Dawn was just beginning to break, yet Lungmen had not recovered from the chaos of the previous night. A few bold citizens cautiously peeked out through their windows, while more people simply drew their curtains tight, waiting for official news to announce that the city was safe again.
The officers of the Lungmen Guard Department had slept poorly. Under such intense pressure, real rest was impossible. Without the support of Tomorrow's Development and Rhodes Island, the burden on them would have been even heavier.
Some players on both sides logged off to rest, while players from other time zones logged back in to continue fighting. However, many of the players within Reunion were from the North American time zone, and at this hour even the members of the Laughing Coffin had logged off to sleep. Clearly, it was not an ideal time for raids.
Hellagur had also gone without rest for an entire day. Even after the doctors had turned in, he continued patrolling and inspecting the camp. For someone of his age, staying up all night was nothing new. After the recent attack, the responsibility of ensuring the camp's safety weighed heavily on his shoulders. More than anything, he wanted Felix to be able to rest properly. As the admired and beloved "Your Highness," Felix stood at the forefront, bearing responsibilities that were difficult to imagine.
The night patrol was not wasted time. After acquiring drone, Hellagur was initially unfamiliar with it, but after some exploration he began to understand its structure and reviewed every major event since the founding of Tomorrow's Development.
All he could think was: astonishing.
To grow from an ordinary small enterprise into a dominant force that could even be called a nation was something bordering on the fantastical. Felix's journey defied description, a life so extraordinary that even fiction would struggle to portray such a protagonist.
The action squads returned and began rotating shifts. Another group of operators, having rested through the night, picked up their weapons and prepared to head out on patrol.
Hellagur saw his daughter, sword at her side, walking toward the leader of the action squad, Siege, who was leaning on her warhammer while talking with several others. He smiled helplessly but did not stop her. Neon's life was her own, and as her father, all he needed to do was watch over her path.
"You didn't rest at all last night, General?"
Hellagur looked up and noticed that His Highness seemed to be in better spirits than the day before, which was reassuring. He stroked his short beard. "Just patrols. The young ones are too exhausted. I merely did what an elder should."
"You're not old at all, General."
With Hellagur at his side, it was like having a living military encyclopedia. In his previous life, Felix had encountered Operator Hellagur on the battlefield. Honestly, confining him to the role of a mere operator would be a waste. Hellagur had the ability to serve even now as the overall commander of this battle.
Putting the right people in the right roles mattered. Some were suited to command, others excelled as flawless executors and belonged among the elite operators.
"Inspector Ch'en from the Guard Department just contacted me," Felix said. "They'll be coordinating with Rhodes Island this morning. We only need to hold our position here."
"That makes sense," Hellagur nodded. "When the enemy is hidden and we are exposed, holding a defensive formation is more rational than striking out blindly."
"Is there anything you need me to do, Your Highness?"
"Anthony will be coming shortly for a brief morning meeting. I'll introduce you to Tomorrow's Development's senior staff. General, you are better suited to command than to serve as an ordinary soldier."
"Heh… I haven't been a general for a long time."
After that self-mocking remark, Hellagur smiled gently.
Outside Lungmen, aboard the Venus, a group of Veiled Vulpo presented their credentials and stepped onto the landship for the first time.
They met Loughshinny, or rather, Loughshinny had already received word of their arrival before they boarded.
"Miss Loughshinny, this is our first time speaking face to face. It's an honor to finally meet you."
"The feeling is mutual. This is our first direct meeting as well, Operator Rosebloom."
These Vulpo were the former Sargon contract assassins originally led by Rosebloom. Their main area of activity was not aboard the Venus, but across Terra, gathering intelligence and conducting inspections on behalf of Tomorrow's Development.
Loughshinny's gaze shifted to a tall Vulpo woman dressed with careful elegance. "And this lady is?"
"She's someone we met in Siracusa. Her daughter is in need of medical assistance."
The Vulpo woman was holding a young girl, who was either asleep or unconscious. Seeing this, Loughshinny did not continue the conversation and instead summoned medical operators through drone. While many medical operators were deployed on the front lines, there were also plenty assigned to routine duties aboard the Landship.
"This is… acute onset Oripathy," said a female medical operator as she stepped forward. "Ma'am, may we conduct a thorough examination of your child?"
She was a medical operator codenamed Folinic, who had joined Tomorrow's Development through an exchange program with Rhodes Island's Medical Department, claiming to be a student of Doctor Kal'tsit. If not for her admiration of Kal'tsit, she might well have joined Tomorrow's Development outright, drawn in by its advanced medical technology.
The Vulpo woman released her hold on her child. Her worried gaze lingered on the girl, while Folinic quickly crouched down and placed a stethoscope against the child's chest, speaking at the same time to the medical operator beside her. "Acute Oripathy onset with rapid physical deterioration. She needs surgery immediately."
"Understood."
Another medical operator pushed over a stretcher. Folinic nodded to the Vulpo woman. "You are the child's guardian, correct? Before the operation, we need to discuss her condition with you."
"I understand."
Contrary to what many might have expected, the mother was not fragile or hysterical. Her expression remained calm, and only as she followed them away did the deep worry finally show. That was the side of her that belonged to a mother.
Under the guidance of the operators, the Sargon contract assassins began familiarizing themselves with the vast interior of the ship. Meanwhile, Rosebloom and Loughshinny sat down to talk in a small lounge along the corridor.
"Thanks to Tomorrow's Development having a small branch in Siracusa, we were able to take a plane back as quickly as possible."
Rosebloom adjusted her face covering. "That woman was someone we encountered while gathering intelligence in Siracusa. She is a very well-known member of the Siracusan underworld. Because of an accident, her daughter became infected with Oripathy."
"Siracusa is not friendly toward the Infected. I thought of Tomorrow's Development and decided to bring them back with us."
