Chapter 118
"Hmm, judging by the time, Talulah should be here by now."
As FrostNova finished speaking, the Yeti princess noticed that Feline twitched his ears slightly, and at the same time, a loud shout came from outside the house from the Shieldguards lieutenant:
"Is that Talulah?! It's not the enemy! Keep your weapons on safe!"
[Medic... They're near... the white cloaks, it's Reunion Movement.]
"Hmm, I heard... footsteps... about three hundred people?"
Medic twitched his ears and looked at FrostNova beside him, who had accompanied him on his journey for almost a whole day:
"Let's go outside too... Are you alright? You seem a little weak..."
As Medic reached out his hand, seeing FrostNova's hesitant expression, the assassin thought for a moment and took off her gloves... But upon seeing Medic's slender, pale fingers, FrostNova seemed to blush even more:
"... Didn't you say... this is... the weakened state that occurs when the active ingredients of Originium in the body subside and spellcasting abilities return to normal...?"
She waved her hand dismissively, feigning nonchalance, and then FrostNova pointed to the door:
"Anyway, hurry up and deal with Talulah... Haven't you noticed your Little Cat has gone out?"
FrostNova breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Medic bring back her leather gloves.
Because she never stopped receiving treatments every four hours, even when she was out, FrostNova would involuntarily recall the feeling of the opponent's Originium Arts fluctuating within her body during 'treatment' whenever she saw Medic's bare hands.
Thinking of this, the warmth and touch of Medic's palm immediately came to mind, followed by the smooth feeling of skin rubbing against his body when she involuntarily lay on top of him... Similar topics were discussed among the Yeti girls in private, but FrostNova had always thought that she had nothing to do with such... private topics.
FrostNova had no idea that her thoughts... could jump around so much just from seeing a 'hand'.
Shaking her head, White Rabbit walked out of the outpost closest to the Reunion Movement settlement, a high point in the nearby hills. Further west was the last mountain to cross on the way to the camp.
As the last rays of the setting sun slowly faded in the distance, scattered groups of Reunion Movement members occupied the hilltop. Among the group, most of whom were dressed in white snowsuits, the only one, a silver-haired woman in Ursus Nobility military uniform, stood out in the slanting sunlight.
Because of the backlighting, Medic couldn't see the other person's expression clearly.
But she carried a black longsword that was far too large for a woman, and after Medic confirmed the horns on her head repeatedly, ruling out the guesses of Elafia, Sarkaz, and Vouivre, Medic frowned slightly:
"... Although W called her the Dragon Lady... I never expected her to be the real deal?"
If Medic's Bloodfiend senses weren't mistaken, what stood before her was a Draco... a member of the Victoria royal family... the legendary 'Red Dragon'.
A descendant of Elders?
Before Rhodes Island's little black cat could sort out her thoughts, Talulah drew her black longsword from her waist. As the flame-wrapped blade plunged into the ground, the Snowfield melted and steam billowed out.
Just as the thermal image of the Exploration Vehicle became a blurry mess, and footsteps around it formed a chaotic encirclement, Medic quickly grabbed the ruffled Rosemary with one hand and raised his other fist to stop Jessica from Exploration Vehicle... With the Shieldguards bearer and FrostNova protecting Medic in succession, the Reunion Movement soldiers hesitantly looked at their leader... The silver-haired Dragon Lady then met Medic's gaze:
"... Not an enemy? FrostNova, you've been kidnapped, so blink twice?"
Clearly, the silver-haired Dragon Lady's opening words completely dispelled the oppressive aura of her backlit entrance. Her voice, which seemed to instantly make her lose fifty points of intelligence, reminded Medic of a certain Sarkaz beauty who had been indulging in food, drink, and fun in the Exploration Vehicle and had even gained three pounds.
It's no wonder they're all from the same team; they're remarkably consistent in that they're both beautiful even without speaking.
Even as FrostNova and her Shieldguards lieutenant were having their brief conversation with Talulah, the Reunion Movement's operations seemed far from over.
If Talulah's main force was trying to surround Medic, and a group of crossbowmen pointing their weapons at them was still within Medic's tolerance, then the discovery that a third group had bypassed them and was trying to take a detour through the forest to reach the Exploration Vehicle... Medic couldn't stand it anymore.
As the little black cat from Rhodes Island released its grip, accompanied by a crisp electrical discharge, the Little Cat with Steel Wings rose into the air and hovered beside Medic. Then, Jessica, sensing something was amiss, began to rotate the Exploration Vehicle's turret again...
