Chapter 221 The Villain Lady Arrives 49
The next morning, at dawn, the inn was already bustling with activity. The caravan members packed their bags carefully, fearing to disturb the tranquility of the town that had not yet fully awakened.
However, just as they were about to step out of the inn, a burst of hurried footsteps and a waiter's shout broke the silence: "My lords, it's bad! The city gate has suddenly closed, and they said it won't be opened until noon!"
As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the caravan.
Alice frowned and looked at the third prince, her eyes full of confusion and worry.
The third prince quickly calmed down, his eyes deep, as if he was thinking about the reasons behind all this.
Alice quietly released weak magical fluctuations, trying to capture any unusual smells in the air, but she found nothing except the panic and anxiety of the townspeople.
"Jason, go and find out what's going on." The caravan manager ordered in a deep voice, his tone revealing unquestionable majesty.
Jason immediately responded and left after hearing this. Not long after, he returned with a serious expression on his face: "Oh no! I heard that the city lord's only son met with an accident on his way home last night and was killed by an unknown force. The whole city is under martial law now, and the guards are searching for the murderer from house to house."
"What?!" The Third Prince's face suddenly changed when he heard this. He stood up abruptly, clenched his hands into fists, and had an ominous premonition in his heart. Tariq and Alice also looked at each other. Obviously, this sudden change made them feel unprecedented pressure.
"We have to leave here as soon as possible and cannot stay here for long." The third prince made a quick decision. He was well aware of the sensitive identities of his group. If they were involved in this turmoil, the consequences would be disastrous.
However, the reality was far more complicated than they imagined. The city gates were tightly closed, like a solid barrier, trapping them in this dangerous city.
"What should we do now?" Tariq asked anxiously. They might have been targeted by someone, and the only one they could rely on now was the Third Prince. If it weren't for the Third Prince's special status, he would have abandoned the Third Prince and left with Alice long ago.
The Third Prince pondered for a moment, his eyes swept across everyone's faces, and finally landed on Alice: "Alice, can you use your magic to detect more about the magical aura in the city?"
Alice nodded, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then released a soft magical light that enveloped the entire room. After a moment, she slowly opened her eyes, her brows furrowed:
"I sensed a strong residue of dark elements. This force is exactly the same as the mysterious force last night. It seems that they have already reached here."
"Sure enough, we are being targeted." The third prince said in a deep voice. He had already made up his mind, "We can't just sit there and wait for death. We must take the initiative to attack."
"What are your plans, Your Highness?" asked Tariq, with a determination gleaming in his eyes. Now the three of them could not be separated.
"Let's split up." The third prince ordered decisively, "Alice, you continue to use your magic to detect abnormal situations in the city, especially those suspicious forces. Tariq, you go and create some chaos. I'm afraid our current identities have been discovered. We need to disguise ourselves again. Find a chance to get out of the city."
"Yes, Your Highness!" The two men answered in unison, and then each took the order and left.
At this time, the city gate was already crowded with people, and the guards were on high alert, strictly checking everyone who tried to approach the city gate. The third prince and his entourage mixed in the crowd, relying on superb camouflage and tacit cooperation, successfully avoided the guards' sight and quietly approached the city gate.
However, just when they were about to succeed, a burst of rapid horse hoofbeats broke the silence of the city gate. A team of fully armed cavalry galloped over and headed straight for the city gate. Seeing this, the guards immediately made way for the cavalry to pass.
The third prince's heart tightened. He knew that the appearance of this cavalry was no accident. He quickly looked around, looking for an opportunity to escape. At this moment, he noticed an alley next to the city gate, which was sparsely populated and relatively weakly guarded.
"Let's go!" The third prince shouted in a low voice, and quickly led a group of people into the alley. The alley was winding, and they quickly got rid of the pursuit by relying on their familiarity with the terrain.
However, they did not let down their guard. The crisis was far from over. They had to find a safe hiding place as soon as possible and wait for the right time to leave.
After some twists and turns, they finally found an abandoned warehouse as a temporary place to stay. Although the warehouse was simple, it was hidden enough for them to temporarily avoid the pursuers.
"Your Highness, what should we do next?" Tariq asked, his face full of fatigue and anxiety.
The Third Prince looked around at the two of them and said in a deep voice, "We must find out the true purpose and strength of that mysterious force as soon as possible. Only in this way can we formulate effective countermeasures to ensure our safety."
"But, we can't even see their shadow now, how can we find them?" Alice frowned.
"I have a plan." The Third Prince smiled slightly, with a gleam of wisdom in his eyes. "We can use the intelligence network in the city to collect information about that mysterious force. At the same time, we can also take the initiative to attack and lure the snake out of its hole."
"Lure the snake out of its hole?" Everyone looked puzzled when they heard this.
"That's right." The Third Prince explained, "We can deliberately leak some false information to lure them into the trap. As long as we can grasp their movements and plans, we can find a way to defeat them."
"Good idea!" Tariq clapped his hands in praise, "Your Highness is both wise and brave!"
"Stop flattering me." The Third Prince scolded with a smile, "Go and get ready, we don't have much time."
The third prince's eyes were as sharp as torches, as if he had seen through everything. He turned to Alice and Tariq, his tone revealing unquestionable firmness: "Next, we need some 'bait' and a new identity." After that, he looked around, and finally his eyes fell on the pile of worn-out clothes in a corner of the warehouse, and a gleam of inspiration flashed in his eyes.
"Alice, I remember that among your magic potions, there is a 'transfiguration potion' that can temporarily change one's face and body shape, right?" asked the third prince with a hint of anticipation in his tone.
Alice nodded slightly, took out several bottles of colorful potions from the magic bag she carried with her, and explained, "Yes, Your Highness. But these potions have limited effects and consume a lot of magic power from the caster, and it takes a long time to recover after use."
"That's enough." The Third Prince interrupted decisively, and then turned to Tariq, "Tariq, go outside and find three homeless people. Try to find those who look inconspicuous but are still strong. Remember, do it quietly and don't attract attention."
Tariq immediately followed the order and left. Not long after, he returned to the warehouse with three ragged homeless people with terrified and confused eyes. The three homeless people obviously didn't understand why they were brought here, and they just shrank back instinctively, not daring to speak.