"Doctor, actually, you don't have to..."
Talulah looked at Xia Yu beside her, hesitating.
Since they agreed a few days ago to raid the nearby military depot along the way, the Guerrilla had no intention of breaking their word. They were indeed running low on supplies, and returning to the snowfields required a significant amount of materials. Otherwise, it would be difficult for these thousand-odd people to survive the winter.
As soon as they approached the depot today, the Guerrilla immediately organized a team for the raid, but Talulah didn't understand why the Doctor insisted on coming along.
"What? Afraid I can't fight?" Xia Yu brandished the greatsword in her hand jokingly.
The Shieldguards on the side watched the greatsword—thick as a human thigh—being swung effortlessly with one hand. They collectively swallowed their spit. They had witnessed the sparring match between the Doctor and the Captain that night. Even if the Captain hadn't used his full strength, the Doctor certainly hadn't gone all out either.
As battle-hardened veterans, the Shieldguards could naturally tell the Doctor's primary profession was a Caster... which made it even more terrifying. As a Caster, she could pull out a weapon and trade blows with the Captain without losing ground, then pull away to blast him with spells, only to switch back to the greatsword when he charged.
Such a versatile warrior... not to mention she was a doctor. Did such a perfect person actually exist in this world?
Since the Doctor wanted to participate, the Captain naturally stayed behind to defend the camp. Talulah and the others led two Shieldguard squads and about a hundred warriors to form the raiding party.
"Of course not, Doctor Xia Yu," Talulah said helplessly. "It's just that you're a doctor... how can you..."
"How can I not? Talulah, actually, I came for you," Xia Yu shook her head. "I haven't seen you fight yet."
"In today's battle, give it your all. Let me see how much skill the descendants of the Draco still possess."
"Fine, I understand, Doctor." Talulah stopped trying to persuade her. She turned, lying prone on the snow, and picked up binoculars to observe the distant camp.
"Looks like our luck isn't great," FrostNova, who had been observing for a while, turned and spoke. "The bad news is, I see Ursus military supply trucks. According to the insignia, those are soldiers from the Third Army."
"At least three hundred men, bringing over twenty large trucks. This is a tough nut to crack. Regular Ursus troops aren't easy to take down."
"And the good news?" Xia Yu asked.
"The good news is that those twenty-plus trucks are here to deliver supplies," FrostNova's eyes flickered with excitement. "The Third Army isn't stationed in the snowfields; they're in the south."
"They only come here if the nobles behind them are using the military to escort their family supplies to the snowfield mines. This sort of thing is commonplace in Ursus."
"Meaning, if we can take this depot, the seized supplies will be enough for everyone to last through the winter!"
"More than that," Talulah corrected. "Twenty-plus trucks full of supplies... these are Ursus military Tar-3 medium multi-purpose transport vehicles. Each has a load capacity of about eight to thirteen tons, and they look fully loaded."
"A rough estimate puts it at two hundred tons... plus the various supplies already in the depot... we're rich!"
"Two hundred tons!" FrostNova's eyes practically glowed. Breathing heavily, she said, "Let's do it!"
"Not so fast," the Shieldguard Captain, Paul, shook his head, possessing more combat experience. "Two hundred tons of supplies is no small amount. The snowfields aren't peaceful; those nobles wouldn't just send three hundred men to escort this. There must be elites mixed in."
"And the situation isn't as optimistic as you think. These three hundred people didn't walk here; they have vehicles. The number of small vehicles outside the depot can only carry about a hundred people at most."
"We should go back and report to the Captain. We'll wait until this troop leaves before we strike. Three hundred escorts plus the two hundred soldiers already in the depot is too much to handle."
"True," FrostNova nodded, her excitement fading into regret. "Uncle Paul is right. We can't go head-to-head with these troops yet."
It wasn't that they couldn't win, but rather that the cost was too high. The Guerrilla's southern force only had about a thousand people, and fewer than three hundred were actual warriors. The rest were various Infected who chose to follow them.
"A pity," Talulah sighed.
"Five hundred men... is that a lot?" Xia Yu was confused.
Truly, it was just five hundred soldiers. She could crush most of them with a single charge. Don't be fooled by her sparring with Patriot; it wasn't just Patriot who held back.
