Chapter 82: The infiltration mission (16)
The four-legged, fire-breathing war chariot and my fellow warriors of the demon squad came into view. How they had reached this point and why they were here was unclear. Yet, one thing was certain—these reinforcements brought a sense of reassurance like no other.
With a powerful burst of flame, the war chariot unleashed a volley of flaming projectiles. Emboldened by this display, Tigar and the rest of demons charged forward, their voices roaring in unison. The pursuing metal horses abruptly halted, uttering curses before turning their heads north, fleeing from the battle. It appeared that the invading soldiers had realized their disadvantage. It looks like we’ve managed to survive for now.
“I’ve survived yet again.” Mika said
“…”
“Don’t worry. I won’t take my own life anymore. You reminded me when you scolded me. It was the favorite saying of the one who was both my friend and master… ‘While there’s life, there’s hope.’”
Mika, still cradled amidst the hands of sand, spoke with a pale complexion, but his breathing had calmed down. It seemed that while I had been running and carrying him, he had managed to heighten his fighting spirit and heal to his wounds. It was a deep wound, one that could have claimed his life had he not been a demon. Becoming a demon may have been an involuntary experience for him, but for now, he should be grateful for that body.
More importantly, ‘While there’s life, there’s hope.’ It was a phrase that resonated deeply within my heart. I’ll try saying it out loud once I can speak properly. I’ll remember it.
“Hey, are you alive!?”
“We have a severely injured person! Anyone capable of healing arts, gather around!”
I slowed down from running to walking, and Tigar and the others rushed towards me. Tigar patted me vigorously to confirm my safety, while Zald quickly assessed Mika’s condition and gave instructions. That’s when I gently laid Mika down on the ground, letting the sand covering his body scatter around.
At that moment, everyone froze in place. It was because a woman with pale blue skin emerged from the sand that had enveloped Mika. Oh, I had forgotten about the white armored soldier while I was busy helping Mika. Hey, are you alive?
Upon closer observation, I noticed her chest rising and falling, indicating that she was breathing properly. If she died here, all the effort we put into bringing her back would have been in vain. Relieved to see her alive, I let out a sigh of relief.
“What’s with this woman… this is a woman, right?” Tigar asked
“Is she a prisoner?”
I nodded in agreement at Zald’s question. He then called some women from the demon squad and had them bind and restrain the captured woman’s limbs. Their efficiency in handling the situation was impressive. It seemed that many members of the demon squad were skilled individuals.
As we stood surrounded by Tigar and the others, the doors of the four-legged, fire-breathing war chariot opened, revealing Marcellus and Rinne. Both of them had signs of fatigue on their faces, but they had managed to arrive safely.
“I’m glad… truly glad…!” Rinne exclaimed.
“I apologize for causing you worry,” Mika replied.
Rinne leaped off the chariot and rushed towards Mika, who was lying on the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Mika looked apologetic. That’s right; there were others who didn’t want you to die besides me. Keep your promise not to treat your life so lightly.
Speaking of which, why had the demon squad crossed the river and come all the way here? They were supposed to be on a scouting mission on the other side. Tigar and Zald provided the answer to that lingering question.
“Well, while we were searching through the forest, this monstrous fire-breathing war chariot showed up. Then Marcellus, who came out of it, said he was going to help you guys and asked for our assistance,” Tigar explained.
“We quickly figured out where you were. After all, there was so much smoke rising from this side of the river that it was even visible from the opposite bank,” Zald added.
“The ones who can fly carried the lighter members, and the rest of us rode on top of the war chariot. You guys caused quite a commotion, didn’t you? The enemies in the planted forest on the occupied territory mostly gathered in the direction you were heading,”
“They were too preoccupied with the northern side, so it was easy to annihilate them,”
Oh, it seemed that enemies had been positioned in our path, but Tigar and the others had taken care of them from behind. If it weren’t for their intervention, we would have been caught in a pincer attack. Even if I had survived, Mika might have died. I was grateful for Marcellus’s decision.
As we celebrated our reunion, Marcellus clapped his hands to gather everyone’s attention. Once all eyes were on him, he spoke. We were to retreat.
“While I’m also glad to see everyone again, we’re still in enemy territory, even if it’s at the edge. It’s not a place where we can relax and make a scene. We need to cross the river as soon as possible and report back,” Marcellus announced.
Marcellus’s point was completely valid. We quickly prepared for the retreat. I seated Mika, who needed to rest, and the bound white armored soldier woman on the seats of the war chariot before I climbed onto the top of the chariot.
Since there were only three seats available, Rinne ended up sitting on top of the war chariot as well. When she saw me, she bowed her head without saying a word and quietly said, “Thank you.” It was probably her way of expressing gratitude for not abandoning Mika. I acknowledged her thanks with a nod.
Those who could fly kept watch over the sky while those skilled in water spiritual art solidified the water surface. Marcellus, controlling the war chariot, safely crossed the river, and somehow, Mika and I managed to return to the Imperial side.
