Under the players' control, the Clever followed the clues into the warehouse, where they discovered a massive stockpile of explosives. Their purpose was obvious, yet Solesar did not act immediately. Instead, the drones continued to trail the soldiers transporting the bombs, drifting silently alongside them.
To their surprise, the explosives were not meant to be mixed into food to deceive the Tara people. Instead, they were being delivered to the city walls. With the Victorian nobles preparing to extend their defenses to County Hillock, these bombs were likely intended to counter the approaching enemy forces.
Was this merely the independent action of a few soldiers?
Solesar could intervene if the bombs were meant to massacre the Tara people, but if they were for defensive purposes, he would not interfere.
"So… who exactly is attacking the Tara people?"
"Don't let your guard down. They may have been the ones launching attacks before, but now all the Tara people are staying indoors and don't dare go out. Once their objective is achieved, they'll stop attacking."
"…That does make some sense."
The real issue was not the bombing itself, but identifying the mastermind behind it. Solesar thought for a moment. "Have all the Tara people returned to their homes?"
"Yes. None of them are going out anymore, not even the Victorians. No one wants to be the next victim of a bombing."
Solesar rested his chin on his hand, pondering. "Let's assume this was done by the Victorian military. Miss Horn also mentioned that there are tunnels leading from the military base to the city center, so it's very possible they were behind the earlier attack."
"Dandao Dantart, what do you think?"
Hearing the captain call his name, Dandao Dantart looked up. "I was just thinking about something."
"What is it?"
Dandao Dantart was unusually sensitive to plot developments, perhaps because he had triggered many storyline, or perhaps because he could instinctively grasp NPC intentions through dialogue and events.
"Do you all remember the 3.0 PV?"
"Yeah… what about it?"
Dandao Dantart scratched his head. "I remember the Tara people appeared in it. After a few scenes, there was a civil war among the Tara nobles. There was a seemingly respectable middle-aged gentleman, and a beautiful dragon girl."
"Yes, yes, I remember that part!"
Dandao Dantart bit his finger. "Do you think… this attack could have been staged by the Tara people themselves?"
Solesar straightened slightly, then lowered his head again. "That's a completely new angle."
"That's right. The Tara military could have done this to incite hatred between the Tara and the Victorians. Everyone would naturally assume the Victorians were responsible." Dandao Dantart grew more animated as he spoke. "The Tara nobles don't care about civilian casualties at all. There are plenty of Tara people in County Hillock. A few hundred deaths mean nothing to them."
"If the Tara people were the ones pulling the strings, everything would make sense, wouldn't it?"
Dandao Dantart shrugged. The Blue Rain team members quickly realized the logic held up. The Tara army's actions had successfully fueled hostility between the Tara and the Victorians. When the attack on County Hillock began, the Tara people could act as internal supporters. Even if they lacked the courage to do so directly, it would still be easier for the Tara nobles to rally those rootless Tara who had already settled in the city.
Was this really about restoring their country? Probably not. In the end, it was about power and profit.
"It's likely there won't be any bombings for a while," someone concluded. "Whether the mastermind is Tara or Victorian, their objective has already been achieved. Now, all that's left is to wait for the right moment to launch an assault on the city."
"Hm. By the way, when will the reinforcements arrive?"
Dandao Dantart glanced at Clever. "Two and a half hours."
"Let's use this time to expand our operational range. At the very least, we should thoroughly map out the streets and alleys of County Hillock, just in case we're forced into urban combat."
"Understood."
On Loughshinny's desk lay the list of personnel dispatched to support County Hillock. Most of them were neither new recruits nor operators with outstanding combat ability. Operator Siege had originally wanted to take part in the mission, but her companions persuaded her to stand down and return.
The mission was ultimately assigned to Hellagur, who would lead a contingent of elite operators from Tomorrow's Development to County Hillock.
Among the applicants, one individual stood out.
Her name was Talulah.
By the end of summer vacation, Talulah had already completed her six-month prison sentence. Even the Crownslayer had been released before her. Yet Talulah seemed to believe that she was the most disgraced figure of the Reunion Movement. After boarding the Venus, she quietly train herself in the training room.
Talulah had spent the past six months in a Kazdel prison. No one knew what she had thought about or reflected on during that time. What was certain was that the gloom once lingering in her eyes had vanished, replaced by clarity and brightness, along with anticipation and confidence for the future.
Those who once followed her in the Reunion Movement would likely say, "The Talulah of the past has returned," if they saw her now.
But she was no longer the naive girl she once had been.
Loughshinny continued reading, adding adventurer guilds such as Tyranny and Yanyu Pavilion to her quest list. Now everything depended on how the conversation between Felix and Talulah would unfold.
"I'm going to County Hillock."
Talulah was still wearing a black dress. Although Black Snake had cast a painful shadow over her, it had also given her something else: a gradually improving sense of style. At the very least, she was no longer indifferent to everything except the Reunion Movement. Alina had helped her a great deal in this regard.
Felix sat upright behind his desk, looking at Talulah. "What is your reason?"
"I've found my path, and it aligns with the path of Tomorrow's Development. Therefore, I will serve as an operator of Tomorrow's Development," Talulah replied calmly. "Isn't that reason enough?"
"Talulah, you should know that your identity will cause you trouble in Victoria, right?"
"Heh. Draco blood."
Talulah curled her lips in faint disdain. "Although I carry the blood of the Draco, I have never considered myself one of them. Besides, the Tara already have a king they wish to follow, don't they? Loughshinny's sister."
"Since you've made up your mind, I have no reason to object."