He didn't use Sarkaz witchcraft, and Xia Yu still had a mountain of Incantations, spells, weapons, and Spirit Ashes she hadn't touched, let alone her own developed killing moves. Taking down these troops was a simple task.
"Doctor, we know you're strong," Talulah worried. She pulled back and grabbed Xia Yu's hand, pleading earnestly, "But you are the hope of the Infected. Unless it's absolutely necessary, you shouldn't expose yourself to the Ursus people."
Truthfully, they were loath to let a treasure like Xia Yu onto the battlefield. Even a scratch would break the hearts of the Infected.
And honestly, could the Guerrilla really not take this depot?
Hardly. If they went back and got Patriot to lead the main force, could the enemy withstand his charge with the Shieldguards? Three hundred against five hundred—the advantage was truly theirs.
After all, Patriot was a hero-tier unit. The Guerrilla didn't think the Ursus military would deploy such a high-level unit for a two-hundred-ton escort. Someone of Patriot's strength would be at least a General in Ursus if they had no background, like Hellagur. If he were from a Great Noble family? They wouldn't even care about the title of General.
Of course, not every General had his strength. There were plenty of frauds in the Ursus military. The only reason he remained a Captain after all these years was the double debuff of being Sarkaz and Infected. Anyone else with his record would have soared to the top long ago.
Therefore, such an escort team couldn't possibly have a General-level presence. An officer at the rank of Colonel would be the ceiling.
As for Colonels... just looking at the old Shieldguard Paul—if he hadn't served under Patriot, his record alone would have earned him a Colonel's rank. Of course, that was back when the former Emperor was still alive. Now? Heh.
Ultimately, they feared Xia Yu would meet with an accident on the battlefield. She was the crown jewel of the Infected. Even a minor injury was a major crisis. How would they explain it to everyone back at camp?
"I understand your feelings, but time waits for no one," Xia Yu shook her head, pointing at the depot. "It looks like they've finished unloading. They might not stay long."
"And me? I've got my eyes on those twenty-odd trucks," Xia Yu said, narrowing her eyes. "Two hundred tons of supplies—we only have a thousand people. Even if you worked everyone in camp to death, you couldn't haul it all back to the snowfields!"
Actually, they could—her inventory could hold plenty—but again, she wanted those trucks.
And Xia Yu didn't believe in coincidences. Her gaze drifted over Talulah. The Black Snake was definitely behind this. It must have tampered with the depot to test her information. Conveniently, Xia Yu was wondering how to continue layering her background story. Here was the opportunity.
"Talulah, aren't you tempted?" Xia Yu smiled. "You know the models of those trucks like the back of your hand. You know what a boost these transport tools would be for the Guerrilla."
"Next, we'll be raiding mines all over the snowfields. With these trucks, we can rescue more Infected, haul back more ore, raid more mines..."
Talulah frowned; she was wavering.
"And, if the Ursus army really comes to surround us and the war goes poorly, these trucks can carry away more people."
Talulah's expression grew more conflicted. The Shieldguards beside her stopped trying to dissuade them.
The Black Snake knew how to prescribe the right medicine. It knew exactly what the Guerrilla needed: trucks and supplies. It wanted the Guerrilla to make a scene so the Ursus fleet would mobilize for an encirclement. With these items and the Black Snake's manipulation, the Guerrilla might be badly hurt, but they would survive. Then, Talulah's confidence would be crushed while her prestige among the Infected would be solidified, "proving" that hiding in the snowfields had no future and they had to move south.
Everything was linked. No doubt the Guerrilla's subsequent raids on the mines would go smoothly.
"Uncle Paul, I want to do it!" As expected, FrostNova was the boldest.
Hearing the name Paul, Xia Yu looked at the Shieldguard Captain again, leaving him puzzled. It was hard for Xia Yu not to notice that name.
"Doctor Xia Yu, are you sure you can tear through the Ursus defense line directly?" Paul asked, weighing the pros and cons.
He knew what a super-Caster could do on the battlefield, especially since this Doctor's magic looked so terrifying and direct. If it were just the depot guards, a single round of spells would likely make them surrender. That was why they let her come along—little danger.
But with the elites of the Third Army... Paul couldn't guarantee they would be frightened into laying down their arms.
"If I can't..."
"I certainly can," Xia Yu smiled. "And I have a good idea. If used well, it'll probably wipe out their morale in one go."
