Clamor. The enthusiastic atmosphere of celebrating victory continued to spread throughout Scott Outpost, and every soldier who knew the news felt a shared sense of honor.
At this special moment, even the officers who were usually the strictest in their conduct would turn a blind eye to the celebratory behavior of the soldiers before them. However, all of this came to an abrupt halt in a specific area.
With a specially modified military troop carrier acting as a dividing line, the guards stationed here completely isolated all this fervor and joy to the other side.
And those celebrating soldiers, no matter how excited they were, never dared to cross this line by even half a step. It was as if crossing this line meant entering another world entirely.
In this area, there was one and only one tent set up, which outwardly looked no different from the tents in other places. However, although its exterior was indistinguishable from the surrounding military tents, its interior held a fundamentally distinct difference compared to the others.
Because sitting inside right now was Major General Lorenz of the Defense Force, who had just arrived at Scott Outpost.
Yes, a Major General.
For Scott Outpost, where the highest rank was originally no more than a Colonel, the arrival of a Major General meant that the highest authority within had already shifted the moment he stepped into the outpost.
Right now, this Major General Lorenz sitting in the tent was the biggest shot at Scott Outpost.
Regardless of whether he climbed to this position through collusion for profit or some shameful, underhanded means, in this Defense Force where a higher rank could crush a person to death, as a general-grade officer, he could suppress everyone in Scott Outpost so hard they couldn't even lift their heads.
The midday sun was incomparably bright, yet it could not illuminate the shadows inside the tent.
In this tent, which could be described as spacious, Lorenz sat squarely on his seat with his legs crossed, staring with a fake smile that didn't reach his eyes at Isolde, who was standing upright before him, delivering a detailed combat report.
And by his side stood his trusted aide, who had accompanied him as both an adjutant and a bodyguard.
"...With this, the Nineveh Interception Battle has been successfully completed with results far exceeding the operational indicators, thanks to the efforts of all soldiers on the frontline."
Isolde's combat report this time was concise and capable, while also having a clear sequence of events. Everything aligned with the actual battle situation without a fraction of deviation, and at the same time, it accurately expounded on the contributions of each squad.
It could be called a model combat report.
If this report were placed in the hands of any high-ranking official, it could be said to be a flawless template where no faults could be picked.
It was just a pity that this was not what Lorenz wanted to hear.
The moment Isolde's voice fell, Lorenz immediately put on an incomparably hypocritical smile, raised his hands, and applauded gently in a very supportive manner.
In the empty tent containing only three people, only his applause echoed continuously. It was as if what had just happened before him wasn't some serious and solemn combat report, but a play meticulously performed by an actor he had hired.
After applauding for a full dozen seconds, Lorenz finally leaned back casually against the sofa behind him. At the same time, he said:
"Colonel Isolde, your combat report is good, very good. It makes me involuntarily sigh that it is truly my honor to have a Colonel like you, who is like a bright pearl, existing under my command."
"However, I feel that this report has overlooked some details and requires a small alteration."
Anyone who has heard a leader speak knows that all the praise in the first part of such a statement is bullshit; only what comes after the 'however' is true.
Looking at Lorenz, who had rushed here without stopping, Isolde already had a guess in her heart about his purpose.
Sure enough.
Lorenz's very next sentence clearly revealed the purpose for which he had hurriedly run over at top speed, disregarding his image.
"For example, the director who allowed you to come forward to command during this interception battle, and who continuously provided opinions remotely."
"For example, in order to prevent the Obols Squad from being unable to support the situation alone while maintaining the battle line, the director had already dispatched the troops under his command to the scene as a support tactical squad."
Although Isolde had already guessed in her heart before coming here that Lorenz wanted to take a share of the credit because he saw how massive the merit was this time, she hadn't expected Lorenz's appetite to be large enough to reach this extent.
According to what he just said, this wasn't even taking a share of the soup; this was completely preparing to take all the credit for himself!
In just a few words, as a character added after the fact, he would become the main commander of this operation. It could be said that he was directly swapping the name of the true commander of this interception battle.
In the new report, Isolde would completely change from one of the original protagonists into a supporting role, and all her commands would become decisions made under Lorenz's brilliant guidance.
Not only that.
The squad acting as his trusted aides would also take a share of the credit, directly taking away half of the merit that originally belonged exclusively to the Obols Squad.
After such an operation, this was no longer simply eating the meal and wiping the plate clean; this could even be said to be cracking the bones and sucking the marrow of Isolde and the Obols Squad.
