Ark Undead

Their objective wasn't complicated; they simply needed to escape Chernobog successfully. After all, Azazel's patient and Scout's team needed rest, and Longtone and his group couldn't hold out for that long.

As a field medic, Sussurro also left Ace's squad and joined Scout's squad.

Several patients needed care, but many of the doctors on Hrag's side lacked experience in battlefield treatment. Therefore, Sussuro's presence was timely, acting as a stabilizing physician.

"The children's situation isn't too good, but you can't say that..."

Hrag's expression turned serious as he breathed in the cold Ursus air, knowing they were facing a dangerous long run.

"It should only take half an hour to get from here to the West Gate. But given the current situation, whether we can even get there safely on the road is a pipe dream."

Herag took his longsword and put on his grey-blue trench coat. At this moment, he was just like the general who had appeared on the battlefield before, exuding an aura of strategic command in every gesture.

"However, there are a few hidden paths that I know well. These are the paths that residents use to avoid military raids."

As he spoke, Herag looked at Scout beside him.

“If you’re okay with that, I’ll take you this way. Of course, if Rhodes Island believes it’s strong enough to protect us in the riotous infected cluster, then I can go with your suggestion.”

Scout wasn't arrogant enough to think his squad was enough to protect dozens of people, so he immediately agreed to Herag's idea.

“Mr. Helag, you are so familiar with this place, of course we will listen to you.”

"Okay, let's go!"

With that, Herag led Scout to the front, followed by the entire team, huddled against the walls and in dimly lit corners. They left Chernobog before sunrise.

Although they hadn't gotten close to the east yet, they could already faintly hear shouts.

"The methods of the Reunion Movement are very powerful. I was worried that this day would come, but I didn't expect it to come so soon."

While talking to Scout, Herag led Scout into a small alley.

"Do you think Chernobog doesn't have the conditions to resist the Reunion Movement?"

Scout looked at Herag in surprise. He had thought that this general of the Ursus Empire would have more confidence in his country.

But it seems that this is not the case; Hrag is clear-headed, and his understanding of the situation is consistent with his past as a general.

"Chestra is a border city, so its search for infected people is definitely not as strict as that of the Ursus capital. Otherwise, Azazel wouldn't have gone through so many places before finally arriving here."

Herag made no secret of his judgment about the city he had once defended, now one that no longer possessed the honor it once had.

"Because Ursus has no plans to go to war with Yan in the short term, and given the chaos that already exists in the border cities, Chernobog has never systematically cleaned up its internal hierarchy. In other words, that's it."

Herag looked at Scout and opened his mouth.

"Extremely weak and frail."

After mercilessly criticizing the city's defenses, he changed to a more moderate tone.

"Although I don't know why, the orders from the central government recently have raised Chernobog's defense to a new level. But the laxity that has accumulated over the years cannot be solved by just one or two orders."

"If the Reunion Movement is truly committed, it should bring the already oppressed Infected here and tell them that they have the power to take revenge. They should then enter that city now, do whatever they want, and make this city their own."

Helag spread his hands and shrugged. Anyone with a little brainpower could figure out how this was done.

"Moreover, what I'm worried about is not whether the Reunion Movement has the ability to take Chernobog, but why they want to take Chernobog."

Hrag was a veteran who had fought on the battlefield for decades, possessing an almost intuitive understanding of warfare. This intuition was precisely what made him realize that something was amiss.

“There are no fertile areas around Chernobog, and it is located on the border between Yan and Ursus. From here, you can see Yan’s mobile city just a few hundred miles away.”

"Advance leads to Lungmen, retreat leads to Ursus. What use is Chernobog to the Reunion Movement? Do they intend to use it as their first strategic stronghold to gradually erode Ursus?"

A hint of sarcasm crept into Hrag's voice as he spoke.

To outsiders, Ursus may just be a war machine. But they won't understand the profound despair that comes with Ursus focusing its attention on a single person...

Scout had been silent until now, and he had thought of many reasons why General Hrag would tell him these things. After thinking for a moment, he asked.

"So, you feel sorry for the Reunion Movement?"

"It's not that it's a pity, but I feel that what they did will significantly lower the overall perception of infected people in Terra."

"Helag said with a hint of heartache."

"Ursus already persecutes the Infected severely enough, and now they're using that persecution to alleviate internal conflicts. Now that Reunion is attacking Chernobog, it will undoubtedly reignite anti-Infect sentiment in Ursus. It will also indirectly affect other countries' attitudes toward the Infected."

Scout nodded. His thoughts were almost identical to Hrag's. Rhodes Island itself was an organization that protected the rights of the infected. The Reunion Movement's actions were undoubtedly adding another mark against the infected.

