Alice in the Land of Steam

Is Chapter 1413 too annoying?
Just as Ling and his group unexpectedly encountered the Gray Fungus tribe in the underground world, Cloud Whale Sky Island also successfully returned to the Feather Mine after a long journey. They were presented with both good and bad news. The good news was that war seemed to have yet to break out; Blackfire Fortress stood majestically beside the mine, giving a sense of solid security. The bad news was that although it hadn't erupted, it wasn't far off. In the area east and north of Blackfire Fortress, a conflict zone previously between the Imperial forces and the Holy War Army, enemy forces had already appeared, along with sporadic skirmishes, foreshadowing an impending storm.

On the top floor of the windmill tower, Alice put down her binoculars, her heart heavy, as if weighed down by a stone. Three thousand meters above the sky, the clouds seemed almost within reach; their heavy leaden gray and steel blue indicated that water droplets were condensing, and she didn't know when a gale or torrential rain would arrive. In the past, the Atolicans, confined by their barren and arid environment, had longed for a storm for far too long, hoping it would wash away their sins and cleanse their souls. But this unresolved storm had dragged on for half a month, without a single drop of rain falling, and no one expected it to fall, for they didn't know whether it was a harbinger of new life or the beginning of destruction.

Upon entering the Feather Mine area, the Cloud Whale Sky Island began to descend, diving towards the ground. However, obscured by clouds, visibility remained limited, and the world was shrouded in darkness, with daylight resembling night. Despite the condensation of moisture, breathing felt as dry as if it were carrying sand; as the altitude decreased, even the wind became imperceptible, making one wonder if the world had almost stood still, with only the quiet beating of the heart silently tormenting the remaining vestiges of reason. Below, on the parched and cracked earth, some drought-resistant birds and beasts anxiously circled the long-dried-up water sources, instinctively gazing at the sky, yearning for rain, unaware that when the storm finally subsided, war would begin.

The gaze moves downwards beyond this frozen scene, descending to the Feather Mine and the adjacent Blackfire Fortress, which appear like colossal beasts crawling across the earth. The Blackfire Fortress's walls, constructed of dark-colored rock and steel, appear even more imposing and awe-inspiring in the unusually dim light. Soldiers on the walls are changing shifts, engineers outside the fortress are constructing fortifications, and the warehouses and armories are teeming with people, moving supplies, both needed and unnecessary, in and out, so busy that everyone seems to wish they had ten hands and feet, yet ultimately still unsure of what they are busy with.

On the surface, the Fether Mine has four wartime defense zones: Blackfire Fortress and three major zones, with four units ready to be deployed at any time. However, in reality, only the fortress garrison under Commander Kylo of Blackfire Fortress possesses truly extensive combat experience. This is because they are at the forefront of the confrontation with the Imperial army, periodically leaving the fortress to engage the Imperial forces in the buffer zone, experiencing both victories and defeats. This is both to control vital strategic areas and to warn the Imperial army not to assume that the Holy War Army has completely lost its fighting spirit simply because it is holed up in the Fether Mine; they still possess combat power and can deliver a fatal blow at any moment when the Imperials are complacent.

As for the other three units deployed in the underground mines, their primary task is to safeguard the mining area and ensure the smooth and orderly operation of mining activities. Therefore, their most frequent enemies are wild beasts, magical beasts, or other alien races such as stone dwarves, grey races, and crystal races that also require large amounts of ore and are not friendly to surface dwellers. Although they are not lacking in courage and will to fight, they lack experience in large-scale warfare, which greatly reduces their effectiveness on the front lines.

The adjacent Feather Mine area presented a completely different scene of chaos. The inhabitants, long accustomed to underground life, had their peaceful rhythm utterly disrupted by this sudden war. Women, children, and the elderly were organized and moved deeper into the mines or to more fortified shelters, their faces a mixture of bewilderment and fear. The able-bodied were either working day and night in the mining teams and smelting camps, extracting ore and forging weapons, or being drafted into temporary guard units, given rudimentary weapons, and undergoing hasty training. At the mine entrances, warehouses, and platforms where ore was stored, mountains of timber and stone were piled up to reinforce fortifications; the clanging and hammering seemed almost tangible, as if everyone was racing against an invisible time, and an almost suffocating anxiety permeated the air.

