Emisarry Of Time And Space Chapter 217 218: Infiltration.

(A/N My sincerest apologies for the prolonged and unexpected break. I had a lot going on, so I had to temporarily put a hold on my updates. I know I deserve whatever criticism you hold but I hope you continue enjoying the story. As usual, please don't hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

---------------------------------

'What a pain.' a thought crossed his mind.

She had just burdened him with another matter to consider.

The subsequent two days vanished in a flash.

Throughout this period, Orion diligently kept in touch with his associates, ensuring every component of their scheme was progressing as intended.

Caelum and Galen's contingent had successfully lured numerous other participants toward the Capital, and a rendezvous was expected later today, provided all unfolded smoothly.

However, the critical juncture now was devising their operational strategy.

Initially, the intention was to destabilize the capital prior to the prince's elevation ceremony, which was scheduled in three days. This strategy, however, had been revised.

Intelligence acquired by Orion's infiltration team indicated that breaching the defenses and securing the Jade would be considerably more challenging than anticipated.

They would face a severe shortage of personnel if they attempted to employ diversions, especially when confronting the thousands of Sylgrid.

No, the optimal approach involved striking during the Prince's elevation; that occasion presented a significantly higher probability of catching their adversaries off guard.

It appeared his intuition had been correct; the Sylgrid Jade was indeed integral to the Prince's ascension.

Judging by the event's designation, discerning the nature of the ritual was not an arduous task.

The crucial takeaway was that the Sylgrid Jade would undoubtedly be unveiled on that momentous day.

Consequently, their entire operation would be set in motion on that specific date.

For the interim, they needed to finalize the minute details of their strategy, and perhaps, a beneficial opportunity might present itself within the remaining three days.

It was early afternoon, and they were currently observing a respite.

Orion was seated at the base of a tree, his eyes closed, drawing mana into his nexus. Recently, his schedule had been too packed with travel, leaving his ongoing projects neglected.

Yet, he made a determined effort to absorb mana during brief pauses like this, either to find inner peace or with the enduring hope of finally transcending the apprentice rank.

Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps reached him. Without opening his eyes, he recognized the distinct presence of Emily.

She procured a wooden stool and positioned it a short distance away, tilting her head back to gaze at the dense canopy of leaves above.

'What's the grand strategy?' she inquired.

'What are your thoughts on the matter?' Orion countered.

A subtle crease formed on her brow.

'You phrase that as if you're willing to embrace my suggestions,' Emily remarked.

'If the proposal proves feasible, naturally,' Orion responded.

'I haven't formulated any concrete ideas; my understanding is rather limited, after all,' she confessed.

Orion emitted a low hum. She was not mistaken; he had deliberately withheld all information from her.

'We shall postpone any action until the day of the ceremony,' Orion stated.

Her brow furrowed once more.

'You intend to catch them unawares?' she probed.

'Not at all. Even if you were to act now, it would still constitute a surprise, unless they possess foreknowledge of our intentions,' Emily mused thoughtfully.

'Your line of reasoning is flawed,' Orion stated plainly.

She frowned slightly.

'Then enlighten me,' she requested.

'It is not necessary. You should simply focus on devising a method to persuade your teammates to defer their actions until the day of the event,' Orion advised.

'You expect me to fulfill this task, yet you refuse to divulge your master plan,' Emily pointed out.

'As I have articulated, it is uncalled for,' Orion replied simply.

'You should harbor no discontent. Your current indifference towards acquiring the jade comes at a cost, a consequence of your own demands,' Orion concluded.

Emily simply observed the young man, who was considerably younger than herself.

'Unless you harbor ulterior motives,' Orion added, finally deigning to open his eyes.

She let out a soft huff and exhale.

'Let us proceed; our break has concluded,' she announced, turning and walking away.

Their journey resumed, and Orion exerted considerable effort to guide their path away from any potential encounters with the Sylgrid, though this proved increasingly difficult as they drew nearer. The current migration of Sylgrid was noticeably less dense than in previous days; the elevation ceremony was imminent, and the majority of the Sylgrid had already congregated at the capital.

By late afternoon, they finally stood before the imposing gates of the capital.

Emily had made a valiant effort to persuade the remainder of her group to postpone their actions until after the ceremony or until a more opportune moment arose, one that did not involve confronting thousands of Sylgrid. Nevertheless, she encountered significant difficulty in quieting those who advocated for an immediate attempt to infiltrate the capital.

She managed to silence these voices by proposing that Orion undertake the infiltration, citing his unique abilities as a Chronos.

They maintained a position several hundred distals away from the city's perimeter; detection at this juncture was to be strictly avoided.

As the night deepened and nearly everyone had succumbed to slumber, Orion's eyes fluttered open, and he turned his gaze towards Emily.

"Don't forget our agreement," she stated plainly, and Orion nodded his assent before disappearing.

His immediate objective was to successfully infiltrate the capital city.

He had already reached out to Caelum and Galen, and both of their respective groups had arrived. They had also managed to persuade their members to hold off their actions until the day of the event.

Orion was aware that Daenys had seized control of her faction through forceful means, but he remained uncertain about how Caelum had achieved his takeover.

Though he suspected Caelum might not follow the exact same path as him, Orion felt no worry; his trust in his best friend was absolute.

The most critical task at hand was the capital itself; understanding the internal situation there was paramount, and achieving this meant he had to gain entry.

Orion had previously contacted the infiltration unit, seeking to learn the method by which they had managed to slip inside.

It turned out Tala's contact possessed a hidden passage, but its use required a specific type of Jade artifact.

Since obtaining the Jade from Falad was not feasible, the secret route was no longer an option.

He could not afford the risk of attempting a stealthy entry and being discovered, thus he had to place his reliance on Thaddeus, someone capable of executing such a task with utmost efficiency.

Thaddeus's involvement in smuggling the infiltration team in had been considered, but this plan was kept as a last resort. For starters, revealing their full capabilities to their Sylgrid allies was undesirable. Furthermore, Falad had uncovered a less confrontational alternative.

However, for Orion, who was not on Falad's radar, Thaddeus represented the most viable choice.