Episode 241. The Enemy Within
The Kalanta camp left behind after the Orc legion sortied.
The barracks were empty. There weren’t even any orcs guarding the closed area. Thanks to this, Rubin was able to enter the closed area easily.
But there was no room for complacency. The Kalanta camp would soon collapse.
The Northern 2nd Army Corps did not want any trace of the Orc Legion to remain. Erasing the traces by destroying the barracks was also part of the operation.
‘Shall we begin?’
Mass production machinery located in a deep, closed area.
Rubin stood before him and unfurled his subspace pouch. It contained a metal box taken from a special restricted area, and moving parts taken from another restricted area.
As I had previously confirmed, the mass production machines here had their moving parts removed. That was why I had taken the parts from the mass production machines at Legion Headquarters.
Daughter.
As expected, the moving parts matched exactly. Since it was based on magic stone, the connection magic was activated as soon as it was installed. The machine started to operate, emitting light.
Phew.
Then, he opened the iron box. Inside were 10 vials of the ‘immuno-nullifying drug’ that were carefully stored. Rubin quickly began mass production.
Clink, clank.
As soon as Rubin uploaded the original drug, mass production began. Some of the drug was placed in a new bottle and the process of diluting it was repeated.
The diluted drugs were placed in bottles of the same size as the original. Then, they were bundled in dozens and placed in sacks.
Rubin had only two bottles of the original solution left, and he intended to use them all for mass production. The amount to be produced was enormous, but fortunately, the facilities and equipment were sufficient.
If we win this war, the nullification drug will remain as a force that protects the scars. Even if the Empire becomes immune, if there is a nullification drug, they will not be able to come forward recklessly.
Rubin thought that he had completely left Hiklion, let alone the closed area.
‘The theft must have been known by now.’
Looking at the time, it was the changing of the soldiers in the restricted area. But there wouldn’t be much of a fuss. The Legion doesn’t intend to let this incident spread outside, and even the officers in the restricted area don’t know what they’re guarding.
Of course, it was quite possible to deduce what had happened by looking at the state of the mass production machines in the Orc barracks.
However, the Imperial Army could only move one step behind Rubin. Even if they found out the whole story and came after him right away, Rubin would have already entered the vast northern grasslands.
* * *
“We have to decide quickly!”
“… I know, I know.”
“Do you know how many hours have passed already? Things only get worse as time goes on.”
Two faces glared at each other, arguing. Two faces extending from a single body, the giant controllers Karang and Lanka.
The right and left arms each tousled the hair on the side closest to them.
“Why did he die? Why?”
Lanka shouted as if she couldn’t understand. Then she looked at the ‘Heart of Graham’.
The situation board ‘Graheim Heart’ had blood vessels extending out, indicating the status and location of all the Grandbirds in the empire.
But a few hours ago, a Grandbird that was active in the northern grasslands died. And it happened so suddenly.
It was just after Grungbird had escaped from the polar region that one of the blood vessels extending from his heart burst right before their eyes.
It was strange. In all the time that Karanka had been the Giant Controller, there had never been a single instance of a Granbird dying so suddenly.
Originally, the Geotto Controller was able to share Granbird’s vision. However, today, even that ability was not manifested. It seemed that there was a greater danger lurking beyond simply Granbird’s death.
“This is different from when the Assassin’s Blade master killed Amret. How could Grandbird die like this without any warning? Could it be that he was attacked by a polar monster? You said there were incredibly huge monsters there.”
Karang said. His face was much neater than Lanka’s with its bushy beard, but he was so surprised that his skin turned pale and his lips turned red.
They would rather have Grandbird die because of the polar monster.
What the two faces feared most was that they might be the cause of this death. What if the accident was caused by the mishandling of the ‘Graheim Heart’?
“Karang! Listen to me! If you only think about the cause, things will get worse. If you hesitate and fail to deal with it in time, it will be a bigger problem!”
