Arknights' Lock of Heaven

“Just a week ago, they cut off all contact with us,” Quartermaster Andrew said with a wry smile. “Just as you said, their purpose in trading with us wasn’t pure.”

"Ever since we heard that our allies had annihilated the Sixth Army, they have never shown up again. We had thought that even if their motives were not pure, at least the food was real."

"Fortunately, you had the foresight to not rely on them completely, otherwise we would have run out of food a week ago."

"According to the latest statistics, the number of our compatriots in the base has exceeded 200,000. There are mouths everywhere that are crying for food, but there is no way for them to feed themselves in this freezing cold."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Patriot fell completely silent.

He was faced with a predicament, but he was helpless.

Just like many years ago, watching his son's body grow colder and colder, he could only futilely carry a corpse to the hospital.

Now, he watched as these 200,000 people were slowly taken from him by the cold winds of the snowfield and the hunger in their bellies.

"Captain, let's charge one more time!" Just then, the Shield Guards couldn't hold back any longer. "The base is out of food, let's go raid the Ursus army!"

"Just like before, as long as we break through a mobile fortress, we'll always find food!"

"Four days! Andrew, as long as we can capture enough food to feed everyone for four days, that's fine, right?"

“Theoretically, that’s true, but… sigh,” Andrew shook his head, “we all know what’s going on. Ursus’s military fortress isn’t so easy to breach. All those previous gains were part of their conspiracy.”

"They needed to exaggerate the threat of the infected, and they needed to ensure the survival of those who had already reached the snowfield before enough infected gathered, which is why we were able to capture those fortresses so easily."

"But things are different now. Ever since the news of the annihilation of the main force of the Sixth Army came, they have become really serious. It is too difficult to break through a fortress."

"Their warships have begun to patrol more closely, unlike before when they were full of holes. The defense line has become extremely dangerous. If we launch a direct attack, most of our infantry will die under the warships' gunfire during the charge!"

"Are we just going to sit here and starve to death?" one of the shield guards roared. "If that's the case, I'd rather die on the way to the charge!"

"Captain, lead us one more charge! We, and the soldiers who have been training these past few days, will not let you down!"

"...Open the map," Patriot finally said with difficulty, "Let's discuss it and choose a target."

“Captain…” Upon hearing this, Andrew hesitated before speaking.

Finally, he closed his eyes in anguish.

He knew he had no other choice.

Just like that shield guard said before, they either starve to death or die under the artillery fire on the way to the charge.

Starvation is the cruelest thing in the world.

Dying under artillery fire is at least less painful.

"Valléan Castle, commanded by Count Morro of Eastern Ursus, our old rival."

One of the shield guards said excitedly, "A large part of his territory is within the scorched-earth zone designated by the Ursus military."

"Everyone knows him. The current Earl of Morrow is a miserly wretch. Everyone knows how much he loves hoarding wealth."

"Most of the assets that were seized by the scorched earth policy are probably piled up in this heavily fortified military fortress. If we are to take action, we must find a specific target, and I think this is the most suitable one."

"His military fortress must have enough food!"

“The problem is that Valerian Castle isn’t on the front line,” a shield guard frowned upon hearing this. “If we want to attack this castle, we have to penetrate deep into the second layer of the Ursus army’s defenses.”

"If things don't go well, we might face an encirclement by the Ursus army, and even if things go smoothly, getting food and supplies back from the defensive line will be a big problem."

"To protect a supply line amidst such encirclement... we're just infantrymen. If the enemy brings their warships, we can only watch helplessly!"

"No, Lukashenko, your plan is still too risky."

“But who else can we turn to besides this guy?” said the shield guard named Lukashenko. “We have nowhere else to go. We have no way of knowing if other targets will stockpile enough food and supplies.”

"We have no choice but to take a gamble!"

"Moreover, do they really dare to pursue? We've all read about the annihilation of the Sixth Army from Frostnova's letters. The fact that the Ursus army's defenses have suddenly become so tight might be a sign that they've been terrified by this intelligence."

"As long as we act as if we are fearless, which nobleman would dare to risk the annihilation of his entire army to pursue us?"

"You're gambling with all of our lives!"

"Yes, I'm gambling, Ralph. Tell me, what other options do we have besides risking our lives?"

Unable to reach an agreement, the two could only turn to the patriot who remained silent.