Coupled with the fact that Isolde had just learned through the channels of the Exaltists a while ago that this beast in front of her was the culprit who caused her entire original squad to be sacrificed meaninglessly in the Hollow back then...
For a moment, even Isolde, who had extremely strong self-control, could not endure the violently burning anger in her heart.
But she clearly knew that her weapons had long since been completely confiscated before she entered, while the adjutant by Lorenz's side was fully armed.
Under these circumstances, Isolde, who clearly knew that she absolutely could not make a real move here if she wanted true revenge, still forcibly suppressed the desire to strike directly. But the incomparably high-spirited anger in her heart still made her unable to resist glaring furiously at Lorenz in front of her.
Lorenz, however, was not the least bit surprised by Isolde's anger-filled gaze. Rather, he would have felt it abnormal if Isolde had simply chosen to agree so easily.
But since he came here to make this demand of Isolde, naturally, he had preparations that belonged to him.
"Isolde, don't forget who discovered you back then, allowing you to stand out from the status of a frontline soldier and become the Colonel you are today."
He stared at Isolde in front of him, lowering his voice and speaking in a threatening tone:
"But since I could discover you from among ordinary soldiers, I can similarly make you completely buried."
Although for Lorenz this threat was already powerful enough, Lorenz, who already had some understanding of Isolde, knew very well that such a threat was neither sufficient nor secure for her.
In order to make Isolde obediently listen, he had to make a genuine threat against something the other party absolutely could not abandon.
So he continued to speak in a deep voice:
"Moreover, don't forget whose permission the Obols Squad under your command required to obtain the right to be formed back then."
"But since I could give this right, I can similarly take it back at any time."
"When it is disbanded later, the current members of the Obols Squad can just be casually scattered into the squads under my command as eternal substitute members."
Lorenz knew very well that on this matter, he absolutely could not achieve it through bribery. Quite the opposite, he had to achieve his goal through threats and coercion.
After all, he knew very well himself.
Bribery was handing the knife for bloodletting into the other party's hands. But coercion was different. Through coercion, the initiative in this matter would be firmly grasped in his own hands forever, without giving the other party the slightest hope of turning the tables.
Although Lorenz's threat was brief, it was extremely effective.
The current Obols Squad was undoubtedly something Isolde was absolutely unwilling, and unable, to abandon.
Seeing Isolde fall silent, Lorenz then continued to speak, making a promise to appease her at the same time:
"But if the final combat report is really what I hope to see, then if I remember correctly..."
"The Obols Squad seems to have always lacked a main attacker. After the report is submitted, I will use my resources to help you find a desired target as soon as possible, until you are satisfied. How about it?"
The big stick and the sweet date must exist simultaneously.
As someone who climbed to this position through some unknown means, no one knew this point better than Lorenz.
After silently listening to Lorenz's threat, Isolde, who knew clearly in her heart that Lorenz was playing the carrot and stick game, couldn't help but close her eyes slightly.
Opening them again, she, who had long since had a plan in her heart, had already forcibly suppressed the anger completely, restoring her calmness of the past.
She did not continue to deny it; she just nodded silently, and then, in order to buy herself time to think of a countermeasure, she began attempting to stall.
Thus, Isolde first pretended to agree and said:
"That I can have today's achievements is entirely due to relying on your cultivation, Sir. Now it is also time to repay you."
Subsequently, as if she were really thinking for the other party, Isolde continued to ask:
"It's just that if the report is changed to what you expect, Sir, unavoidable loopholes will inevitably appear in the end, and it will be difficult to withstand scrutiny. Is it really okay?"
Hearing these words, Lorenz, who instantly understood that Isolde had chosen to compromise, could no longer suppress the triumphant smile at the corner of his mouth. He waved his hand casually and said:
"This is not something you need to consider. You just need to change the report to the appearance I expect."
Lorenz didn't care at all about Isolde's warning.
He wasn't a fool; of course, he knew that forcibly claiming the credit for himself like this couldn't withstand scrutiny at all.
But the merit this time was simply too great.
The moment he learned of this intelligence, he knew clearly that this was an opportunity for him. An opportunity that absolutely could not be missed.
Relying on the exchange of benefits and paying tribute to the mountain backing him, the rank of Major General was already the limit that these methods could reach.
But he knew very well that his ambition never stopped at just being a Major General.
Because Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi, who wiped out Nineveh, were not in the Defense Force, the credit generated by Nineveh being completely annihilated in this interception battle was a godsend opportunity for him.
