Navigating through the squalor of the slums, Erik and Rebecca remained close, a sense of unease weighing on them. The slums seemed to be a living entity, breathing and pulsating with the grim realities of life on the fringes of society.
"What should we do once we reach the place?" She asked with a slightly concerned tone, her eyes fixed on Erik. "Catrina had been seen at a shop in the slums, Rundel's Emporium, where they sell potions and mana-filled ingredients. But after that, she disappeared. The guild talked to the owner and looked into it but found nothing."
Erik's expression tightened, his mind racing through the information he'd downloaded from Doran's lab before the Blackguards, whose presence made the whole situation a dangerous game, had set it aflame.
He knew that the shop was involved in the matter, but aside from giving ingredients to Doran's lab, it didn't do much according to Doran's documents. The fact that Catrina had been spotted at an alchemical shop was not a mere coincidence since she worked with the man.
"We have to approach this cautiously," he told Rebecca, his voice low and measured. "I'm sure Catrina had a reason to be at Rundel's. Maybe she was acquiring something or meeting someone."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as he considered the possibilities.
"We'll start by observing the shop from a distance and seeing who comes and goes. We may even find a way to question Rundel without arousing suspicion. But whatever we do, we must tread lightly. If these guys suspect we're on their trail, they won't hesitate to eliminate us. Of course, we will change our approach if the situation demands it."
Rebecca's eyes widened momentarily before she nodded, determination settling over her. "Understood," she said, her voice firm.
The duo made their way to Rundel's Alchemical Emporium, a dimly lit shop tucked away in a crooked alley in the slums. The shop's exterior was weathered, and an old wooden sign creaked overhead, swaying in the wind.
The windows were clouded with age and grime, revealing little of the interior. An array of bottles, flasks, and odd trinkets could be glimpsed through the murky glass, hinting at the treasures and secrets hidden within but nothing more.
"Rebecca," Erik instructed, his voice a hushed whisper, "I want you to go up that building there and keep an eye on the shop. Try not to be seen."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes sharp and focused. Without a word, she scaled the wall with practiced ease, disappearing onto a rooftop that offered a clear vantage point of Rundel's shop.
Meanwhile, Erik settled himself in a concealed spot where he could observe the entrance. He immediately addressed the biological supercomputer.
<System, connect to the devices inside; I want to see what this place holds.>
[UNDERSTOOD. CONNECTING TO DEVICES INSIDE THE SHOP. ACCESSING SECURITY CAMERAS. CONNECTION SUCCESSFUL.]
As soon as Erik got access to the shop's surveillance system. Through the eyes of the hidden cameras, he was able to see the interior of the shop.
Shelves lined the walls, filled with ingredients and potions. Customers browsed the wares, but there weren't many of them. The place looked incredibly ugly and dirty, with layers of dust covering the shelves and cobwebs hanging from the corners. The once vibrant and colorful potions now appeared faded and neglected. The lack of customers further emphasized the unappealing state of the place, as it seemed that even potential buyers were put off by its unkempt appearance.
It wasn't long after Erik found a hidden room.
<Typical… But I wonder how the Blackguards didn't find this out.>
Behind a library in the back of the shop lay a concealed door leading to a vast space hidden from view.
He said nothing to Rebecca about it, not wanting to reveal what he'd found just yet, as he needed to make the discovery appear like a lucky one.
The hidden room behind the library in Rundel's emporium was a stark contrast to the front of the shop. It was a place devoid of the magical charm that filled the public, but dirty area. Instead, it was a cold, clinical space filled with a sense of purpose and secrecy.
Long steel workbenches covered in chemists' tools dominated the spacious and well-lit room. Flasks, beakers, burners, and a plethora of scientific apparatus were meticulously arranged, all of them pristine and ready for use.
Lining the walls were shelves filled with various plants, some common and others rare and exotic, most poisonous. These were not the magical herbs used for brewing medicines and body-enhancing stuff; they were raw materials for a more sinister purpose. Erik knew this because he was interested in opening an alchemy branch of the guild once he had the money.
Despite the façade of a legitimate alchemical operation, the hidden room's true function was apparent to Erik.
The secretive nature, the state-of-the-art equipment, and the careful organization all pointed to one conclusion: this was a clandestine drug manufacturing facility; for what purpose and what kind of illegal substance they produced was unknown.
<Based on what they make, probably this stuff here was made to be used on the guys held captive at the lab. Yeah, probably, but were they used to keep them in a vegetative or controllable state or to help Doran in his research?>
Erik was looking around to see if there was something he could find before entering. He knew that the only thing he had to do was enter, but he had to pay attention to Rebecca. If he told her he had found something already, she would question him.
Over the course of several hours, Erik and Rebecca observed a consistent flow of people entering and leaving Rundel's Alchemical Emporium.
Most appeared to be ordinary customers, with no signs of suspicion or awareness of the hidden operation within.
They would browse the shelves, make their purchases, and leave, following the normal rhythm of a business day. In total, around thirty individuals entered the building throughout the day, each spending varying amounts of time inside, with no one's behavior standing out as particularly unusual or secretive.
The scene was mundane, almost painstakingly so, lending to the hidden room's secrecy. It was clear to Erik that whatever illicit activities were happening in the hidden room, they were well-concealed, and those involved were careful to maintain the appearance of a legitimate business.
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