Chapter 249
That's just how it is...
Accompanied by the familiar sound of the Inner Guards's assisted breathing device, Nana, who had handed over the task of escorting the students and informing the citizens to the Inner Guards, also received a reminder from the Inner Guards... or rather, from the Black Snake regarding the progress of establishing a refugee evacuation route.
Stopping two blocks away from the location of the Exploration Vehicle, Nana pulled out the Rhodes Island medic armband from her pocket:
"Although we had considered this possibility beforehand, it's still regrettable that Boris actually refused... What did Black Snake say? Are you going to handle Boris's non-cooperation?"
"Hiss... Huff... This might be beyond our capabilities. Boris isn't a member of the Royalist Faction, so the title of Emperor's Blades has no effect on him. He also doesn't belong to the Old Nobility Faction, so the Serpent King's reputation won't have any effect either..."
"So, the 'sincerity' you're talking about doesn't include Boris, is that right?"
Just by meeting Feline's gaze, the Inner Guards felt immense pressure. Even though the other man's murderous aura had diminished considerably after zipping up his coat and putting away his undergarments... whenever the Inner Guards met his heterochromatic eyes, he always felt he saw a strange light in those eyes.
That was proof that Ursus had dabbled in forbidden things, a manifestation of his mastery of the Collapse Paradigm. Undoubtedly, that eerie light was merely his illusion.
Logically speaking, the Inner Guards should have considerable resistance to Demons. However, if an Inner Guards experiences a 'Pollution' hallucination... no matter how much he denies it, the Demons will always show his fear to him in the most direct way.
The other party was referred to as 'one of their own' by the immortal Black Snake, so he needed to be treated with caution... The Inner Guards repeatedly muttered this to himself:
"Yes, Serpent King has already made contact with the Third Army... They will cease fire within three days around Christmas, and with the warnings from colleagues to the Chernobog Military Police, the 'passage' you need now has a basis for existence."
"Furthermore, the Serpent Lord has made contact through the current Duke Koschei. We have received definitive information that your company's Landship, the Rhodes Island flagship, is currently on the outskirts of the battlefield..."
With the paperclip fastened, Nana had reverted to her Rhodes Island 'Medic' attire. The black-haired Feline nodded calmly, showing no signs of having just heard the option to go home on the battlefield.
"I understand... If what you said about the refugee corridor is indeed true, then I acknowledge your 'sincerity'... But I've experienced Boris's controlling nature quite a bit over the past year, and I don't think he will let us do as we please."
"Just to confirm, Marquis Boris in Ursus belongs neither to the emperor, nor to the Royalist Faction, nor to the Old Nobility, nor to traditional merchants... Is that right?"
Seeing the Inner Guards nod, Nana blinked, then the assassin girl gave a professional smile:
"I understand. Then, let us part ways here."
"Separation? But the snake king's request is..."
Seeing that the other person was still preparing to continue following, Nana met his gaze again:
"I said, I forbade you to continue... Please understand the situation."
After a few seconds of silent confrontation, seeing the other person's dilemma, Nana added:
"Please understand the significance of your identity. If there is a need for contact, I will call upon you from another world."
As if both sides had yielded a step, Nana and the Inner Guards parted ways.
After all, allowing the Inner Guards to get within 100 meters of the Doctor was something Nana found uncomfortable, and Nana didn't want Black Snake to have the opportunity to verify the intelligence of her own personnel. Getting rid of the Inner Guards was a necessary option... Nana just didn't expect things to go so smoothly.
With the reunification of the 'Guerrilla Squad', the 'Trauma Team Main Team', and the 'Guardian Squad' by the Doctor's side, Nana finally managed to reclaim all of her combat power.
After remarking that seeing Saria's face, even more stiff than her own, was surprisingly reassuring, the group spent some time washing up and getting ready before regrouping. Nana then explained to the Doctor what had happened that day and the progress of the evacuation plan.
"... Rhodes Island... is already on the outskirts of the battlefield..."
Although she didn't know what the Doctor was lamenting, Nana, chewing on the last few MRE dried fruits, still went on to explain the most crucial part:
"Rhodes Island is our company's flagship. It is designed on a 700-meter-class industrial ship chassis and has two large rotorcraft lift platforms and seven launch channels for small and medium-sized UAVs... Because it is a pharmaceutical company, Rhodes Island is not currently equipped with any artillery."
As she spoke, Nana glanced at the Exploration Vehicle:
"Yes, it doesn't even have a close-in weapon system like this vehicle... It's purely a transport ship, our target, your home."