"Let's do it!" Paul gritted his teeth. He realized he couldn't stop the Doctor, so it was better to follow her and take the depot. "Doctor, your idea is..."
"Tell me, do the Ursus people fear Red Dragons?" Xia Yu said mysteriously.
★ ★ ★
"Major Blagi, our warehouse really can't fit this much," the depot manager said, nearly in tears as he looked at the twenty full trucks. He wiped his glasses and re-checked the manifest.
Two hundred tons. Exactly.
Truthfully, their depot had some space—thirty to fifty tons wouldn't be an issue—but two hundred... that was far beyond their limit.
"My orders were to deliver the supplies," Major Blagi of the Third Army frowned in dissatisfaction. "Whether you can fit them or not is your problem."
"But we weren't notified in advance," the manager cried.
"What do you mean?" Major Blagi slammed his hand onto the documents on the desk. "You think our orders are fake? Captain, you dare question the orders of the Army?"
"No, of course I can tell real from fake," the manager explained quickly. "It's just that the order was too sudden. Our warehouse is already filled with supplies from various noble families..."
"I don't care," Blagi glared at him. "I'm only responsible for transport! Look out the window; my soldiers are already lined up and ready to leave."
"This is your mess. Fix it yourself!"
He could see the strangeness of the order. How could there be a supply movement without notifying the transit station to prepare? But he figured it was likely just another power game between nobles. When things like this happened, it was best to do your job and not think too much. Passing the buck was the priority.
He knew the manager's helplessness, but so what? If the manager didn't take the blame, was Blagi supposed to take it himself?
Seeing the Major was clearly ready to shirk responsibility, the manager felt hopeless. How did he end up in this mess? He was just a low-level guy trying to skim enough money before retirement. Could he even carry this burden?
"Major Blagi, please, have some mercy. my men are exhausted from unloading the goods you brought..."
Before the manager could finish pleading, a commotion broke out outside.
"Dragon! A dragon! There's a dragon!"
Inside the room, the two men froze, then stared at each other.
"What are you pulling?" Major Blagi lashed out first. Looking at the manager's shifty, foolish eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses, he questioned, "I know you're in a bind, but there's no need for such an obvious stunt."
"Even if you said a pack of bears broke in and trashed the place, it would be more believable. A dragon? In Ursus?"
He wasn't upset with the tactic itself; he knew the depot people had to make a choice—whose supplies to throw out, whose to keep. With the heavy snow, those things couldn't just sit outside. He was upset that they did it before he left, dragging him into it.
"Captain, you've got guts. I'll remember you!"
"No, it's really not me!" The manager was distraught. "I didn't do it! It has nothing to do with me!"
"Then explain to me where a dragon comes from in Ursus?" Major Blagi stood up, went to the window, and yanked the curtains open, glaring at the manager. "Come on, where's the dragon? Point it out!"
To his surprise, the manager didn't give up. He even tremblingly pointed a finger behind the Major, his mouth quivering. "...D-Dragon... Dragon... A dragon!"
"You!" Major Blagi was furious. He stepped forward to slap the manager. Still acting, are we! See if I don't knock your—
But his palm stopped beside the manager's head.
Major Blagi had excellent vision. Through the reflection in the manager's glasses, he saw a hideous, massive head outside. His hearing was also excellent; he could hear that it wasn't just the depot guards—his own soldiers were joining the panic.
Major Blagi turned slowly and saw the full view of the creature.
It looked much like the ones in picture books. A hideous single horn grew from its snout, and two massive horns on its head pointed toward the sky. Two rows of jagged teeth, nearly as thick as his wrist, lined its mouth. The massive dragon head peeked over the depot wall, scanning the chaotic soldiers below with an indifferent gaze. A crimson glow began to emerge from its maw...
"Dragon... A dragon!"
The soldiers in the depot were already in total chaos.
What Xia Yu noticed first was the three hundred well-equipped Third Army soldiers lined up in a row.
[Dragon Communion Incantation: Dragonfire]
The power of the incantation manifested as a massive phantom dragon head condensed above her, which then spewed dragonfire. In the game, this incantation only dealt two hits, but in reality, as long as the mana didn't stop, the fire wouldn't stop.
