Chapter 126

Talulah shook her head firmly this time regarding what FrostNova was worried about:

"That's unlikely... Koschei is obsessed with Ursus itself... Although he speaks eloquently about Ursus and even the top-tier forces outside the former Eagle Dynasty, his tone is mostly contemptuous... I think cooperation with the Sarkaz Council is highly improbable."

"So, it was that committee that was testing us?"

Seeing FrostNova looking at him, Medic waved the Terminal in his hand. The constantly updating tactical panel on it was a report obtained by drones through Jessica's mediation.

While traces of activity from a third party beyond the Snake Scales can indeed be seen in the surrounding woods, whether those traces were left by the Sarkaz officer and his troops whom the author had met briefly remains to be verified.

"In other words, although we know who's targeting us, we haven't made any progress other than eliminating a bunch of cannon fodder that just keeps coming back?"

Somewhat annoyed, Talulah rubbed her ears. On the other hand, opposite FrostNova, Talulah seemed much more relaxed... Compared to FrostNova, who only now knew about the Snake Scales, Talulah revealed the secret she had kept hidden in her heart. Now she had friends and reinforcements... Not only did she have food and supplies brought by the Exploration Vehicle, but her companions also had professional doctors to take care of them. This was probably the most relaxed time Talulah experienced in recent years.

"Well... it can't be said that there's been no progress at all. We've learned about the enemy, and their methods of interference... Let's leave aside the Sarkaz's enemies lurking in the shadows, but regarding the Snake Scales' harassment... Little Tal, perhaps we should move on again." Zero

Seeing Talulah frown again, seemingly unwilling, Alina gently took her hand, her smile full of helplessness: Yes

"Escape is shameful, but it's useful... After cutting off the surveillance of the Snake Scales once, a relocation can bring at least half a year of peace... This is the survival tactic of the weak."

"Hmm... so, Talulah, is this your next plan to move and hide from the Black Snake?"

Seeing the Dragon Lady nod in affirmation of her question, the cat shook its ears, and even its tail, which resembled Lupo's, stood up and swayed from side to side:

"So, I wonder what you all think of my suggestion?"

"... You mean the suggestion to relocate directly to Columbia?"

Talulah, stroking her chin with some difficulty. Leaving Ursus might mean losing her ideological battle with Black Snake... But then, remembering Alina and Medic's previous discussion about 'ideologies,' 'persistence,' and 'goals,' Talulah realized that her goal had never been to defeat Black Snake.

The purpose of the Reunion Movement was to unite the Infected and help them survive in an increasingly harsh tyranny. Regardless of what kind of country Talulah ultimately wants to turn Ursus into, for now, all she needs to do is ensure everyone's survival.

Is the Reunion Movement weak? Of course it is... But as Alina comforted us, the weak have their own way of living... Talulah needs to consider is probably just the feelings of those avengers... that is, those who are determined to fight Ursus to the end.

After a moment's thought, the Dragon Lady of the Reunion Movement nodded to everyone present:

"Relocation is certain, but whether to go to Columbia... crossing the long Ursus Snowfield in winter, through Kazdel, Kazimierz, Sami and a series of other countries... this is no small matter, we need to consult with others."

"Alina, communicate this matter to the officers and the people in the settlement. The combat team will gather opinions and the officers will hold a meeting. As for the settlement, I'll leave it to you as usual Alina."

"Okay, leave it to me... After all, there's not much I can do to help."

As the little deer smiled and got up to leave, Medic continued:

"However, whether we move to a different location in the Snowfield or embark on a long march to Columbia... Talulah, we need to face a reality..."

"The Inner Guards have sealed off the area..."

The three representatives of the combat team fell silent. Medic was waiting for Talulah's attitude, while FrostNova was overcome with grief thinking of the Pollution Reunion Movement members... As for Talulah... Although Talulah had a basic understanding of the Inner Guards due to Koschei's education, it was only a literal understanding.

You suddenly tell her to fight a warrior from another the Dominion within her... She doesn't even know if her flames can burn away the distorted space.

After a moment of silence, Medic broke it first, looking at FrostNova:

"Should we try contacting Patriot? Your adoptive father was a warrior of the same era as Ah Fu... and given his long history of fighting for Ursus, he might be able to offer some advice not only on the Demons, but also on the 'Black Snake' issue."

"... That's a good idea, but according to FrostNova, Patriot seems to have gone to Saint Petersburg... Will he be able to receive our communications?"

"Rhodes Island alone might not be enough... but what if we use Ursus's Intercity Network?"

Reopen the Rhodes Island PRTS Terminal and adjust the interface to signal frequency modulation mode... Currently, the Rhodes Island Exploration Vehicle is passively receiving external signals in a 'silent' manner... After all, it is operating with the Reunion Movement, and if it continues to swagger around like it did at the beginning, it is likely to attract all sorts of random people.