"The reason they haven't entered the field yet is probably due to battlefield control by the Nobles' Army. If the intelligence is correct, then with the establishment of the refugee corridor, Rhodes Island's success rate in intervening and taking us away under the guise of Contingency Contract will greatly increase."
"That sounds alright... but, you probably have something to say after this, right?"
Seeing the Doctor, which held a hint of doubt but also a sense of understanding, Nana nodded helplessly.
"There are two issues. First, there's the local mayor, Boris. As I mentioned before, he's a very controlling person. He tried to take control of the Trauma Team several times when we tried to move the Sarcophagus... And now, I don't think he'll let his citizens do as they please."
"And also..."
"Is it for communication?"
Interrupting Nana's narration with a question, the Doctor patted Amiya, who was still holding the walkie-talkie connected to the Exploration Vehicle's antenna even during the meeting... This child had been restless ever since she heard Nana say that Rhodes Island might already be in position in the surrounding area.
With its ears drooping slightly, the rabbit held a communicator in one hand and nervously intertwined its fingers with the Doctor's in the other, as if only in this way could it feel a little safe.
"According to Amiya and Medic, Rhodes Island should have been within our communication range long ago... The fact that we can't contact them suggests something must have happened... The worst-case scenario, without a doubt, is that the unarmed Rhodes Island forces have collided head-on with those warships..."
Seeing Amiya unconsciously tighten her grip, Nana glanced at the Doctor, who was grimacing in pain, and Amiya, who immediately realized her mistake and hurriedly apologized, and shook her head.
"Rhodes Island isn't a huge company, but it's not a small company either... Kal'tsit's capabilities are undeniable. That ship is the home of countless people, and even if Kal'tsit makes a mistake, those people won't allow anything to happen to Rhodes Island... That's a low-probability event."
After a moment of silence, Nana looked around before continuing, "Weapon..."
"I'm more worried about Catastrophes than man-made ones."
PS: Waaaaaaah, cat meow!
This isn't a cat. What animal is she again?
PSS: Here's some bad news to cheer everyone up... How can someone fall ill on the 15th, be transferred directly from the outpatient clinic to the ER on the 17th, finally feel better on the 20th, and then be told on the 21st that their family needs their personal savings... Without even a moment to mourn their savings, they receive a notice from the community administration on the 25th... After settling things with the community on the 29th, they're still told their savings are completely gone.
Without a moment's silence for their vanished savings, the March credit card bill arrived immediately... (Seven)
For the past two weeks, I've felt enveloped by a void, a feeling that's worse than dying in the moon.
7th Chernobog's Blood Money: 280 Christmas Days
"The activity of Originium particles above Chernobog has been confirmed to be increasing exponentially, and there is no doubt that the city is facing the threat of Catastrophes that could arrive at any moment."
"And you, Grand Duke Baikal, all the aid you can offer is the absence of any aid itself... is that it?"
Seeing that Feline, dressed primarily in emerald green and accompanied only by two guards, was questioning him rudely, Grand Duke Baikal glanced at him impatiently.
"Of course, the Third Army won't pay a single Chelerv coin to citizens outside its jurisdiction, especially since Chernobog's futile resistance has caused us significant economic losses... Letting you in is only because that lord has enough influence, and you're just a Lord Kazdel. Don't push your luck, Rhodes Island."
Setting down his wine glass, Grand Duke Baikal looked at the Catastrophes observation data brought by Kal'tsit and nodded, especially at the section on 'Prediction of Catastrophes Damage to the Chernobog Structure':
"Alright, out of pity and honor for the nobility, the Third Army will not launch any attacks on non-military targets for the next three days. Even if the Chernobog police and military personnel take off their uniforms and try to blend into the crowd, that's fine. You can use the Customs post and its supplies for basic personnel arrangements... As for getting those civilian groups, whose members we don't know who might be hiding among them, forget about it. Who knows if Boris might hide his proud Security Committee soldiers among them..."
Ace, who was also a bodyguard, pushed up his sunglasses, clearly disagreeing with Baikal's statement, but Kal'tsit didn't seem inclined to argue with him any further.
The bonsai-colored Feline simply nodded slightly, then left the documents behind and turned to leave without hesitation.
As the pier connecting Rhodes Island and the Third Army flagship retrieved the 'mission' and then closed in, Kal'tsit, who had been silent the entire way, finally looked again at the gloomy sky over Chernobog in the distance, and put her earphones into her ears:
"Warfarin, how are the preparations going on the Lungmen side?"
[Well, the old city lord's reaction was a bit subtle, but he still gave our new allies face. Although they kept emphasizing that both refugee resettlement and treatment of the Infected needed to be done according to their rules... but these are minor matters, aren't they? The Lungmen Guard Department has already provided the list of personnel to handle this, and next is...]
