Chapter 369: Doubt Hurts the Deepest
Two hours later, Steven was escorted out of the Ursus army camp by several members of the Emperor's Blade.
When they reached the gate, the Emperor's Blades didn't linger for pleasantries. They simply bowed deeply once more to show their gratitude, then turned back into the camp.
The dramatic scene Steven had imagined—negotiations breaking down and a last-minute fight—never happened. Say what you will about their reputation among the infected, but at least toward him, these people had shown nothing but respect and sincerity.
As for the conversation he'd had with the emperor about the Collapsals, it turned out to be quite fruitful.
Once the emperor confirmed that Steve's stance toward those creatures was firmly hostile, he no longer saw a need to hold anything back. He shared with Steve a trove of classified intelligence and even made a promise that as long as Steve continued to hunt Collapsals, he would forever be considered a friend of Ursus. Every nomadic city would keep its gates open for him.
And when Steven mentioned his interest in traveling to the far northern ice fields, the emperor couldn't have been more delighted. To him, sending someone of Steve's caliber there was nothing short of a blessing. The dangers that lurked beyond the frozen frontier were the greatest threat not only to Ursus, but to the entire continent.
So not only did the emperor grant his request, he went a step further—promising that whenever Steve wished, he could contact the Emperor's Blade, and they would assign escorts to guide him north.
Seeing how cooperative the so-called tyrant was, Steven couldn't help but revise his opinion of the man.
Perhaps the emperor's policies toward the infected were harsh, yes—but when it came to strengthening Ursus itself, he had already pushed himself to the very limits of what a ruler could do.
Steven could tell it was genuine. The emperor truly wanted to eradicate the Collapsal threat—for the sake of humanity.
Lost in thought, Steven made his way toward the direction the guerrilla forces had retreated. Behind him, the Ursus army held their word: no signs of pursuit, no tricks.
"Well, seems my little diplomatic mission wasn't a total loss," Steven murmured with a faint, self-mocking smile, before quickening his pace.
He trudged through the blizzard for several dozen kilometers, icy wind biting at his face, until he finally reached a narrow and secluded canyon. There, he found the guerrilla forces encamped once again.
He could afford to trust the Emperor's Blade's promise. The guerrillas, however, couldn't. Deception was a survival skill here on the snowfields—one that had long since been etched into their bones.
And Steven didn't blame them. That vigilance was precisely what had allowed them to survive on this merciless land.
Easily slipping past the patrolling sentries, he wandered the camp for a while before finally locating Talulah and Alina.
Just as he expected, neither of them was resting. But judging by the current atmosphere, this wasn't exactly the kind of late-night talk he'd been hoping for.
Patriot was there. Yelena was there. And beyond them stood a crowd of infected soldiers surrounding Talulah in a tight circle.
Even without asking, the meaning was clear—this wasn't a strategy meeting.
It looked like a trial.
Steven narrowed his eyes and quietly slipped into the crowd.
With his level of stealth, only Patriot—standing silently in the corner—seemed to sense something, briefly glancing in his direction. No one else even noticed that another person had joined the gathering.
Once inside, Steven quickly confirmed it—this was indeed a public questioning directed at Talulah. And from the sound of things, he'd arrived just in time for the most dramatic part.
"Miss Talulah," one of the senior members of the Reunion Movement stepped forward, his tone formal yet heavy. "As our leader, I believe you owe everyone an explanation regarding what that Internal Affairs officer said earlier. Your… identity. It's something that needs to be clarified."
Steven recognized the speaker—an elder who, until recently, had been one of Talulah's most steadfast supporters. If even he was demanding answers, then it was clear her noble background had shaken them more deeply than she'd anticipated.
"There's nothing to clarify," Talulah said at last, her voice steady but her eyes dark. "It's true—I was adopted by Duke Kashchey. But I severed all ties with him long ago. From the very beginning, I never once agreed with his beliefs or his methods."
She didn't try to deny it. Instead, she admitted it plainly—and then, just like that, spoke the one name that froze the entire camp in place.
Kashchey.
Even among ordinary Ursus citizens, that name carried weight and fear. To live under his domain was, for many, a mark of privilege—his lands were prosperous, his rule absolute. But for the infected, his territory was a place that could only be described as hell.
Under Duke Kashchey, the infected had no rights—not even the illusion of them. In truth, even livestock were treated better than they were.
And now, the girl they had followed—their calm, brilliant, selfless leader who spoke of equality and freedom—was his adopted daughter?
The moment the truth sank in, every pair of eyes turned toward Talulah. They weren't eyes of hatred… but of disbelief, fear, and betrayal.
One after another, those gazes pierced into her heart like countless invisible daggers.
Being distrusted was nothing new to her. Talulah had endured suspicion before, and she had always believed herself strong enough to bear it.
But this time was different.
Because the people doubting her now were the very ones she fought for—the ones she was willing to risk everything to protect.
Even though she had prepared herself mentally for this moment, when those accusing stares finally settled on her, she still felt an uncontrollable urge to avert her gaze—to run, even just a little, from their judgment.
In that instant, Steven could only sigh softly to himself.
Truly… there is nothing in this world more painful than doubt.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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