"Leader."
"Hmm."
A flat voice came from the other side, but Ahemoni's expression immediately grew tense. "Leader, something went wrong with my negotiations. They asked for 150 machine tools of every type."
"Hmm."
The voice on the other side remained flat, but Ahemoni grew even more nervous.
"My strategist."
"Here!"
"When do you think Victoria will be able to obtain Leithanien's ore again?"
Although it was phrased as a question, Ahemoni felt that the leader already had an answer. She drew a deep breath and said in a solemn voice,
"Leithanien's drive for independence is growing stronger. Although the Duke of Cumberland has dispatched troops there, command from so far away should have little effect. The various dukes have been causing trouble frequently, and even the Lion King can't muster enough force to violently purge the colonies. After that, there may even be..."3
Ahemoni did not dare continue. She had no idea what the leader was thinking, so she could only give a conclusion. "For the next two years, Leithanien's ore may not flow into Victoria at all. Even if some does, those grand dukes will seize it immediately."
"Then complete today's transaction properly. Don't try any tricks. They want 150 units... Then give them that amount according to the loss rate stipulated in the Victoria International Freight Transportation Agreement."
"Understood."
After settling into the inn, Theresica was both excited and worried. He paced back and forth around the room, unable to sit still.
Kazdel finally had an industrial foundation, but none of it had become reality yet. It was still in Victoria!
"Tomorrow's transaction is of the utmost importance."
Theresica looked at Zeppelin and solemnly instructed him, "Inspect those machine tools carefully tomorrow. We can't let any defective products get mixed in!"
"I will. I definitely will."
Zeppelin was so excited that he could hardly express it in words. Kazdel would finally no longer have to use those scraps from a hundred years ago! Sarkaz soldiers could finally have decent armor and weapons! If only they had gotten them sooner—how many fewer Sarkaz would have died?
The old Sarkaz covered the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and faced the wall alone.
"Congratulations on your success. However, I must inform you that the situation has become somewhat tense."
The Shapeshifter spoke up at that moment. "Quite a few Victoria soldiers are hiding in the town. That beggar across the street and the woman selling brightly colored flowers are both Victoria soldiers. Their knuckles bear signs of years of training."
"We haven't been exposed, have we?"
"No, please rest assured. Those Victoria soldiers aren't targeting us."
The Shapeshifter explained, "Military Originium has been stolen from the garrison warehouse in this town several times. On top of that, Victoria is currently facing an Originium shortage, so a large number of soldiers have been sent here."
"Uh... Deepcolor's doing?"
Theresica was astonished. They were even eating the grass beside their own nest?
"Yes, exactly."
The Shapeshifter nodded. "There are more Terra people here than anywhere else, so naturally there's more cover as well."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of commotion suddenly arose from the street below. Theresica pulled back the curtain slightly and saw a group of plainclothes soldiers chasing two youths.
The youths ran toward the inn in blind panic. The woman who had been selling flowers on the street suddenly threw aside her basket and directly tackled one of them. The beggar on the other side cooperated perfectly as well, tackling the other youth from behind while he was still dazed.
The two youths struggled and cried for help. The soldiers came sprinting over one after another to pin down their hands and feet, but by then, the surrounding townspeople had followed them. A large crowd blocked every escape route the soldiers had.
They shouted at the tops of their voices.
"The garrison is beating people!"
"Come save the children!"
The soldiers were squeezed together. They clutched their scabbards tightly to prevent anything unexpected from happening, while repeatedly calling out, "These two are thieves! Please remain calm and don't interfere with military affairs!"
The scene was a complete uproar.
"Relations between the Terra people and Victoria's administration have already deteriorated this far?"
"This is nothing. It only means the situation has exceeded expectations. At least the intelligence that the Terra people want independence was correct. But the other piece of information was somewhat off."
Following the Shapeshifter Patriarch's gesture, Theresica saw several figures lying prone on the roof of a building. Although there were no markings on them, the crossbows in their hands were the same Deepcolor equipment he had seen before.
Theresica turned back in surprise, but when he looked toward the street, he saw only the chaotic, agitated crowd and blood slowly spreading across the ground.
