Chapter 119

Listening to Huang's description, Medic nodded repeatedly, but finally showed some hesitation:

"... Where's W? We're at her house now, why isn't she going home to report to work? What's she planning to do sitting in our car?"

"Um... she said she wasn't stupid, why would she switch to a small car that would throw her around so much when there was a big car to ride in? That's what she said..."

W's attitude left me speechless, but... just like this static beauty who actively drove away the Skullshatterer without anyone telling her or her onboarding... W, as the Infected, is free.

Medic can't control her slacking off right now. But once she meets Kal'tsit, Medic decides to send her on every mission to the places where there's no room for laziness... otherwise, she'll always feel like she's missing out.

As the Reunion Movement's armed forces withdrew, leaving behind only a few informants... the sun completely sank below the horizon, and the last rays of sunlight were swallowed by the earth.

But the nights in the Ursus Snowfield are not dark; the brilliant Milky Way hangs eternally high in the sky.

However, the temperature on the Snowfield drops rapidly at night. Just as Medic felt sorry for the Little Cat and huddled together with her next to Huang, shivering... Su Sulo, who had temporarily asked the Welfare Department to work overtime to load goods, found Medic and his team with a truckload of supplies and medicines, as well as a complete set of the Infected testing equipment, using PRTS's location.

However, what was unexpected was that the driver wasn't Liskarm, but Jessica, who looked like she was about to cry.

"Then that..."

"Alright, that's enough... Good job, Jessica... I'm so glad you didn't drive the car into the ditch... I remember there were quite a few traps left by the Reunion Movement Sentinels before they left the road..."

"Really."

Shrinking her neck slightly, Jessica, also a black cat... but with a bluish-purple tinge compared to Medic, gave Medic a shy smile:

"However, as long as there is moonlight or Starlight, I can still see things to some extent."

"After all, we are Feline... Our physical strength is inferior to other races, and the only things we can be proud of are our hearing and eyesight."

Even Jessica seemed to find Medic's "I'm just a regular Feline" statement somewhat unbearable, effectively shutting down the topic within three sentences.

Medic tucked the Little Cat into the passenger seat, then nodded to FrostNova:

"Let's set off, our destination: the settlement of the Reunion Movement."

After crossing the hillside, soon, scattered lights dotted the dark earth, and with the Shieldguards' whistles, torches were lit along the barely visible road in the Snowfield... Jessica drove carefully along these markings.

As Medic looked at the road ablaze with fire, she suddenly realized that although the Infected's 'home' wasn't as grand, or... spectacular, as any of the Mobile Landmass.

But on this boundless Snowfield, hundreds of people, holding torches or flashlights, watched as vehicles loaded with medicine and supplies slowly drove into the village. Their heads, which had been bowed, involuntarily lifted, and a light suddenly shone in their dim eyes...

That was the color of hope, like an inverted Milky Way.

PS: There's one more chapter, but I don't know when I'll finish it... I feel like I suddenly have brainstem deficiency, that feeling of wanting to describe a certain scene but being unable to think of the words... It feels like I'm possessed by Demons.

PS2: Waaah, kitty... We're really running out of cat pictures, we can't just keep playing them on repeat, right? Maybe we should go somewhere and get some more...

The 4th Crimson Warm Winter: 124 The Weight of History

With the addition of Su Sulo and Jessica, the advance team from Medic, who had spent the day scouting and playing hide-and-seek with the Reunion Movement sentinels, was finally able to rest.

Because Talulah forbids Exploration Vehicle from entering the vicinity of the Reunion Movement Camp, Medic and the others can only rest in the 'temporary dormitory' arranged by Talulah if they want to stay.

Actually, considering the well-being of both the Little Cat and the big cat Huang the next day, Medic should return to the Exploration Vehicle...

After all, regardless of the physical or environmental conditions, the conditions of the Exploration Vehicle that Medic personally handled and even used his connections with the Security Bureau to obtain were definitely better than those of the Reunion Movement, who were eating dirt in the Snowfield.

However, neither Medic nor Huang are the kind of delicate creatures who can't get out of bed the next day if they don't sleep in for a day, and the Little Cat doesn't seem too willing to go back alone... As a child who has just turned twelve, Rosemary is still full of curiosity about everything unknown.

