It seemed to Kyon that something was absorbing the lion's share of the negative emotions. Unfortunately, he couldn't either confirm nor refute this theory. Anyway, only 1% of bright emotions was left before the first stage of the unique body of the Void was complete! Too bad, he had no time to rejoice. He had to save Valeera!

Kyon left the department and found a secluded place to call Leon (not from Valeera's sound transmitter). He had come up with a simple and extremely effective plan that didn't require any special tricks.

«Who is calling?» – Leon asked coldly when he noticed the unknown frequency.

«Leon, I want to help you save Valeera.» – Kyon told him point-blank in a slightly altered voice that inspired confidence.

«How do you know her name?!»

*a pause*

Suddenly, the connection broke, and then Valeera's sound transmitter rang. Of course, Kyon wasn't going to answer it. A minute later, the first sound transmitter vibrated again.

«Who are you?! How do you know my frequency? Where is she?!» – The last question sounded like a death threat. Valeera had always instantly answered his calls. If there was no answer, it meant that she was in serious danger. Leon wasn't talking to just a stranger as he knew his frequency and Valeera's real name!

«I am a well-wisher with good connections. I have an offer for you... Can you meet me in 15 minutes? The meeting place is your choice.»

Leon bombarded him with questions but received only vague and unclear answers. He couldn't stand the suspense and agreed to meet.

Leon arrived on time. He didn't suspect any ambush. It all had taken only 15 minutes, he had chosen the place himself, moreover, the territory was surrounded by killers in disguise.

A postal pigeon flew right into Leon's hands, carrying a thick envelope with a letter and a visual formation. When Leon received the package, he went to a secluded place to examine the contents.

The letter said that Valeera had been caught in a trap, and her fate was sealed. Leon found out her whereabouts and the information about the department structure, the guards, and the protective formations. Kyon had attached the effective ways of getting inside without causing alarm, and the route of retreat.

The visual formation showed Leon the image of Valira first. She was pale as death, curled up in a strange-looking chair, clearly designed for torture. She looked utterly helpless. Immediately after this, there appeared a bluish screen with a detailed plan of the ministry building, including the schedule of working s.h.i.+fts, the patrol routes, and the location of the barriers. The information was clear, concise. Nothing superfluous.

Soon Kyon heard the long-awaited call.

«Do you work for the investigators?! Why should I believe that you want to save my girl, not make a surprise attack?! Tell me!» – His voice sounded menacing.

«I pursue my personal interests, Sir. I don't mean money, rather connections. An ambush would get me nothing but an award divided between the entire department. You know, this prospect does not please me at all! However, if you save the girl with my invaluable help, then the great a.s.sa.s.sins guild will be deeply indebted to me... That's my endgame.» – It sounded like the speech of a stingy person like XiaoBai.

«And that's the reason to trust you blindly?!»

«It's up to you if you believe it or not. The black queen is in the department, and that's a fact. If you don't save her tonight, then both of us will suffer the consequences. I'm sorry I can't say more. I hope you will find this information useful. I wish you success! Talk to you soon.» – Kyon finished the call and took a deep breath. He did everything to inspire Leon to kidnap his niece. Kyon just hoped that he hadn't misjudged Leon.

…

The clock had struck three when a man dressed in black clothes activated the concealment technique and entered the department through the back door. The door was open just as mentioned in the mysterious well-wisher's letter. There were no guards, no traps. The way was clear.

Following the instruction, Leon entered the room, broke into the safe after deactivating the barrier-trap, and took the key-formation. Then he headed for the main elevator.

Leon was in no hurry. He was wary about the arch and the two sleepy guards standing on either side. Their task was to check the formations and access pa.s.ses. If he tried to trespa.s.s, the formation would create an invisible barrier-alarm inside the arch.

Leon waited for some investigators to leave the department during the night s.h.i.+ft. As he was pa.s.sing through the arch, Leon slipped stealthily inside. His cultivation and the quality of the concealment technique made it possible to walk around unnoticed.

He came to the elevator and went inside as soon as another investigator came out of it. When he put the key card to the panel and released some pure energy, the elevator went to the - 3d floor.

He saw two guards outside. They both looked puzzled when they saw the empty elevator open.

~bam~ ~bam~

Two instant blows on the back of the heads and the unconscious bodies leaned against the wall. If Leon had killed the guards, the formation on their wrists would have sent a death signal to the information center, activating the alarm.

Leon pulled the guards into the nearest empty room. Every minute counted... Anyone pa.s.sing by could suspect something was wrong!

Leon carefully but not slowing down, headed to the central room, the unfortunate place where they kept the most dangerous criminals of the kingdom.

He turned a couple of times, bypa.s.sed another checkpoint, and then he saw the entrance to the dungeon, guarded by several men. Two of them were in the middle of the n.o.ble phase.

