“Something’s not right.” Mark lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping across the seemingly calm window. “The feeling from when we entered the city is still there, and the court personnel haven’t left. We’re being watched, and it’s not just ordinary surveillance.”

Monica emerged from the shadows, her eyes flashing with a shrewd, cold light: "The target is likely the four of us. Kyle and Ruby are from the Holy City Monastery, with impeccable credentials; even if the Church wanted to touch them, they would have to consider the consequences. We are different; the suspicion of being 'heretics' is a ready-made excuse."

Enzo clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking: "Damn it, I knew those guys in black and white robes were up to no good! Shall we take them down?"

“It’s unwise to fight head-on now,” Anna calmly analyzed. “Making a move in a heavily guarded pass by the Church of Holy Light would play right into their hands. What we need is time and space.”

Mark looked at Monica: "Monica, with your current disguise skills and Little M's help, can you manage?"

Monica's lips curled into a confident smile: "Time is tight, but it's enough to prepare a surprise for those people. Little M?"

She looked at the tiny slime floating on Mark's shoulder, emitting a faint seven-colored black light.

Even if Little Mu is not in her ultimate mutation state, she can still freely transform into human form.

In some ways, Little M can no longer be considered a slime.

However, it seemed more inclined to take the shape of a fleshy ball and cling to the members of Mark's squad.

Little Mu silently flapped her light wings to indicate that she understood.

“Kyle, Ruby,” Mark turned to his two friends from the Church of Holy Light, his tone candid, “you two stay out of the open and get some rest. If there’s any commotion outside, deal with it as usual. Don’t panic, and don’t cover for us. Remember, you know nothing.”

Kyle frowned, his golden eyes filled with worry: "Mark, you guys..."

Ruby hesitated, the flames of sin flickering uneasily at her fingertips.

She didn't know whether it was right or wrong to cover for Mark and the others, but she also understood that if it were Captain Alfonso, he would never allow anyone to take away his team members!

“Don’t worry,” Mark interrupted them, his tone calm and unwavering. “We know what we’re doing. Doing what I say is best for everyone.”

Kyle and Ruby exchanged a glance and finally nodded heavily.

They understood the special nature of Mark and his group, and knew that drawing a clear line at this moment was the best way to protect the two of them.

The plan has been finalized.

Mark, Monica, Anna, and Enzo then moved out quietly.

Monica quickly retrieved several high-level Shadow Concealment Scrolls and Aura-Isolation Dust from her storage space.

These were all things they secretly prepared during the brief lull in the chaos after they had settled in, while the eleventh knights were escorting the ninth regiment away and the main force of the thirteenth regiment had not yet fully entered the camp.

After all, as experienced "heretics," they knew they could not afford to be careless in the ranks of the Church of Holy Light.

Given Monica's past proficiency in crafting appraisal scrolls, and now that she has stabilized as a high-level professional, making these items is not a difficult task for her.

However, what they didn't expect was that they didn't need these things in the Thirteenth Holy Knights, but instead used them when they arrived at the human pass.

Xiao Mu's body rippled slightly, and several extremely fine, almost invisible, seven-colored black threads separated from its wings.

They merged into the several palm-sized white wooden puppets that Monica had taken out, resembling the four members of the team, as if they were alive.

This is a special control ability that Little Mu possesses after transforming into an Archangel; objects attached to it can be controlled freely as if they were clones of itself.

To make Monica's disguises more realistic, M even specially infused the Mark doll with holy light magic and the Enzo doll with dark elements.

As for Monica and Anna's magic, it cannot simulate it yet, so it can only use the magic of the seven-colored black light as a substitute.

Monica's hands flew, her fingertips shimmering with the unique light of Appraisal, as she rapidly inscribed intricate disguise magic patterns onto the puppet's core.

At the same time, he perfectly injected the trace of primordial energy that the four of them had previously intercepted.

Anna was responsible for keeping watch for any faint magical fluctuations around her, ensuring that Monica's spellcasting would not be detected by the outside world.

Enzo guarded the door, the power of lava flowing slowly within him, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

In just a few breaths, four lifelike "Mark", "Monica", "Anna" and "Enzo" appeared in the barracks.

They sit or stand quietly, their aura, expression, and even magical fluctuations mimicking high-level detection spells perfectly.

The four real people were enveloped by the deep concealment and aura isolation techniques jointly used by Monica and Mum, and disappeared completely as if they had melted into the shadows and air of the room.

Kyle and Ruby sat a little further away, resting with their eyes closed, seemingly unaware of everything happening around them.

...

Banquet hall.

Alfonso's cold question was like a pebble thrown into an icy lake, creating ripples that caused Raymond's expression to change slightly.

"What do you mean?" Raymond shouted, barely suppressing his unease. "The evidence is irrefutable. Do you think my elite 10th Regiment would mistake one person for another? Or are you, Alfonso Lin, just a coward who dares to admit his mistake?!"

Raymond's unease grew like a poisonous vine, but the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released.

He forcefully suppressed the tremor in his heart, forcing a mixture of anger and "righteous indignation" onto his face, and was about to question her again in a stern voice.

Just then, the heavy doors of the banquet hall were violently pushed open.

Two groups of people filed in, instantly breaking the deathly silence.

One squad consisted of Raymond's elite 10th Regiment's Iron Guards, their heavy armor clanging, their eyes beneath their visors cold and ruthless.

They were escorting six figures—Mark, Monica, Anna, Enzo, Kyle, and Ruby!

The other team exuded an even colder and more murderous aura; they were the gray-robed secret guards of the Inquisition, like silent ghosts, the shadows under their hoods seemingly capable of swallowing up light.

They were clustered around, clearly participating in this joint operation.

The six “prisoners” walked heavily, their breath weak, and their bodies bore the marks of battle and the fluctuations of binding magic.

With expressions ranging from anger and coldness to suppressed resentment, the little M clone playing Mark kept his head down, seemingly ashamed to face anyone.

Every detail was so realistic that it was impeccable. Even the shock and indignation on Kyle and Ruby's faces at the actions of their church colleagues did not arouse any suspicion from the powerful figures present.

"Alfonso Lin!" Raymond's voice rose instantly, filled with heart-wrenching accusation. His finger pointed straight at the six people being escorted, his target the silver-armored legend in the main seat. "The man has been brought here! What else do you have to say?!"