The mysterious man and his team finally followed the trail of marks and scent deep into the cave, slowly approaching a narrow crevice. His gaze swept over the seemingly natural pile of stones and tangled vines covering the entrance. With a quiet scoff, he crouched down and easily cleared away the disguise.
The opening was narrow—barely large enough for a woman to crawl through. He narrowed his eyes and peered into the darkness. At the far end of the cramped tunnel, he could just make out a faint figure curled up in the shadows. The dim light and tight angle made it hard to distinguish any details, but he was certain—what he sought was in there.
"The person inside," he called out, voice gentle yet commanding, tinged with a smile that seemed to see through lies, "whoever you are, please come out. We can talk. I promise—we won't hurt you."
There was a brief silence. Then the figure stirred, and a cautious, slightly weak female voice responded.
"Who are you people? I'm just a traveler exploring the caves. I wandered in by accident and got stuck here."
The man raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. His tone remained calm. "What a coincidence. My people are well-trained. Wait a moment—I'll call a female soldier to come help you."
He gave a slight nod to a nearby soldier, who immediately turned to summon one of the Eryx army's female troops.
But before the soldier could leave, a more urgent voice rang out from the cave—
"Wait. That won't be necessary," Livia replied quickly, her tone composed but firm. "My legs are just numb. After a short rest, I'll be able to come out on my own."
Silence fell outside the cave.
The mysterious man stood quietly for a moment, then chuckled softly. "You're not just a lost traveler, are you? You made it this far, buried the entrance, and left signs to mislead pursuit… I'd say this isn't your first time in a cave."
He paused, his tone shifting—more direct now. "How about this? I'll give you a chance. If you found something, and you're willing to hand it over, I swear I'll let you leave unharmed. We'll call it even. No questions asked."
Two seconds passed in silence.
Then came Livia's cold reply: "I did find something."
The man's eyes lit up. He opened his mouth to press further—only to freeze at her next words.
"But if any of you take one more step, I'll destroy it."
The moment she spoke, a faint glint of reflected light flickered from the shadows.
His expression sharpened.
Through the crevice's dim outline, he could just make out Livia, one hand braced against the stone wall, the other hovering over a bundle wrapped in cloth. Next to it, she had deliberately laid out a strip of fabric—as if she could ignite it, shred it, or trigger something hidden at any moment.
Worse still—the item in her hand was too obscured to confirm if it was real or fake, but her stance was steady, her intent unmistakably clear. She wasn't bluffing.
"Damn it…" he cursed under his breath. He knew that if he forced someone inside and she did destroy the "treasure," their entire mission would collapse.
He raised a hand, signaling his soldiers to stay back, then slowly crouched, voice low and honeyed:
"Let's not do anything rash. We can negotiate. What do you want? Gold? A new identity? Protection? If you hand it over, I promise—we won't harm you."
But no answer came.
The man's eyes remained fixed on the crevice. After a long pause, he turned slightly and murmured to the officer beside him, "Go. Circle around again. See if there's a second exit. She's stalling for time."
The officer nodded and silently slipped away with a few men.
Meanwhile, the mysterious man stayed rooted at the entrance like a patient hunter, eyes gleaming like a snake in the shadows—still, silent, deadly.
Inside the cave, a sheen of sweat had formed on Livia's brow. Her gaze was locked on the sliver of light at the entrance, her hearing sharpened to the faintest sound. Though tension stretched through her like a bowstring drawn to its limit, her expression remained calm, her posture steady, maintaining the illusion—or reality—of her threat.
She knew he was hesitating—and she knew that every second she bought might be the one that saved her life.