<h4>Chapter 507: Chapter 507 Acting As Bait</h4>


    She could not afford to wait for something to happen before taking action. If there was a threat lurking in the shadows, she needed to find it before it had the chance to reveal itself on its own.


    But that was far easier said than done. Even if she stayed here, watching every passerby until her eyes burned from the strain, there was no guarantee she could truly distinguish who was a spy and who was not.


    No matter how much she wanted to uncover the truth immediately, she could do little beyond searching for subtle clues.


    Suppressing a quiet sigh, Addison forced herself to calm down. Rushing things out of unease would only make matters worse. If she acted too obviously or showed that she was already suspicious, any hidden enemy would be more cautious and conceal themselves even more deeply.


    That would only put her and her people at a greater disadvantage.


    In the end, despite the lingering sense of unease in her chest, she chose to proceed carefully, taking things one step at a time instead of forcing results that might expose her intentions.


    The unease in her chest slowly sank deeper, settling like a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. It felt as though time was slipping away, yet she had not found a single useful lead to follow. The sense of helplessness pressed in on her, urging her to rush, but she knew she couldn’t afford to act recklessly.


    Forcing herself to stop, Addison took a few slow, steady breaths, calming her racing thoughts. Only then did she begin observing her surroundings again, this time with greaterposure, careful not to overlook even the smallest detail.


    She resumed walking around the camp, deliberately acting nonchnt, but slightly frail. To others, she appeared just as weak and unwell as they already believed her to be. It was a calcted choice; the more harmless she seemed, the more likely others would lower their guard.


    Whenever someone nced at her with concern and offered a smile, Addison returned it with a faint, fragile one of her own, as if a mere gust of wind could knock her over. The worried looks she received only deepened her quiet guilt.


    In her heart, she could only apologize to them for the deception, even as she continued her careful watch.


    After all, only by appearing weak would others assume she was merely out for some light movement or fresh air. At the same time, as shifters with naturally strong bodies and robust immune systems, they rarely fell ill.


    Thus, Addison’s frail state only reinforced the severity of what had happened earlier that morning, which resulted in her current state. And it would show them that her copse had clearly not been minor; to them, it was proof that she was still suffering lingering aftereffects even now.


    As she walked unsteadily around the camp, Addison did not notice anything particrly unusual. It was only around noon, when Maxwell and Levi woke up and came to check on her, that the situation changed.


    The moment they saw her still outside, both of them were visibly surprised. Without wasting any time, they gently but firmly ushered her back to her tent before heading out again to fetch food for her.


    Fortunately, the elderly had already finished preparing the meal. The rabbits hunted by Maxwell’s team the previous night, while they were gathering materials for the teleportation portal, had been roasted and seasoned with spices, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma.


    Despite the injuries some of the team had sustained during the hunt, they had still handed all the game to Maxwell, who stored them safely in his magic pouch. Before resting, he had entrusted the ingredients to the elderly, who handled the cooking with care.


    Alongside the roasted rabbit were fresh sds, prepared mainly from vegetables that could not be stored in the magic chest for transportation. To avoid waste, they carefully sorted the produce, prioritizing the bruised ones and cooking them first before they spoiled or attracted worms and insects.


    There was also a warm pheasant soup with tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes, as well as steamed rice, an essential source of energy, especially for the warriors who were constantly on the move throughout the camp.


    After getting a serving for each of them, Maxwell and Levi made their way back to the tent. Maxwell carried both his portion and Addison’s in his hands, forcing Levi to step ahead and pull the tent p aside to clear the way for him.


    Once Maxwell entered, Levi followed behind and took a seat beside Addison. Meanwhile, Maxwell set the tray down carefully, cing the food within reach. He then picked up the bowl of stew and began gently blowing on it to cool it down, clearly intending to feed Addison himself.


    "I can do it," Addison said softly as she reached for the bowl in Maxwell’s hands. "I’m fine now, so let’s just eat together, okay?"


    She didn’t even notice the faint coaxing tone at the end of her words until she saw the look on Maxwell’s face. For a brief moment, he seemed genuinely disappointed, as though he had been looking forward to feeding her himself.


    The sight left Addison feeling both exasperated and helpless. They were treating her like a fragile invalid who couldn’t manage anything on her own. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to truly protest.


    Because beneath it all, their actions only showed how deeply they cared for her, and that realization touched her more than she wanted to admit.


    "Alright. If you want more, just tell me and I’ll get it for you," Maxwell relented, handing over the remaining food to her.


    Since there was little furniture inside the tent, he carefully ced the bowls onto a tray and set it beside her bed so she could easily reach them. A small table was dragged closer as well, allowing them to arrange the dishes neatly within her reach.


    Meanwhile, Maxwell and Levi each took a stool and sat beside the bed, facing her so the three of them could eat together while keeping an eye on her.


    Seeing their overly attentive arrangement, Addison felt a mix of helplessness and amusement. It was likely that, while fetching the food, they had heard from the elders about how weakly she had been walking around the camp earlier.


    Unable to help herself, she let out a soft, quiet chuckle.


    "Don’t worry too much," Addison said calmly. "I’m only pretending to be weak to draw out any spies."


    She nced at the two of them before continuing, her tone steady and rational. "Think about it, if all four of us remain strong and constantly stay together, any spies hiding among the crowd will only grow more cautious. They’ll keep their heads down and never dare make a move."


    She lightly stirred her food as she spoke. "But if I appear weak and stay mostly within the camp while the three of you are busy outside, it creates the illusion of an opening. From their perspective, the camp would look less guarded, and thatcency might push them to act more boldly."


    Addison lifted her gaze, her expression sharpening slightly.