Wasteland Echoer.

"Are you... an Easterner?" Wright asked, looking "Blood Wolf" up and down with curiosity.

“Aren’t you the same?” “Blood Wolf” didn’t respond directly, but instead gave a subtle smile, staring into Wright’s equally deep, dark eyes.

Suddenly, eerie expressions began to creep across "Blood Wolf's" handsome face, which possessed a distinctly Eastern aesthetic. These expressions, like steel needles piercing through the void into the present world, made those present feel heavy and oppressed in the increasingly bright environment.

"It is 'Heaven's Way' that is punishing us, and it is also punishing you. Humanity's failure to follow the guidance of 'Heaven's Way' and its reckless actions have led to this punishment. And Shaneva, who attempted to revive so-called civilization with the pathetic and laughable conspiracy of the 'Evolution Platform Project,' will ultimately perish under the vengeful spirit of 'Wells.'" Blood Wolf said in a low, almost hoarse voice.

“You haven’t denied your Eastern blood, and I won’t deny mine. Although I’m not a citizen of the Flame Empire, the country I lived in before being summoned here—its culture, its civilization, even its writing—is no different from the Flame Empire’s. Therefore, we should be considered of the same kind.” Wright, half-threatening and half-advising, pulled open the fabric covering his back, revealing all eight tentacles in their full glory, and then said:
"I suspect that you reached the underground level of the heavily guarded military fortress controlled by the Federation's [Warriors] through a swift assassination to carry out a 'decapitation plan,' attempting to create chaos by eliminating Shaneva, thereby undermining the fighting spirit of the garrison and allowing you to escape. Therefore, what is more precious to you is time."

"Now that you know, don't stop me!" Blood Wolf suddenly roared.

"Don't be so angry, leader of the 'Dedication Group.' You are, after all, the leader of the lost in these mountains. A short-tempered, easily angered person cannot hold a leadership position for long. Short temper proves your stupidity, and easily angered expression of your ignorance," Wright said sarcastically, seizing the opportunity.
“Now, Mikhail, the deputy head of the Federation Council whom you briefly defeated, must be gathering his men. Before long, your retreat will be completely blocked. I think that was your best chance to make your move, but unfortunately, I have an agreement with Commander Shaneva, and I must keep my promise and carry out the task she assigned me.”

“If I remember correctly, Light Socrates, you are the apostle of the gods summoned by the ‘Chorus of the Machines’ ritual. It was only because George Socrates’ ritual went awry that you, an innocent person, were summoned to this painful wasteland. However…” Blood Wolf paused, forcibly suppressing the fear in his eyes, and said:

“From the very beginning, you received the ‘Red Magic Source Power’ passed down from the Creator, which gradually endowed you with all the power possessed by its previous masters.”

"Since that's the case, 'Blood Wolf,' do you still want to fight me? Even if you are one level higher than my Magic Source Order, you should know that in the realm of magic, the difference between one or two levels is not absolute, but only relative. In fact, outside the realm of magic, a demigod who has obtained seven Magic Source Order Cores can be killed by a single bullet," Wright threatened.

"Are you referring to Alexei, the sage of the Central Empire? Indeed, the demigod granted him the power to manipulate fate, but his death by bullet was fate's retribution. I am different. The 'Dedication Group' cannot allow Crusad to become a purgatory ravaged by floods and plagues. Knowing that the 'Seven Evolution Platforms' will ultimately summon the 'Scorching Sun' to descend upon the world, Vasily and Shaneva have never ceased their foolish actions." "Blood Offering" raised his right, now mutated wolf claw, pointing it at Shaneva behind Wright, and said:
“Vasily is simply stupid, while Shaneva is enslaved by stupidity. This is enough to prove that there is a problem with the entire structure of the Crusad Federation, and all the administrators, if they want to maintain their ridiculous authority, must continue down the wrong path until the ship sinks.”