Just as Alice was observing the situation on the ground, the Cloud Whale Sky Island had already flown over the Feather Mine and was slowly descending towards the plaza platform on the outskirts of Blackfire Fortress. She watched for a while longer and found nothing of interest. Mainly, her view was beginning to be blocked by the towering walls of Blackfire Fortress and the treacherous rocky mountains in the distance, so even if she wanted to see something, she couldn't. So she turned around and went downstairs.

Ieta was controlling the Cloud Whale Sky Island in the flower field when she saw Alice emerge from the windmill tower and was startled: "Alice, what are you still doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Alice scratched her head. "Can't I be here?"

“Oh dear, that’s not what I meant, but aren’t you going to a meeting later to discuss war-related matters with Miss Cheryl and the others from the Holy War Army? Shouldn’t you be ready now? I just saw Mr. Arnor looking for you everywhere.”

That's strange, what does the Jihad Army's meeting have to do with me?
Alice looked completely bewildered, while Ieta sighed helplessly, "You haven't forgotten, have you? Before you left, Ling entrusted you with the important task of leading the team, haven't you? I feel like you're letting him down..."

"No, no, that's not true! I was just so engrossed in thinking that I didn't remember!"

Alice hurriedly defended herself, and Ietta didn't ask her what she was thinking. He just nodded and accepted the explanation, giving Alice some face.

“Then you can go over when you’re ready,” she kindly reminded him. “Don’t keep Mr. Arnor waiting too long.”

"I know, honestly, why did Linger entrust me with such a troublesome task? There were clearly more suitable candidates." Although she accepted reality, Alice couldn't help but complain. But judging from her words, she didn't actually find the matter troublesome; rather, she seemed to lack self-confidence. This was understandable. Alice was originally the kind of "genius player" who never dreaded a good show and would never back down from trouble, only disliking mundane and boring developments. It was just that too many things had happened recently, causing a temporary shift in her mindset.

While the cautious and timid Alice is not bad, Ietta feels that the flamboyant, unrestrained, and fearless Alice of the past was indeed better. When trapped in dire straits, she would stand up without hesitation to encourage her companions, and her various whimsical ideas, though seemingly far-fetched, always proved useful. Even her boisterous personality was reassuring; it felt as if something was missing from life if one didn't hear her energetic voice for a day.

That's probably Alice's unique charm.

Therefore, Ietta hopes that she can return to her former self, to that seemingly omnipotent genius player.

She didn't hold back her encouragement: "Because Lin Ge trusts you, and there's no one more suitable than you!"

“Who says there isn’t one? I think Hino is perfect. Let her go in my place!” Alice had only been complaining casually, but as she spoke, she suddenly became thoughtful, clearly considering the feasibility of this idea.

"No way!" Ieta quickly interrupted her wild thoughts, firmly denying it: "Sister Xinuo still needs to train with Brandy to prepare for the upcoming battle! She's going to the battlefield, so we absolutely can't let our guard down!"

Although Hino is the victorious queen, it doesn't mean she's invincible. She can still get hurt. Furthermore, the ancestral teachings of the Gostaff family forbid her from underestimating her enemies. Therefore, before each battle, the young knight devotes herself wholeheartedly to training, honing her skills and mindset to ensure she can face her enemies in the strongest possible way at any time.

"Hmm!" Alice was speechless at her words, but she was still determined: "Then let's go with Rorona! I always see her doing nothing, she should have plenty of free time, right?"

Are you genuinely unaware or just pretending?