"Let's take it one step at a time. Besides, the doctor will be back soon."

When the doctor was mentioned, Scout became noticeably more excited.

Upon hearing "Doctor," Herag raised an eyebrow and tentatively asked.

"Is it that evil spirit known as the Tower of Babel?"

"Yes."

Scout nodded, then looked at Herag with a puzzled expression.

"Didn't Ace and Amiya tell you? They should have told you... Didn't you decide to cooperate with us because of the Doctor?"

Herag shook his head with a wry smile.

“Azazel has no other choice now, but it’s lucky that we’re on the same side as Rhodes Island. As for the Doctor, Ace and Amiya only told me that there’s a very important person in Chernobog, and their mission is to bring that person back safely. I never expected it to be that evil spirit.”

Herag was about to ask a couple more questions when he glanced up and saw a head peeking out from beside the gate. He immediately fell silent and quickened his pace.

After some negotiation, Herag got the family to open a secret passage leading to the underground system.

"Stay home, don't go out, and if possible, leave with us. Would you like that?"

Before leaving, Hrag reluctantly left some instructions, but the man and woman shook their heads, politely declining the old man's kindness.

He remembered clearly that when Azazel had no supplies, this family had voluntarily taken out their savings to support them, but they never expected that Azazel would be in such dire straits now.

"If we have the chance to meet again, we will definitely repay your kindness. Goodbye."

The old man was the last to enter the secret passage.

The family's child was infected, and he was in Azazel's retreating group.

After watching the old man enter the secret passage, the man pushed the cabinet back into place and covered the surrounding marks with a cloth.

The woman took out a broom and mop and swept away all traces of the people who had come to the house. Then she went back inside and gave the house a quick clean-up.

The woman then hugged her husband's waist and leaned against him.

They had lived in this city their whole lives, and like the hotel owner, they had no regrets about their lives.

The child also left with the old man, and they believed that under his guidance, the child would surely grow up healthily.

That damned Oripathy will surely be conquered and become a thing of the past, given people's will to live.

The two exchanged a glance, and the woman suddenly smiled.

She reached out and touched the wrinkles on her husband's brow.

They played together as children, worked together as adults, became an inseparable family, and had a child together.

These memories are all held in the border town of Chernobog; who would have thought they would leave their hometown?

Outside the house, a commotion had already begun, with cries and excited roars.

The sound of the Molotov cocktail shattering made the air feel scorching hot.

Vanessa, may you dance for me one more time?

The man grinned and reached out to take his wife's hand in his.

His wife nodded, and as they looked at each other, decades had passed, but they remained the same as before.

Towards the future we desire—

...

Meanwhile, Ace, Amiya, and Nearl's squad were following the path Scout had scouted for them.

Along the way, they only encountered a lot of Ursus soldiers.

Chernobog's city defenses finally caught up and responded just as the sun was rising above the horizon.

All the soldiers who were still fast asleep were woken up and the city was scrambled to erect layer upon layer of defenses to protect against the impact of the Reunion Movement.

Rhodes Island's rescue team was caught between the Reunion Movement and Ursus soldiers, a situation that even Kal'tsit had not anticipated.

Ace and Nearl had no choice but to take the narrow paths between the houses to break through the insurmountable city defenses.

"This is really troublesome."

Ace muttered something and jumped down from the wall, whereupon Amiya and Nearl immediately surrounded him.

"How about it?"

"No, this side is blocked too. There are armored vehicles and fully armed soldiers with crossbows right there at the intersection."

Ace shook his head, looking up at the building above him, and said.

"It should still be possible to walk up there. I just saw this building, and it's connected to the one across the road, but I'm not sure if the road in between is connected."

"No matter what, we cannot afford to confront the city's defense forces head-on now. If we get bogged down, we won't be able to escape."

Lin Guang expressed her opinion and walked towards the door of the building next door.

"Let's go this way. We're almost halfway there. We can't afford to run into trouble here."

Lin Guang's idea is everyone's idea.

Their mission is to awaken the Doctor and ensure his safe evacuation from Chernobog; there's no need for them to deliberately invite trouble.

All I can say is that they were unlucky.

"Let's go this way, as Miss Rinko says."

Amiya nodded and followed behind Nearl.

Under normal circumstances, Amiya will not seize command.

She knew that battlefield command was best left to professionals. She herself didn't yet possess the ability to command.

Ka!

Lin Guang grasped the doorknob, applied a little force, and removed the old door, gently placing it aside.

This appears to be the back door of the house, with a spiral staircase leading directly to the roof visible to everyone.