"Currently, six of the 'Universal Energy Evolution Platforms' have been activated. In fact, the last evolution platform is 'Yaoguang'. It is not in Nabsk, not in Khotov, and not even in the so-called underground Novayask. Rather, it is in the heart of this Transnabuya mountain range, in a stronghold established by the Federation and later ruthlessly abandoned—Belogersk."

“Belogersk?” Wright asked curiously. Although Dak had mentioned the name, no one had ever told him about it in detail. When Wright first heard the name, he even thought it was somewhere in the icy wilderness of some extreme cold region.

“In fact, from the moment Nabrius agreed to cooperate with our ‘Dedication Group,’ he could have quietly left this place through the ‘Earthline’ dug by the dwarves and goblins and the First Men’s territory. After all, Shaneva’s rule is not stable, and with Nabrius’s prestige, he could easily assemble an army to overthrow the Federation Council,” Blood Offering threatened as well.

“If Nabrius possessed that power, I would have long since vanished into the ashes of Novayask. 'Blood Wolf,' your eloquence cannot change your fate of being captured by the Federation's [Warriors]. If you are willing to surrender and lead the 'Dedication Group' out of the Outer Nabria Mountains, I might consider providing your organization with a place to survive, allowing you to participate in the future operation of the new Federation,” Shaneva said.

"If you continue to obstruct the 'Universal Energy Evolution Platform' project, continue to resist our recapture of Belogersk, resist the Federation's arrest of Nebrius, and reclaim the [Core of Chidanria], then in the future, all the Lost Ones, the Semi-Lost Ones, and even some 'Lost Ability Users' will lose their legal status within the Federation."

“That’s the real threat, kid. Learn from your superior.” “Blood Wolf” sneered, clenching his fists into a fist, like a boxer mocking his opponent as they collided, producing a dull metallic sound. “Shaneva is indeed a more troublesome and evil opponent than Vasily, but she is also the one who will lead the Federation to its destruction.”

"By the way, Shaneva, you should know that the soldiers stationed on this level are either dead or unconscious. It will take them time to send messages to the soldiers stationed further down or in the surrounding yellow sand."

"Even if that brat Wright possesses red magic power, we are confident we can crush your heart!"

……

Meanwhile, at the end of “Earth Line 21”, near an old-fashioned mine elevator.

Over a period of four hours, Dark, Anthony, "Flame Offering," and several other Losers who still perfectly wore the "Dragon and Demon Eye" masks finally managed to pass through the underground mine abandoned by the dwarves and the Federation without any major incidents.

It seems that the evil spirits and monsters that originally existed here gradually lost their life force over a long period of time under the dense darkness and the power of "sorrow".

These morbid plants, frenzied animals, and human skeletons, which should have been buried long ago in the mysterious, eternal night, were fortunately only slightly disturbed by the faint fluctuations of magical energy, and were thus permanently buried beneath the mineral vein in some unknown corner. Perhaps, many years later, under the pressure of geological changes, they will gradually become coal or oil, waiting for a new generation of humans to come and mine them.

"It seems that 'Earthline 21' has been completely abandoned. We were right not to take the 'White Night Archives' route just now. The Lost One senior who fell here left us with enough information." "Xianyan" had a solemn expression and a hint of sadness in his voice as he took out the letter that was supposed to be given to "Xianyan" from a tattered backpack stained with thick blood.

"Right now, a sandstorm is raging above. There's a small section of exposed valley where the middle of 'Earthline 21' connects to the 'White Night Archives.' If we had risked coming out from underground just now, we would have been quickly swallowed by the overwhelming sandstorm and lost our way. Not only would we not have been able to find the 'White Night Archives,' but we would also have lost our way back underground." "Xianyan," holding the still-new letter, secretly rejoiced.
“The meteorologists trained in the city of Nebsk, who are working with us, predicted this sandstorm five days ago. Coincidentally, at that very crossroads, we discovered the remains of the Lost Ones and this letter.”

"Is it authentic?" Dark asked doubtfully, pointing to the unbelievably new paper.

“Of course,” Xianyan nodded.