In an instant, the dragonfire covered the entire Third Army formation from a distance. Their positioning was simply too perfect—three hundred men in a line, bunched up because of the cold. Their discipline meant they hadn't scattered like the depot guards but had instead drawn weapons to fight. It would be a crime not to hit such a perfect target with an AOE incantation.
The scorching dragonfire crossed fifty meters and blanketed the entire array!
The formation collapsed instantly. Countless soldiers on fire threw down their weapons and fled, stripping their armor as they ran—and those were the rational ones on the outer edge. Those in the center of the formation were packed so tightly they had nowhere to run. Within seconds, they were burned to cinders by the continuous fire.
The ones on the outside weren't much better off. Even if they rolled in the snow and tore off their gear, they couldn't escape the relentless burning of the dragonfire. Screams echoed throughout the depot.
"This... this is..." The manager collapsed to the floor, finally noticing the Major in front of him. "Major Blagi, command—"
Before he could finish, the Third Army Major bolted out the door. Relying on his superior physical conditioning and martial skill, he leaped over the depot's inner structures and reached their vehicles. He hopped onto a motorcycle, intending to flee.
But quickly, he stood there in awkward silence... Dammit, where are the keys!
Normally, you take the keys when you get off. They were probably with the driver. And the driver? He looked back at the living hell where his troops had been. The driver was in there.
At that moment, Blagi wanted to slap himself. If he wanted to pressure the manager, he should have gone alone. Why did he have to gather everyone to show his resolve?
But time didn't allow for reflection. Seeing the situation was dire, Major Blagi abandoned the motorcycle and all vehicles, intending to make a break for it on foot.
He was almost there! He looked at the depot gates, kicked a guard out of the way, and looked back. The terrifying dragon didn't seem to notice him; it was just peering down at the depot as if admiring its masterpiece.
Blagi was overjoyed. As long as he got out and into the forest, the monster likely wouldn't chase him. Once back with the Army, he might even climb the ranks with information about a dragon.
He reached the gate. But a second before he could burst out, a longsword wreathed in flames swung from the blind spot behind the gate.
Being from a minor noble family, Major Blagi did have some skill. In the nick of time, he instinctively drew his sword and blocked the flaming blade.
But he only had some skill. Blocking the sword meant his back was wide open. Three ice spikes pierced his body from behind, pinning him to the depot gate.
"Hrk... hrk..." Ice spikes as thick as a wrist precisely pierced his right kidney, lung, and heart. Crucially, the Caster immediately melted the spike in his heart, causing blood to gush out. No one could survive such a wound.
In his final moments of consciousness, he saw two women step out from the shadows.
"Good thing your blade was fast. It would've been bad if this guy ran out and destroyed those trucks."
"I don't think he had that kind of resolve," the other woman looked at him. "An Ursus Major? His first instinct wasn't to rally the troops and counter-attack, but to run away alone... you expect him to have that kind of resolve?"
...Counter-attack? Command a counter-attack...
As he faded, Major Blagi struggled to turn his head toward his decimated troops... How... how could he counter-attack...
Finally, his consciousness slipped into total darkness.
"I think you're being unfair to him," FrostNova walked over, looking at the remnants of the Third Army soldiers. "Counter-attack? How do you counter-attack that..."
"This is..." Talulah looked at the hideous dragon head patrolling the wall, occasionally spitting fire to kill anyone holding a weapon or approaching the warehouse. She was stunned.
Doctor Xia Yu had only told them to rush in and secure the perimeter once she cast her spell to make sure no one escaped. She hadn't said the spell would be... this.
"Hey, Talulah," FrostNova, equally stunned, poked Talulah's arm. "You're a Draco, right?"
"Yes," Talulah stared at the dragon head, unmoving.
"Then do you think the Doctor might be one of your ancestors?" FrostNova said. "No wonder I felt the Doctor was always focused on you. She said she wouldn't stay, but changed her mind once you followed... and she talks to you the most in the Guerrilla."
"But... the Doctor doesn't have horns or a tail..." Talulah stammered.
"Look at that dragon head. You think that's not having horns?" FrostNova couldn't look away.
"What about the tail?"
"Hidden, probably..."
"This..." Talulah couldn't understand it, yet it felt strangely right.
