WHOOSH!
The Dark Comrce District’s representatives moved with desperate urgency through Elkrim’s outer districts, tracking the Category S Guards’ departure route through a combination of surveillance networks, informant reports, and mystical detection.
Lady Z led the pursuit personally, accompanied by Iris of the White Tulip, Kord of the Purple Orchid, and several other House leaders whose organizations faced catastrophic losses from the auction theft.
"They’re heading northeast toward the border checkpoint," Iris reported, her information network providing real-ti updates. "Moving at standard Guard transport speed, not rushing. They don’t know we’re following."
"How long until they leave our jurisdiction?" Lady Z demanded.
"Twenty minutes, maybe less. Once they cross into the outer territories, our ability to track them drops significantly."
Kord urged their transport vehicle to go faster. "Then we intercept now, before they reach the checkpoint. We can’t afford to lose them."
The representatives’ convoy accelerated, closing the distance between themselves and the departing Category S Guards. Within minutes, they’d achieved visual contact—three figures moving efficiently along the main road, Selene carrying the case containing the Dinsional Prison.
Lady Z activated a communication Artifact, broadcasting on official frequencies.
"Category S Guards, this is Lady Z of the Red House requesting imdiate audience on urgent Dark Comrce District business."
The three investigators stopped imdiately, their professional instincts recognizing both the formality of the request and the desperation underlying it. They turned to face the approaching convoy, mystical energy gathering as they prepared for a potential threat.
But when the representatives erged from their vehicles with hands raised in non-aggressive postures, the Guards relaxed slightly while maintaining alert readiness.
"Lady Z," Selene acknowledged, her tone professionally neutral. "This is irregular. Our investigation in Elkrim has concluded. What urgent business requires intercepting our departure?"
Lady Z stepped forward, the other House representatives flanking her in a show of unified concern.
"We’ve discovered a catastrophic theft," she stated bluntly. "The entire auction’s inventory—every item that was stored in the hall’s vaults, everything that was purchased or awaiting sale—has been stolen. Thousands of pieces worth hundreds of millions of Nether currency. Complete disappearance without triggering security wards or leaving obvious traces."
Marcus’s expression shifted to professional interest. "That’s... ambitious. Do you have suspects?"
"One suspect," Iris interjected. "The perpetrator you captured. Modred Helt, or whatever his real identity is. The timing of the theft coincides with his presence at the auction and the chaos following his exposure. He had ans, opportunity, and extensive knowledge of the District’s infrastructure."
Thane exchanged glances with his colleagues.
"You’re accusing our captured suspect of conducting a massive heist while being arrested?"
"We’re saying he either arranged it beforehand, or he has accomplices executing his plans," Lady Z clarified. "Either way, he’s the only individual with the capabilities, resources, and motivation to pull off sothing of this scale."
Kord stepped forward, his intimidating presence lending weight to the appeal. "We need your help recovering the stolen items. Without them, multiple Houses face bankruptcy. Independent operators will be ruined. The entire Dark Comrce District’s economy could collapse, which will create instability throughout Elkrim and beyond."
Selene considered this carefully, recognizing the broader implications.
A catastrophic economic collapse in a major criminal hub would indeed create problems that extended beyond simple theft—political instability, power vacuums, potential violence as organizations fought over remaining resources.
"You’re asking us to interrogate our prisoner about the theft and force him to reveal what he did with the stolen goods," she stated.
"Yes," Lady Z confird. "We understand he’s your prisoner, that you have your own investigation priorities. But this theft affects thousands of people and threatens regional stability. If you can extract information about the stolen items’ location, we can recover them and prevent total economic disaster."
The three Category S Guards stepped aside for a brief consultation, speaking in low tones that the representatives couldn’t overhear.
They were well aware of how serious the situation was.
It could lead to the collapse of the Elkrim economy, which would lead to an imbalance in the Nether Realm. Even though it wasn’t any of their concern, they didn’t want to see this happen.
Especially if Rey was indeed the perpetrator.
After a mont, Selene turned back to the group. "We’ll interrogate him about the theft. If he’s responsible as you suspect, we’ll extract the information about the items’ location. But understand—our primary investigation into the Desgarron incident takes precedence. The stolen auction items are secondary to our core mission."
"That’s acceptable," Lady Z agreed quickly. "We just need to know where the items are so we can initiate recovery."
Selene retrieved the Dinsional Prison from its case, the palm-sized cube pulsing with contained energy. She activated a communication interface that allowed limited interaction with the prisoner inside.
"Can you hear ?" she asked, her voice projecting into the pocket dinsion.
Through the translucent walls of the cube, Rey’s teenage form beca visible.
He nodded, though no sound erged from the prison.
"We’re going to ask you questions about a theft that occurred at the auction hall," Selene continued. "All items stored in the facility’s vaults have been stolen. We have evidence suggesting your involvent. I need you to tell us what you did with those items."
Rey’s expression showed genuine confusion.
His lips moved, forming words that couldn’t escape the dinsional barrier, but his body language suggested he had no idea what they were talking about.
Marcus activated an Artifact that could interpret the prisoner’s responses even without audible communication. "He’s denying knowledge of any theft. Says he was captured and imprisoned before he could have arranged anything."
"He could have set up automated systems or accomplices," Iris argued. "Soone with his planning capabilities would have contingencies."
Thane frowned, studying Rey’s reactions carefully. "His confusion appears authentic. But we should verify with deeper interrogation."
Selene nodded and activated a more invasive technique—Soul Art, Identity Technique, Sequence #4: mory Examination.
The technique reached into the Dinsional Prison, bypassing physical barriers to access Rey’s Soul directly. It searched through his recent mories, looking for any evidence of planning or executing the auction vault theft.
The House representatives watched tensely as the examination proceeded.
Minutes passed in silence while the Category S Guards analyzed what they were finding in Rey’s mory structure.
Finally, Selene deactivated the technique, her expression troubled.
"He’s telling the truth," she stated. "His mories show no involvent with stealing the auction items. No planning, no execution, no knowledge of accomplices conducting theft on his behalf. He was genuinely focused on his capture and imprisonnt when the theft occurred."
"That’s impossible," Lady Z protested. "Who else could have—"
"We verified using multiple thods," Marcus interrupted. "Soul Art examination, mystical truth detection, even analyzing his emotional responses to the accusation. Every indication suggests he genuinely doesn’t know anything about the stolen items."
Kord’s expression darkened with frustration. "Then who? Who else had the capability and access to steal everything without triggering alarms?"
The Category S Guards had no answer.
The theft demonstrated sophistication that matched Rey’s demonstrated capabilities, but if he wasn’t responsible, that ant soone else with similar resources and knowledge was operating in Elkrim.
But... Who could it possibly be?
More importantly, what was their intention in doing all of this?
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