Rendezvous

For these Sarkaz, who have practically never received prenatal education, their limited knowledge of Yan is only due to the fact that Yan is very close to Kazdel...

I can talk about it, but I definitely can't write it down.

Oute looked up, and the terminal in his hand naturally tilted to the side, revealing an unofficial competition that was underway.

He responded, "Physical fitness levels do vary."

"After all, their lives before becoming refugees were... quite interesting in their own way." Oute glanced at W and replied, "But I never expected them to be of any use other than cannon fodder in formal settings."

W is a bit slow: Why are you talking without taking a breath?

"Despite the mental network assistance, they've only trained for four days so far. If, with sufficient micro-management, they can actually utilize their skills where I need them to, we'll be lucky."

Judging from these outrageous remarks, Oute completely disregards his place among the people: he has already quickly adopted the "little father" mode of the Ursus.

"A mental network?" W looked at the fleeting screen on the terminal in Oute's hand and felt that something was off.

In the process of rapidly switching between accessories and constructing spiritual links, Oute gradually grasped how to use a single accessory to build a large-scale network of spiritual links.

Although it still provides a bonus, the accessory's role in this stage is more like a relay...

"I can cast the same...buff spell on all of them." Oute, holding the terminal, crossed his arms and looked at the Deepwinter Soldiers. "After being distributed, the actual buff will be negligible. But a one-way mental connection will be established."

In fact, with the intervention of the mental network and Oute, the first batch of soldiers in the winter were able to line up and fire in perfect unison—and their performance on the battlefield was almost identical to that on the training ground!

But that's the crux of the problem: as a genuine cannon fodder unit, these first-generation soldiers are only now getting to experience Oute's micro-management skills... The power axes that were supposed to be their standard equipment have been temporarily assigned by Oute to W and her Sarkaz mercenaries.

"You and the other Sarkaz will be temporarily assigned to this militia as officers." Oute frowned, tidying up his messy hair.

"... Huh?" The Sarkaz girl took a while to react.

"What? You lack confidence?"

"... Just don't sell us out again."

Yes, it will.

"That's good... Hmm!?" W glared at Oute, baring his teeth and claws, and said, "You bastard!"

Oute remained remarkably calm, as if the Sarkaz girl's tender claws posed no threat whatsoever.

"You only need to preserve 10 to 15 percent of the Deepwinter Soldiers," he said. "Regardless of the original design, preserving the veterans is meaningful in itself."

"What about us!?"

"Your life is the most important thing," Oute said without hesitation. "If things take a turn for the worse, in the most extreme case, just save yourself."

Amidst the soldiers' relentless firing, W almost thought he had misheard.

She repeated, "I... am the most important?"

Upon hearing this, the Sarkaz not only didn't object, but instead agreed (in Victoria terms): "The Raven is right! The boss is the most important!"

Others looked at Oute with awe, muttering incredulously, "Someone actually values W!? Is this any different from negotiating with Originium dynamite?"

The Deepwinter Soldiers ignored the Sarkaz had landed beside their ranks, aiming and pulling the trigger with fluid, effortless movements.

It seems the difference between W and Originium Explosive is that the latter doesn't kick people.

"Well..." W stammered for a while, then finally managed to stammer out, "If Sarkaz were to become officers, would they agree to it?"

Oute tilted his head and said, "One is a monster I've heard about in stories, and the other is a thug who has personally destroyed all of life."

"What the Black Snake did to Chernobog is enough to make these Ursus people temporarily abandon their national and ethnic beliefs, preferring to fight alongside the Sarkaz to avenge themselves against the Reunion Movement."

W gradually joined the conversation. "Speaking of revenge, how's that brat Mephisto doing?"

She asked expectantly, "Is he dead?"

Oute replied crisply, "Your previous Spear Court was quite good; I've learned a thing or two from it."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head again.

Upon hearing the Spear Court," W hesitated for a moment, but ultimately replied "quite decisively," "You've learned quite well."

She was still dissatisfied with the Sarkaz, whom Theresa was so determined to save, for constantly repeating the behaviors that Theresa opposed. But the day after taking over the Sarkaz mercenary group, the Arc Light of tears and snot already signified that W had begun to take Theresa's claims seriously, rather than simply idolizing Theresa as a "star-struck fan."

Of course, this doesn't mean she doesn't like Theresa...

Thinking of this, W couldn't help but glance at Oute.

She suddenly pulled down Oute's hood.

In response to this interruption of his cricket fighting, Oute asked irritably, "What?"

The screen on the terminal in Oute's hand caught W's attention, and she exclaimed in surprise, "You're so far from the city, and you're wasting precious resources playing this?!"

Chapter 155 Meeting of Forces

"Big sister..." A Yeti came up behind FrostNova, following the white rabbit's gaze to the giant creature at the horizon.

The leaden sky pressed down heavily on the wilderness, making it hard to breathe. The howling north wind occasionally brought a little fresh air, but it was all soaked with iron and snow, highlighting the high bridges and deep nasal cavities of the Ursus people.

Pelotova had not participated in the previous discussions, but judging from her current performance, Pelotova does have her own opinions on all of this.