At the same time, had the commander-in-chief of this interception battle been anyone else, he wouldn't have had the room to intervene like this. But this time, it was simply like a gift from God.
The one serving as commander in this interception battle was none other than a Colonel belonging to his command whom he had promoted himself—Isolde.
The moment he saw Isolde's name, he knew clearly that his promotion opportunity had finally arrived.
As long as he got this credit in hand and then operated through the network of relationships formed by interests over these years, he could formally be promoted to become a Lieutenant General.
By that time, everything would have become a settled conclusion.
Faced with the immense power of him having already become a Lieutenant General, no matter how unable the current credit was to withstand scrutiny, it would have become irrelevant. Those other colleagues or subordinates in the same interest network as him would actively help him clarify it.
And the other reason he didn't show was also because of Isolde.
He knew very well that this Colonel he had discovered over the years had been attempting to search for the truth of the Fall of the Old Capital.
More accurately, the reason why the squad she was in was completely wiped out in that battle.
Others might not know the reason. But could Lorenz, the party involved as the commander who sent Isolde's squad to do the dirty work in order to get the huge check from Porcelumex, and simultaneously deliberately prevented other troops from supporting them to cover up the fact of his bribery, not be clear?
So regarding Isolde's investigation, as a Major General, dealing with Isolde who was only a Colonel now, he could naturally conceal it very easily.
But what if she became a Major General of the same rank as him through this credit?
At that time, if he still wanted to conceal intelligence in this regard from her, it would no longer be as easy a matter as it was now.
So he could not, and absolutely would not allow Isolde to become an existence of the same level as him.
Several reasons superimposed together made it impossible for Lorenz to let Isolde eat this credit that originally belonged to her untouched, no matter what.
But if he could take this credit for his own use, it would be an even greater unexpected joy for him.
Once he became a Lieutenant General, he would completely no longer need to worry about Isolde's threat.
Meanwhile, because she already knew the truth, Isolde understood the reason Lorenz insisted on doing this, even hesitating to use such open threats, after only a little thought.
She also clearly knew that relying on her current power, it was impossible to confront Lorenz.
But if Lorenz really succeeded in taking the credit and became a Lieutenant General, then her plan to lure him to the Waifei Peninsula could no longer be implemented.
After all, facing the same opportunity to allow the Defense Force to station into the Waifei Peninsula, as a Major General, he would choose to actively intervene and go to the Waifei Peninsula to oversee things without hesitation because he craved achievements. But for him having already become a Lieutenant General, he would only need to dispatch his subordinates to go.
By that time, the difficulty of wanting to forcibly kill him would rise exponentially in an instant.
Directly ignore the threat and forcibly submit it?
No.
Even if Isolde wanted to send this report directly, Lorenz, who had already arrived here, was not only her superior but also the biggest shot in Scott Outpost right now. If the report Isolde submitted was to be sent out forcibly, it also had to pass through his approval to continue to be submitted.
As a purebred beast himself, Lorenz naturally also considered this point, which was why he had been staying in the outpost without moving.
It was just that he wasn't guarding against Isolde because he knew she had understood the truth, but because he was afraid Isolde would choose to take a risk and ignore the threat due to the temptation of power.
After all, putting himself in her shoes, if it were him, he would choose to do so.
So by a strange combination of circumstances, this operation of Lorenz's really blocked the only opportunity Isolde had to struggle.
At this moment, the shadow belonging to the black curtain seemed to shroud the entire sky of Scott Outpost.
Clearly, the noon sun was so brilliant, as if the light were right before her eyes, yet Isolde only felt a coldness sufficient to make her whole body tremble.
A desperate situation; an unsolvable desperate situation seemed to be right before her eyes, yet she had no way out.
Finding that she had no choice from beginning to end, Isolde, who was in a dilemma, couldn't help but feel somewhat despairing in her heart.
Could it be that she really could only achieve her own goal through the Exaltists?
Or should she forcibly kill Lorenz right here?
But in that case, what about the one in Porcelumex? She could only make one of them pay the price; was she just going to let one of the murderers continue to be free in this world?
But just when this situation was incomparably critical, a flash of memory passed through Isolde's mind. It was the intelligence regarding the squad Soldier 11 belonged to in the Defense Force, revealed through Soldier 11's own mouth, as well as the data she had found through this squad name when preparing the combat report.
A glimmer of hope suddenly appeared in her eyes.
____
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