The factory had been abandoned for years, its corrugated iron doors covered in patches of rust, and weeds had overtaken the corners and edges of the property. Wild rabbits even darted in and out of the undergrowth.
Mike positioned himself about 800 meters away from the factory, carefully surveying the surroundings.
"No electronic surveillance systems."
"No defensive magic circles, no traps..."
"It seems that many are searching for Arthas Bloodscribe; he can't afford to make any careless moves," Mike thought to himself.
If Arthas were to set up any magical formations around the area, it would be like sending a signal to the city defense department that something was amiss here, inviting them to investigate.
With the fourth demon cult's main temple destroyed, its leader severely injured, and its upper echelons decimated, their strength and influence had hit rock bottom.
In such a state, Arthas Bloodscribe, paralyzed and weakened, was like a rat hiding in the sewers, daring not to show even a hint of his presence.
Indeed, choosing this remote, abandoned factory was a wise decision on his part. The place was naturally off the radar for most searches, and without Mike, Arthas might have actually managed to evade capture.
"Approach slowly, and if anything unusual happens, run immediately!" Mike instructed himself as he took out two items: the [Inhibition Orb] and [Cerberus's Skull].
The former, now free from lineage restrictions, could block a massive amount of magical damage and was Mike's main source of confidence for this mission. The latter could boost his Strength and Constitution by 100 points, significantly enhancing his capabilities.
These two special items, carried by Mike, were activated to their full potential. Before this, Mike had already stacked up 30 layers of Charge Up to ensure his output was maximized. He then proceeded to tear open nearly ten scrolls in succession.
"Speed Spell!" "Blessing!" "Focus Boost!" "Lucky Strike!" "Protective Stone Skin"...
Lights flickered on Mike's body as layers of buffs stacked up, elevating his condition to its peak. Despite being a powerful Mage, he acts overly cautious.
"Disguise Spell!"
After using the last scroll, Mike glanced at the time.
"18:28:46!"
"These buffs will last up to 30 minutes at most, and at least 15 minutes. No matter what happens inside the factory, I must retreat after 15 minutes!"
Mike was well aware that while fortune favors the bold, one must survive to enjoy the spoils. Regardless of the outcome, he had to ensure his safety by retreating after 15 minutes. "Let's go!"
The countdown on his watch began, and Mike, crouching low, dashed forward like the wind, leaving only afterimages in his wake.
"Windstride Slash!"
Mike had previously set up several decoy dummies in the area, well-hidden and specifically for high-speed movement. These dummies would also serve as his best means of retreat when the time came.
In less than 10 seconds, Mike had stealthily entered the abandoned factory, now only 500 meters away from Arthas Bloodscribe.
"He's on the third floor."
Activating the Eye of Truth, Mike could see through the concrete walls and clearly make out the interior scenes.
"What is he doing?"
Previously too far to see more details, Mike now observed that the third-floor office, surprisingly lavish, was encased in special materials like a bank vault. In the middle of the office was a bed where a pale man propped himself up on an elbow, managing to sit up slightly.
Arthas Bloodscribe-Mike's target for this mission.
At that moment, Arthas was facing a screen displaying a grim, aged face that bore some resemblance to him.
The fourth demon cult Leader!
At the sight, Mike's pupils contracted, and his breath hitched-a Battle Lords level powerhouse indeed!
It was clear that Arthas Bloodscribe was indeed connected to the search for the Leader.
The two were conversing, but Mike couldn't hear due to the soundproofing materials.
[Generating subtitles...]
The Eye of Truth provided Mike with another surprise.
Listening was impossible, but he could see!
[Arthas Bloodscribe: Dad, save me!]
Mike: ...Quite the translation style.
Clearly, Arthas Bloodscribe's actual words were longer and more circumspect, but the Eye of
Truth simplified them to be very clear.
Arthas Bloodscribe wanted to survive.
The subtitles continued to refresh:
[Terenas Bloodscribe: Hold on, don't panic, I'm running first!]
[Arthas Bloodscribe: If you don't save me, I'll report you!]
[Terenas Bloodscribe: You little bastard, I'll kill you if you dare report me!]
[........]
Fatherly love and filial piety indeed.
Mike couldn't help but remark.
This family, no wonder they turned to the demon god.
Morality to them was like toilet paper used to wipe their behinds-worthless.
In their flight, they were a spectacle of disgrace, like drowning people desperate to climb over
each other to escape.
"1 and a half minutes gone!"
Mike watched the classic drama of fatherly love and filial piety unfold while keeping track of
the time.
The quarrel between Arthas and his father didn't last long. Eventually, Terenas compromised.
[Terenas Bloodscribe: I'll activate the Abyssal Plane portal, send your soul there, and once I arrive, I'll help reconstruct your body, how about that?]
Arthas fell silent, not immediately responding.
Giving up his body would significantly impact his future power.
However, currently paralyzed and unable to walk, he would need a vast amount of resources
to recover. Reconstructing his body seemed like a viable path.
[Terenas: Hurry, they're almost on me. If we delay, I won't be able to help you, and we'll both
die!]
Finally, Arthas Bloodscribe made a decision, nodding in agreement to the plan.
But he had his own concerns.
[Arthas Bloodscribe: The portal to the Abyssal Plane takes time and makes a lot of noise. What if it attracts the attention of the city defense department's powerhouses?]
Arthas Bloodscribe, though paralyzed and only a tier-two Battle Soldier, was meticulous and
wouldn't act recklessly.
If the city defense department noticed the activity here and disrupted the portal, Arthas Bloodscribe would be delivering himself to his death.
[Terenas: Don't worry, your safe house can withstand 100 million in magical damage and will
mask the noise of the portal, giving them no time to react!]
Reassured by the Terenas's words, Arthas felt much more at ease.
[Arthas Bloodscribe: Dear dad, what are we waiting for, get on with it!]
A minute ago, Arthas Bloodscribe was threatening to report his father, and now he was
affectionately calling him dear dad.
Such hypocrisy was surely S-tier!
Terenas Bloodscribe didn't dwell on these details. Through remote spellcasting, he activated
the pre-arranged magical array, which flickered with sinister light, attempting to connect to
the Abyssal Plane.
Mike, who had been secretly observing, now faced a dilemma.
"Should I retreat?"
Mike hadn't expected to stumble upon Arthas Bloodscribe's escape-it was just too
coincidental!
Even if he reported Arthas Bloodscribe now, it would be too late.
Once the portal was activated and Arthas entered the Abyssal Plane, there would be no chance
to catch him.
As Mike hesitated, a note appeared next to Arthas Bloodscribe's array:
[Abyssal Sacrifice Array]
[After connecting to the Abyssal Plane, sacrifice a vast amount of treasures and the soul of a
biological son to summon a powerful demon creature!]
"Fuck-" Mike stiffened, a chill running down his spine as his expression grew grave.
This wasn't a portal!
It was a sacrificial array!
Terenas Bloodscribe had no intention of saving his son; he was planning to sacrifice Arthas
Bloodscribe!
True fatherly love and familial harmony!
Mike made a split-second decision and dashed out, reaching the third floor in the blink of an
eye.
"I must stop the sacrifice!"
"Whether Arthas Bloodscribe lives or dies doesn't matter, the sacrifice must be interrupted!"
Before storming up to the third floor, Mike glanced back. Florida was slowly being enveloped
by nightfall.
This was a suburban area, sparsely populated, yet still home to many people and only a few dozen miles from the bustling city center.
If a terrifying demon creature were summoned... the consequences would be unimaginable!
And the only one who could prevent this was Mike!