Pursuing What Lay Hidden

On the fourth day after their meeting aboard the cruise ship, Noche entered the Jibei Province Convergence Zone with Mr. Chi's help. The entire journey went smoothly.

He had prepared contingencies. If all else failed, he would force his way in. Without a Fighter on the scene, he could get through easily enough and find a way out later.

Of course, that was a last resort.

Great Shun was not one of the small, politically unstable countries he had dealt with before. It was a world power that could mobilize formidable forces in a short time. Such a move would be extremely dangerous. Even if he escaped, the powers backing him might abandon him under pressure, so it was best to avoid it.

As for abandoning the mission and leaving, he had never considered it.

Most of the resources he enjoyed came from those powers, and they held his family in their hands. If he pressed on with the mission, he could still protect them. If he chose to leave, his family might suffer for it.

Now, following the map Mr. Chi had provided, he skirted the garrison's territory and headed through uninhabited wilderness toward a marked location.

An Airship from Deep Valley City would pick him up there. The other two Fighters would join him, and they would travel to the target area together.

Terrain that would stop an ordinary person posed no difficulty for him. Two days later, he reached the designated area at the agreed time. He had waited less than half an hour when an Airship appeared in the distance, right on schedule. He was pleased with Mr. Chi's arrangements.

What he had hated most about missions in the Sangma Woga Prefecture Council and the Chi Luojia Duo Federation was the locals' complete disregard for punctuality.