"Stop staring!" Paul, though shocked, remembered the mission. "We need to get in and control the depot. If someone sets fire to the supplies, we lose everything!"
"Right." The two finally snapped out of it and led the soldiers into the depot.
Meanwhile, Xia Yu ended her casting. She hopped over the wall and headed straight for the warehouses. By now, the soldiers' morale had utterly collapsed. They ran in terror. A few instinctively tried to swing at Xia Yu.
Xia Yu simply turned, and an incantation formed instantly.
[Incantation: Aspects of the Crucible—Tail]
A thick, golden tail condensed behind her. As she turned, it lashed out like a whip, sent several soldiers flying.
This action made FrostNova and Talulah stop in their tracks again.
"See?" the former said, staring at Xia Yu. "There's the tail."
"Could she really be my ancestor?" Talulah was confused. "But... do Dracos have such inheritance spells?"
Why didn't I learn that?
"Are you a proper Draco?" FrostNova asked a soul-searching question. "Who taught you your spells?"
"Kashchey... oh?" Talulah was bewildered. Could this really be because she hadn't received a proper Draco education? This spell... three hundred elite Ursus soldiers melted in an instant! She could cover such an area if she tried, but to achieve that power would require her to risk her life. But the Doctor... she looked so relaxed!
This wasn't the Talulah from Chernobog three or four years later—ruthless, powerful, cold. She was still growing.
FrostNova looked at Xia Yu with a gaze that claimed to see through everything, then turned back to Talulah. "There's definitely a connection between you! Find a time to ask her."
"But the Doctor said her race was long gone..." Talulah recalled their chat from a few days ago.
"The Draco aren't exactly thriving either," FrostNova shrugged. "How many of your kind are left in the world? Besides, even if the Doctor isn't a Draco, she's definitely related to you. What's the harm in asking?"
Talulah was thoroughly convinced. Not just her—even the Black Snake inhabiting her was nearly convinced.
It looked exactly like a Draco connection. The dragon head, the tail... combined with ancient spells and armor, it believed this was some ancient powerhouse from Victoria who had risen from the grave. Adding in what it overheard about Xia Yu knowing only three Dracos remained, it proved she was here for Talulah!
It sounded too logical!
However, Talulah was its chosen prey! It wouldn't let anyone else intercept. Heh, whatever her relationship was with that Unicorn in Victoria, since she was on its turf, Kashchey had no intention of letting her leave alive.
'Daring to touch my pawn...' Kashchey looked toward Victoria. 'Unicorn, I will settle this debt with you!'
Far away in Victoria, Clovia had no idea she was taking the blame. Her current identity was still the daughter of a textile merchant.
Xia Yu, meanwhile, was certain. Now, the Black Snake would surely send more troops to surround her.
That was perfect... If you don't hurt a conspirator like that, how will they ever learn to compromise?
Outside, the Guerrilla warriors had basically controlled the depot. Surviving soldiers were disarmed and detained.
"We did it! We're rich!" FrostNova arrived with the manifest taken from the manager, looking excitedly at Xia Yu and Talulah.
"There's a hundred and thirty tons of food alone! Another hundred and fifty tons of tools, winter gear, even weapons, armor, and medicine!"
She had never lived such an affluent life.
"This isn't right," Paul noted more sharply. "So much cargo... can this depot even fit it?"
"Two hundred and eighty tons of supplies is enough to last dozens of mines through the winter. They don't provide much for the Infected, anyway. Normally, a depot of this size would hold a hundred tons at most."
The snowfields were vast; many mines didn't rely solely on this one depot.
"About that, I asked the manager," Talulah said, looking puzzled. "He said two hundred tons arrived without any prior order right before we attacked. He was debating it with the Third Army Major when we struck."
"Because there was so much, and those Third Army snobs wouldn't help unload, the depot guards did it all themselves. They worked for two days straight and were exhausted."
She smirked. "And for some reason, the Third Army men were lined up in a tight formation inside the depot, only to be wiped out by the Doctor..."
"No wonder we met such little resistance," Paul laughed. "I thought Ursus soldiers had gone soft; most could barely pick up a blade."
"The manager said it was likely noble infighting," Talulah frowned. "But I feel something is off."
"Nothing is off," Xia Yu looked toward the warehouse. "As long as we can use these things, it's fine. As for the nobles? Who cares about them."