Felix waved his hand. "As a member of Tomorrow's Developments, I will treat you the same as everyone else. However, because of your identity and bloodline, I will not treat you as an ordinary operator. This also includes your past. Talulah, you are not suited to be a low-ranking soldier."
"I want to be a commander."
"That sounds right. This is the Talulah I know." Felix nodded calmly. "Your mission begins here. County Hillock is about to be attacked by the Tara nobles. The Victorian nobles have formed what they claim to be the final line of defense in front of County Hillock, but in my opinion, it is nothing more than a foolish display of pride. Some of them are merely testing the waters, while many others hide in their luxurious estates, watching the spectacle unfold."
"What do I need to do?"
"Heal the sick and help the people, regardless of whether they are Tara or Victorian. As for anything else, consult with Hellagur before making a decision," Felix said indifferently. "Tomorrow's Developments have not yet taken part in the conflict between the Tara and Victorian nobles. Calling it a war is an exaggeration. For now, it is only a minor skirmish. The real battle has not even begun."
The Victorian nobles' land warships had not yet been deployed. At present, it was little more than lesser nobles scrambling for power.
Felix said nothing further. Talulah stood, nodded slightly toward Felix, and quietly left the room.
Talulah had changed greatly. She was more direct than before and placed her faith in her own strength and that of her companions. Compared to the past, she now truly resembled a general.
In addition to Talulah, Yelena's Yeti Squad was also participating in the mission. Felix leaned back in his seat as the Venus slowly advanced toward Victoria and Kazimierz. Although he felt some concern for the safety of the operators in County Hillock, reinforcements were already on the way. There was no need to worry about any single organization being capable of eliminating so many professional operators.
As the leader of the mission, Hellagur naturally learned the true objective of the rescue operation from Felix. He held little optimism toward the Victorian nobles, who were already in poor condition. After the fall of County Hillock, chaos would likely follow. What they needed to do was maintain security around the Tomorrow's Development Branch and recruit Victorians and Tara who shared the same ideals.
Moreover, Hellagur had long heard of the greed and cowardice of the Tara nobles. With his keen judgment, he also learned from Lady Outcast that the Tara people in County Hillock had suffered heavy casualties from the bombings. This made the general frown slightly. He could accept victory or defeat on the main battlefield, but he found indiscriminate attacks on civilians utterly unacceptable.
Whoever was behind it, Hellagur was determined to bring them to justice.
The transport aircraft slowly lifted off. This time, more than a hundred people were heading to County Hillock as reinforcements. Talulah sat alone in a corner of the cabin. When she boarded, she noticed the curious and lingering gazes of the adventurers, but she paid them no mind. She closed her eyes to rest, preparing to act the moment she landed.
Two hours later, the aircraft arrived at a point several dozen kilometers outside County Hillock. The area ahead had already become a war zone, and the pilot feared that flying in any closer might lead to the aircraft being mistaken for enemy forces and shot down. As a result, it had no choice but to stop there.
Hellagur and his group disembarked and proceeded on foot toward County Hillock. They did not choose to enter through the heavily guarded main gate. It had become a place one could enter but not leave, projecting an image of holding out until the bitter end. Instead, Hellagur led his people in a wide detour, eventually reaching the sewers.
The Tomorrow's Developments branch could be accessed through the underground waterways. Nearby were also safe houses and rest points established by Tomorrow's Developments.
Climbing the stairs at the end of the passage led directly to the warehouse of the Tomorrow's Development Branch. It had once been stocked with all kinds of emergency supplies, but now nearly half of them were gone.
Fortunately, Hellagur and his men had brought not only personnel, but supplies as well.
Outcast was delighted to see them. Her smile relaxed even further when she caught sight of Hellagur. The two often ran into each other over drinks and had gradually become friends. Outcast had complete confidence in Hellagur's command ability and martial prowess.
As dusk fell, three columns of smoke still lingered over the city. The streets were deserted, save for the snoring and groans of patients coming from the clinic and wards of Tomorrow's Development. Most of the wounded were Victorians, as the Tomorrow's Development branch was located in the Victoria district, an area the Tara people could not enter, let alone search.
The players gathered to exchange information. Solesar felt a sense of relief when he saw the arrival of such a large force. Previously, Tomorrow's Development Division had only their professional team, which would have made it difficult to contend with an army. Now, however, the Tyranny Team, the Dynasty Team, and the Yanyu Pavilion Team had all arrived. Although they were not invincible elites, they could at least move freely within County Hillock for the time being.
Yelena immediately began her reconnaissance mission. She and the Yeti Squad donned their hoods and slipped out into the streets. In the past, they wore white to blend into the frozen tundra of Ursus, but they had long since left the snowfields and needed different attire. Now, they wore gray-black coats that merged seamlessly with the night, nearly invisible unless illuminated by streetlights.
If they had still been wearing white, they would have been spotted and detained by the Victoria gendarmerie the moment they stepped outside.
The remaining elite operators gathered and divided into separate squads. Under Hellagur's arrangements, they spread throughout the city like falling rain. Unlike the Yeti Squad, which focused on reconnaissance, these teams moved to designated coordinates and then entered the safe houses within the underground waterways to rest. If an emergency arose nearby, or if wounded required treatment, they would be transported through the underground routes to the Tomorrow's Development branch.
Watching such efficient task allocation, Horn lay on her hospital bed and listened to Bagpipe's account, letting out a soft sigh.
"Captain, I feel like those people are incredibly strong," Bagpipe said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I feel like even Victoria's military wouldn't be able to match them."
"Tomorrow's Developments… it's a name I've never heard before," Horn murmured. "Once I've recovered from my injuries, I want to meet the head of this branch."