"It all depends on whether things go smoothly with Amiya and the Doctor."
At this point, Kal'tsit tucked a few strands of hair, which had been blown about by the wind, behind her ear and looked at the red figure that had just emerged from the shadows:
"Good job. Has the combat record of the Third Army been confirmed?"
"Confirmed... bad guys, they were beaten badly..."
Even after a year and a half, Hong's socialization process is still worrying. However, from being completely silent and only able to bare her teeth at Nana to being able to make some data summaries despite some stumbles... perhaps this is already a significant leap forward.
However, the summary by Red, a passive riddle-maker, was still difficult for a normal person like ACE to understand. After noticing the confused look in the eyes of her E3 Action Group leader, Kal'tsit said, as if explaining to others, yet also as if talking to herself:
"Well, although the Third Army is also equipped with high-speed warships, its organization and tactics are still stuck in the era of large-scale army operations... It's understandable that it's struggling against Mobile City with better defensive structures and newer, larger naval guns... Perhaps Grand Duke Baikal and his staff are hoping that this seasonal natural Catastrophes will bring more destruction and chaos to Chernobog."
"... So, Ms. Kal'tsit, do you think the Third Army is lying to us?"
Kal'tsit turned and walked toward the open ship gate, addressing ACE's perplexing questions.
Upon entering this cabin, now used by Rhodes Island for commuting, one is greeted by a vast, unused space. High above the garage where Rhodes Island's Exploration Vehicle were originally parked, two close-in weapon systems (CIWS) for replacing the Exploration Vehicle still hang, their dimly lit indicator lights signifying their active status...
Although this was a precautionary measure to prevent the Third Army from discovering any clues about Rhodes Island and potentially attempting to control the Rhodes Island main ship.
But it seems that, at least for now, the Third Army has not discovered the fact that the 'The Demon' that has unsettled countless countries and organizations is currently in Chernobog.
Although Closure felt Kal'tsit was somewhat paranoid when these firing positions were initially set up, there was no doubt that Rhodes Island was currently at its weakest point, as its best commanders and field operators were not on board.
"Baikal's assurances are unreliable, but warlords acting for their own interests won't risk their soldiers' lives to waste in Catastrophes... Even though we weren't promised better terms, letting the Third Army know that Catastrophes is coming soon will likely prevent them from participating in Chernobog's affairs for the next three days. We've at least achieved part of our objective."
"So now we need to figure out how to rendezvous with Bo and the others... If we still can't get in touch with the bridge, it's about time we made our move?"
Seeing ACE's eagerness to volunteer, Kal'tsit opened her mouth slightly, as if to say something, but in the end, the emerald-green Feline simply lowered her eyes and nodded:
"Make preparations, then meet up with Medic and the others... Bring the Doctor back safely no matter what."
"That's pretty much the plan. Although trusting Ursus feels a bit strange, with Catastrophes looming at any moment, this is our only chance to get the civilians out of this hell."
Pointing to the plan projected onto the Exploration Vehicle, Nana gave a final confirmation:
"Black Snake has sent a message: Grand Duke Baikal has agreed to and tacitly permitted the civilians to leave. The Chernobog Military Police and police have also received the message and will not launch an attack on civilians appearing in the war zone tomorrow... Regarding the Safe Corridor, the Inner Guards is working with Loban and Ms. Dalia to make arrangements, and the planned route is roughly as follows..."
As the projector displayed Nana's notes on the armor plating, Nana looked at the others, some taking notes and others scratching their heads in thought:
"Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, the 'Arius Task Force' will be carrying out a mission to escort refugees under the guise of Mercenaries... but this is just a cover. Ursus's credibility is still too low. It is difficult to guarantee the safety of either Boris or Baikal along the way, so Doctor, you cannot go through the 'Safe Corridor' with the refugees. You will need to wait in the Exploration Vehicle with Amiya and the others."
"I will begin the intrusion into the Central Control Tower the safe passage passes near it... The objective is to access the Chernobog Central Core Terminal, fabricate a timestamp indicating that the Rhodes Island team left six months ago, and simultaneously erase surveillance records to create the illusion that the Doctor never visited Chernobog."
That being said, considering the Inner Guards monitoring the area from the outside, Nana couldn't say for sure whether the Doctor's presence had been exposed to Black Snake... But being discovered and no longer pretending are two different things, so Rhodes Island's disguised infiltration must continue.
"That's pretty much it. Regarding the protection of the refugees, we can't rule out the possibility that Boris and Baikal might take advantage of the chaos and engage us in battle. As for other unforeseen events, the safety of the Doctor and Amiya is the top priority... We brought back ammunition supplies and some heavy firepower from the safe house. In a critical moment, we are authorized to use all lethal force, including the Exploration Vehicle. Is everyone clear?"