Lanka, who couldn’t stand to watch, stepped forward. Several hours had already passed, but she had to step forward now.
He tried to go out of the control room and report the current situation. However, after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped. This reflected Karang’s will to not go out.
Since there was only one body, if there was no agreement between the two, nothing could be done.
“Where are you going? Are you planning to tell the Emperor about this?”
“… It’s too late for that. Let’s call Rulfo first.”
“Rulpo? Head of the Imperial Order?”
“If he starts investigating, the truth will be revealed right away, and if he uses the assassination sword or the imperial edict, it might be possible to resolve the situation.”
Of course. The Imperial Order is an organization with that kind of ability. The Assassination Swordsmen are even better.
However, Karang barely managed to hold back from raising his fist and hitting Lanka in the face.
Would he use the imperial edict when he was not even the emperor? That was a stupid and dangerous idea. Only the emperor could use the imperial edict.
Moreover, even the gatekeeper golem ‘Rom’ standing outside would know that the head of the Imperial Order, Rulfo, dislikes them. If Rulfo had taken the lead in eliminating them, he would have stood in front, but he would not have helped.
“Then what? What if Grandbird died due to our mistake? Then it would be impossible to ask the Emperor for mercy.”
“Look, Lanka. There are two more Grandbirds on the northern plains right now.”
Lanka looked back at the ‘Heart of Graeheim’. Just like Karang, there were two Granbirds placed near the northern grasslands.
One is a Granbird that performed the same mission as the dead Granbird, but returned to the Northern 2nd Corps headquarters via a different flight path.
Another one was for a general who was inspecting the northern region.
“Let’s have the Northern 2nd Corps Commander Dump investigate the area. Don’t tell him that the Grandbird crashed.”
Karang said, and Lanka immediately guessed what he meant.
Since General Dump was going to enter the northern grasslands to check on the situation of ‘Operation Sunset’ anyway, he could have brought forward the announced takeoff time and inspected the Grandbird crash site.
“Well, I can’t use the general… … .”
Those who could directly meet the Emperor. The Grand General, the Head of the Imperial Department, the Head of the Ministry of Magic, the Commander of the Magic Brigade, the Chamberlain, etc. were not people that the Grand Master could control.
“Once we approach that side with the Grandbird, we’ll be able to assess the situation.”
“Right, just share your perspective.”
“Yes, we should first look into it and see what’s going on. Then either use the general or report the facts to His Majesty, then we’ll do that.”
Lanka eventually nodded. After reaching an agreement, the two moved quickly. They approached the heart of Greheim and called the Grandbird of the Northern 2nd Corps.
The communication stone glowed.
-Hey, Mr. Geojo Control Officer?
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The pilot’s surprised voice could be heard from over there. Of course, that would be the case. Even if he was the pilot of the Grandbird, he wouldn’t know the identity of the Geotto Controller.
-Yes, it’s me. I’m planning to change the flight route today. Oh, by the way, this is an order from the palace.
Karang stepped forward to speak as a representative. The pilot’s voice became stronger at the words that it was an order from the palace.
-Ha, give your order!
* * *
“Shit.”
Dump, who was about to light a cigarette and put it in his hand, realized that he already had one in his mouth. How stupid!
In the end, he took turns holding one cigarette in each hand and putting them in his mouth. Every time he exhaled, his chest became more suffocated, but he didn’t stop. He knew that no matter how much he exhaled, his mind wouldn’t be at peace, but still.
First, he put out the cigarette he had smoked by pressing it down on the floor. Then, when there were about two puffs left on the remaining cigarette, he put it in someone else’s mouth.
“… … .”
Even though he put a cigarette in his mouth, the officer couldn’t suck on it. He just let the ash fall on his chest.
The officer was found dead with his neck broken. He was killed while on duty guarding a special restricted area. The time of death was several hours ago.
Dump looked around.
