Terra Tinkers Construct is fine.

Pavel's expression was complicated. He had thought that this would happen sooner or later when he made the decision, but the man-made disaster predicted by Milan was still in a daze, while the natural disaster had not yet appeared.

How can we persuade as many people as possible to join this escape?

He glanced at the few familiar faces in the canned food squad and noticed that everyone had the same pained expression on their faces.

"Alexei, take a few people and organize a sorting of supplies. Prioritize filling up the barrels and boxes that can be loaded onto flatbed trucks. Don't worry about sorting them. Food is secondary; other supplies are the main priority."

For a moment, Milan really missed his [Ingenious Storage] and [Ingenious Backpack], and even the [Loop] module that he had loved since the early versions: if he had any of those super-large capacity backpacks, storage, or logistics modules, he could easily stuff all his belongings into the bag and take them with him.

We'll knock down all the torches! We'll fill tanks with water! We'll clear away all the mud! We won't even leave a single potato leaf!

"Ugh……"

He sighed.

After assigning tasks to his subordinates, Milan himself did not linger but went to Azazel in person.

"Although it may be presumptuous of me, I'll ask anyway: does the general have his own means of leaving Chernobog?"

In the familiar Azazel, in the director's office, Milan tilted her head slightly and said, "I've been in contact with the key figures at Rhodes Island, and we've reached a consensus. After the final operation, I probably won't stay in Chernobog any longer."

"So, I wonder what the general's plans are?"

Chapter 95 Night Chaos

——Rhodes Island Elite Operator Meeting Room——

Amiya and Ace, who had just returned from Chernobog, went straight to the conference room without even having a chance to rest.

As always, this is a high-security room specially prepared since the Tower of Babel era and modified to serve the elite operator meeting; although not all elite operators always have time to gather, it is only natural to use this level of security for the plan that Amiya personally experienced to rescue that doctor.

"...In summary, the above two cases were first published on IXwin36 U705.COM."

In the somber atmosphere of the meeting room, Ace recounted the entire process of contacting Milan.

"The underground leader of the Chernobog 13 movable plot, the leader of the Rust Gang [Canned Goods], Jung—now known as Milan."

"His personal strength is unfathomable. Although his skills as a warrior are not impressive, his abilities are more beyond my comprehension than the combat styles we are familiar with: he can place metal blocks out of thin air and has the means to fight by wielding molten metal. There is no sense of Originium Arts. It seems to be a manifestation of an analogy to the Evocation and Reconstruction system of magic with unknown principles."

"Compared to his unconventional methods in battle, his personal skills are clumsy, but his combat thinking is clear. What stands out more is his brute strength beyond reason and his defensive power that cannot be ignored... Amiya should also be able to see this. The cold weapons and armor he equipped for his subordinates are of exceptional performance and are by no means products of ordinary craftsmanship."

"Considering the consistent style and standardized mass production, I think there is reason to believe that this did not originate from the black market channels, but is most likely the work of him personally; therefore, considering the production capacity, it cannot be ruled out that it was influenced by forces outside of Chernobog or even Ursus."

Ace summarized his report, calmly stating, "In conclusion, my assessment is that cooperating with him at this stage is beneficial to our goals, and he can provide us with significant assistance; however, we cannot deny that he himself poses a considerable risk, and vigilance is essential."

“I agree with Mr. Ace’s assessment of competency.”

Under the watchful eyes of Kal'tsit and several other elite operators, Amiya continued, "But I don't agree with Mr. Ace's entire conclusion: vigilance is indeed necessary, but we should not seek cooperation with vigilance as a premise and with an attitude of maintaining distance—Mr. Milan does possess power that we cannot understand, but he has shown us goodwill and sincerity in cooperation from beginning to end."

“He warned us in advance about the dangers of Chernobog, reminded us of the unusual nature of the Reunion Movement, and when we clashed with the Reunion Movement, he asked us not to expose ourselves rather than to participate in the war. He even demonstrated his abilities in front of us. Isn’t this a sign of trust?”

“He knows a lot of information and always prioritizes Rhodes Island in his planning, which Mr. Ace should understand. In that case, I think we can and should show more trust in the initial cooperation.”

Kal'tsit looked at Ace, the burly man with the thick beard stroked his chin and nodded: "That's right, Dr. Kal'tsit; just as I reported before—we still can't verify whether the Sarkaz mercenary group really has the Military Council behind it, but the fact that they can disclose information to us on this matter and consider Rhodes Island's position is an undeniable fact."

"Yeah."

Kal'tsit's gaze was calm, as if she were deep in thought—after a while, she looked at Amiya and asked, "Amiya, did you use your abilities while you were in contact with your target?"

Amiya was taken aback.