Excluding the Landship belonging to the nobles, and relying on the need to suppress the Guerrillas in the Snowfield, the patrol ships of various army groups in Ursus are currently maintaining independent patrols in a scattered manner.

"Pay attention to their response range. The number of their numbers indicates how many Landship they can contact in the vicinity... The scattered patrols of these warships happen to form an information relay network that leads all the way to the eastern central hub... Although it seems that their job is only to block the Guerrillas' movement range, unlike the border patrol ships that often operate alone, the army group's warships need frequent resupply due to their endurance, and maintaining a communication network is necessary for the supply ships to transport supplies... Thus, although it is just a coincidence, they have formed a communication network that can directly reach Saint Petersburg."

"And if we had the Ursus army's communications number, given Ursus's sensitivity to identity verification, perhaps we could contact Patriot directly."

Although they didn't know why a pharmaceutical company employee would know so much about the data on the Ursus artillery destroyer, FrostNova and Talulah both looked at Medic's suggestion as if they were looking at a madman, upon realizing what he meant.

Since activating communication signifies the connection of system information, the walkie-talkie might be able to conceal her identity as a stranded Ursus infantryman, but according to Medic, she was preparing to use Rhodes Island's Exploration Vehicle to establish a communication network with Ursus.

Is this finally a sign that they're not going to pretend anymore?

Seeing that Talulah seemed to still be contemplating the boundaries of the universe and the Istina of all things, FrostNova frowned and said:

"Putting aside the possibility that doing this might expose Rhodes Island's possible collaboration with us... wanted criminals... just getting the Ursus army's communication codes would be difficult, wouldn't it? Or perhaps Rhodes Island possesses military communication codes granted by the Emperor?"

"How could that be? If that were the case, wouldn't Rhodes Island become the Ursus Emperor's private army... However, since you've already considered the Emperor's permission, should I remind you again? We already possess the Ursus communication code..."

"... Shieldguards? Aren't they already...?"

"He's already betrayed us? That's all in the past... Just like how I predicted in the past that Patriot would definitely be accepted by the Emperor and become New Nobility, balancing the political landscape of Ursus."

"As their subordinates, now that the Patriot have returned to the Ursus army, the Shieldguards' identification codes... if we don't use them, who knows if they've been restored?"

It's clear that Medic's attitude is basically "try it out, it's free"... But putting aside the fact that everyone was going to move anyway, Rhodes Island was already bearing the risk of being discovered for impersonating the military, so Talulah found it hard to refuse this offer.

As for why the usually cautious Medic suddenly made such a seemingly superficial suggestion... it's because of the meaning behind the Ursus fleet's response signal.

Talulah may not know, but Medic's briefing made it very clear that the Ursus army in the northwestern Snowfield, its Third Army, was supported by the Old Nobility and likely included 'Snake Scales' as 'enemies'.

Meanwhile, the emperor's supporters, the Fifth Army, which was controlled by the Council, were also active in the northwestern Snowfield.

Somewhat coincidentally, the timing of the Fifth Army's mobilization towards the Snowfield almost perfectly matched the time the Emperor contacted Rhodes Island... This makes it hard for Medic not to see it as the Emperor's overseer... that is, a potential partner with shared interests.

Of course, Medic didn't expect the poorly regarded Ursus Army Group to directly engage the opposition despite the pressure from the nobles, but if it was just a matter of helping to activate a call transponder... considering Patriot, this heavily armored Wendigo, had returned to the Empire, those soldiers should do Medic a favor.

After briefly explaining the underlying logic of her suggestion to Talulah and FrostNova simply blinked and then bluntly stated that she had nothing to stop her from doing so.

As for Talulah, although she still harbored reservations about contacting the Ursus government, after Medic reiterated what constituted an 'enemy' and Talulah's own 'goals,' the Dragon Lady somewhat resigned herself to her fate and agreed.

"Alright, I have to admit you've convinced me... but for safety reasons, I'd like to wait until the relocation is almost finished before taking such a risky step..."

"Of course, and... if your relocation doesn't go smoothly, Rhodes Island can also offer some assistance..."

Listening to Medic's words, Talulah silently opened the tent.

On the already brightened horizon, a backlit steel Beasts lay prone in the direction of dawn. Meanwhile, the Reunion Movement members were discussing whether to remain in the Snowfield to fight the increasingly frequent attacks of the Ursus army, or to retreat and end it all... This discussion was fraught with anxiety.

Just as Medic felt it was time to say goodbye and check on the clinic, W appeared out of his blind spot in a few steps, calling out to Medic with his usual smile:

"Me... Ugh, your name is really unlucky... I'll just call you Boss... Boss, there are some small issues you need to handle."