The loud roar of the Exploration Vehicle's engine starting again drew everyone's attention. When Medic met Talulah's gaze—who was no longer hostile but whose eyes still held a lingering distrust—she offered her usual business smile:
"If possible, please inform your men to stay away from my car... That distance is almost at the limit of my men's patience..."
Following the direction indicated by the black-haired Feline, and seeing that the steam lingered, FrostNova frowned and looked at Talulah:
"That's Originium Arts of the Skullshatterer, Talulah, you'd better make her stop."
"I didn't order her to act... Communications officer, contact the Skullshatterer, that vehicle isn't an enemy..."
Before Talulah speaking, a sudden explosion rang out.
Medic glanced back unexpectedly, and breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing it wasn't the sound of artillery fire... but then, sensing something was amiss, he tilted his head. Amidst the deafening echo, accompanied by a strange woman's angry curse, "W! You OOXX!", the Sarkaz beauty, whom Medic had just reminisced about for three seconds, appeared laughing on the side observation deck:
"Ara ara~ Isn't this the Skullshatterer? What are you up to, sneaking around like this?"
"... I also want to ask W, what are you doing? Suddenly dropping a bomb like this, do you want to die?!"
"No, no, no, it was you who sneaked up here, wasn't it? I was hired by the company that owns this car... I'm currently on probation for the position of head of the Disciplinary Department under the Human Resources Department ~ Protecting this ship is also my job~ I can't let you come on board so easily, otherwise if you crawl into the ship... with your ruthlessness, taking someone hostage would be really difficult for me."
Seeing W, despite his injured hand draped in a triangular bandage across his chest, still exuding an air of confidence, the Lupo girl, known as the 'Skullshatterer,' pulled down her bandage. As the mist behind her dissipated, she continued her furious roar:
"This company belongs to that person! Didn't you say that person killed the person you admired? Now you're the one who's been hired by this company?"
"... Oh... I almost forgot about it if you hadn't mentioned it..."
As the Skullshatterer unleashed his curses, W's expression turned somewhat serious. As the silver-haired Sarkaz gestured to Medic from afar as if to 'introduce' him, W said earnestly:
"This person... she seems to be in the same position as your intern, Minister."
As the PRTS inside the car connected to Medic's communication, W heard his minister's voice from behind.
[Same identity? Explain yourself...]
"She claims to have been taught by Kal'tsit... but she seems to regard Kal'tsit as an enemy? Like... a hatred on the level of one that led to the destruction of her family?"
"Aren't you the same?!"
After angrily rebuking her 'comrade' for betrayal, the girl named Lupo the Skullshatterer, seeing that W, the explosion maniac, had no intention of backing down, could only turn and glare at Medic, who was being protected by FrostNova.
He then turned and entered the thick fog that lingered for a long time, disappearing immediately.
After this incident, Medic's expression seemed to stiffen even more.
Because of the distance and the approaching darkness, Medic couldn't see very clearly... She was wondering if the explosion of W had scratched the exterior paint of the Exploration Vehicle.
As for Talulah interpreting it as the other party disliking her, that's probably not Medic's problem.
"Anyway, let's start by introducing ourselves again... I am the Human Resources Department at Rhodes Island, the head of the Emergency Medical Department, and also the person in charge of Rhodes Island's rescue efforts for the Ursus the Infected. You can call me Medic."
"We came to the Snowfield for only three things... the mission of Rhodes Island, the commission from Emperor Ursus... and the Pollution of the Demons."
Ignoring Talulah's furrowed brows, Medic examined the longsword up close, finding it to be merely a plain metallic black, not the 'brilliant black like the night sky' Ah Fu had described, before turning his gaze away.
"Miss Talulah... have you recently encountered any Demons Pollution... or rather, 'the Emperor's Blades'?"
P. S.: My eyes are a bit infected... I have a migraine... It might be because I rubbed my eyes with dirty hands... I feel like I'll have to go to the hospital if I'm not better by tomorrow... So I didn't finish writing today... I'll close my eyes and lie down for a bit... If it doesn't get better, I'll go to the hospital and come back to write more.
QAQ, I'm so sorry...
PS2: Meow Meow Cat
4th Crimson Warm Winter: Talulah's Personal Opinion (123)
Medic saw it clearly. If, at their first meeting, the woman named Talulah had some goodwill towards Medic because of FrostNova and the Shieldguards Guard, then after the little black cat from Rhodes Island uttered the word 'Inner Guards,' Talulah's eyes were filled with nothing but extreme wariness.