Whether it was the Snowfield under the night sky or the people and things she had never seen before... everything about Little Cat Reunion Movement attracted this child. After entering the Reunion base, even though Medic was still holding her hand, the white-haired girl couldn't resist touching and looking around, as if the whole land was open for her to explore.

As the Reinforcements member leading the way brought everyone to an area near the center of the camp, FrostNova's expression grew increasingly strange:

"I didn't expect Talulah to be such a repressed pervert..."

"Oh? Tell me more?"

Seemingly having overheard the gossip, Huang, carrying her weapon case, instantly perked up. Although FrostNova was now able to take a hot shower after preparing thanks to Medic's treatment, it was still too hot for a severely Oripathy with a body temperature of only 27 degrees Celsius to be near Huang.

"You... stay a little further away from me..."

Using Medic as a shield between herself and Hoshiguma, FrostNova then gestured to a few little ones who were secretly watching from a distance but were quickly led away by the adults:

"That Talulah, she said she was afraid Rhodes Island had ulterior motives blah blah blah... but in the end, she still put you guys in the central area."

"Central area?"

"Yes, this is also the area where Talulah's core supporters and their families reside... She probably wants you to treat the people in this area first, and besides, this is indeed the safest and best-living area in our region."

As she spoke, she pushed open the door to the longhouse, which was assembled from logs. FrostNova skillfully lit an oil lamp, which was the only light source in the house.

Although it was somewhat impolite, Huang took out his flashlight and shone it into the darkness out of a sense of duty. The dark shadows that had been there were now clear to everyone; they were tables, chairs, and benches of various styles. On the wall near the entrance, there was a wooden blackboard with math problems still on it.

"... The answer is forty-two?"

Medic patted the Little Cat that was smugly praising him and chuckled as he affirmed Rosemary's calculations... However, this was, after all, just a simple linear equation in two variables. If the children of the Reunion Movement were learning this kind of thing, didn't that mean they weren't very old?

Just as Medic was distracted, FrostNova glared at Hoshiguma, who was starting to examine the corner. Seeing that Hoshiguma, also the Infected, was handling the tables and chairs relatively gently, she only glared at her and then did nothing more. FrostNova then turned her attention back to Medic.

"This is a school... Although we don't have many elderly people and children here, there are still some. Aside from migration and daily chores, the children have to come to school in the afternoons. Talulah has arranged a teacher here; she also comes to teach the children history or answer questions when she has free time."

"... history...")

Seeing the way Medic tilted his head, Frost Star also tilted his head as if he was infected. The white rabbit ears and the black cat ears bounced together, and they swung wildly. Obviously, the rabbit ears have an innate advantage.

"What's wrong with history?"

"It's nothing, it's just that Ah Fu also teaches history to Aili and Xiya."

FrostNova simply shrugged at Medic's remark; she didn't seem to have any particular feelings about history as a subject.

After all, if she just wanted to hear stories, she could proudly say that even now, long into adulthood, none of the stories her adoptive father, Patriot, told were the same.

"Perhaps it's just that this is what she's good at. After all, Talulah doesn't seem to come from a poor family, does she? And much of the knowledge she has in the city is useless in the wilderness. Maybe she just doesn't have anything else to talk about."

"And don't be fooled by her being so petty with you today; she only gets angry at strangers. A teacher at school... who is also Talulah's friend, told me the same thing when we first met."

"Talulah used to be someone who couldn't even farm properly, so it's normal that she only knows how to teach her children history from books."

Watching FrostNova's eloquent explanation, which was mainly for Talulah's sake, Medic smiled and nodded in agreement. However, regarding FrostNova had clearly underestimated the subject.

Medic believes that a person's identification with 'history' determines their 'mental outlook'.

It might sound a bit odd coming from someone with amnesia, since Medic doesn't even know what kind of person she was before she lost her memory... But later, her agent had the ICA add history courses for countries like Columbia to her... Medic believes this is the origin of her ability to shed her pure assassin identity, which is like that of a 'suicide squad,' and achieve what she has today.

Medic... Agent Number Seventy-Seven's identity is known through history, and because of his Columbia nationality, he identifies himself as a descendant of the pioneers.

Although she had no idea about her parents' situation or even their names, 'history' gave Nana an anchor for her identity.