"Leaving aside the wax seal on its surface, as a 'Restorer' of the 'Dedication Group,' I must be intimately familiar with all of the leader's seals, handwriting, and even his writing habits. Take this paper, for example. In fact, we had already made contact with the city of Nebsk two years ago. After all, Novayask's 'Peace Plan' deceived us, and we must find new partners."

"You mean the paper was supplied by Nebusk?" Dak asked curiously. He reached out and squeezed the paper. Indeed, the texture was very strange, like touching plastic.

"This is Nebusk plastic paper, a product independently developed by scientists there. Its raw materials include petroleum and some plants that can only grow on the Nebusk plains. Mixing them together allows for long-term preservation without hindering writing, preventing damage. However…" Xianyan pointed to the content on the Nebusk plastic paper and said:

"Meteorologists predict that this sandstorm will last for at least a week. During this time, Shaneva will inevitably rely on the Federation's strong military and technological advantages to reduce the obstruction of the yellow sand and launch an attack on the multiple military strongholds we control, thereby recapturing Belogersk."

"The letter said that another 'Restorer' whom we have hardly ever met has been arranged to take my place at 'God's Forsaken Fortress'. As for the child 'Exhausted Flame', he is to be entrusted to find a way to take him to Nebusk. After the war here ends, we will find a way to arrange for him to go around to the Central Empire and be sent to Khitanris."

"Do you want to protect him? Or do you want him to go completely insane?" Dark asked angrily. After all, "Exhaustion Flame" was a child with power surpassing that of the Lost Ones, but his mind was not mature and had been poisoned by ambitious people hidden in the "Dedication Group" and the Federal Council.

Now, if no one truly takes good care of him and gives him love to gradually influence him, he will likely still go down the path of madness.

"Of course, we must protect him," Xianyan said definitively.

"That child, 'Jieyan,' was only happy during the few years he lived with the Khitanris herders. After all, only abundant material conditions can satisfy the spiritual needs of humankind. Khitanris now possesses the most precious peace and [order], and at least in several core areas, people's lives are not much different from before the 'New Era'."

“If he had stayed in Crusad, and if Shaneva had noticed him, the Federation would probably have transformed him into a real monster, exploited his last remaining value, and then abandoned him. Human evil is far more terrifying than the Lost Ones, the ‘Heartless Ones,’ and alien monsters.”

“I agree. But… what else was mentioned in the letter? You were reading it so intently just now, there must be quite a bit of information in it,” Dark asked.

"Indeed." Xianyan put the letter away, tucked it into his inner jacket pocket, and explained:
"The lines we've traversed, including the 'Core Hub,' have been temporarily abandoned. Now, Shaneva's 'The End of Atlas' campaign has begun. Intelligence indicates that Shaneva has arrived at the 'Former 08' military outpost, and the Federation-controlled forces have already seized several abandoned outposts."

"Since the underground railway built by the dwarven ancestors and goblins can bring us convenience, it must also bring convenience to the Federation Council, which has detailed information about it. Now, Nebrius and other 'Restorers' have moved into the 'Legion Factory' in Belogersk and are trying different methods to destroy the [Core of Khitanria], but there has been no progress."

"So, what are the latest plans of your leader, 'Blood Wolf'?" Dark asked a crucial question.

"Go to Belogersk, the core area of ​​the entire Outer Naboa Mountains. Due to its mountainous terrain, Belogersk won't be as vulnerable to sandstorms as the outer military outposts. The abundant dark magic power within you, combined with the forcibly activated power of the [Disruptor], will greatly help in destroying the [Core of Khitanria]." "Flame Offering" looked at Dark, revealing a sincere expression at the opportune moment.

“So, destroying the [Core of Khitanria] is a different mission than rescuing Nabrius. A new mission naturally brings new rewards. So, ‘Dedicated Flame,’ what reward can you, or rather, the ‘Dedicated Group,’ offer?” Dark stood tall, looking at “Dedicated Flame” illuminated by the “Eternal Light” flashlight, awaiting his response. (End of Chapter)