After the cleansing of the Sunlight Garden, except for Amisha, who was still a bit weak, the spirits of the other people had noticeably improved, and the gloom from being imprisoned for several days had slightly dissipated.
However, with their spirits lifted, they seemed to have the energy to release other emotions as well.
For example, the fat guy who farted the most before was now whispering to two of his cronies beside him: "I feel like my whole body is filled with strength now, this feeling is amazing."
If he had stopped there, no one would have said anything. But, the fat guy just had to add: "Bruiser, that liar, and Golos, that jinx, didn’t get to enjoy it, which is even more gratifying."
Although the fat guy spoke very softly and was only boasting to his cronies, for Angel and the others, such whispers couldn’t hide anything.
Angel glanced lightly at the fat guy and didn’t say much.
Instead, Dox said with a smile: "The first thought after getting benefits is to gloat over others not getting them, that’s quite a talent. However, even though his words aren’t pleasant, he did get one thing right, luck plays a significant part on the path of cultivation."
Dox was actually just casually commenting, but Lady Melo, listening on the side, felt quite embarrassed.
After all, these Talented Ones were recruited by her.
Lady Melo looked at Angel, intending to explain something, but Angel simply said: "Amisha should be able to walk now, go help her change clothes, we’ll continue, after all, there are still two Talented Ones unaccounted for."
Lady Melo swallowed her words and nodded: "Alright."
Under the cover of Illusion, others couldn’t see Amisha’s condition, only the nearby Lady Melo could see that the bloodstains on her body had disappeared. At least from the outside, she just looked pale with no other injuries.
Once it was confirmed that Amisha could walk on her own, Lady Melo took out a Spatial Capsule from her pocket and gently tore it open, revealing several elegantly colored Wizard Robes in her hand.
She took out a burgundy Wizard Robe and handed it to Amisha, motioning for her to change into it.
As for the remaining Wizard Robes... Lady Melo, not having a Spatial Artifact, had to use another Spatial Capsule to pack them back. However, in the process, she left out a deep blue Wizard Robe.
She handed this robe, which looked more like a gracefully fitted dress, to Siber, whose clothes were also somewhat damaged. Although not exposed, being a woman, she might receive some odd looks after going out.
After the two women changed, their mission of seeking people resumed.
Standing at the prison door, Angel looked at Dox: "Are you going to follow us, or check the lower level?"
Dox thought for a moment, then decided to check below, as he had already encountered an old acquaintance on the second level, perhaps there were more familiar faces below.
They parted ways again.
Watching Dox’s departing figure, Angel pondered and decided to remind him through the Mind Ribbon: "The guards on the fourth level are two Gargoyles, one of which is a Shadow Gargoyle."
As for the guards on the third level, there was no need to say much, whether it was Dox’s ability to Conceal or knocking the opponent out, either would do.
But the fourth-level Gargoyles could cause trouble if not handled properly. Not for Dox, but for the people he rescued, who might suffer.
Dox quickly responded through the Mind Ribbon to Angel: "Thanks for the warning, I indeed made no mistake in choosing friends!"
Even though it was just a simple flow of information, Angel could almost see the surging emotions within it.
Angel: "...When did I ever become your friend?"
Dox: "You don’t need words to confirm a friendship, when it feels right, that’s it. I already feel it, and I think you do too."
Angel silently sighed to himself, not bothering to respond to Dox.
He had initially thought Dox’s personality was interesting, but now he didn’t know what had gotten into him, always saying odd things.
After Dox left, Angel and the others continued toward the next prison.
However, in the following corridors, they didn’t find the remaining two Talented Ones. Instead, many of the cells were already empty, presumably freed by Dox, those wandering apprentices.
Soon, they arrived at the final corridor.
Here, they saw the blood-covered, lifeless body of the fat guard on the ground, and the corpse of the team leader Angel followed earlier.
A quick examination showed the fat guard had been stabbed to death with multiple knife wounds, while the leader was killed with a single fatal stab in the back.
Angel remembered Dox saying he only knocked the fat guard out, not killed him. It must have been the wandering apprentices Dox freed who killed him. From the multiple stab wounds on the fat guard, it was clear the apprentices of the second level held deep resentment against him.
While Angel was examining the two bodies, Lady Melo had already taken the other Talented Ones along the last corridor.
She came to Angel’s side, her face a bit grave, and said: "Lord Pat, Golos and Bruiser are still not found."
"Are you sure they were captured along with you?" Angel asked.
Lady Melo nodded, they had always been acting together.
"That’s strange," Angel muttered, "Could they have been inadvertently rescued by Dox? Let’s head to the guardroom on the second level to check, the wandering apprentices he rescued should be there."
The wandering apprentices of the second level were tormented the most. Given their current condition, it’s difficult for them to escape the Princess Castle. So, Dox suggested they wait in the guardroom while he brings out the rest and escorts them out.
Soon, they arrived at the guardroom.
There were about ten people in the guardroom, gathered together, eyes occasionally glancing towards the staircase leading to the first floor, and then towards the prison corridor. Their expressions held worry and fear, but also hope for the future.
However, among the ten or so people, Lady Melo’s missing Talented Ones were still absent.
Angel thought for a moment and asked Lady Melo: "Are you certain, besides you, everyone else was held on the second level?"
Lady Melo: "At least when I was taken to the third level, there was no one else with me."
Angel then turned to look at Siber and the others: "Did any of you definitively see Golos and Bruiser enter with you and be locked in a cell on the second level?"
The Talented One with a somewhat cunning face spoke up: "When we got to the second level, we came together, but before being locked in the cells, we were taken into the guardroom one by one for a full body search. They called it a search, but they actually took all the valuable items from us."
Lady Melo added: "Transcendents didn’t have to undergo it because they worried about triggered traps on the body, Transcendents were directly placed in cells."
Angel understood and nodded: "So you were checked one by one, and whoever finished the check first was taken to the cells first. You don’t know where the others were held?"