BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

850 Hunting for Shade (7)

Once inside the luxurious building, the group felt an immediate shift in the atmosphere.

The opulence of the exterior gave way to a more subdued, albeit still richly appointed, interior.

Erik took the lead as he saw the entrance to the Shadow's Market from Vincent's memories.

The others followed closely. They had to keep a low profile, but were still alert for any sign of danger.

"How do we plan to enter the Market?" Rebecca asked, her voice low to avoid drawing attention.

Erik glanced back at her, a hint of a smile playing at the edges of his masked face. "I know how to do that."

Vincent didn't give them the pass phrases it was needed to enter, Erik saw he didn't know it. But a lead was still better than nothing, and in fact, Erik could easily solve that problem.

"Can you at least share your plan with us?"

Erik's response was brief. "Just leave it to me," he said, silencing further inquiries with his air of mystery.

The group continued to navigate through the building until they arrived at a door that was unmistakably the entrance to the Shadow's Market.

It was heavily guarded by five individuals, each armed with brain crystal rifles, their stances alert and ready for any sign of trouble.

<Great… >

Erik stepped forward, his demeanor calm as he faced the guards.

In that moment, he tapped into his Instability brain crystal power, a subtle glance at each guard allowing him to sift through their thoughts for the information he needed.

With the pass phrase now clear in his mind, he addressed the guards, "The shadows whisper only to those who listen."

The guards exchanged quick looks, the tension in the air palpable as they assessed Erik and his companions.

Then, almost imperceptibly, they relaxed their stances, stepping aside to grant them access.

The pass phrase was undeniably effective. It had proven their right to enter.

The group exchanged glances, a mix of surprise and relief at Erik's successful move.

It was now clear to them he could read minds. It was a good thing if they were not on the other side of that ability, but it was also scary, since there was nothing they could hide from him, being secrets or weaknesses.

They stepped through the doorway, leaving the guarded entrance behind as they ventured into the Shadow's Market.

As they moved forward, the corridor beyond the door unfolded into an expansive, dimly lit space that pulsed with the energy of the underworld.

The air was thick with the scent of incense and the inaudible murmur of conversations, the market's patrons hidden behind masks and pseudonyms.

Around them, people lounged on plush sofas, their conversations a blend of whispers and chuckles.

Some patrons sat at the bar, their masks half-removed, indulging in drinks, while others stood in corners, enveloped in smoke from their cigars, their identities obscured behind elaborate masks.

"We should split up to find the entrance to the secret area," Erik said.

Camille, quick to offer a solution, asked Erik, "Why don't you just read the minds of those around to speed things up?"

"I was planning to do just that," he said without hiding his ability anymore, "But I'd also like you to ask questions to the people here and get a general layout of the place. Better safe than sorry, no?"

They agreed, dispersing among the market's patrons to eavesdrop and observe, while Erik focused on his task.

He wandered the place, his senses attuned to the thoughts of those around him, but they got nothing useful.

After some time, he spotted an obvious guard, a man whose vigilant gaze swept over the crowd. Erik approached him but remained as far away as possible, delving into the guard's thoughts.

The man was thinking about a lot of things. Women, weapons, drinks, gambling.

But then he went to the layout of the place, as he was thinking about security.

Then the man recalled a door in an adjacent room, one the guard knew nothing about except for strict orders never to enter it.

This piece of information, though scant, was a lead he couldn't ignore.

<I bet that's the place. >

After having gathered the others, they stealthily made their way to the room.

Surprisingly, the door they found there was unguarded, likely to suggest it led nowhere of importance, and to deter curiosity.

Erik reached for the handle, and with a push, the door swung open, revealing a corridor that stretched into darkness.

"There is nothing safe in this place," Erik said.

With resolute nods, the group proceeded, the corridor leading them into a vast room that bore a striking resemblance to ancient monasteries.

In front of them, there was an indoor garden with an open ceiling above. It was obviously fake. They were inside a building, after all.

The room had columns and small walls meant to separate the garden from the open corridors around it.

On the side of the opposite walls, there were many rooms.

"Let's search around," he said, his voice low to avoid drawing unwanted attention. The group nodded, splitting up to cover more ground within the expansive space.

Ramon ventured to several doors, pushing each open with a cautious hand, only to find them leading to empty rooms.

Camille and Rebecca undertook a similar exploration, their findings mirroring Ramon's.

The rooms were devoid of any immediate interest, their emptiness echoing the silent mystery of the place.

June, on the other hand, found himself drawn to a door distinct from the others.

As he approached, the muffled sounds of conversation reached his ears.

<Someone is inside… I must tell Master Erik. > June hurried back to Erik and told him.

"Good job, June. Go tell the others."

"Yes, Master."

The group reconvened. There were many questions in their mind, but they couldn't lose time talking about who or what was inside that room. They approached the door June had identified. Erik carefully cracked the door open just enough to peer inside.

Before them was a vast room, with a very large bookshelf two meters from them, but not facing the wall.

The bookshelf gave more privacy to those inside, as it created a small area where no one could see who was talking.

Beyond the bookshelf, shadows belonging to people danced on the walls and on the ground.

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