On the snowy plains of Ursus, a team composed entirely of Sarkaz mercenaries was stealthily advancing under the cover of night.
To avoid detection by the Ursus military, they dared not light fires for warmth, even on the dark and cold nights.
The only good news was that it was summer in the northern hemisphere of Terra, so the temperature wasn't as low, and there wasn't as little light at night.
“(Sarkaz slang), this damned place is colder in summer than Kazdel is in winter.”
“You could try coming in winter, then see if you freeze solid wearing that outfit.”
“Ines, are you sick? Your tailoring skills are pretty good, why don't you make me one when you have time?”
“Then you'd better stick with those rags. Anyway, no matter how sturdy a garment I sew, you'll still blow it to shreds.”
The other mercenaries in the team didn't complain about the two bickering.
On this ice plain, the only thing that met the eye was boring scenery; the only living things were the occasional Fissure Beasts. W and Ines's squabbling at least added a bit of life.
“He Deli, how far are we from the Reunion Movement's camp?”
W was getting increasingly impatient. When she accidentally learned that Her Highness was not dead, and she had mistakenly killed the only person who knew the information, she began frantically collecting intelligence.
She couldn't understand why, if Her Highness hadn't died in that betrayal and assassination, she hadn't come to seek revenge on that scoundrel Theresis.
And the old woman Kal'tsit, who hadn't even figured out if Her Highness was dead or alive, had taken a group of Babel elders and formed some kind of pharmaceutical company.
“We should be close. Regent Your Highness's last communication with Bozdcasti was in this vicinity.” He Deli took out his notebook, checked it, and then informed the other Sarkaz in the team.
“He Deli, I am the leader of this mercenary group.” The leading Sarkaz seemed a bit displeased with He Deli's overstepping, so he warned him to know his place.
“(Sarkaz slang), Garson, what's your mercenary group? Don't think that just because that (Sarkaz slang) Theresis made you the leader, we would…”
“Alright, W, shut your mouth,” seeing the foul-mouthed girl's words becoming more and more excessive, He Deli had to step in and silence her.
When the three of them first met with their teams, she knew how to assess the situation and keep her head down. Why was she suddenly erupting now?
“What do you mean? Are you trying to betray Regent Your Highness Theresis?”
Before Garson finished speaking, W immediately raised her detonator. As she cackled and pressed the button, Garson was instantly blown away.
“I've wanted to cut off that scoundrel Theresis's head and pack it with explosives for a long time!”
Seeing W take action, He Deli and Ines also had no choice but to draw their weapons.
Thus, the entire mercenary group immediately split into two factions: He Deli's old mercenaries and the troops Garson had brought in.
Compared to the troops supporting W, Garson's team was significantly smaller in number.
“I'll tell you, Her Highness isn't dead!” W stood on the Camel's back, holding out the letter she couldn't understand but still carefully preserved. “Babel hasn't disappeared! Her Highness still cares about Kazdel! That war isn't over yet!”
Her words immediately caused a sensation among the mercenary group. Everyone felt the unique witchcraft of the Demon King emanating from the thin letter paper.
“Now, I'm giving you a choice: either join Babel and serve Her Highness, or be blown away by me like him!”
He Deli's original mercenary group had sided with Theresa during the civil war and largely agreed with her ideals, only fighting under Theresis's sole banner out of necessity.
The mercenaries belonging to Garson, however, were different; they again split into two factions.
One faction didn't care who they worked for, as long as they got paid, while the other firmly supported the Regent and the Military Commission, and suspected W of using some method to fake the Demon King's witchcraft.
“That's truly a shame.”
...After dealing with Garson and Theresis's staunch supporters, the mercenary group once again elected He Deli as their leader, to lead them to rendezvous with Patriot.
Continuing their trek across the ice plain, they soon encountered a patrol team.
This patrol team was not wearing Ursus army uniforms, but rather cloaked in a layer of white thermal cloth.
“Stop, don't move.”
A caster spotted the mercenary group, and blue arts began to gather in his hands.
Soon, the entire patrol team became alert.
“We have no ill intentions,” He Deli dismounted from the Camel, walked through the snow with his hands raised towards the patrol team, “We are from Kazdel, acting under the orders of Regent Your Highness to assist Bozdcasti.”
“You're here to join old man Patriot?” The captain deactivated his arts but kept the others on alert. “Do you have any materials that can prove your identity?”
On the other side of the mercenary group, W and Ines conversed in low voices. Didn't they say back in Londinium that the Reunion Movement would take any Infected they saw? Why were they checking now?
Ultimately, He Deli's eloquence persuaded the opposing Yeti patrol team to contact their superiors, and they agreed to take them to the camp.
Supplies on the ice plain were not abundant, but the Sarkaz mercenaries saw many wooden houses, as well as some structures resembling greenhouses.
“Here, food, and wine.” The patrol team led the mercenary group into the camp and then continued with their duties, so the Reunion Movement sent an old Sarkaz from the Guerrillas to greet them.
“Where did everyone here go?” He Deli looked at the huge stone bonfire in front of him; it would take at least a hundred people to surround it.
But now, there was hardly anyone to be seen in the entire camp.
“Oh, Lord Patriot and the leader took people and captured Chernobog. And a few days ago, Lady Yelena escorted Alina to join them, taking the last remaining people, so it looks like there's no one here.”
“W, if you hadn't insisted on going to Columbia for that concert, we would have already connected with Bozdcasti.” Ines, while mending their clothes damaged in the conflict, blamed W for delaying their journey.
“Didn't I hear that band's manager looked a lot like Regent Your Highness Theresa? So I rushed over to see. Who knew there was a Sarkota mixed in there?”
As a native Kazdelian who had fully participated in the civil war, W knew very well that with Her Highness's personality, she would never find a body double to attract damage for her.
“You just mentioned Regent Your Highness Theresa, didn't you?” The old Sarkaz from the Guerrillas suddenly said.
“Yes, why? Have you seen her?” W clearly didn't have much respect for these ordinary Sarkaz who hadn't stayed in Kazdel.
Although there weren't many people she respected to begin with.
“Yes, I have. She was operating in Chernobog with Leader Talulah and Lord Patriot.”