Ignoring Sarkaz's unpleasant remark—that she could only be a static beauty—Medic urged her to get to the point:

"What minor problem?"

"The people handling the relocation aren't honest. Some of them have been eyeing your car and the things inside... Especially now that the relocation is imminent, there are definitely people planning to steal your car and run away... Shouldn't you be more careful?"

W tossed a voice recorder at him; it was a product used by Rhodes Island.

Medic fumbled for the 'evidence' and looked around at their 'home' in the Snowfield:

"If it's just a 'thought'... that's fine... but if it involves taking action... then just handle it like Mercenaries."

"Oh, I see! A compliant and legal counterattack, right? I like this kind of direct work~"

PS: I've finally finished writing the part for those who aren't fans of the original work... Next up is a hodgepodge of the Inner Guards, Demons, and even the Black Snake.

The integration of the riots... that is, the Chernobog Incident, has essentially been deleted from its source... When the Doctor is awakened, although there will still be fighting and killing along the way, it will probably be due to other reasons.

SP2: Waaaaa Cat

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 132nd Duke Koschei

Cat knows that sending people who are already in poor condition across tens of thousands of kilometers is something that really needs to be carefully considered and approached with utmost caution.

Even without considering any camouflage, the group still needed to traverse the majestic snow-capped mountains of Ursus - Sami and cross the humid marshes of Sami - Kazimierz... Even with the strong winds of the Columbia Wilderness, in winter, this was no easier than surviving in the Northwestern Ursus Snowfields.

But Medic knew that the outcome of the matter was already decided the moment Talulah hesitated. As long as Talulah, being a flame, continued to pursue the light, Columbia, with its most favorable policies for the Infected, was an unavoidable choice... because there was hope there.

Before the Reunion Movement's leaders could reach a decision on the matter of going to Columbia, they had already begun relocating to avoid Ursus's continued pursuit.

The organizational structure of the Reunion Movement, based on a combination of 'cadres', 'combat troops', and 'troop families', is essentially an alliance of multiple the Guerrillas... Due to differences in training levels, the various groups also exhibited differences in preparation time for deployment that left Medic scratching his head.

In contrast to the Shieldguards, who could set off in just forty minutes with the fastest preparation speed, Alina's Reunion Movement 'Reunion Movement items, because they had to dismantle the wooden houses and assemble the wood into sleds for easy transport of supplies. This was after other teams had gradually finished their own tasks.

Medic was prepared for a direct confrontation with the Old Nobility Faction of Ursus, but Rosemary did not see any large-scale march until the 'Assault Squad' and 'Yeti' escorted everyone and set off along the marks of the Shieldguards Guards.

The good news is that Medic no longer seems to have to worry about the Exploration Vehicle being caught up in the brutal artillery battle, but the bad news is... she has also lost track of the Sarkaz revenge force.

"Since the immortal Black Snake is known for its mind-interference magic, it's highly likely that it possesses Originium magic similar to telepathy... So Talulah, no matter how you hide, you'll be found. It's very likely that the Black Snake has an 'insider' within the organization..."

"But I don't understand why the Sarkaz inexplicably added the Carrion Eaters Snake Scales... Logically, since they activated the spell last night, they should have already been close to the casting range..."

But Jessica didn't find anything at night, and the Little Cat couldn't find them during the day either, which made Medic very uneasy.

Talulah smiled and waved to the roof of the slowly advancing Exploration Vehicle in the distance. After bidding farewell to Alina, she watched as Rhodes Island's large black cat drove a clearly military armored vehicle to the side, and shrugged indifferently.

"I thought you were the type who always seemed confident... The Sarkaz aren't brainwashed Snake Scales that only fight to the death. Is it possible they left as soon as they saw my flames?"

Glancing at Talulah's overly optimistic expression, Medic flicked its tail in annoyance:

"... That's what I'm worried about. If there's anything more terrifying than an elite force disappearing... it's that behind that force, there are countless similar forces lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush them."

"So, you're still worried about Black Snake's cooperation with the Sarkaz?"

"Sometimes cooperation doesn't require any special agreement. Black Snake himself may have the dignity unique to the Ursus Nobility, but as a unit, Snake Scales only needs to achieve specific objectives."

"Now, the Snake Scales want to crush the Ursus refugees to make you agree with the Black Snake's ideas, while the Sarkaz pursuers are targeting Rhodes Island's rescue mission."

"They don't even need any deep cooperation; as long as they don't interfere with each other, the pressure they exert on us is enough to exceed the threshold..."

"Rhodes Island only has two squads of combat-ready personnel at most, and the Reunion Movement's members capable of fighting against Snake Scales, aside from former regular army members like the Shieldguards, almost entirely rely on the individual strength of their 'cadres'..."

