The colossal gate stood open, carved into the mountainside. Harbus Kingdom soldiers manned checkpoints at the entrance, inspecting every passerby.

In truth, the Empire of Aifei and Harbus Kingdom were allies. The defenses here were lax—mostly militia and regular garrison troops. Probably only two or three proper Knights were stationed here. This guard couldn’t even subdue a common fugitive. We four Angels could easily force our way through, but that would ruin our covert entry.

“What’s our next move, Captain Ina?” I asked. “I mean, we’ve got wings and Church robes. They’ll never let us pass looking this suspicious.” The captain must have planned ahead—she’d insisted on entering through Harbus without hesitation.

True to form, she pulled three cloth bundles from her bracelet and tossed them to us. Inside each were two small vials, a plain black robe, and a crystal card.

“That card is a forged Harbus Kingdom pass. It’ll get you past the checkpoint—your details were registered yesterday. The white vial holds a stimulant to keep you alert through the night, though our combat strength will still drop. The black vial contains a concealment potion. It’ll hide your wings, but the effect breaks the moment you fight—even the weakest Divine Art will shatter it. Both potions were developed by the Divine Church. The black robe is standard Harbus civilian wear.”

Rare for Captain Ina to speak so much. She’d prepared everything meticulously. My role was simply to follow and learn.

Then, Ina swiftly unbuckled her belt. Her Church robe slid to the ground. Moonlight was faint, but her naked silhouette was unmistakable—mysterious curves radiating temptation.

“Captain Ina! What are you doing?!” Anan blurted out. I couldn’t see clearly, but her face must have been crimson.

“Quiet! Do you want us discovered? Change now.” Ina didn’t pause. She tilted her head, swallowing both potions. Her wings retracted into her body. Unobscured by feathers, the smooth curve of her back, the fullness of her hips, and her long legs were laid bare—a hazy beauty in the darkness.

But the vision lasted only a moment. Ina quickly pulled on the black robe. Plain as it was, she remained stunning.

“You too. Take the potions.” She turned to urge us.

“Huh? I have to change? H-here?” Anan still hadn’t recovered, her thoughts jumbled.

“Um… can I change in those woods over there?” Mistflower sounded less shocked but still flustered.

“Rookies waste time. Hurry up—it’s pitch black. Who’s watching?” Impatience edged Ina’s voice.

No big deal. I stripped off my dress without hesitation, then bent to remove my ankle socks. I’d worn elaborate attire for the mission. Unlike Ina, who’d only needed to swap her robe, I had layers of accessories to untangle.

“Lerfu! How can you just strip like that? So… so shameless! Who does that?!” Anan redirected her outrage at me.

“What’s the fuss? It’s mission protocol. You’d rather storm the checkpoint in Church robes?” Having been male in my past life, I didn’t care—I often slept naked. I finished changing, swallowed the potion. A tingling spread across my back as my wings vanished. Nighttime fatigue instantly burned away, replaced by sharp alertness.

Even Mistflower began untying her belt. Shy by nature, she wasn’t truly conflicted—seeing me change spurred her to act.

“Hurry. Time’s short. Take a lesson from your teammates.” Ina’s gaze swept over Anan. “Lerfu’s decisiveness deserves praise. But you knew this was infiltration yet wore impractical gear. Poor judgment.”

Her critique chilled me. My silent efficiency earned points; my outfit cost them. Was my standing positive or negative now?

By the time Anan started undressing, I’d finished. Mistflower was pulling on her robe. Anan had no choice but to change under our watch. Tsk tsk. Such vibrant youth. Though slender compared to Mistflower and Ina, her figure wasn’t far behind. Ina’s beauty felt like steppe lilies—aloof, poisonous, dangerously untouchable. Mistflower’s allure was familiar, especially knowing her past life as a boy. Anan’s freshness was what captivated me most.

“Study the guards’ routine. Don’t slip up later.” Once ready, we observed the checkpoint. Travelers passed smoothly after brief document checks.

Just as I thought clearance would be easy, trouble erupted. Five lovely girls were stopped by guards. Their leader argued fiercely with a soldier. Nearby, two other guards harassed civilian women, hands roaming greedily.

Helpless, the women were rescued by an armored man with a massive back-sword and a girl in ornate mage robes. The soldiers backed off—they seemed to know the women.

When the pair tried intervening for the five girls, the guards refused. The girls, low-tier professionals, drew weapons. Then a burly man in Harbus official robes stepped forward. Golden Battle Aura erupted from him.

“A Gold Knight. Specializes in defense. Favors axes or hammers—he’s likely the checkpoint commander. Even I’d struggle to take him down.” Ina’s analysis was calm.

The would-be rescuers froze. The officer waved them through. They bowed gratefully and escorted the two civilians past. The five girls weren’t so lucky. The officer ignored their pleas after checking IDs. He grabbed the leader while soldiers disarmed the others, herding them toward the rear camp. Their fate was clear.

“What’s your assessment?” Ina suddenly asked. Anan and Mistflower stayed silent. I spoke up.

“Those soldiers are scum. Perverts. They’ll definitely stop us. Passing won’t be easy. They avoid provoking the powerful or well-connected—those document checks were about verifying status.”

“Correct. So how do we proceed?”

“We could carry high-tier weapons. That’d signal we’re not to be trifled with.”

“Captain Ina… shouldn’t we save them?” Anan’s voice trembled.

“Saving them isn’t our mission. Harbus affairs aren’t our concern. Rescuing them would expose us—for zero gain.” Ina’s reply was icy. She turned back to my suggestion. “Weapons could work, but they draw attention. We need stealth.”

“What if… we bribe them?” Mistflower whispered.

“Hm. A viable plan. These corrupt soldiers would take bribes easily. Sufficient funds would also prove we’re untouchable nobles. Under current conditions, it’s highly likely to succeed.” Ina praised Mistflower’s idea.

“But this isn’t foolproof. In another setting, the officer might be honest—or we might lack funds. So I’ll teach you another method.” She’d clearly anticipated the guards’ behavior. Her earlier questions were tests; her plan was ready.

“We’ll blend in with merchant caravans.” Her eyes fixed on the trade groups resting near the checkpoint, awaiting inspection.