Loughshinny smiled. "A very reasonable decision. I hope the girl can be saved."
Rosebloom gave a quiet acknowledgment and continued, "Siracusa has been far from calm lately. We heard that Signora Sicilia is planning to construct an entirely new mobile city."
Loughshinny immediately sensed the implication. Rosebloom went on, "I don't know the exact details, but in Siracusa, each mobile city is controlled by a family. Once this new city is completed, it may very well turn into open conflict between families."
"But at present, most families operate strictly within their own mobile cities and do not cross boundaries. Why would Signora Sicilia do this? It's clearly an effort with little to gain."
Rosebloom blinked.
Having followed Felix for so long, Loughshinny naturally viewed matters from a broader perspective. While her thinking was not as aggressive as his, she could quickly identify the key points in what Rosebloom said and analyze them one by one.
If the goal was simply to maintain the status quo, building a new mobile city was indeed a thankless task. The only exception would be if Signora Sicilia intended to carry out a major reshuffling of the families. But for Siracusa, which had risen through the mafia and still relied on them as its core fighting force, that would be akin to severing one of its own arms. Without those groups, Siracusa would have long since been swallowed by nations such as Leithania or Victoria.
Loughshinny did not know the true reason behind Signora Sicilia's controversial decision. The only thing she was certain of was that Signora Sicilia might be seeking to change Siracusa's current state, and that the construction of a new mobile city was merely a test and an initial attempt.
"We've also heard about the situation with Reunion," Rosebloom said. "After we've rested, we'll infiltrate Chernobog and Kursk to pass information to His Highness and to you, Miss Loughshinny."
"Thank you for your hard work. Go and rest for now."
"Alright."
Rosebloom nodded and left. Loughshinny thought for a moment and, instead of returning to her office, headed toward the medical department.
Although many of the operators aboard the Venus had gone to Lungmen, the medical department was still crowded. In addition to existing patients, Infected from Chernobog and Kursk had also been brought here. A large portion of Tomorrow's Development's expenditures went into the medication used for their treatment.
To lead by example and become a beacon on this land, the kind of person and organization Nearl spoke of, Felix believed this was necessary. The money he earned from nobles and merchants was partly invested in Tomorrow's Development's future, and the surplus was naturally used for medicine, allowing the Infected to suffer a little less.
The moment one stepped into the medical department, a pleasant fragrance filled the air. This was the work of the Medical department's operator codenamed Perfumer. Traditionally, hospitals left people with impressions of gloom, constant wailing, and unending noise. Simply entering such a place could create heavy psychological pressure, something closely tied to the ever-present smell of disinfectant.
Perfumer preferred to fill the medical department with a gentle floral scent that helped people relax. Under this subtle fragrance, patients' moods were noticeably calmer.
Loughshinny's arrival drew nods of recognition from the medical operators. She smiled and returned each greeting, then walked to the door of the emergency room. There, a cool-looking Vulpo woman dressed in underworld attire sat on a nearby chair. Her arms rested on her knees, and the scarred face she lifted revealed worry, regret, tension, and pain all at once.
Hearing footsteps, the woman looked up and stood.
"Thank you."
There was an unmistakable trace of lingering fear in her voice, which eventually settled into composure. "I heard about Tomorrow's Development from Rosebloom. Thank you for saving my child. I owe you a favor."
"Tomorrow's Development is dedicated to treating the Infected. We don't seek repayment."
Loughshinny extended her hand. "My name is Loughshinny. May I ask how I should address you, ma'am?"
"…Vulpisfoglia."
The woman reached out and shook her hand.
Loughshinny felt the calluses on her palm. Knowing who she was, Loughshinny was not surprised. She glanced at the still-lit surgery sign. "Miss Vulpisfoglia, I would like to speak with you, but now isn't the right time. Let's talk after your daughter recovers."
"Alright."
Loughshinny took her leave, while at the same time sending a message to His Highness. Siracusa, which had been quiet for so long, now carried new developments, ones that could affect its very nature.
She was certain this news would interest him.
___
Kursk, the General's Residence.
The former master of the estate now stood as a statue in the central plaza, or rather, had once stood there. That statue had already been reduced to rubble during Reunion's assault on the city.
With Reunion's elite forces fully deployed elsewhere, there were few Reunion members patrolling Kursk. As for players, there were some. They were mainly tasked with dealing with the Brotherhood, who harassed them with guerrilla tactics. To be honest, over time they had grown tired of it. They wanted to go to the front lines and experience the thrill of killing NPCs. Besides, frontline missions paid better, didn't they?
The Brotherhood members were as annoying as flies. This was something Reunion players universally agreed on. Yet the Brotherhood could not truly disrupt Reunion's offensive. Over time, Reunion players found the harassment boring and gradually stopped paying attention to them.
Each time it was just petty theft, stealing a bit of supplies. Honestly, did these Brotherhood players dare to charge the General's Residence? That was the real question.
What they didn't know was that the Brotherhood had been quietly gathering strength and preparing in secret.
"Are you ready to die?"
Xiao Ran Asagiri asked casually, looking at Mr. Han.
Mr. Han laughed easily. "Not just you and me. For this mission, dying once or twice is nothing. The other Brotherhood players think respawn timers are a small price to pay for this."
"Sigh. Can we really wake Talulah? Going in like this feels like we're just throwing ourselves to the slaughter."
Xiao Ran A planned for failure before victory. After all, the players had all witnessed Talulah's performance that day. Even if she wasn't as overwhelming as Felix, her strength was still far beyond what players could hope to match.
"Don't we still have our secret weapon?"
Mr. Han adjusted his gear. "The method might be stupid, but we'll use force. Swarm her with force, like locusts, and tell Talulah to drive out the soul that has taken over her body."