Chapter 1521: Shadows of Betrayal

The return to the camp was cloaked in silence, the group moving like ghosts through the dense forest. Aiden's mind was a storm of thoughts as he replayed the events of the scouting mission. The size of the structure, the hum of the machinery, the guarded secrecy—it all pointed to something much larger than a simple expansion.

Beside him, Elara kept her gaze forward, her face a mask of focus. Yet Aiden knew her well enough to sense the unease in her posture, the tension in her steps. Whatever they had seen, it had rattled her just as much as it had him.

When they finally emerged into the camp, the air was heavy with expectation. The scouts who had stayed behind waited in small groups, their conversations hushed. The woman with the scar—still nameless in Aiden's mind—moved swiftly to the center of the camp, her expression unreadable.

"We need to talk," she said, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "Everyone, gather around."