Recollecting Foreshadowing

Just as the senior-year nightmare was spreading like a virus, several officers were reviewing a document at Ideal Country's New Muir military base.

"Is this information reliable?" the Ideal Country Defense Minister asked, looking at the report on the screen and seeking confirmation once more.

"We've verified it through multiple channels. This is a list of Parlin Kingdom's resource movements over the past few months. It's only part of the picture, but it's enough to show there's a problem." The frontline commander uploaded the documents one by one through an encrypted channel, then explained:

"Ever since the Sea Monster crashed, we've suspected that its Power System wasn't completely destroyed. Now it seems Pegasus really did salvage it..."

"We've discussed this too, but Pegasus doesn't have the research capability or industrial base to study it... Wait, are you saying Parlin Kingdom got its technology from Pegasus?" The Defense Minister frowned, his expression full of doubt.

Though Pegasus and Parlin were neighboring countries, relations between them had never been good, thanks to the tacit understanding between Ideal Country and Budali. Pegasus leaned more toward Budali on the surface, so most of its technology was magic-based. Parlin, meanwhile, leaned toward Ideal Country and had a more advanced technological and industrial base.

In a sense, the two countries were practically extensions of Budali's and Ideal Country's respective influence. Even if Pegasus really had found the Power System back then, it shouldn't have cooperated with Parlin Kingdom.

"It was the unusual relationship between the two countries that led to this." The frontline commander thought it over, then couldn't help letting out a rueful sigh.

"Because Parlin and Pegasus have always been enemies, both sides have inevitably sent spies to infiltrate the other. As it happened, one of the teams that recovered the Power System included