Helen sighed upon hearing this. The toxins she was producing were key to killing that monster, but with the plan moving forward again, she would have to work even harder. "Then make sur—"
"If that's what you've decided, then we won't say much," Nathan said from the side, interrupting the Branch Manager of the Alchemy House, who glared at him in turn. "So should we go straight to the boss or take out the small fry first?"
"We will go for the Alpha along with the Elite soldiers and the Family Cultivators," Mathias said. "The rest will keep the Duskfangs contained within the forest."
"Let's make sure we use their men thoroughly," Nathan said, his eyes glinting with cunning. "We're the only ones here, and the other families are busy trying not to personally involve themselves in this fight."
Nathan Kleinford was referring to the other noble families who had decided to stay behind in the city after meeting with the visitors and the martial school's Headmasters. They sent their men while they hid behind the city walls. Although they were also cultivators, and not as strong as them, they could at least help with killing the small fry. But they didn't.
"It's more than good enough that they sent their best men," Mathias said, glancing at Nathan before turning to look at Holst. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"I will follow your plan," Holst said.
"Alright," Mathias nodded. "What about our guy?"
"I already have my men escorting him to that place," Nathan said, taking out a map, placing it on the table, and pointing to a location. "It's far enough from the city. If that monster tries anything funny and decides to destroy the city first, she would need at least a few minutes to get there. That's more than enough time for us to chase her down."
Being a smart and cunning monster, they wouldn't be surprised if the Alphadusk tried to escape or refuse to play their 'game.'
"It's a pity," Helen sighed. "Hopefully, our plan will work so he can survive."
"Don't worry. Once she arrives, we'll try to pull him out as soon as possible," Mathias said. He also felt bad about the man who had been marked by the Alpha. They had no choice but to use him as he was one of the key elements necessary for their plan to work.
They didn't know much about this Alphadusk, especially her abilities, which lowered the man's chances of survival. They could send him away once the Alpha arrived, but they weren't confident they could hold the monster in one place, so they needed the marked man to be in the same area. This monster was very persistent about her prey, and even if she escaped, she would find another way.
The best course of action was to kill her as soon as possible.
Furthermore, even if the man died, the Alphadusk would find another prey. Since she lived in the forest near the city, it was very likely she would return there. They also couldn't send her marked prey to another location because after she killed them, she would definitely come back to the forest.
Keeping that monster nearby would only put the city on constant alert.
The five of them continued their discussion, mainly about the details of the plan. Soon, they exited the tent one by one and went to stand in front of the soldiers and cultivators.
The sun peeked over the horizon as birds soared into the sky. At the top of the mountain, the temperature was cold enough to make a normal human shiver, but the Martial Students, with their strong bodies, easily adapted to the chill.
"How are you holding up?" Gail asked the restaurant owner, who had a tired expression on her face.
"Hungry. I miss fried chicken," Filly sighed heavily. She had already put away her glasses, her hair was a bit messy, and dark circles had formed under her eyes from not sleeping for the past two days. Normally, she wouldn't get dark circles even if she didn't sleep for a few days, but she had been working her mind tirelessly during this time.
"I meant your technique. Did you learn it?" Gail asked, a small smile on her face.
"Oh, yes!" Filly replied. "Let me show you."
She began gathering the Qi from the surroundings, drawing it into her body before releasing it as a watery mist. The mist enveloped the two of them, making it difficult for Gail to see where Filly was.
Gail noticed the mist churning on one side and turned toward it, spotting the restaurant owner. But when the mist dispersed, there were now two Fillys, one on each side of Gail.
"Congrats," Gail said, her eyes fixed on her right.
"You knew it was the real me?" Filly asked with a tilt of her head. The other Filly turned into a puddle of water, splashing onto the ground.
"When you reach the 4th-Step Foundation Building stage, you become more attuned to nature. Besides, your clone didn't have any presence; it felt lifeless," Gail explained. "But what's important is that we'll pass the second test."
"It's only the beginner stage," Filly shrugged, just as Bel approached them.
They chatted about various things, waiting for the second test to end. Since it was still early in the morning, they figured they'd probably have to wait a few more hours before the Instructor said anything.
An hour before noon, Master Popo arrived at the middle platform. Clearing his throat, he announced, "There's only an hour left before we end the second test."
His announcement brought relief to the Martial Students who were already idling around the area. But to some, it was like a death knell, interrupting their pursuit of reaching the Beginner Stage of their chosen techniques. Their faces filled with dread, some turning pale. Still, they continued to cultivate, hoping that at the last minute, they would unlock their potential.
Even so, reality proved harsh. As soon as noon arrived, Master Popo clapped his hands, causing ripples to emanate from his center. This awakened those still in cultivation, while those already awake stood straighter, waiting for the next instruction.
"We will begin the next part of the second test, which is to show that you have truly learned the Beginner Stage of your chosen technique," Master Popo said, smiling at the students below. "But before that…"
Suddenly, the stone slabs began vibrating, glowing simultaneously.