Therefore, Medic believes that people have the freedom to pursue happiness. She firmly believes that as long as the people of this land strive and work hard like the people of that country, then the paradise in Laterano Church will surely rise from the earth by people's hands, just like the history of Columbia's rise.

Similarly, although Aili and Xiya are Sarkaz have never had a good life, despite their young age, they already possess the same resilience as Kazdel, living optimistically in any harsh environment.

And being able to meet the Rhodes Island crew as war zone orphans with little education, the two children behaved... so obediently that it was heartbreaking.

Medic believes that the reason they can still retain their childlike innocence today, besides the unwavering support of the refugee community and the kindness shown to the two children... is that they haven't become like W, merely static beauties... clearly, Ah Fu's education and the resilience of Kazdel's four reconstructions have played a significant role in this.

But if you think about it the other way around, if you want to know what kind of person Talulah is and how to get closer to her... Medic just needs to listen to Talulah's lectures and he'll probably understand.

With this little incident, Huang quickly finished inspecting the rooms in this 'school':

"Medic, I've finished my inspection here... It's a completely wooden room, without even flooring. It's secured with mortise and tenon joints, and the wall gaps are filled with moss for insulation..."

"The good news is that there's enough space indoors to store the equipment, and enough open space outside to store supplies... but the bad news is..."

"This room might be very cold at night."

Hearing the two say that, FrostNova lowered her ears shyly and scratched her earlobe as she did so.

"After all, this is just a school converted from a warehouse... Children only come here for classes during the day, and occasionally our integration cadres use it as a meeting room... I can have my men burn some stones and bring them in to make your nights a little more comfortable. How about we build you a heater tomorrow?"

"Actually, it's not a big problem. I can have Su Sulo bring a stove over when she goes to transport supplies... It's quite simple to assemble, as long as you don't mind us having to make a hole in the house."

Upon hearing Medic's words, FrostNova's ears immediately perked up, and the White Rabbit nodded happily, saying:

"As long as it doesn't cause structural damage that would prevent us from relocating and using it again, that's obviously not a problem!"

"After all, we'll be starting Oripathy screenings for the surrounding people from this point after dawn... You'll be the ones who can't stand taking off your clothes without a heater... Also, FrostNova, please inform Reunion Movement to clear out two more rooms... While you can have IV drips in your own cabins or tents, surgery... still needs to be taken seriously... Two rooms, one for the operating room, and the other for preparation, resuscitation, or storing corpses..."

Hearing Medic's blunt statement, FrostNova's lips twitched slightly, a hint of unease in her expression.

"Okay... I'll pass the message on..."

"Finally, we just need to wait for the supplies to arrive, but until then... the examination room can't be this messy..."

Stepping on the dry moss, lichen, and mixed leaves underfoot, Medic took out medical masks from his bag and distributed them to the others.

"Huang, go and make a hole for a chimney in this room. Little Cat, bring in a Tactical Unit..."

Seeing the Little Cat's confused expression, Medic put on his mask and continued:

"Let's compact the ground and then lay down a sterile, moisture-proof plastic blanket... There are tent kits in the vehicle for camping in Originium- Pollution environments... I'll send a message to Yato to find them... Although we probably won't need tents since there's a house, treating Oripathy and isolating the land from Pollution is still necessary..."

Seeing FrostNova's tilted head and smile, which seemed as smooth as a mirror, clearly indicating she couldn't understand why things had to go through so much trouble, Medic patiently explained:

"Otherwise, the removed Originium or the excised active substances will circulate in the living environment, and your Oripathy will naturally become more and more severe."

"... Will... will it?"

"Yes, that's why we were hired to educate people about this... The people of Ursus lack basic knowledge about this disease. But it's okay, we're here now."

After Medic finished speaking, Huang started the chainsaw with a smile. At the same time, Little Cat called Andy, who could assist Little Cat in operating the Tactical Unit with extremely high precision.

As the noisy renovation work, drawing a crowd of the Infected, began, the conversion of Rhodes Island's temporary Oripathy clinic commenced!

Thus, with Jessica and Liskarm taking turns driving, the vehicle's engine swung back and forth like a pendulum. As dawn broke, the members of Reunion Movement saw the brand-new 'school'.