It was a disaster. Dozens of soldiers were killed, and four officers were killed. Two of the four were four-stars, and the other two were five-stars. One of the five-star officers was even a wizard.
“… I can’t believe it.”
Looking at the composition of the dead soldiers, what happened here was a perfect surprise attack.
Even amid the devastation of having the nullifying drug that had to be protected stolen, a feeling of admiration escaped.
“Even if it was a surprise attack… you’d need to be a 7-star to take out all these officers.”
The adjutant who heard this spoke comfortingly.
“Your Majesty, you have faithfully carried out the General’s orders. In addition to two five-star officers, you have also deployed two four-star officers.”
“Are you saying that I can receive some leniency? As if I had been hit by a natural disaster… . I really appreciate it, but Adjutant! Instead of spending time consoling me, why don’t you give me the news I’m waiting for?”
The adjutant flinched and focused on observing the communications seat’s reaction.
Currently, people have been sent to another restricted area other than the special restricted area that was raided. It was where the mass production machines were located.
The fact that the nullifying drug had been stolen meant that someone was aware of the ‘Sunset Operation’ currently taking place in the meadow.
‘If even the moving parts of a mass production machine are gone… … .’
The severity of the problem increases enormously. So far, it is only enough for General Dump to take off his uniform, but if the nullifying drug is mass-produced by someone other than the Imperial Army… … .
It was a situation that even put the general in danger.
The plan to incorporate the grasslands into the empire’s entire territory. It was a plan that had been in the works for over ten years. But that plan could collapse in an instant.
But, ominous feelings are not always wrong.
“…the moving parts are said to be missing.”
“This fu*king thing!”
The air pressure in the center of the room shook momentarily at the anger of General Dump. Dump barely managed to hold back from emitting an aura.
“The fact that there are no moving parts means that they are intended to operate the machinery of the Orc barracks. That means that—”
The adjutant stopped mid-sentence. Dump already knew what was going to happen next.
An insider’s work. And that means an insider with knowledge of the secrets of the nullifying drug and the mass production machine.
“… It’s Nerheim.”
“It is the most promising one as of now.”
Nerheim betrays? It was a scenario I had never imagined, but as the adjutant said, it was the most convincing story at the moment.
“You haven’t sent anyone to the orc camp yet?”
“Yes, but since we were planning to destroy the barracks, we have troops stationed nearby. If you give us the order, we will order them to go and inspect the mass production machines.”
If there is evidence that the Orc camp’s machinery was working, the probability that Nerheim betrayed the Empire increases even more.
Why? Did you get anything from Kalanta?
“Can you communicate with Nerheim?”
The adjutant’s expression darkened significantly.
“I’m still trying… but there’s been no response yet.”
It was time to wipe out one tribe and move on to the next area. We had planned to communicate every time we cleared out a tribe.
“But why don’t you do it? Damn it! Let’s go to Grandbird first. We had to go in to check out the grassland situation anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll ask the pilot if we can bring forward our takeoff time.”
But before the adjutant could find the pilot, they contacted him first. They even asked to communicate with the general without going through the adjutant. It was so urgent.
“What’s going on?”
When General Dump asked the communications desk, a response came immediately.
-We’ll have to leave earlier than our scheduled takeoff time, General.
“That’s good. That’s something I was going to ask you too.”
-And there was an order to change the flight path.
Dump’s face crumpled slightly. From his perspective, it had to be an existing flight path. That was because it was the only way to pass over the area where Nerheim and the Orc legion were operating.
But the direction that came out of the pilot’s mouth was near the barrier.
“Near the barrier? Do you really have to do that?”
-I was ordered to look around the area.
“Is this the General’s order?”
At this point, the pilot paused for a moment, so General Dump realized that this was not an order from the General’s office.
If it weren’t for the orders of the Grand General, there would be no need for Dump to follow them.
But the words that followed were enough to clear his mind of distracting thoughts.
-This is an order from the palace through the Geojo Tongjeogwan.
