Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 488: Escaping 3

"We need something louder than movement," he said, his voice calm but deliberate, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Something that forces them to react immediately, not question it."

Patrick tilted his head slightly as he asked, "You’re thinking fire," but Lucas shook his head once before replying, "Not just fire, something stronger, something that creates impact and confusion at the same time."

Darmian’s eyes narrowed a bit as realization began to form. "Explosives."

Lucas gave a small nod. "Controlled ones, nothing too large, just enough to simulate attacks at different exits."

Tom let out a low breath. "That would definitely scatter them," he said, though his tone carried concern. "But we don’t have anything here to make that happen."

"That’s the problem," Lucas replied, his gaze lowering briefly as he thought, then lifting again with a quiet certainty. "But we know where to get them."

Lady Cecilia’s brows furrowed slightly as she asked, "Where," and Lucas answered without hesitation, "The alchemical meeting building, if there’s anywhere in this town that would have the materials needed, it’s there."

A brief silence followed that, because everyone understood what that implied.

Going back out.

Into a town already on high alert.

Gwen spoke first, her voice cautious. "That place will be watched too," and Darmian added, "Not heavily like the estate, but still risky."

Lucas nodded slightly. "Yes, which is why we don’t send just anyone."

His gaze shifted across the room, passing over Tom, Patrick, Darmian, and the others, before finally settling on Flora, and for a moment, he said nothing, simply studying her as the idea solidified completely.

Then he spoke.

"No one would suspect you."

Flora looked up at him, slightly surprised as she asked, "Me," her voice calm but curious, and Lucas stepped closer, his tone steady as he explained, "You don’t fit the profile they’re looking for, they’re expecting armed men, fugitives, not an elderly woman moving through the town, especially not one heading toward an alchemical building."

Patrick crossed his arms slightly as he nodded. "He’s right, you’d blend in better than any of us right now."

Flora was quiet for a brief moment, then she gave a small, understanding nod. "I see," she said simply, her composure unshaken despite the risk being placed before her.

Lucas reached for a piece of parchment and quickly began writing, his movements efficient as he listed the materials he needed, his knowledge precise, leaving no room for error, and once he finished, he folded the paper and handed it to her.

"You only take what’s on this list," he said, his voice firm but not harsh. "Nothing extra, nothing that draws attention, and if anything feels wrong, you leave immediately."

Flora took the paper, glancing at it briefly before nodding again. "Understood," she replied, her tone steady.

Lady Cecilia stepped closer, her expression serious as she said, "You won’t be alone for long, we’ll be preparing everything here while you’re gone," and Gwen added quietly, "Be careful, please," her concern evident.

Flora gave a faint, reassuring smile before turning back to Lucas. "I will return," she said, simple and certain.

Lucas met her gaze for a brief second before nodding once. "We’ll be ready when you do."

And just like that, the next phase of their escape was set into motion, one that depended not on strength or speed, but on precision, timing, and the quiet courage of someone no one would think to suspect.

Flora did not waste time once she stepped out, her movements calm and unhurried as she blended into the uneasy rhythm of the town, her appearance drawing little to no attention despite the heightened alert, because while guards rushed past in groups and tension hung thick in the air, no one spared more than a passing glance for an elderly woman going about her business. She kept her pace steady, neither too fast nor too slow, and when she reached the alchemical meeting building, she entered without difficulty, the place not as heavily guarded as the estate, but still active enough to require caution.

Inside, she moved with quiet purpose, her eyes scanning the shelves and storage areas with surprising familiarity, locating each of the items listed on the parchment with efficiency, never lingering too long in one place and never taking more than what was necessary. A few individuals passed her by, but none questioned her presence, and within a short time, she had gathered everything Lucas had asked for, securing them carefully before making her way out just as calmly as she had entered.

The return was just as smooth.

When she stepped back into Lady Cecilia’s house, the door closing softly behind her, every eye in the room turned toward her immediately, the tension that had been quietly building easing just slightly at the sight of her unharmed. She held up the items without a word at first, then said simply, "I found everything you asked for."