Seeing that no one had any objections, Nana dismissed the team with satisfaction. The group then rummaged through the Exploration Vehicle and the supplies that Huang and the others had brought back from the safe house. Although the quantity of solid food and meal kits was running low, they still managed to hold a tea party before the mission to relax and relieve stress, relying on various flavored powdered drinks and sweet snacks... After all, whether tomorrow went smoothly or not, the days of crawling in the dark underground of the Mobile City would truly be over.
"However, Medic, you still look very serious..."
The person who said this was the 'Doctor' who was being shoved around by Amiya while also shoving around Nana... as if his entire being, both in appearance and mind, had been rejuvenated:
"Are you worried about something?"
Feeling the workplace harassment of the girl next to her taking her hand mid-conversation, Nana sighed, then looked up at the dark ceiling:
"Those two children... there was still no news of them."
Terra, December 25, 1096 – Christmas.
A chill permeated the silent city, and the occasional crackling sound, like ice crystals freezing, made it hard to tell whether it came from the sky, frozen underground pipes, or perhaps a building finally losing a part.
As the first figure hesitantly pushed aside the cover of the passageway, crawled out from underground, and lit a signal flare in his hand, as if to tell the people who had been hiding underground all this time that the plan was going smoothly, several green signal flares suddenly appeared in the sky above the once silent city.
The meaning of this in the Safe Corridor plan is clear – identify refugees and allow evacuation.
"No, the mayor has not approved any personnel transfer procedures, the Security Committee has not received any ceasefire notice, and the mayor's men will not let them leave... Loban, you are playing with fire."
Near the military and police outpost by the outer wall, a messenger, his eyes fixed on by several guards, earnestly warned the person before him:
"I'm not trying to accuse you, but you should think about what will happen to the citizens if they leave. Throughout history, whether it's bandits or highwaymen, what has always happened when the enemy's target is the city itself and they don't fortify it? You must know that... What good people are the rebels outside? Do you think they'll let our families leave?"
"... It's not necessary to open the main gate and main elevator to let ordinary people leave, and this operation will be handled by the Inner Guards. His Majesty the Emperor will guarantee everyone's safety..."
"You... you can't be serious? When has the emperor ever interfered in the affairs of Chernobog?"
"So what about Boris? If you want to speak up for him, fine... But the municipal and military/police systems don't just have a problem with him this time; we've tolerated his autocratic behavior for a long time... In the past, we tolerated him once or twice because he was doing it for the sake of Chernobog's development, even if it meant ignoring his fair and just words. But now, Chernobog will no longer let him act recklessly."
Seeing the messenger still hesitant to speak, Loban stepped forward and glared intensely at the man who was twice his size:
"Fair and just laws and regulations, the sanctity and inviolability of private property... these are the foundations upon which Chernobog has become a commercial center. Boris has now been impeached by the entire municipal delegation, simply because Chernobog is in a state of war and he was lucky enough to be granted emergency action rights, allowing him to continue to maintain armed forces in the name of mayor... Tell me, if I ask him, will he abide by the laws he himself made? Is it fair and just, or is he no different from those Old Nobility outside who should be thrown into the trash heap?"
"... I will pass on your question to His Excellency the Marquis..."
Having said that, the messenger, dressed in Security Committee, turned to leave, looking somewhat disappointed. But as he reached the door, he stopped, lowered his head, and said:
"Going against Boris never ends well. As long as you can tolerate that guy's controlling nature, the benefits are actually more substantial than any fairness or justice... I told you this a long time ago, Loban... For the sake of being colleagues for twenty years and even drinking together, I think there's something you need to know."
Turning around, the messenger met the gaze of the exhausted man and lowered his voice:
"I think I've seen something of Zhuoya's at Boris's mansion before..."
"--?!"
Although he didn't make a sound, Loban looked ferocious enough at that moment. Seeing that the other party seemed about to pull out a spell unit to hit him, the messenger quickly waved his hand:
"I'm not threatening you... it's just a little tidbit. Your daughter goes to that middle school... and she carries a bright red Backpack, right?"
"... Their school uses only that type of Backpack!"
"But that kid, Zhuoya, had a plush toy hanging on the side of her Backpack, and then there were those Columbia Mommy brand candy stickers on the outside of her Backpack... I was the one who fucking delivered that imported candy to your house!"
The two men gripped each other's arms tightly. Loban's mind was reeling; he'd been heartbroken since his daughter's disappearance, but the news only fueled his anger. He shook his old friend, who stood before him.