When Leon approached the guards, one of them turned and squinted suspiciously.

Leon did not wait. He slammed the knuckles of his fists together, creating an invisible wave.

Suddenly, the guards couldn't hear anything. It was eerie and inspired a feeling of fear, strange and frightening. Stunned and puzzled, they stared at each other with increasing incomprehension.

The only guard who knew about the situation tried to warn his colleagues, all to no avail.

Leon raised his palms and muttered something. A stream of bright golden flame shot from his hands, enveloping the group of bewildered guardsmen.

Their hair turned gray instantly, their skin wrinkled, cataract clouded their eyes. In a few seconds, they turned into blind senile men with fragile bones and rotting organs. They had a couple of hours to live.

The strongest guard, the one that had turned around, managed to release pure energy to protect himself. But even he lost ten years of his life...

Leon was breathing heavily, his forehead soaked in sweat. His body was too weak for a technique of this level. The conditions were not met.

The frightened guard touched his wrist and raised the alarm. However, no one heard him. A weird unusual technique was suppressing all sounds. The guard had to accept the inevitable and got ready for a desperate fight.

Leon had instantly shortened the distance. He dodged all the attacks with absolutely inhuman dexterity and masterfully thrust a scarlet dagger into the guard's shoulder. His body immediately stiffened, the heart stopped beating, and the lungs emptied of air, and small wonder. The powerful paralyzing poison started working almost instantly.

Leon recalled the instructions and darted into the dungeon. The death signal wouldn't set off for a while… He had to hurry!

He was pa.s.sing the thick bars of the cells where the former members of the thieves guild and the chiefs of the robbers were kept in shackles. All of them had been working for Valeera. Now they were waiting for the inevitable execution in the central square.

He came across guardsmen a couple of times. One blow with a dagger, and they did not move anymore.

At the end of the corridor, Leon stopped at the bars. His breath caught in his throat... He opened the pa.s.sage with his dagger, broke into the room and held tight the half-naked girl in shackles. She looked cold, weak, fragile and tender like a marvelous rose petal! His heart ached with pity for her.

«I've come for you, my moon!» – He exclaimed, his voice shaking with emotion.

Valeera woke up and saw Leon's kind, anxious face. The dearest person in the whole world was there for her. Her black eyes widened in amazement and disbelief. Her long eyelashes trembled.

«I'm so glad to see you safe and sound... Is that so, my little bird? Tell me that you're fine.»

Her lips quivered. – «Leon…» – She whispered softly. A warm ray of the spring sun had fallen on the cold winter meadow. Her vacant lifeless eyes lit up. It was like he was returning her soul back to her. She had already come to terms with losing her uncle forever... And then, all of a sudden, he came to save her from this terrible place like a n.o.ble knight! A glimmer of hope lit up the bottomless abyss in her heart.

«Am I dreaming?»

«It's all real, my dear! I am going to get you out of here!»

«Uncle…» – Her emotions seemed dull, somehow distant like a faint echo in the huge cave. She should be exuberant now... But for some reason, she felt no joy.

Suddenly, Valeera felt scared as if she remembered something important:

«Leon… How did you find me?»

Leon didn't waste any time. He was struggling to remove her shackles. – «Someone helped me… An informer.»

Valeera's whole life flashed before her eyes. Her uncle had fallen into a trap! His high cultivation must have helped him to get in unnoticed. But the guards could capture them at any moment!

«No! Leon, it's a trap! Your informant must be the same investigator who brought me here. You have to leave me and run away. You stand a better chance alone. Leave me, please!» – She was trying to scream, but her voice hadn't recovered after the tortures. She sounded hoa.r.s.e as if she might cough at any moment.

«Is it really?» – Leon frowned. – «Even if it's really a trap, I will never leave you, love!» – He exclaimed confidently, threw her over his shoulder and rushed to the door.

«Leon… Oh, Leon…» – Valeera knew her uncle well. He cared for her as if she were his own daughter. He would never leave her. The warmth of his affection was like a balm for her wounded soul.

Valeera looked at the outlines of the bars flying by and saw the faces of her people behind them. Why did they seem like strangers? When dod she stop caring for them? How come she had become so callous and insensitive?

«Uncle, wait. Save the guy over there. He was my best student in the thieves guild.» – Valeera pointed to a handsome long-haired thief chained in shackles. It was Timoshka.

Reluctantly, Leon slowed down...

Valeera couldn't understand why she was wasting precious time on saving someone so insignificant. But Timoshka seemed to mean something important to her.

Timoshka asked in surprise:

«Who are you?!»

«Shut up, or I will leave you here to die!» – Leon barked. Then he grabbed the young man in his arms and carried them both, discontent with Valeera's decision.

Timoshka didn't say another word. He looked anxiously around over Leon's shoulder.