From the confusing and ambiguous conversations among the Reunion Movement behind her, Medic learned that this organization, lacking in Reunion Movement competence, was far from being 'Pollution by Demons,' and many of them didn't even understand what 'Inner Guards' was.
However, the word 'Emperor' elicited a strong reaction from them... Simply put, Medic, with just one word, garnered the suspicion of the Reunion Movement leader and a great deal of hostility from his combatants.
Unlike the previous emperor, who seized land through war and fed everyone, the current emperor faces the impact of the Originium Industrial Revolution and is severely marginalized by the corrupt Old Nobility forces. In fact, when he first ascended the throne, the saying that his decrees didn't even extend beyond Saint Petersburg was no joke.
But those the Infected don't care about your troubles.
Even if you, Emperor, suffer greatly, can you compare to the suffering of the Infected is abandoned by their country, feared by their family, and hunted by their army?
They believe their current predicament is entirely due to the cold and ruthless Ursus... and what kind of good person could the emperor of such a country be?!
Medic could understand their thinking... like the gangsters on the streets of Columbia, sometimes they appear to be just a mob... perhaps simply because this land treats them with violence and it works effectively, so they act like a mirror, reflecting the most powerful force they can perceive—violence itself.
It's not that they don't want better solutions, but rather that often they are unaware that other 'methods' exist on this land.
So even though he was immediately ordered to leave, Medic wasn't angry... The assassin wouldn't waste thoughts that might affect his actions on these... completely ignorant people.
The focus is on Talulah herself.
According to Medic, whether it is the quality of her clothing and weapons or her demeanor and speech, Talulah is clearly a highly educated intellectual.
Based on the remaining aristocratic ribbons on her military uniform, she probably received not just ordinary higher education... but rather aristocratic education that better suited the needs of the ruling class.
After all, Medic was used to seeing her tendency to suspect conspiracy in everything.
Being suspected is nothing to me, after all, I didn't really have the good intentions to travel thousands of miles just to run to Ursus Icefield to do a good deed... But even if there is no love or hate without a reason on this land, if everyone who reaches out to me is seen as having 'malicious intentions'... then I might as well not live my life.
Medic privately concluded that if Talulah were left unchecked, she would eventually become a terrorist who would turn against the entire world.
After all, putting aside whether there is any evidence to prove that others are hostile to you... if you take the initiative to act with the entire land as your hypothetical enemy, then your enemy is the entire land.
Fortunately, aside from Medic, who was watching Talulah's dilemma and didn't want to say anything, there were still FrostNova and Shieldguards, who had indeed run into Rhodes Island and confirmed each other's strength and behavior along the way.
Medic didn't need to explain his purpose to Talulah with words; Rhodes Island's Human Resources Department Special Operations Group had already demonstrated through concrete actions that they were not just empty talkers.
Regarding Talulah's concern that "the other party might have ill intentions," FrostNova said:
"But they had medicine, and they also brought food and other much-needed supplies."
"I know those fickle bandits make you, Talulah, hesitant to trust others easily... but think about it carefully, maybe you don't need to force yourself to believe them. What if her good intentions are just an act?"
"The medicine and treatment we received were genuine... Compared to those thieves and robbers who pretended to be good people, joined us, and then stole supplies, aren't these people who seem more like bad guys to us more real than those we've met before?"
Listening to FrostNova's words, Talulah frowned and glanced at the kitten being led by Medic, who, upon noticing that she had been looked at, slightly frowned, flicked its ears, and glared at Little Cat...
That was clearly a child who looked soft and fluffy, like a cloud... Talulah found it hard to believe that he was actually a powerful warlock who could suppress Patriot and almost wipe out the entire Shieldguards outside.
As for the Rhodes Island manager who called herself a 'medic,' although her logic was indeed flawless, and judging from the way FrostNova and the Shieldguards lieutenant agreed with her, her actions had indeed brought considerable benefits to her fellow the Infected... but it was precisely because of this that Talulah felt they must have ulterior motives.
Every gift from fate comes with a hidden price. After years of struggling in the Snowfield Talulah no longer believes that such a thing as a free lunch really exists.
"I still maintain the same attitude. It's highly unusual for an international company capable of dispatching large vehicles to come to Snowfield with nothing...
"Let's make it clear before we go: we have no money, and our so-called dignity has been lost in the long process of fleeing, leaving only the desire to survive. We can't give you anything... so it's better if you don't have any expectations of 'investing' in us."