"Rhodes Island, is it trustworthy?"

From the perspective of the Yetis, represented by Petro, they have not yet had any noteworthy interactions with Rhodes Island.

FrostNova was a bit slow on the uptake; she hadn't realized why the Yeti would ask such a question. But you couldn't really blame her... after all, her living environment was relatively simple and austere, and political awareness wasn't a necessity for her.

"Oute is a good person," FrostNova said matter-of-factly, then unconsciously added, "They can solve Dad's infection problem."

Although she had communicated with Oute and the others several times at the Interstice, she still only half understood and regarded Oute's treatment plan as "solving Originium Infection." But seriously, this surgical plan that utilizes the Fate Reconstruction is essentially just physically resetting the process of infection.

"Solve... the infection?" The Yetis became suspicious. "Could it be a scam?"

This time, FrostNova was able to distinguish between healing and treatment much better than after Oute and Warfarin had painstakingly explained it...

"No! Oute isn't a liar!" she immediately retorted. "He never lies!"

"..."

The Yetis looked at each other, even more convinced that their eldest sister had been deceived, and by a man at that— Ursus language has gender distinctions for personal pronouns, and the difference between "he" and "she" is quite obvious.

Why can't you guys figure this out?

Oute sighed, FrostNova's thin lips parted slightly. "Rhodes Island's treatment plan only..."

Actually, when you explained it to Ch'en, you also used this "from a certain perspective, it's also healing" argument, right? Why do you react so strongly when others use it?

The behemoth, though seemingly slow, was actually fast; its roaring main ship had already come to a stop in front of the Yetis. Their attention then shifted to the land-based vessel.

FrostNova shook her head, her long, silvery-white hair piled up on her shoulders, and she twisted it slightly.

"Wow, it's huge..."

"Didn't we raid Chernobog before? What? Did you have diarrhea and didn't go?"

"No matter how many times you see something like this face-to-face, you'll still be awestruck!"

Although Terra's political and economic landscape has been reshaped by Mobile City and the Originium industry, it doesn't mean everyone lives near Mobile City. This is particularly evident in Ursus: a significant portion of its population still resides in villages far from Mobile City.

Pelotova, trying to make conversation, asked, "Is it Rhodes Island?"

She still opposed FrostNova's decision.

That's perfectly normal.

Rather... it would be strange if there were no reaction.

FrostNova's eyes flickered slightly, and Oute began to admire her: among a group of Ursus people, it was quite difficult to find one who was both thoughtful and loyal to FrostNova.

Since FrostNova doesn't usually show many expressions, the main changes when Oute is in charge are mostly reflected in her eyes. And Pelotova was standing behind her the whole time, didn't even notice that Oute had taken over driving for her.

Their grey overcoats, with their subtle metallic sheen, accentuated their ramrod-straight figures, keeping the Ursus men warmly enveloped as they disembarked from the ship. They carried their weapons in silence, their movements remarkably synchronized despite their varying heights and weights.

Those slightly cultured Sarkaz high-class cheese connoisseurs, wielding imposing power axes, acted as officers in the crowd, their Winter Soldier-style firearms slung over their already bulky backpacks.

Their ranks were orderly and imposing; you couldn't tell they were all fast-grown chickens.

With a mental link in place, making their actions more "unpredictable" would require even more mental effort from Oute.

Honestly, as gray-collar workers, the Deepwinter Soldiers should be receiving green uniforms that have faded to almost white... but Oute says that under Originium Industries, pigments are quite cheap.

This orderly formation, however, stirred up the yetis's competitive spirit. They muttered, "What's with the showing off!"

Then, they looked at FrostNova expectantly.

"Big sister! Let's form ranks too!"

"As guerrillas, you..."

The second half of the statement was spoken jointly by Oute and FrostNova: "... We lack competitiveness in this area."

These are words that are not commonly used by FrostNova.

The soldiers parted into ranks, with a young Liberi, a Cautus, and a Sarkaz that the Yetis recognized very well standing in the center of the ranks.

An eerie atmosphere enveloped the young man from Liberi.

If the army before them, so uniformly disciplined it was almost repulsive, was a gigantic monster, then this raven... was undoubtedly their brain.

"Yeti, Oute." FrostNova pointed at the young man who resembled Liberi.

Judging from the words and phrases that deliberately omit pronouns, it is now Oute who is in charge.

"Doctor. Oute, we are the Yeti Squad." The white rabbit gestured with her arm to indicate a direction.

This is most likely the person in question.

The Yetis stared intently at the young man from Liberi, involuntarily holding their breath.

Oute tilted his head and said, "It's around eight o'clock in the morning, and many of you probably haven't eaten yet. Our cafeteria also serves Ursus cuisine, but we don't offer alcoholic beverages in the morning."

This surprised the Yetis.

"Anyone who wants to sample the cooking of Rhodes Island's chefs can go with them to the mess hall. The soldiers will be taking over the camp's defenses."

As Oute spoke, several soldiers emerged from the ranks as if waking from a dream.

They shook their heads in strong resistance, feeling a slight dissatisfaction with the cramped state of their consciousness after being disconnected.