William acted swiftly. His movents were agile, each carrying an incredible force.
It wasn't the kind of strike an ordinary person could execute. It demanded technique, a skill William possessed in abundance.
He seized the bandit by the neck, his strength compressing the man's throat.
"If I apply more pressure, you'll die," he stated, instilling fear in the man. "You're going to answer so questions. Understood?"
The bandit was unable to speak, managing only a nod of agreent.
Once certain the bandit was disard and willing to cooperate, William moved him to a more secluded spot. He wanted to ensure no other thugs would suddenly appear and ruin his plan.
Rena remained silent, simply following. Her staff was clutched firmly in her hands, ready for any potential fight.
Reaching the isolated location, concealed by the dense vegetation of the forest, William began his questioning.
"Can you tell where the n you recently kidnapped are?" William asked. "One of them was taken about an hour ago."
The bandit could now speak, as William had eased the pressure on his throat.
"They were taken to our camp. The one we just captured is alive, but the other one from a few days ago... I can't say. It's been a while since I returned to the city."
"And why do you enter through the sewers? What's the logic?"
"It's the safest way to enter the city without attracting the attention of the guards protecting the gates. We go in there because we have contacts with people who sell us things. Not to ntion, there are so valuable things in that abandoned city," the bandit confessed.
He was direct and answered William's questions. It was difficult to be one hundred percent certain the man was telling the truth, but he seed to be. William would trust his instincts and believe these things were, in fact, true.
"And are you telling the truth?" William pressed, his grip tightening. "If you're lying..."
The bandit's eyes widened with panic as William's strength increased on his neck. He blurted out, "Yes! Of course, I am! Ain't no way these two strangers are worth my life."
The bandit wasn't foolish enough to die for a couple of random folks.
"Good, good. And where exactly is your camp?"
*
Having extracted all the necessary information, William swiftly knocked the man unconscious, ensuring he wouldn't cause any trouble while they searched for Burt. He now had directions to the bandits' hideout, and to his astonishnt, it was yet another abandoned city!
Just like the last one, this city resembled a deserted tropolis from Earth. Modern, yet completely desolate. However, it was noticeably smaller.
The bandits had constructed a wall around the city and stationed guards, diligently preventing any unwanted intrusions.
"This city is remarkably concealed by the dense vegetation," William observed. "If I hadn't been told it was here, I would never have found it."
William and Rena stood at a distance, observing the city discreetly. The surrounding area was overgrown, appearing completely untad. The city itself was difficult to spot, and the interior seed equally consud by the relentless vegetation.
It looked far more abandoned than the previous city. While this offered ample hiding places, it also presented the opposite challenge.
How many bandits were lurking within? William couldn't see clearly, and venturing inside could an walking into an unforeseen ambush.
"So, now we just go inside and hope for the best?" Rena whispered.
"I think so, yeah."
If William were alone, he wouldn't hesitate to charge through the front gate and take on everyone. But with Rena by his side, it was wiser to avoid a direct confrontation with the entire group at once.
What truly held him back was Burt's safety. They could have him locked away, and if William stord in, they might simply kill him. His primary goal was to rescue Burt, and a reckless attack could jeopardize that entirely.
"Let's find a way inside," William murmured, "quietly, using the shadows to our advantage."
Night had already fallen, and the city had minimal internal lighting, which was a significant advantage for them.
William noticed the bandits carrying torches and using magic to navigate the darkness. Rena would have done the sa if William wasn't there. She held onto his arm, letting him lead the way.
"You can actually see clearly in the dark? That's incredibly useful in situations like this," she remarked softly.
Because of William's night vision, they didn't need any other light source. He moved like a part of the darkness itself, his presence virtually undetectable.
Their main concern was noise. William whispered a few replies to Rena, but as they approached the city, they fell silent to avoid attracting any unwanted attention.
They pressed themselves against the city walls, using the rough stone for cover. William could clearly hear the voices drifting from within.
"Man, I still have two hours left on this shift," one voice grumbled. "Why do we even need such tight security? It's not like anyone ever cos around here."
The bandit was complaining to another guard.
"Don't you know about those adventurers who just pop up out of nowhere?" the other replied. "We don't know where they co from, but they're strong. That's why the security is like this."
All these bandits were inhabitants of the dungeon itself, so adventurers like William, who ca from the outside, were a complete enigma to them.
"Right, there's that," the first bandit conceded. "How long do you think we'll be staying here?"
"I don't know. We found that portal, but nobody knows where it leads, and apparently, no one can go through it. So, we still need to figure out what to do."
That piece of information was crucial. William froze, every muscle still, as he absorbed the words.
He whispered urgently to Rena, "Did you hear that? A portal! It must be the one leading to the next dungeon floor!"
The bandits couldn't use the portal in the sa way adventurers could, so they were trying to understand its chanics, how to activate it, and where it might lead.
Of course, William couldn't be entirely certain it was the sa portal. It could be another type entirely, but the odds of it being the one to the next dungeon level were high.
"The next dungeon floor is the hub where we can rest and leave the dungeon," William explained softly. "We need to reach it as soon as possible."
He desperately wanted to escape the confines of the dungeon. Rena felt the sa way.
"Let's keep moving, then," she urged, her voice barely a breath.
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