"Hey! Isn't Deepcolor the Terra people's independence movement?"
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Chapter 16: Showing Their Hand
The intelligence had been inaccurate, leaving Theresica slightly flustered for a while. He had to reconsider Deepcolor's position. Yet this did not seem to affect anything. Deepcolor was indeed opposed to Victoria, but it was not a Terra unit.
"Perhaps it's another local ethnic group annexed by the war, trying to use the Terra people to work for them?"
Theresica speculated, and the Shapeshifter Patriarch offered a certain degree of agreement.
"The dominant race of the central continent is the Feline, but the cultures of the various ethnic groups are completely different. Such a situation isn't impossible."
The transaction could not be canceled. After instructing everyone to be more careful the next day and having the Shapeshifter make some preparations, everyone went to rest. The farce in the street, however, had yet to subside.
Two Victoria military officers arrived at the scene. Fully armed heavy infantry charged into the crowd and used their shields to force the disorderly people apart.
But the agitated residents of Little Hill County refused to submit. They surged against the wall of Victoria soldiers, continually hurling stones and trash at their shields.
"They killed our children!"
"Get out! Murderers!"
The voices in the crowd came one after another, but it was impossible to determine who had started it. The officer could only first inspect the colleagues who had been sent to make the arrests.
"How is it? Are the injuries serious?"
The lieutenant colonel of the slightly lower rank, Vice Captain Leto, looked with concern at the plainclothes soldier whose face was covered in blood. As the officer in charge of the arrest operation, he had not allowed the medical Arts practitioner accompanying the unit to treat him. Instead, he anxiously ordered the practitioner to treat the townsman lying on the ground with a crossbow bolt through his chest.
"Vice Captain Leto, we had caught the two of them, but two crossbow bolts were fired from somewhere. One died on the spot, and the other is being treated."
The soldier reported to his superior. At that moment, another officer interrupted with a question.
"Did you catch the culprit?"
Hearing the question, the soldier did not answer. Instead, he looked at the officer in confusion. Vice Captain Leto hurriedly introduced him.
"This is Captain Hamilton. In a few days, the security of Little Hill County will be under his command."
The troops in Victoria's various regions each had their own command structures. When officers and soldiers from different regions gathered together, they had no authority over one another.
"Vice Captain Leto will be transferred to Londinium. I'll be commanding you from now on."
The soldier studied the unfamiliar officer before looking at his old superior. After receiving an approving glance, he immediately saluted.
"Reporting! The culprit used crossbows to kill from a distance. The crowd was chaotic at the time, so I couldn't see the shooter clearly."
"Hmm, I understand. You handled it well. Bandage your wounds first."
Hamilton praised him, then turned to observe the disorder at the scene. "That unknown shooter was able to hit the target accurately in such a chaotic crowd... They must have fired from an elevated position. And judging from how deeply the bolt penetrated the road, it was a long-range crossbow. Attacking the crowd from that distance... It seems they had absolutely no qualms about killing witnesses. Is this really the Terra people's armed force?"
"I don't know."
Vice Captain Leto shook his head. "All my superiors told me was that the Terra people were suspected of aiding an armed force."
"This is no longer aid. To go this far, in wartime, these people could all be considered enemy combatants. This town can directly request authorization to be erased."
Hamilton said with disgust, "Arresting people half-heartedly like this will only leave our outstanding Victoria soldiers with more and more injuries."
"Captain, we can't do that with all our strength. This is imperial territory. As Victoria soldiers, we have no authority to attack our own land."
Vice Captain Leto tried to persuade him, but Hamilton remained completely unconcerned. At that moment, a soldier suddenly ran over.
"That surviving youth has regained consciousness!"
Hamilton immediately ran over, grabbed the youth by the collar, and shouted, "Speak! What were you going to do with the stolen Originium detection equipment? Who told you to steal it? If you don't talk, I won't save you!"
The youth's mind was a complete mess. Pain and the desire to survive occupied all his thoughts. He convulsed as he spoke.
"They... tomorrow night... have a transaction... need to inspect..."