"Captain, what do you think?"

"..." Patriot was silent for two seconds, and finally looked at Lukashenko, "Let's do it this way."

“Sigh,” Ralph sighed, looking at Lukashenko, “I’m not afraid of death, I just… can’t bear to see those fine young men die like that…”

“You know, they are great. In the past, even when facing blockade and artillery fire, few of them backed down.”

"It doesn't matter if we die, but...they...sigh."

“I know, my brother, I know everything,” Lukashenko said with a wry smile, “but we have no choice.”

The shield guards fell silent upon hearing this.

Suddenly, a red light flashed in Patriot's eyes, and he drew his halberd, aiming it at the outside of the tent.

"Who?"

"What? Someone's here?"

"alert!"

The shield guards reacted swiftly, raising their weapons and looking outside the tent.

But then, out of nowhere, a cluster of beautiful flowers bloomed on the snow-covered ground that should have been barren.

Patriots who saw this flower felt they had seen it before.

“Oh, my hero,” a familiar, flippant voice echoed in everyone’s ears, “it seems you have encountered a crucial turning point in your destiny.”

"So, do you need some advice or help from a wise person?"

433 Noble Phantasm—Endless Rice Bag

"It's you?"

After seeing the white robe slowly emerge from the flowers, Patriot lowered the halberd he was holding, which was pointing directly at the outside of the tent.

But he merely put it down, letting it hang low on the ground, his hand still firmly gripping the halberd.

"Yes, it's me. What? Are you disappointed?"

Merlin emerged from the flower bushes, staff in hand, and winked at the people inside the tent.

The shield guards reacted differently. Some of them had been by Patriot's side back in Chernobog and remembered this strange man. Well, he wasn't an enemy, I suppose. So when they saw Patriot put down his weapon, they followed suit.

Some people weren't even present at the time; they were commanding troops or doing other things elsewhere. They had never seen Merlin, only heard about him. Yet, in their heavily guarded camp, this man so easily found his way to the very heart of the camp...

Therefore, they remained vigilant and never put down their swords.

He smiled and said, "I thought that even if I didn't get any special treatment here, at least I wouldn't be held at knifepoint."

Upon hearing this, Patriot looked around and signaled to his men that they didn't need to be so on high alert.

Despite this apparent reason, how could they, who had fought alongside the Patriots for so many years, not notice that the captain's hand was still tightly gripping the halberd? So, although they put down their swords and no longer aimed them at this uninvited guest, they did not sheath their swords.

“Sigh, it seems the snowfield is really not a good place. Look how you’ve been forced into this situation,” Merlin shook his head. “They’re even so wary of me. Sigh, it seems they have a long way to go if they want to turn this snowfield into a paradise.”

"Wizard, what exactly is your purpose?" Faced with this mysterious wizard, Patriot even forgot the aftereffects of the habit formed from the previous illness after his throat lesion was cured.

"What are your requests for coming to the snowfield at this time?"

Patriot knew he was being watched.

And it wasn't just one group.

The dukes wanted to use him and the infected to instigate a massive rebellion, reshuffling the power structure of Ursus in the most brutal way so that they could seize more power.

The emperor and the parliament openly and secretly wanted to use him to check the dukes, but they didn't have enough military power and didn't dare to speak loudly.

Patriot couldn't figure out what the wizard in front of him was plotting.

Two of these immortal flowers, capable of bringing the dead back to life—a treasure beyond priceless description—he just casually handed them over to me back then…

One flower, by a twist of fate, saved her daughter's life; another flower gave her a new lease on life and has supported those infected ever since.

What is he plotting?

Old Wendigo had experienced too many conspiracies and schemes in his life, and he didn't believe that anyone would give something away for free.

Two brand new lives—how will he repay them?

This matter had been weighing on his mind for a long time, and now it seemed the time had come to pay for it.

Whether they are immortal beings, giant beasts, or some unknown entity, their gifts are never given without compensation.

But why now?

Or……

“At the command tower in Chernobog, you told me that it would be our last goodbye,” Patriot said in a deep voice. “Then why are you back now?”

"Hmm? Did I say that?" The unreliable wizard thought for two seconds with an innocent look on his face, then pretended to suddenly realize something and said, "Oh, I think I did say that."

He was so nonchalant even in trying to cover it up.