Although it is still that simple wooden house fixed with mortise and tenon joints, the outer wall is still covered with rudimentary lichen and dry moss, and the windows are not glass but huge holes blocked with wooden boards... It's okay when there is no wind in the afternoon, but if the weather is a little worse, the children will shiver in the classroom... This is not the first or second time they have complained.

However, life for the Reunion Movement has always been tough. Even with Talulah channels, the supplies and items they can obtain are extremely limited...

Because of the minerals in the mines, the price of them in Ursus has been declining ever since the Infected began being driven into the mines to work. This phenomenon has rapidly worsened with the entry of state-sponsored violent agencies such as the 'Infected Enforcement Squad'.

The reason given by the Old Nobility of Ursus for this was 'to catch up with the Originium industrialization of foreign countries'.

Even the New Nobility were fortunate to have factory profit margins that made their consciences uneasy, thanks to this situation.

Even setting aside the political situation in Ursus that Medic has analyzed countless times, just considering the idea of making money from Originium like Orirock Cube, one would have to export the goods outside of Ursus and then exchange them back for Ursus's own currency using foreign exchange like Lungmen Dollar.

Alternatively, one could purchase equipment to further process the minerals, or turn these minerals into industrial products, which would certainly increase the price... But if one could do all that, the Reunion Movement wouldn't be called a 'movement' anymore; it would be more appropriate to rename it Reunification Mining or Reunification Heavy Industry.

However, the truth is that the legitimate mining companies and heavy industrial enterprises in Ursus, and those who gathered around the emperor for various reasons, even though they had already made a lot of money from the Originium industry, were still looked down upon by the nobles who controlled the land, public opinion, and part of the army, and were reluctantly called 'New Nobility'.

Even if the 'New Nobility' set aside their business conflicts and work together to overcome difficulties, the greatest improvement they can make to the country's deep-seated prejudices is nothing more than hiring a company that had shone in Columbia three years ago to handle the problem of the Infected... and then having them tour the country to explain to the people what Oripathy is... nothing more.

Just as Talulah felt that Rhodes Island wasn't simply there to do good deeds, Medic understood that the emperor must have ulterior motives for allowing Rhodes Island to so openly enter the Northwest Snowfield, where the Infected problem was most severe... But, just as Rhodes Island was able to accept the Ursus emperor's use, Medic believed that as long as these the Infected sincerely understood that he was indeed acting in their best interests, then gaining the recognition and assistance of the Reunion Movement was only a matter of time.

Thus, Medic did not take the failed conversation with Talulah to heart.

She wanted to prove with her actions that even if she truly harbored ulterior motives, the Reunion Movement would willingly become a deep partner of Rhodes Island.

Medic wanted to give Talulah a reason she couldn't refuse.

Let's start with this clinic.

With a 'snap' as the wooden door was removed by Huang, a queuing corridor made of plastic and a 'disinfection room' appeared in the square, arranged by the white-haired Feline.

Medic met Su Sulo and Folinic's gazes inside the house. Although the two had been busy for a long time last night, they had managed to rest for a few hours in their sleeping bags in this room...

Now, after a final check of the equipment and supplies they would need, Su Sulo carefully reattached the medical badge to her Velcro armband, and Medic turned and left the room through another 'exit'.

After nodding to the Shieldguards surrounding her as a greeting, the little black cat from Rhodes Island stood on the platform that had originally been the 'school'... Last night, Blaze had cleared out all the tables, chairs, and benches.

Scanning the expectant or anxious gazes below, Medic spotted Talulah watching from a street corner alongside another Elafia girl. He then picked up the megaphone Liskarm had brought the night before.

"Then, I will explain to you the details of Rhodes Island's cooperation with the Reunion Movement..."

P. S.: The circuit breaker blew up... I managed to flip it back on... but the lights and power indicator keep flashing... Just to be safe, I'll quickly finish this chapter and then shut down the computer and wait for the electrician...

I have gained a deeper understanding of the phrase "misfortunes never come singly".

In short, that temporary chapter may remain in existence for another dozen hours... or even longer.

My scalp is tingling.

PS2: Meow meow meow.

This is a scene that Aili and Xiya are expected to appear in after returning to Rhodes Island. Aili, feeling utterly hopeless because she can't beat her sister in the game (imagined) ↑

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 125 Clinic Visits

Providing a concise and clear explanation is a technical skill.