The youth opened his mouth, but the blood spraying from it completely drowned out his voice. The medical Arts practitioner beside him shook his head helplessly.
"Captain, this is his limit. His injuries are too severe, and the bolt was poisoned."
"It's fine. You did well. We've already obtained important information."
Hamilton offered a few words of reassurance before walking over to Leto.
"They went to such lengths to silence him, which means tomorrow's Originium transaction must involve something extremely critical or important. Immediately mobilize all our informants and find out about tomorrow night's transaction. I want a summary of the intelligence on my desk before noon!"
"You're mobilizing the informants to collect targeted intelligence based on the words of a single child? The time is too short. It could expose the informants we've painstakingly cultivated!"
"Nothing is more important than the safety of the empire!" Hamilton patted Leto on the shoulder.
"I know you're about to be transferred to Londinium, but we're all Victoria soldiers. Eliminating potential threats to the empire is also our duty. You've always managed the informants here, and I'm new to the area and unfamiliar with it, so this can only be left to you. Besides, if you can eliminate the ghost force that has been haunting Little Hill County before you leave for Londinium, you'll be able to meet His Majesty with a meritorious achievement. Wouldn't that be even better?"
"I understand."
Vice Captain Leto's expression did not change. He walked aside, summoned a soldier he knew well, and began giving instructions.
The following night, Theresica and the others went to the designated location at the appointed time according to the message from Deepcolor's messenger. They would conduct the transaction in the desert.
After reaching the designated location and confirming that the time was correct, they used a faint light source to send a contact signal.
On the other side, a group of oddly dressed people dragged numerous crates slowly through the desert. To avoid exposing their position, they did not dare use lights. At the same time, they had to protect the crates from being knocked or damaged.
"Chief Mandela, we've reached the designated location, and the timing is perfect."
"Good. Proceed according to plan."
Mandela waved her hand. An Originium transaction like this was child's play to her.
The signal soldier behind her immediately ran forward. After observing for a while, she began sending the contact signal.
The two sides exchanged signals with their lights for a while. After confirming each other's identities, they began moving together. But just then—
A fireball created by Originium Arts suddenly shot into the sky, illuminating the entire desert. Large numbers of Victoria soldiers emerged from dark corners and sand dunes.
Footsteps closed in from every direction. Under the firelight, the Terra people saw utter astonishment on their leader Mandela's face.
It's over. The mission the leader entrusted to her... is completely ruined...
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Chapter 17: A Conversation Among Three Parties
A gangway had been erected between two transport ships. Crated high-purity Originium and bundled machine tools were being inspected and exchanged between the two sides.
The worksite was bustling, but Theresica's attention was not on his own side. Instead, he gazed into the distance toward the desert.
"Lady Ahemoni's methods are truly impressive."
"There was nothing else we could do. Intelligence will always leak, so we might as well provide a false target and let those searching for secrets chase after it."
The girl in a Victoria high school uniform smiled with satisfaction.
Standing there, they could hear not only the surrounding sounds of work, but also faint cries of battle coming from far away. In the darkness, they could vaguely see flickering lights. Those were probably Originium Arts explosions.
"The cargo has been mostly counted, so I won't stay here. I wish you a safe journey, Acting Agent."
"Hmm. Thank you very much. I look forward to our next transaction."
Theresica smiled and nodded. Deepcolor had provided the machine tools according to the transportation loss rate, and every one of them was genuinely brand-new. That was beyond anything he had expected.
It seemed Victoria's Originium shortage was far worse than it admitted publicly. He suddenly found himself rather fond of the Victoria of today.
This time, he had made an absolute fortune! He had money, and he had machine tools!
After standing there in thought for a while, Theresica called over the Shapeshifter Patriarch and asked him a few questions. Once he had confirmed what he wanted to know, he said,
"Shining, Salus, let's go see what the Victoria soldiers and Deepcolor's troops are really capable of."
More and more Victoria soldiers gathered around them, while only a few Terra people remained standing.
"Damn Victoria lapdogs! I'll make you repay the lives of the Terra people tenfold, one by one!"
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