“So we should first launch a surprise attack on the Jamming Tower in this camp. That way, we can free up some of the communications and send out a distress signal without any issues.”
“But this camp also has the strongest defenses. Plus, we’ve discovered a large number of Mad Beasts nearby, many of which are evolved forms. Combined with the Saint Assembly’s artillery fire, it’s going to be hard to make a clean getaway.”
“Are you suggesting that the Mad Beasts coordinate with the Saint Assembly’s operations?”
“Yes. According to our observations, the Saint Assembly can indeed control the Mad Beasts’ movements to a certain extent.”
“…Earlier, how much artillery did you say they had?”
“As for missile launchers, we’ve observed ten in total. As for anti-aircraft guns, about a hundred.”
“With this firepower…”
For an organization trying to capture a city, isn’t this firepower a bit weak?
However, judging from the Saint Assembly’s attack methods, they probably still want to take Bola City while minimizing damage to its infrastructure.
They need to ensure the Purification System operates normally.
So unless absolutely necessary, they won’t bomb Bola City directly from outside.
Despite my confusion about this, I’ll set it aside for now.
The top priority is still the Jamming Tower.
Regardless of firepower, that tower must be destroyed.
“Wouldn’t this be too much of a burden on you?”
Hearing the Commander-in-Chief’s concern, I couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Not because I thought his understanding was superficial, but because he actually felt sympathy for us.
“Don’t worry, leave this to us. After all, once we cause enough damage to the Saint Assembly, they’ll probably send out that Giant Mad Beast. That saves us the trouble of searching for them. You focus on dealing with the Saint Assembly inside the city.”
“…Alright.”
With the subsequent plan roughly decided, a soldier lightly knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
The soldier pushed open the door, saluted the two of us, and said, “Commander-in-Chief, someone requests to see you. They claim to be a support squad.”
“Let them in.”
“Yes!”
The soldier hurried off.
I looked at the Commander with delight.
“It looks like we can start implementing our plan right away.”
“No.”
But Commander Walid firmly rejected my decision.
“Why?”
“You must have noticed when you arrived that a sandstorm is about to form nearby. It will likely last the entire day, so going out now is not a good choice.”
“My squad members aren’t afraid of a sandstorm.”
“No.”
Commander Walid shook his head.
“It’s not just because of this natural disaster, but rather, the existence within it.”
“Which existence?”
The Commander’s words left me perplexed.
What? Was there some ridiculously powerful entity inside the sandstorm?
Thinking about this, I suddenly remembered a story I had read in a children’s book before.
“Dust Sand Walker?”
“Yeah.”
Commander Walid did not deny it.
“The real Dust Sand Walker is not as benevolent as the fairy tales make it out to be.”
“I thought it was purely fictional.”
“Every story has a basis in reality. The Dust Sand Walker appears alongside the sandstorm and takes away travelers who stubbornly continue walking through it, oblivious to the danger. As for where it takes them, no one can answer, because none of those taken have ever returned.”
“This is really…”
Really makes one want to meet this Dust Sand Walker.
After all, living legends like this are rare.
It would be interesting to see one in person.
But the Commander-in-Chief probably wouldn’t agree, so I had to quash that thought.
“Commander-in-Chief, they’ve arrived.”
The soldier returned, and behind him stood my five squad members.
“Alright, return to your post. Good work.”
“Yes!”
The soldier quickly left the room, leaving behind my squad members he had brought.
“Captain.”
Hai Shi immediately ran into my arms and hugged me tightly.
Her childish arms could barely encircle my waist, but because she was exerting quite a bit of force, my waist actually hurt a little.
“Be good, Hai Shi. Are you hurt?”
“Yeah.”
Seeing that Hai Shi refused to let go, I had no choice but to let her continue hugging me.
But I hoped Hai Shi would ease up a bit, because my waist was really about to break.
“Captain~ Give me a hug too~.”
