyn’s desk clock filled the pause between them.

Her fingers drummed softly on the desk before she finally rose to her feet, her gaze steady and unreadable.

"You all speak of loyalty as if it’s some convenient badge. Tell me, where was that loyalty when he was declared a fugitive? When your families —" her eyes flicked briefly to Veronica "— voted to sanction his capture?"

Veronica’s jaw clenched. "That was before—"

"Before what? Before you realized he still had something valuable? Before you saw him as leverage against the World Families?"

Ling Fei took a measured breath. "You’re twisting this."

"No, Miss Ling. I’m remembering."

Her tone hardened, the calm mask slipping just enough to reveal a flash of emotion — not anger, but protectiveness.

"Hutton Maxwell had given to you all way more you deserve as friends or business partners. Hell at this point I have begun to wonder if he has fallen for you all or something, but it seems not."

"But have you guys ever stopped to wonder about his wellbeing when he orders you all to get to safety while he faces the threats not even for him, but for you all? And oh, don’t even tell me how I know about you all lives with him, I have way more things up my sleeves than you think."

And right after that berating, a tense silence followed.

Vivian looked down briefly, unable to meet her eyes. Kenneth’s hand tightened on his cane. Veronica exhaled sharply, looking away.

But Ling Fei held her ground.

"Then don’t trust us, Everlyn. Trust him. You know the kind of man Hutton is. If he trusted me once — even for a moment — that should mean something to you."

Everlyn’s expression softened for the first time. Just slightly.

"You think invoking his name will change my decision?"

"No. But I think it might remind you that you’re not the only one trying to protect him."

The mayor looked at her for a long moment, eyes narrowing as if weighing every word, every heartbeat. Finally, she turned her back to them, walking toward the wide window that overlooked the fog-laced town.

"Blinding Town is under martial oversight for now. I can’t allow outsiders to move freely here. Especially ones with ties to the Super Families."

Ling Fei frowned. "So, that’s it?"

"That’s it." She turned halfway, her gaze cold but not cruel. "If you truly want to help Hutton... stay out of my way."

Kenneth opened his mouth to protest, but Ling Fei lifted her hand, silencing him. She studied Everlyn for a few quiet seconds — seeing the steel behind her exhaustion, the fire behind her duty — and finally nodded.

"You’re making a mistake."

"Maybe. But it’s my mistake to make."

With that, she gestured toward the door. Two security personnel entered instantly — silent, professional — waiting to escort the guests out.

The four shared a look before reluctantly turning to leave.

Just as Ling Fei reached the doorway, Everlyn’s voice called out softly behind her:

"Ling Fei... I will tell him — if he wakes — that this town will hold as long as I do."

Ling Fei turned back slightly, meeting her gaze one last time.

"Then let’s hope you’re stronger than the storm coming for it."

The mayor didn’t respond. She simply looked out the window again as the fog swallowed the horizon, as she is very worried of how intense the situation could be in her town at any moment.

But right after Ling Fei and the others left her office, she suddenly muttered to herself. "I need to get all the civilians out of here."

"Now what are we going to do now since that damn woman refuses to heed to our advices?" Meanwhile, as soon as Ling Fei and the others left the Mayor’s building, Vivian suddenly asked with a bitter look on her face.

"At this point, there is only one thing we can do" Ling Fei suddenly answered with a sly smile which prompted Kenneth to ask in curiosity. "Which is?"

"We wait"

"Wait? Wait for what exactly?" Vivian quickly asked back with a confused look. "Wait for the moment that our dear Mayor Evelyn wil be on the verge of giving Hutton up. And right then, we appear for the taking" Ling Fei calmly answered as she stared right into the eyes of Vivian.

There was a moment of silence before Kenneth suddenly spoke up "that seems like a good plan. But where are we going to hide in such a small town?"

"I know just the place, follow me" Ling Fei replied as she began to go towards one of the SUVs. And with nowhere else to go or do at the moment, the others quickly followed her. But right before everyone could go into the SUVs, Veronica suddenly looked at the sky as she had a worried look on her face.

"Hutton, I hope you are safe."

But just as Ling Fei and the others were leaving the Mayor’s building premises, far outside Blinding Town, three people could be seen moving away from the town. And these three people are Timothy, Hughes and the World Class Cultivator.

And unlike the World Class Cultivator who looks perfectly ok, Timothy and Hughes looks completely battered as if they just came out of multiple battles at once.

"Seems like this will be the end of the road for the both of you" The World Class Cultivator suddenly said with a sly smile while he approaches them. Seeing thisz Hughes started to get anxious as he hurriedly asked Timothy.

"Hey Timothy, what are we going to do now? Or are you planning on letting your entire life flash before your eyes?"

There was a brief silence from Timothy as he stared directly into the eyes of the World Class Cultivator. And moments later, he replied while he brought out a talisman and tore it.

"Not in this lifetime"

And in an instance later, a blinding light suddenly engulfed both him and Hughes. When the World Class Cultivator saw this, he quickly grew weary as he sprinted towards them while hurling the word. "No!!"

But it was too late for him, as before he could reach them, they have already vanished from where they stood.

Moments latter, Timothy and Hughes find themselves in an unfamiliar forest.

"Damn it..." Timothy coughed, gripping his side as a thin wisp of smoke rose from his scorched arm. "That bastard nearly vaporized us just from his touch."

Hughes spat blood, glancing back toward the faint red glow on the horizon — the direction of their near death. "World Class cultivator, my ass... that guy’s a monster. We’re lucky he didn’t have the same talisman, or else we will be toast."

Timothy let out a bitter laugh that quickly turned into a wheeze. "He didn’t need to. He made his point."

They limped together through the uneven terrain, the dirt crunching softly beneath their boots. Every few steps, Timothy’s gaze flicked toward the west — toward Blinding Town’s shrouded silhouette barely visible through the fog.

"Do you think..." Hughes began, his tone uncertain. "Do you think Hutton’s still there?"

Timothy’s jaw tightened. He didn’t answer immediately — his thoughts a whirlpool of anger, guilt, and dread. "If he is," he said finally, his voice low, "then we can’t go back... not yet. That cultivator wasn’t the only one hunting."

The two trudged deeper into the forest path, the cold wind whispering through the trees. Above, thunder rumbled faintly — a warning of the storm that hadn’t yet reached them.

Hughes forced a strained grin, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "Heh. So what now, boss?"

Timothy looked ahead — his eyes dark and sharp despite the bruises. "Now? We disappear. Heal. Watch. And when the time comes..." he clenched his fists, the faint ember of his aura flickering alive again, "...we settle everything — with Hutton, and with whoever sent that monster after us."

The forest swallowed them as the fog thickened, the last sound being the rasp of their breathing and the distant, haunting cry of a bird somewhere in the dark.