The Shelter Game: Me, Starting with a Tenfold Drop Rate

Chapter 390 The Secret Operation at the Night Blades Headquarters

In the narrow, dimly lit corridor, Elder Astra moved forward slowly. He wore a blank expression, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

The location where Elder Astra found himself was a hallway deep within the Night Blades headquarters. This corridor was significantly different from others, as it led directly to the area occupied by Shadow Celestial. After taking control of the Night Blades, Shadow Celestial had transformed the deepest section of the headquarters into his exclusive domain.

The other elders of the Night Blades had not stepped foot in this area for a long time. The reason Elder Astra dared to appear here was that he was aware that Shadow Celestial and his trusted subordinates would not be present at this time.

Elder Astra decided to take immediate action. He hoped to quickly steal the chaotic artifact that Shadow Celestial possessed. To ensure that his movements would not be easily detected, Elder Astra deliberately used a device to mask his presence. This meant that the surveillance systems left by Shadow Celestial deep within the Night Blades headquarters would not be effective against him.

After passing through the narrow, dark corridor, Elder Astra pushed open a wooden door. Beyond the door was a spacious hall filled with a large number of props and weapons. These items belonged to the Night Blades. Shadow Celestial had gathered these weapons here merely to search for any potential chaotic power among them.

However, it was clear that Shadow Celestial had not found any chaotic energy from these weapons. Elder Astra was indifferent to the props and weapons because he knew they were not particularly rare. Even if he used these weapons, he would not be able to achieve his goals.

As Elder Astra moved through the hall, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. He was very concerned that Shadow Celestial might have left a surveillance device in this area. However, by the time Elder Astra reached the end of the hall, he had not discovered any such devices. This indicated that Shadow Celestial had not taken any precautions in this hall.

"It seems I may have overestimated him a bit. He hasn't managed to prepare for everything; he is still not cautious enough. The chances of my mission succeeding have just increased," Elder Astra finally let out a sigh of relief. He had initially believed that he would encounter many dangers during this operation. However, given the current circumstances, it appeared he had a good chance of swiftly achieving his objective.

After passing through the hall filled with weapons and props, Elder Astra arrived at a courtyard. The courtyard was home to many plants, all of which were rare and precious species from the Shelter Game world. These plants could be used to create potions and as materials for spellcasting.

Upon seeing these plants, Elder Astra couldn't help but exclaim, "If I could defeat Shadow Celestial, these plants would be mine to use. I could utilize them as spellcasting tools and unleash powerful spells. Perhaps I could even defeat Irving this way."

Elder Astra had already begun to contemplate what actions he would take after defeating Shadow Celestial. His thoughts expanded beyond just defeating Irving; he even started considering how to adjust the internal dynamics of the Night Blades after his victory.

After pondering for a while, Elder Astra suddenly realized, "Something doesn't feel right! Why am I thinking about such distant matters? Am I under an illusion?"

He cautiously scanned his surroundings. Soon, he discovered among the many plants a flower that could induce hallucinations.

"So this is where Shadow Celestial's additional defenses lie. He actually placed the illusion-inducing plants among a bunch of harmless ones. I almost fell for it," Elder Astra mused. He felt he had underestimated Shadow Celestial. It seemed that Shadow Celestial was not as lax as he had previously thought.

Once he regained his composure, Elder Astra continued onward. After crossing the courtyard, he arrived in front of a massive building—Shadow Celestial's main stronghold. The large door of the building was adorned with intricate patterns used for sealing purposes. To enter, Elder Astra would need to find a way to break the seal.

Elder Astra had long been prepared for this. He pulled out two scrolls from his pocket. The moment the scrolls were revealed, the patterns on the door shimmered with a dark light. The inscriptions on the scrolls contained the spells to dispel the seal.

Elder Astra easily unlocked the door. However, as soon as the door opened, he froze in place. He came face to face with Shadow Celestial.

"Just as I suspected!" Shadow Celestial said with a smile. "I had a feeling someone inside the Night Blades was planning to oppose me. I could never determine who my enemy was until now."

As he spoke, Shadow Celestial activated his chaotic powers. Elder Astra immediately sensed an overwhelming threat.

Elder Astra's mind raced as he quickly conjured what he believed to be a perfect excuse.

"Your Excellency, I truly do not understand what you are talking about. I came here to discuss our next course of action with you. I believe that Irving poses a significant threat to us very soon," Elder Astra said, his voice tinged with confusion and a hint of urgency.

Shadow Celestial's expression did not change at all. He still did not trust Elder Astra.

"If you genuinely wanted to discuss this matter with me, then why did you come here alone? And why did you open the seal on the door without my permission using the scrolls you possess?" Shadow Celestial stepped forward, applying pressure on Elder Astra.

Faced with such immense pressure, Elder Astra became even calmer than before. He understood that his next response was crucial. There could be no mistakes; any misstep could lead to his demise.

"I did attempt to contact you," Elder Astra replied. "However, you did not respond. I became very concerned about your current state, which is why I took the risk to come here in person. My actions may have been somewhat reckless, but it's because I am genuinely worried about you and the state of the Night Blades. After all, the power of the Night Blades in the real world has been nearly completely destroyed."

As he spoke, Elder Astra pulled out a map. This map depicted the real world, marking the locations of the Night Blades' secret bases, all of which had been destroyed.

Shadow Celestial's expression remained unchanged. He scrutinized Elder Astra from head to toe.

"Are you truly not lying? Why was I unaware that you tried to contact me?" Shadow Celestial's tone softened slightly.

However, Elder Astra did not let his guard down. He knew that Shadow Celestial was merely trying to lead him to misjudge the situation.

Elder Astra hastily continued, "I certainly did not lie. I can prove that I attempted to contact you." With that, he pulled out a used scroll from his pocket. The scroll he revealed was, in fact, a standard communication scroll used by the Night Blades.

After using the communication scroll, members of the Night Blades could contact one another. Shadow Celestial took the scroll from Elder Astra. Just as Elder Astra had said, the scroll had indeed been used, and the information on it clearly indicated that Elder Astra had attempted to reach out to Shadow Celestial.

Shadow Celestial's expression shifted. Previously stern, it now showed signs of hesitation. He was uncertain whether he should trust Elder Astra.

"Your explanation does hold some merit," Shadow Celestial admitted. "However, I am not yet fully convinced. You must do something to prove your loyalty."

Shadow Celestial felt that he could not make a judgment immediately, so he decided to propose a better solution. "Since you claim to be loyal to me, then investigate who is secretly opposing me. I believe you will be able to uncover the truth quickly."

Elder Astra was taken aback by Shadow Celestial's words. "Your Excellency, there is no one in the Night Blades who is secretly opposing you! I can't find any evidence of dissent against you!"

At Elder Astra's protest, Shadow Celestial scoffed. "Stop with the excuses. This is your task. If you cannot complete it, I will not trust you. You have three days to find out who is opposing me in secret. If you cannot provide me with an explanation after three days, you will learn the consequences of betraying me."

With those words, Shadow Celestial transformed into a shadow and vanished. Elder Astra was left with no other choice. He had to find a way to identify the individuals secretly opposing Shadow Celestial. He knew who these people were, but they were his allies; Elder Astra would not easily betray them.

Furrowing his brow, Elder Astra slowly left the premises. After all, he had three days; there was no need to rush. Besides, if he were to find the dissenters too quickly, Shadow Celestial would only become more suspicious of him.