Ieta looked at the genius player with a helpless expression: "Sister Rorona is much busier than Sister Xinuo. Don't you know she's been preparing items for the upcoming war, so busy she hasn't slept for days? I was even thinking of reminding her to get some rest, and you still made her attend the meeting in your place? Are you trying to work Rorona to death?" "Ha, haha..." Alice gave an awkward laugh, inwardly thinking, "Is Rorona really that busy? I haven't noticed any difference in her lately. She's still smiling and always making those nasty jokes. Is it all an act? If so, her mental fortitude is amazing. She's exhausted but hasn't said a word." But then again, Rorona usually likes to play pranks, but she's very reliable when it counts.

"In that case, how about Gloria?" Alice, still harboring her ulterior motives, suggested another candidate: "She could go, wouldn't she?"

Apart from being somewhat busy as a nun at the Heavenly Heart Church, Gloria had been doing nothing, and naturally no one asked her to do anything. Alice felt it was time to give her a chance to contribute to Cloud Whale Sky Island!

“Hmm, no, that won’t do.” Ietta hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said softly, “I have a feeling that Gloria hasn’t been in a good mood lately, and she’s been deliberately avoiding us. Is something on her mind?”

"Is that so?" Alice hadn't paid much attention before, but after thinking about it carefully, she did find some clues. Apart from the dinner table, she rarely saw Gloria. When she did see her, she was always wandering alone in the forest or by the river. Apart from Grey Feather Falcon Little White, no one could get close to her, and naturally, no one knew what she was thinking.

"This...is actually quite normal, isn't it?" Alice said uncertainly, "That's just how Bai Ye is..."

“But Gloria isn’t.” Ietta interrupted her, looking worried. “Besides, I always feel that Miss Baiye isn’t as cold as she seems on the surface. Deep down, she actually wants to be close to us. But no matter what, either Gloria or Baiye must have something on her mind. Of course, it’s also possible that both of them have something on their minds. Let’s talk to Ling when he comes back. It’s best not to disturb them for now.”

"Then there's nothing we can do." Alice said dejectedly, "How about having the landlady or Sheria go to the meeting? If that's not possible, Shamy and Little Sheep will do too?"

"Alice!"

When Ieta saw that she had even dragged Shaymi and the lamb into it, she immediately became a little angry. She put her hands on her hips, spread her six wings in a very imposing manner, and glared at the genius player with a dissatisfied look: "You can't say that, Alice! Since Ling and everyone else trust you so much, you have to pull yourself together and repay our trust!"

Alice couldn't stand this kind of lecturing, and quickly raised her hands in surrender: "I know, I know, really, when did you become so strict, Ietta?"

I miss the sweet, soft, and delicate angel girl from before, who would only look at you with innocent and pleading eyes no matter how you bullied her. Unlike now, she's starting to resemble Xia Xia a bit.

“That’s because I’ve grown a lot.” Ietta tilted her chin up and said seriously, “I will definitely become more mature in the future, until everyone trusts and relies on me!”

"That's it..."

Alice, moved by her words, couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. The girl who had once withdrawn from the world, burdened by guilt after losing everyone she loved, and who thought she would spend her life in solitude in a deserted valley, was now walking the right path. Given time, perhaps she would become a true angel, revered by the world and protecting their hopes, just like the great One-Winged Italus…

Talk about it.

Alice suddenly remembered something: "Ieta, you haven't told us yet, what exactly is your relationship with Her Majesty Italos? Could she really be your past life? Then it seems only natural that you would inherit the fairy sword Hydras. Sigh, Ling refused too quickly. He should have agreed. Imagine how majestic you would be, holding the fairy sword in your hand and standing on the Cloud Whale Sky Island..."

"Stop talking!" Ietta was both angry and annoyed by Alice's words, so she simply put both hands on Alice's shoulders and pushed the genius player out: "I never thought that. You should go, hurry up! Don't keep everyone waiting!"

"Sigh, I feel like you're finding me annoying."

"That's right!"

"That's good... Hey, what did you just say?"

"I said you're right, Alice is so annoying, let's get out of here!"

"Woo..."

Give me some cats