### Chapter 160: Nighttime Infiltration at the Orphanage
After the evening rain, the night rolled in like smoke and fog, with a cool breeze swirling around. The “whoo” sound sneaked into the dark, dilapidated alley, tossing my long hair around and tickling my face.
The narrow alley was reeking with an indescribable stench.
Squish… squish…
My feet sank into the accumulated muck. Each step felt like a mini golf swing gone wrong—perfectly messy. The sludge even had a bit of a sucking power, making walking an undeniable struggle. I felt too squeamish to look down, utterly uninterested in discovering what horrors my shoes were stepping on.
But who cares about that right now?
“Up ahead is Cataloma. There are five priority areas we need to check, so I’ll go over them with you again,” Rect declared, pulling out a crumpled blueprint of the orphanage from his armor and pointing at various marked spots. “Storage room, prayer room, cafeteria, cellar, and finally, the office on the third floor of the main building. We split up—each of you take a spot, and signal when you’re done. Got it?”
“Got it!” Everyone nodded enthusiastically.
Rect continued, “At this hour, aside from the staff and kids still here, there should be a few members of the clergy left, and they might be sleeping… but we can’t slack off. Once we enter, we split up quickly. Time is of the essence. Tonight’s mission is simply reconnaissance. Whether we find anything or not, we withdraw immediately. Grab anything essential; avoid touching other stuff. The final rendezvous is back here. Remember, do not engage anyone.”
With that, he turned his gaze towards me.
“Miss Silvya, you’re in charge of the all-important office—the one belonging to Sister Teresa. See if you can find any records or lists. We need to confirm where the children have been sent; that’s our top priority tonight. Don’t mess it up.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Any questions?”
“None!”
“Alright then…”
With a flourish of his arm, we were off.
Under the quiet night sky, where moonlight dared not tread, a few shadowy figures burst from the alley like wolves on the hunt, darting towards the walls of Cataloma.
The walls of Cataloma were piled up with dirt and stones, towering less than three meters high. The surface was pitted and uneven, with various rocks chaotically stacked, making it quite easy for even an average Joe to climb over.
I craned my neck to look at Rect, who was already roosting on the wall like a parched bird. His movements were fluid and exceptionally quick, not a sound escaping his lips. After scanning the other side for any unfortunate souls, he signaled us to follow.
We could get over!
Once I realized what he meant, I let out a silent sigh.
Of course, I won’t climb over; the sight would probably be dreadful… I’d just jump instead!
Watching Rect vault into Cataloma and the other three members of the Kanli Sword beginning their silent ascent, I waited a moment more before springing forth. With a “whoosh,” I zipped over the top of the wall and landed perfectly.
Thud!
A loud thump echoed ominously.
…cr*p!
I forgot I was carrying Captain Gray on my back.
My face flushed, and my heart raced a bit. I gave Rect a sheepish look, only to find him regarding me with a strange expression—cue immediate panic.
“I’m not heavy at all, I swear!”
“Shh—”
He immediately made a shushing gesture, crouching down to intently scan the surroundings.
It was silent as a tomb; not even a stray dog in sight.
I knew this all along. I also knew there wouldn’t be anyone within about fifty meters, because if there were, I would definitely hear them.
We snuck in through the back of the main entrance, landing in a training field I had been to before. All around were the eerily standing straw dummies, giving off a bizarre vibe in the stillness of night.
Thud, thud, thud.
Three soft sounds came from behind. The hooked-nose gang landed, exchanging knowing glances with Rect before sneaking away against the wall.
“Let’s go.”
“Don’t get spotted.”
“Never.”
I mimicked their stealthy move, hurrying toward the main building with my back pressed against the wall. Rect was headed to the storage room, which was the exact opposite direction, and after I had walked a fair distance, I glanced back only to realize he had vanished without a trace.
Creepy…
The orphanage had poor lighting, with lamp posts few and far between. After leaving the training field, I found myself nearly blind in the darkness; if I wanted to be seen, I might as well yell.
My small figure darted quickly through the silent surroundings toward the main building of Cataloma.
The only sounds I could hear were my own breaths and the faint rustling of insects from the grass.
The main building of Cataloma was very prominent.
It loomed high against the night, its outline stark against the darkness. Half of the windows had already gone dark, with less than a third still glowing; those seemed to occupy the first and second floors… I remembered that those floors housed the children and caregivers.
A cold breeze sent shivers down my spine.
It’s so dark… I can’t see the way…
Am I going to run into something weird? …This is an orphanage, after all. Orphanages in movies are terrifying…
My mood shifted uneasily, and I couldn’t help but quicken my pace… I felt a cold chill creep up my back, constantly urging me to glance over my shoulder.
This unsettling feeling lingered until I approached the main building, where I faintly heard voices.
This place was much brighter, which meant I had to be more cautious—not to get spotted.
Hiding in the shadows of the building, my back pressed against the rough, cold wall, I meticulously scanned the building and pondered where I should enter.
The front door was a no-go; it was locked up tight, with staff on duty. I’d have to find another way up. But estimating the height of Cataloma’s main building… it was at least twenty meters tall.
…What now? Should I jump up there?
Let’s give it a shot.
I couldn’t use the Ice Pillar and Ice Platform; too noisy, I’d definitely be caught. But if I used Moon Step to jump, I’d need something to push off from because one jump wouldn’t cut it… where… got it!
Not far away, I spied a protruding fan-shaped balcony wedged between the third and fourth floors. The balcony was small and not the best for jumping, with pots of green plants that could tip over making a ruckus.
But it was the best I had.
Estimating the trajectory in my mind, I bent down, took two quick steps, and launched myself.
Whoosh—
The wind whipped at my face.
I zoomed upward… paused… then accelerated down.
Splat.
I landed perfectly on the balcony.
I froze for two seconds.
Then I immediately shot my arms up in triumph, puffing my little chest out and striking a pose worthy of Olympic glory, nearly bursting into laughter— I almost couldn’t help but applaud myself.
Perfect!
The excitement bubbled within me as I took a deep breath and surveyed my surroundings. To my delight, the balcony had no door; it directly led inside the building, opening into a winding staircase.
Let’s just go in here… wait.
I recalled that from outside, most of the candle flames on the third floor appeared to be out. There should be no one here, and the office doors were likely locked as well… I still had to climb in through a window.
Alright… first, confirm Sister Teresa’s office location… I remembered it was at the end of the hallway on the third floor… wait, it should be close to here… as long as I don’t trip over those protruding stones, I should be fine.
Be careful…
“Ugh~ so sleepy…”
The sudden voice startled me so badly I nearly jumped out of my skin.
