Despite planning a full-scale encirclement, Baldy Burke discovered a serious problem: they simply didn't have enough manpower.
It was bitterly ironic. They knew the precise locations of the "terrorists," but lacked sufficient "police force" to launch an assault.
Left with no other choice, they had to deploy their battle-hardened veterans. Upon receiving their orders, Old John and his team swiftly divided into five squads of roughly a dozen members each and immediately set out.
Notably, Elysia had originally intended to join the operation. While the Seven Sins weren't overwhelmingly powerful, they were more than capable of crushing ordinary Evolvers. However, her request was firmly rejected.
Old John stated solemnly, "Lady Elysia, please trust in our abilities. With proper equipment, we can handle enemies of this caliber. Back in our war days, we faced foes far more formidable than these Cultists. Yet in every battle, we lived to tell the tale while they perished.
"Furthermore, we won't rush into combat blindly. We'll observe the enemy first. If we determine their strength exceeds ours, we'll immediately call for your assistance. You can then join the fray without delay."
Old John proceeded to meticulously outline several battle plans and contingency strategies, speaking with impressive logic and precision.
As he spoke, Elysia's eyes gradually glazed over, her expression softening into a dazed, almost childlike look. "Hmm... hmm, I understand. If you need my help, remember to contact me immediately! I'll rush over right away!"
After all, Elysia was just an "ordinary person." While her current strength was formidable, it was purely physical. She wasn't an officer, a soldier, or a veteran of war. These tactical discussions must have sounded like complete gibberish to her, leaving her utterly bewildered.
History was full of examples of militarily ignorant kings meddling in their generals' decisions, leading to disastrous defeats. At this moment, Elysia's wisest course of action was to trust these seasoned professionals.
She nodded, adopting a "wise" expression, her eyes radiating a pure, uncorrupted beauty untouched by the ugliness of war. "May your banners fly to victory?" she offered.
Though, in truth, most people in this world probably remained untouched by the knowledge of war.
Old John waved his hand at the other veterans. "Brothers, these opponents are a tough nut to crack. Let's go pick out some gear we like first!"
About fifteen minutes later, Elysia watched five massive helicopters, packed to the brim with weapons, thunder overhead. The ground shook with their roar as they vanished into the horizon.
Elysia: "..."
She vaguely recalled Old John saying, "With enough firepower, taking care of these enemies will be a breeze." So, this is what he meant by "enough firepower"?
These guys aren't going to just carpet-bomb the cultist base with a dozen missiles, are they?
Just in case, she decided to have Sparkle deploy more clones to scout the five locations.
Shortly after Old John and his team departed, another visitor arrived.
This woman had short, chestnut-colored hair, carried a briefcase, and wore a plain white shirt and jeans. Slightly shorter than Elysia, her round cheeks gave her a youthful, almost cute appearance. Her distinct Asian features marked her as a Chinese-American White Eagle citizen.
However, her personality was far from as sweet as her appearance suggested. As soon as she entered the White Tower, her gaze swept across the crowd and quickly locked onto the strikingly pink-haired Elysia. Marching straight over, she said coldly, "Hey, you're Elysia, right? The new White Eagle Eight for this region?"
Elysia blinked in surprise, turning to face the girl. Almost everyone who had joined the White Tower recently had been a fan, their faces lighting up with excitement at meeting her. This cold, businesslike tone was a first.
Undeterred, Elysia clasped her hands to her cheek, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered a precious treasure. "Oh, what an adorable girl! Are you here to join the White Tower too~?"
The brown-haired girl stared at her, speechless.
She had imagined countless ways their first conversation might unfold, but this was beyond her wildest expectations.
Indeed, they were colleagues. This brown-haired girl was also a member of the White Eagle Eight—the "Scholar" who had recently represented the White Eagle in negotiations with the Sakura Nation.
Finally, after dragging on for what felt like an eternity, that damned post-battle meeting concluded. Only then did Scholar learn about the recent events back home, and she immediately rushed over to meet Elysia and find out what was really going on.
Scholar frowned slightly. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not a fan. I'm your future colleague. Just call me by my codename, Scholar."
"Scholar?" Elysia mused, trying to recall. Then it struck her—she did vaguely remember this young girl. Robin had shown her photos of the White Eagle Eight while investigating them in the Dragon Nation.
But that had been some time ago, so she hadn't immediately recognized her.
Another key reason was that the other members of the White Eagle Eight, like Mad Lion, exuded a powerful presence wherever they stood, radiating an aura of strength. Wizard wore ten glittering rings on his hands, and Hunter's attire was strikingly flamboyant.
In stark contrast, Scholar appeared utterly unremarkable, lacking any discernible aura or distinguishing features. If she were lost in a crowd, she would likely vanish within seconds.
Elysia's thoughts vanished in an instant. She swiftly stepped forward, eagerly seizing Scholar's right hand and shaking it enthusiastically. "It's so lovely to meet you! Just call me Elysia. As you can see, I'm a beautiful young girl, as delicate and lovely as a fluttering flower, don't you think?"
"You... what's with you?" Elysia's sudden advance sent a gentle breeze carrying a faint, sweet fragrance across Scholar's face. Startled, Scholar retreated two steps, widening the distance between them. Frowning, she declared, "Let me make this clear: I'm only here because I happened to be passing by and decided to check on a future colleague. I'll be leaving shortly. The White Eagle Eight don't need to socialize much; we just need to manage our own territories."
"Aw, that's such a shame! If we keep our distance, how will I ever get to know you?" As if by magic, Elysia's cheerful demeanor instantly transformed into a look of melodramatic sorrow.