The bridge of the Heart of Steel.
Unburned documents lay scattered beside overturned chairs. The screen on the radar-linked console had been smashed, though the casing remained intact. Repairs would not be difficult.
It was obvious those people had fled in a panic and in great haste, unable even to completely destroy everything here.
Thankfully, that was the case.
That was why the Heart of Steel had fallen into The Alliance's hands almost intact.
"A thousand-man unit has appeared north of Dawn City. They're suspected to be a mercenary organization... but Xiao Qi has already taken care of them!"
"You can rest easy now, Master!"
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window at the front of the bridge, Chu Guang quietly listened to Xiao Qi's report on The Alliance's northern border. A relieved smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Well done."
After the battle ended, communications between the Ruigu City region and Dawn City had been restored. The signal in the air was especially good, and after so long, he could finally speak directly with Xiao Qi like this without constantly worrying about losing the connection.
A long time ago, probably just after the Northern Expedition ended, Chu Guang had begun guarding against threats from the north.
Whether it was the investigation into the source of the Bonechewer Tribe's weapons or the contact with the envoy from the "Firestone" Group, everything indicated that the Legion had its own intelligence network in the Bugra Free State and murky business dealings with the locals.
According to testimony from officers under Dillon who had surrendered, Kandra, the commander of the 14th Ten Thousand-Man Corps, was in the Bugra Free State.
Chu Guang could even conclude that the Bonechewer Tribe that had swept through River Valley Province was one of that intelligence network's handiworks.