Chapter 269 - Finding the problem.

Damon crossed the threshold of the side passage with the same ease with which he had traversed dozens of groups in the main hall, but the difference was immediate as the muffled sound of the party began to dissolve behind him, replaced by a denser, more controlled silence, typical of the inner areas of a mansion where only those with a real purpose usually circulated. The change of atmosphere was almost palpable, as if he had crossed an invisible border between the carefully orchestrated social chaos and the structural heart of the property, where every detail existed not to impress, but to function. He didn't stop, didn't hesitate, just continued walking down the narrow corridor with firm, silent steps, allowing his senses to adjust to the new reality around him, while his mind quickly reorganized priorities, discarding the noise of the party and focusing exclusively on the main objective.