"We won't give you any guarantees. If you can accept that, I'll allow Rhodes Island members to enter the Reunion Movement settlement... Of course, you'd better park your cars somewhere far away... I don't want to wake up to find a car full of Marines shoving weapons in my mouth."
Seeing that Medic didn't object to the end, Talulah turned around without changing her expression, then hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Finally, here's a piece of advice... The Reunion Movement is currently only barely holding together because of the idea that 'The Infected should help each other.' So, it's best for non- the Infected not to act on their own... Although they are a minority, there are indeed those who blame all their misfortunes on ordinary people."
"Once you're ready, FrostNova will take you to the settlement. Remember, don't drive this large vehicle with the cannon into my settlement... I'll go inform the village to prepare guest rooms first. Also, please give me a list of your arrivals. Remember to have the Yeti and the Shieldguards accompany you, otherwise we will not be responsible for any accidents."
Seeing Talulah leave without a second thought, Rosemary, who had listened to the whole thing, scratched Medic's palm with her cat ears. Then, Little Feline tilted her head slightly and asked in confusion:
"So, in the end, she never answered our question? About the Pollution... that thing about the sharp blade..."
"Clearly, the leader of the Reunion Movement is also allergic to the word 'Emperor'... However, it seems alright; she's probably just refusing to answer any questions because she doesn't trust us."
Picking up Rosemary and handing the report-sending task to Huang, Medic sighed.
"To continue acting this way even with FrostNova and Shieldguards as witnesses, aside from the undeniably cold first impression, it must also be related to internal issues within Reunion Movement... Remember that sorcerer who manipulated mist and was just driven out by W with bombs?"
"... That one, the one who looks really bad?"
Rosemary's words left Medic somewhat dumbfounded. Who taught the Little Cat the word "very bad"?
Without time to question Huang, who had secretly taken two steps away, Medic said seriously to Rosemary:
"Individual strength is not the ultimate factor in determining victory or defeat... Little Cat, what you should notice is that Reunion Movement is actually not a tightly knit organization... Yeti, Shieldguards, Crossbowmen, Assassins... and then there are Talulah's followers... Just from what we've seen, Reunion Movement has more than five parts... For a quasi-military organization, it's far too loose."
"Hey, do you think it's appropriate to say something like that to me?"
While angrily retorting, FrostNova walked over with her lips pursed:
"Then, Talulah isn't actually a cold person at all... She's warmer than anyone else, like a fire that can melt away the ice and snow... She gave us determination and hope when we were most lost."
"But that doesn't change the fact that the Reunion Movement is essentially a bunch of slightly trained thugs. From what I've seen so far, I think your huge military organization of thousands of people, excluding your various cadres, is less capable of fighting the regular army of Ursus than even the militia."
"Well, actually, out of the thousand or so members of the Reunion Movement, only three hundred received full military training... And I didn't mean to deny it... It doesn't really matter how you look at it, right? Compared to that, Talulah doesn't really want to let you in. Medic, what are your thoughts? Let me make this clear, I'm not trying to Talulah, I genuinely want you to go to the settlement... There are really many people there who need your help."
Seeing FrostNova's anxious expression, which involved fidgeting with her fingers like a young girl, Medic maintained his usual businesslike poker face.
Even FrostNova, who rarely pays attention to others, could vaguely sense that Medic might be a little angry.
"Normally... for a typical medical team, as long as it belongs to a reputable company, canceling the activity is the proper response we should take upon realizing that a team member's life may be threatened..."
"Ha, just an average team..."
"Clearly, we can't be called 'ordinary.' Rather, it's unusual that a science popularization team that also conducts charitable medical activities would be equipped with combat power, equipment, and supplies at our level."
"It's no wonder Talulah finds us strange; we really are... The Exploration Vehicle itself is top-of-the-line enough to traverse the Scorched Windlands... Moreover, our combat strength, just the Rosemary on the table, is enough to force Talulah to handle her relationship with us carefully."
"Perhaps in her eyes, we were just big bad guys who said 'we're here to help you' while carrying weapons, as if we would kill their whole family if they did anything to displease her..."
"Are you using words to describe yourself?"
FrostNova subtly rolled her eyes. Then, with a 'beep beep' sound behind her, she whirled around. It was a call from the Exploration Vehicle from Blaze.
"It's all settled... Su Sulo and Folinic will be here by truck soon. Franka's vacation is still ongoing. Jessica and Liskarm are coming instead... The Exploration Vehicle key has been handed over to Yato. The A4 Action Group will take care of those two new departments for you."