"... This is how we've always lived."

"So you keep losing people... because you've never understood your purpose or seen the enemy clearly, and that's why you've always been used by those with ulterior motives."

"Even though you've been deep in the Snowfield, all Rhodes Island has heard about on their way here, whether in the east or the south, is the name of the Reunion Movement..."

"... If that weren't the case, how would the Reunion Movement replenish its ranks...?"

Seeing that Talulah was still being stubborn, Medic continued without any politeness:

"That's why I said you haven't strayed from the path Black Snake laid out for you at all... If you don't control the battlefield of public opinion, your enemies will. Have you ever thought about why Black Snake keeps promoting the Reunion Movement for you? Why are the Ursus warships so densely packed in the northwestern Snowfield allowed to run rampant by various the Guerrillas?"

"He is instilling hatred into the Reunion Movement, and he is allowing those the Infected are called the Guerrillas but are actually bandits to sever ties with the people at the bottom of society who should be on the same side as them."

"Think about what will happen if this situation develops to the end. All the Infected will be in danger, and those who are violently persecuted will become the most selfish people."

"And those they harm... whether in cities or villages, there will be no place for the Infected to stand. Even if they themselves become the Infected if they are not careful, it will not stop them from using violence against all the Infected..."

"What will you do when you're finally cornered? Attack the Mobile City? Even if you succeed... Ursus will only be behold the most tyrannical ruler ever..."

Talulah made no comment on Medic's reasoning, simply watching the Exploration Vehicle carrying the critically ill members gradually disappear into the distance, as if tacitly acknowledging Medic's speculation. The silver-haired red dragon remained silent.

Talulah and Medic didn't say another word until Liskarm, having adjusted its communication equipment to the Shieldguards identification code, poked its head out.

"Medic, communication system in place... The Originium Dust interference here in the Snowfield isn't strong, but even with my Originium Arts, our communication range with the Exploration Vehicle is about twenty kilometers, which is pretty much the limit."

"Yes, that's enough. Thank you for your hard work..."

Watching Medic take the microphone and begin checking the PRTS system's call spoofing and the Shieldguards's identification code, Talulah curiously peered inside. Compared to Rhodes Island's all-glass digital display system, Talulah's impression of high-tech equipment was still limited to Ursus features like various knobs and complex dashboards.

"... When contacting Patriot, shouldn't we have FrostNova verify our identities?"

"Whether his identity is verified or not is unimportant. Patriot pride themselves on Shield of the Infected. As long as we are genuinely solving problems for the Infected, he will surely share everything he knows."

"Besides, FrostNova is busy too, isn't she? Because of her treatment, she hasn't had any personal space lately. This can lead to emotional distress for the patient over time, which isn't good for treatment..."

As Medic smoothly completed all the pre-call verifications, Talulah watched as Medic set up transfer targets one by one, observing the Ursus fleet forming a network on the simplified Snowfield terrain map on the screen. Finally, the line pointed directly to Saint Petersburg.

"Do we really have to do this...? If we're exposed, Rhodes Island will anger all the Old Nobility."

Looking back at Talulah, who seemed to be still hesitating, Medic simply shoved the microphone into the Dragon Lady's hand.

"This is the biggest problem with your actions all along... You only see your enemies, but apart from the Old Nobility, have you seen anyone you can unite with?"

Despite Talulah's deep-seated prejudice against 'nobility' and her utter dislike for the current 'emperor' whom she deemed utterly incapable of governing, Medic's words resonated with her. This 'daughter of a duke,' who had initially severed all ties with the term 'nobility,' began to ponder... whether she had indeed missed out on many things.

Is the idea of completely breaking free from the Black Snake and sticking to one's own beliefs really just childish whims...? Talulah didn't know. She just watched Medic press the communication button. All she knew was that from this moment on, a completely new path lay before her.

Hearing the Ursus soldier's routine questions coming from the vehicle's system, Talulah thought of many things in that instant... but there was only one question.

Should she continue her insistence, which Medic considers 'naive'? Should she persist in what she sees as a 'confrontation' against the Black Snake?

If I don't continue, will I be defeated by the Black Snake?

No, they already discussed this topic thoroughly yesterday.

If they continue to fight to the death, 'Talulah' will at most become a 'tyrannical entity' in the Black Plan, occupying and oppressing fixed points by force.

She doesn't need those things. Talulah has her own kind of self-control... That's something that doesn't exist in the Black Snake Project. The so-called 'self-sacrifice of the strong' may ultimately be rooted in 'strength' itself.

Talulah has only ever used the 'power' in her bloodline... but 'power' alone cannot shake the icy, rigid situation in Ursus.