The group nodded, said their goodbyes, and left the room one by one.
"Brother, be careful," Tang Xin hesitated, "don't always be so reckless."
Hilveld, holding Nini, just gave him a glance.
"See you later, Captain," said the Bosun concisely.
The Big Catfolk stretched lazily with its paw on the windowsill.
It looked back at them, flicked its tail, and disappeared out the window.
The people left one by one, with Pasha being the last to go, somewhat worried, he said: "Captain..."
But before he could finish, Bakins grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.
Fang Hong looked back at Elisa and Luo Yu, saying, "Let's wait until they leave first."
Both nodded.
The large room felt suddenly empty after everyone left. Fang Hong stood by the window, silently watching the scene through the wind goggles, where fully armed guards appeared on the other side of the street.
Outside the inn, Hilveld's group, disguised in costumes, walked out through the front door.
The spies outside glanced at them, but the four girls neither matched in number nor appearance with their targets.
He shook his head and lowered it back down, pretending to read a book.
Fang Hong marked the person's position.
At the back of the inn, Bakins and Pasha entered the laundry room.
They paused by the door, waiting for Fang Hong to inform them when the Combat Artisan's spies had passed, before opening the back door and leaving.
"It's our turn," Fang Hong said, lifting the wind goggles.
Outside the inn, the guards had just arrived at the door.
The three went through the corridor, past the servant tidying up clothes, and then went downstairs. In Fang Hong's vision, the guards passed through the lobby, heading straight in their direction.
"Use the cargo passage," Fang Hong whispered to the group.
Elisa and Luo Yu nodded. They had rehearsed the escape route many times before, and turned to head down the other end of the corridor.
That was the kitchen's storeroom, but the door was locked. Elisa stepped forward, took out her thief tools, and fiddled with the lock, which clicked open.
She pushed open the door, frowning a little. The cargo passage opened onto a door on the second floor, equipped with a small pulley system to send items up. But they must have delivered goods last night, as a mountain of crates blocked the passage.
"Captain," Elisa turned back a bit uneasily and said, "The passage is blocked by goods. It might take some time to move them..."
"You two start moving them," Fang Hong replied, feigning calm as the footsteps grew increasingly closer below, "I'll figure something out over here."
Though he didn't truly have a plan.
Just then, a commotion erupted below, with the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, followed by breaking dishes.
"How did a cat get in here!?" someone shouted in surprise and anger.
"Catch it!"
"Leave it, you fools, get upstairs!"
Mr. Reed? Fang Hong hesitated upon hearing the voices below. But the delay was enough for Elisa and Luo Yu to move things aside.
"Luo Yu, you go first," Elisa exhaled and said.
Luo Yu nodded, cast a spell on himself, and leaped lightly down.
Elisa turned back and beckoned to Fang Hong, "Captain, you first."
Fang Hong hesitated not a bit, approached to grab the pulley rope, and slid down along it.
Once he landed and looked up, Elisa followed simply. Miss Nightingale just jumped down, balanced on the window sill, and landed smoothly.
Once they exited the inn, they didn't look back, slipping into a nearby alley during a gap in the Combat Artisan's spy search.
These hidden alleys were perfect for evading the eyes from above.
The route, assessed by Fang Hong, considered all possibilities. As a Combat Artisan, he was well versed in his peers' tricks.
His exceptional skill with the Clockwork Fairy's Multi-Control made him particularly adept at countering similar methods.
The trio arrived safely at the designated spot, unscathed.
Everyone else had long been there, and their appearance was a relief to them all.
"Captain!" Pasha was the first to stand up.
Seeing the tabby Big Cat among the crowd, Fang Hong was somewhat surprised at how swiftly things happened, but he still stepped forward to offer his gratitude:
"Mr. Reed, thank you for earlier. Without you, we would have been in trouble."
The Big Catfolk squinted and asked, "Ade, I don't accept thanks without reason."
Fang Hong was slightly taken aback.
Was it really just sheer luck that a pesky cat showed up in the lobby earlier?
Nevertheless, this was not the time for such discussions. He looked around, noting the dried-up and overgrown riverbank and silt of the abandoned waterway.
Because it was in the old city district, no one maintained it anymore, turning it into a forgotten place over time.
The guards had sealed off the district, but seemed to have forgotten there was still a way here; that's why they chose this spot as their meeting place.
Yet, while they had evaded capture for the moment, getting out of the city remained an unknown challenge.
And as for Miss Atira, he still didn't know her current situation. Grabbing the Communication Crystal, he remembered to relay his own situation to her side.