“Welcome back, Vice Captain. Well then, please proceed with your report quickly,”
“…Decius. Don’t you have any intention of acknowledging the efforts of your superior, who completed a difficult mission?” Marcellus retorted.
“I don’t want to hear that from someone who immediately took soldiers away from his subordinates right after returning,” Decius replied, his tone sharp.
On the imperial side of the planted forest we were greeted by Decius, who was Marcellus’s subordinate. He should have been patrolling the planted forest with Tigar and the others. From Decius’s perspective, it certainly appeared that his superior suddenly returned and took his soldiers into enemy territory. It was inevitable that his words would carry a sharp edge.
Marcellus, who had half of his body sticking out of the chariot door, couldn’t come up with a retort to Decius’s valid argument. However, it was undeniable that, thanks to his judgment, both Mika and I were saved. I leaped down from the chariot onto the ground and lowered my head towards Decius. After all, the reason for his displeasure lay with me.
Not only Decius, but everyone present looked at me with surprise. Then Decius let out a small chuckle before whispering in a voice only I could hear.
“You’re quite a conscientious person, aren’t you? I’m not really angry at you. I just wanted the Vice Captain to reflect. You should go back to the camp and rest.”
“…”
“Hey, what are you two talking about?”
I nodded to Decius and hopped back onto the chariot’s body. Marcellus looked up at me with a puzzled expression, but I intentionally ignored him and sat on top of the chariot’s barrel. Marcellus glanced between me and Decius, but neither I nor Decius said a word.
With a disgruntled expression, Marcellus closed the entrance and returned the demon unit to Decius before heading south towards the fortress under construction. Riding on the fire breathing war chariot this time was much faster than walking.
After a while, it seemed we had caught the attention of the Imperial Army’s patrol unit. Over ten cavalrymen came galloping towards us. Since we had imperial soldiers’ clothes displayed on the fire-breathing war chariot in place of a flag, we were doing our best to showcase that we were allies. However, perhaps because it wasn’t clear that we were on their side, the cavalry kept their spears at the ready, staying vigilant.
“Wait! We are not enemies!”
Marcellus seemed to have noticed the approaching cavalrymen, too, as he stopped the fire-breathing war chariot and opened the door, revealing himself. I picked up their conversation, thanks to my enhanced hearing senses, that their surprise intensified upon realizing that soldiers from the Empire had emerged from inside the chariot. Simultaneously, the cavalrymen lowered their spears and reduced their speed as they approached us.
Marcellus then explained their affiliation and other details to the cavalry unit. Once our identities were confirmed, a few members of the cavalry agreed to accompany us to the camp under the pretext of acting as escorts.
There was probably an aspect of surveillance in their presence. However, it was convenient to have them here, as Marcellus wouldn’t need to repeatedly explain the situation whenever we encountered ally units. We had nothing to hide, so there was no problem at all. While sensing the glances from the cavalrymen flickering towards us, I absentmindedly gazed at the sky.
Later on, when we arrived within visible range of the camp, one of the cavalrymen went ahead to report our arrival. Thanks to that, there was no confusion, and we were able to enter the camp smoothly.
“Esteemed Commander, Marcellus Stius Orox and the three others have successfully completed the infiltration mission and returned.”
“I see. But my, what a grand return, isn’t it? Do you really want to stand out that much, huh?”
“I apologize for the trouble caused.”
The one who greeted us was Marcellus’s superior, accompanied by around twenty soldiers. Despite Marcellus opening the door, stepping down to the ground, and reporting our return with a salute, the nervous and thin man replied with a sarcastic tone as his first words.
Whether Marcellus was accustomed to his superior’s lack of any sense of appreciation or not, he didn’t show a single crack in his serious expression. Perhaps finding it uninteresting, the superior man let out an unpleasant snort.
“Hmph. So? It’s quite a swift return, but is the information truly gathered? If you had cowardly fled with your tails between your legs, you would be facing a military tribunal right away.”
“That is not the case. We have obtained information about the occupied territory. This information will be a valuable aid in formulating future strategies.”
“Well, I hope it’s worth that much. Report to headquarters. The General is waiting. And… no one else should come. Just the chosen ones, free of low-ranking scum, can approach the headquarters where we gather.”
“Understood. All three of you—sorry to ask—but please wait at the camp you stayed in beore. You’ll recognize it immediately with the presence of the wagon.”
I nodded and silently entered the chariot before pulling Mika out with me. Just as the white armored soldier was starting to regain consciousness at that moment, I quickly stabbed the poisonous stinger on her neck. Now, she wouldn’t be able to move for a while.
With Mika leaning on my shoulder, I set foot on the ground together with Rinne and walked in the direction where I sensed the presence of Shou and Apao….the ox demon and horse demon. And so, finally, the infiltration mission came to an end.
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