Lucas stepped forward at once, taking the materials from her with a focused expression as he quickly checked through them, his eyes moving over each component, confirming their quality and quantity, and after a moment, he gave a small nod of approval as he said, "This is exactly what we need."

Patrick let out a quiet breath, a faint hint of relief slipping through as he said, "That was faster than expected," and Darmian added, "And without trouble too, that’s impressive," though Flora simply gave a calm response, "They were not looking for me."

Lucas wasted no time after that, already moving toward a clear space as he began preparing the components, his movements precise and practiced, his focus entirely on assembling the devices they would need, while the others instinctively adjusted around him, giving him room while maintaining their vigilance. Tom returned to his position by the window, watching for any unusual movement outside, while Patrick remained near the door, listening carefully, and Darmian stood close enough to assist if needed, his eyes occasionally shifting toward Sage Raph to ensure his condition had not worsened.

Lady Cecilia and Gwen continued attending to Sage Raph, while Lady Isabelle remained nearby, her gaze occasionally drifting toward Lucas as he worked, the earlier relief now tempered by the understanding that they were not safe yet, not until they were far beyond the reach of the town.

Lucas’ hands moved steadily as he assembled the makeshift explosives with chemicals and strange rock substances, his voice low but clear as he said, "Once these are ready, we move immediately, no delays," not looking up as he spoke, his attention fixed on the task.

Lucas worked without pause, his hands steady and precise as he combined the materials Flora had brought, carefully measuring and assembling each component with the focus of someone who could not afford even the smallest mistake, because one wrong mixture, one unstable balance, could turn their plan against them before it even began. The faint scent of chemicals filled the room as he worked, the others keeping their distance but watching closely, aware that what he was creating would determine whether they escaped or were trapped within the tightening net outside.

Piece by piece, the devices began to take form.

Not large, not excessive, but compact and controlled, each one designed to create a sharp burst of force and sound rather than widespread destruction, just enough to trigger panic, to draw attention, to force the guards into reaction without revealing the true intent behind them. The strange rock substances acted as stabilizers and amplifiers, allowing the reactions to build just enough pressure before release, and Lucas handled them with careful control, his movements practiced despite the crude materials.

After several minutes, he finally stopped.

Four completed explosives lay before him.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze moving over them one last time as he checked their stability, then he straightened slightly and said, "Four is enough," his voice calm but certain.

Patrick stepped closer, crouching slightly as he examined them without touching, his brows lifting faintly as he said, "Small, but I can already tell these will make enough noise to wake the whole town," and Lucas gave a slight nod as he replied, "That’s the point, we don’t need destruction, we need attention."

Darmian crossed his arms as he added, "So four exits, four distractions," and Lucas responded, "Not exactly at the same time, we stagger them just enough to make it look like multiple attempts instead of one coordinated act."

Tom turned from the window, his expression serious as he asked, "And who’s placing them," because that question carried weight, given the risks involved in moving through a town already on high alert.

Lucas looked up, his gaze sweeping across the group before answering, "We all move together until we’re close enough, then we split briefly, place them, and regroup immediately," his tone firm as he continued, "No one strays too far, no one takes unnecessary risks, we place them and move."

Lady Cecilia nodded slightly as she said, "I can guide you to the exits that will cause the most confusion," and Lucas gave a short nod in return before looking at the group again, his voice lowering slightly as he added, "Once they go off, the guards will scatter, that’s our window, we don’t hesitate, we head straight for the weakest exit and leave."

Lady Isabelle stepped closer, her expression steady now as she said, "Then we move as soon as you’re ready," her earlier exhaustion pushed aside by determination.

Lucas reached down and carefully gathered the four explosives, distributing them between himself, Patrick, Darmian, and Tom, ensuring each man understood the weight of what they were carrying, before he said, "These are not to be triggered early, we place them, we leave, and we let timing do the rest."

Patrick gave a small nod, a faint smirk returning as he said, "Cause chaos, then disappear, I like it," though his eyes remained sharp.

Lucas looked at each of them one last time, his expression calm but resolute as he said, "This is our way out, we do it right, or we don’t get another chance."