“Mm… If you were thirty years younger, Ou Mi You, I might consider it.”
“Why! I’m still young, you know!? I’m still a girl in the prime of my youth!? Or is it that you’re only interested in kids under fourteen?!”
“What are you talking about? Huh? By the way, Hai Shi, how old are you?”
“Um… The month after next, after the fifteenth, I’ll be fifteen.”
“Huh? No way? You were only seven when you first came?”
“Yeah.”
“I-I see…”
I scratched my head.
I didn’t really care about age.
No, no, it wasn’t that I didn’t care; I just usually didn’t pay much attention to age, nor did I focus on that when looking at data.
So hearing that Hai Shi was only seven when she first got infected was quite surprising to me.
“Hehe~ Then Hai Shi, after two months, you’ll lose your privilege of hugging the Captain. From then on, we’ll be on equal footing!”
“Mm… Then I won’t grow up.”
“That’s not for you to decide, Hai Shi! When the time comes, you’ll immediately age a year, and then another year. You’ll become a wrinkled old grandma eventually!”
“Ou Mi You, you’re, clearly, older than me, so you’ll, become, a wrinkled, old granny, first.”
“What a sharp tongue you have!”
Ou Mi You stretched Hai Shi’s cheeks like dough.
So that’s it—this is the softness of a child’s face?
“Mm? Captain?”
I then imitated Ou Mi You’s action and kneaded her face.
It wasn’t bad, but compared to Hai Shi, something was missing.
Maybe that was the difference in age.
“CAPTAIN!!!”
“Don’t don’t don’t bite my hand!”
I barely managed to shake off Ou Mi You.
Hiss, she almost bit through my clothes.
“Alright, alright. Now is not the time to let our guard down. Captain, what’s our plan going forward?”
Xi Si Te clapped her hands and said.
There was a bit of bloodstain on her clothes; probably from a conflict with the Saint Assembly just now.
“Our plan going forward… Ah, right, let me introduce you first. This is Commander-in-Chief of Bola City, Khalid bin Walid.”
“Greetings, everyone. On behalf of all our soldiers, I thank you for coming to our aid. It is a great encouragement.”
“Likewise, Commander-in-Chief. I admire you for holding the city under such difficult conditions.”
“Not at all. I am merely fulfilling my duty. Moreover, my strength is far inferior to yours.”
“Is that so? I believe a person’s strength is not only manifested in the physical, but also in the spirit. It is clear that your presence, Commander-in-Chief, has greatly inspired the soldiers in the city. Without you, they would likely fall into chaos and be defeated by the enemy.”
“Haha! This young lady has a unique perspective! Then I am honored by your praise. May I ask for your name?”
“Xi Si Te. You may address me as such.”
“Miss Xi Si Te, judging by your name and attire, were you a nun before?”
“No, not at all.”
Xi Si Te touched the ornament on her chest.
It was not a cross, merely a silver necklace.
“I have never been baptized nor entered the monastery. I simply… listened to the Oracle, and then requested them to make me this set of clothes. This outfit allows me to always remember that moment.”
“I see. Even if you are not a nun, Miss Xi Si Te, you are still the most beautiful and the noblest woman I have ever met. Though our faiths differ, may the light of the gods shine upon you.”
“Thank you. However, I am not worthy of such lofty words as ‘noble’ and ‘beautiful’.”
“Haha.”
Commander Walid did not take Xi Si Te’s words to heart, merely treating them as her modesty.
“Alright, alright, let’s stop with the mutual flattery. Anyway, let’s rest for today. We’ll discuss the specific action plan tomorrow.”
“Of course. I have prepared the best rooms for all of you. You may go directly.”
“Yay! Finally get to sleep on a bed!”
Ou Mi You bounced out of the room.
We had no choice but to follow helplessly.
The Commander-in-Chief sat alone in his office, his eyes still fixed on the direction Wu Yin and the group had left.
“They… are our hope.”