He then shook his head and said, "No, Dr. Kal'tsit, I remember your warning. I haven't specifically used that ability. As for Mr. Milan's intentions, I judge them more through eye contact, facial expressions, and tone of voice."

"He shouldn't have harbored any ill intentions, and secondly..."

Amiya hesitated for a moment, but still said uncertainly, "Maybe my feeling is wrong, but I always feel that Mr. Milan gives me... a bit of the feeling of a doctor."

Kelsey: “…”

"Ah, I meant the doctoral students of earlier years."

Seeing Kal'tsit's suddenly somber expression, Amiya quickly waved her hand and added, "It's the Doctor from those years before he got busy. Although he seemed to be quite gentle with everyone, he always gave people a very distant and unreal feeling."

Kal'tsit: "…………"

—Amiya, why don't you stop talking for now?

Although she remained expressionless, she was already feeling a headache coming on: she knew the secrets of the Tower of Babel era, knew Rhodes Island's confidential information, recognized some of the Rhodes Island operators beforehand, including Amiya and Ace, and seemed to have extra feelings for Amiya...

Add to that supernatural abilities outside the Originium Arts system, the ability to mass-produce special creations that fix extraordinary effects onto equipment, and an appearance with no obvious racial characteristics—ah, where did this behemoth agent come from or which old popsicle in an insulated box come from?

Just agonizing over such a problem made Kal'tsit feel like she had already exhausted all her strength by not even hunching over and breathing heavily.

—Did these old popsicles install a telephone in the sarcophagus and then wander around aimlessly after they went to sleep?

Otherwise, how would this guy even know where the doctor was buried?

Could he have been waiting for us here all along?

"...I probably understand."

After much deliberation, Kal'tsit spoke up: "Regarding this Mr. Milan, there are inexplicable doubts about his background, abilities, sources of intelligence, and even his motives; he is a huge variable. We are currently enjoying the advantages brought by this variable, but we cannot deny the possibility of future developments and changes."

Amiya's Eyes (Nine) 7 The doctor mixed with his father Q*UN God hesitated for a moment.

"However, his understanding of the current situation in Chernobog and his assessment of the risks at hand have filled the intelligence gap for us, and his organizational skills can indeed be an asset to the rescue operation; time is of the essence, and with the situation potentially deteriorating at any moment, we do not have many other options."

"that is……!"

Amiya's eyes lit up again.

Kal'tsit's expression softened for a rare moment when she looked at Amiya, then she looked up at the other operators present, her expression turning serious again, and said, "Rescuing the Doctor is the highest priority. To this end, we will adopt Milan's cooperation suggestion and make preparations immediately to take action as soon as possible."

“Ace is in charge of tactical execution and security. You are authorized to coordinate with Scout Squad to ensure a flawless infiltration and withdrawal. We will use the canned goods’ control lines, but if the situation changes, A4 and Manticore will be there to meet you on the road to the berth. Don’t forget to stay alert.”

Ace: "Understood."

"Amiya's team is also participating in this operation, and an additional medical team, led by operator Nearl, will accompany them as medical support for the mission. A briefing will be sent to her terminal later."

"Keep everything simple during the covert operation and protect them well."

"I will, Kal'tsit, the first doctor!"

Amiya's little face was full of serious expression, and her eyes were shining with excitement.

"And you, Amiya."

But Kal'tsit simply looked at her and said in a calm but unquestionable tone, "Cooperation does not mean blind faith, and in order to participate in the operation you have been longing for, you must rest now and be in peak condition during the operation."

"Get some rest, set your alarm, and the specific steps will be determined by me and others."

"Ah...I...I understand."

Although Amiya still wanted to participate in the discussion, she obediently left the meeting room. Watching Amiya's departing figure and the closed door, Kal'tsit whispered, "Keep an eye on her, and keep an eye on Mr. Milan. The plan must consider more contingency plans."

"I'm counting on you, Ace."

The next day.

It was another dark night, with the sun obscured behind gloomy clouds and the moon nowhere to be seen.

Now that they knew Chernobog's defenses were practically nonexistent, Rhodes Island's actions became more aggressive—as planned, some personnel traveled directly from the harbor area under cover of night, bypassing the poor garrison of Chernobog, and headed to their designated rendezvous and control points.

The other group set off at night, navigating the massive shadow of the mobile city, which resembled a colossal beast, and climbed onto its body following the route Ace and his companions had taken earlier.

Once the laws upholding the authority of the Ursus Empire were no longer valued, the Ursus security forces were practically nonexistent to Rhodes Island's elite.

Even seasoned Rhodes Island operators couldn't help but be astonished when they first saw Milan's base located in the power layer—a vibrant scene of life thriving within a behemoth of steel and concrete would leave anyone bewildered on their first visit.

But unlike when Ace and his group last saw them: some of the canned goods members were loading various supplies onto makeshift carts under Pavel's direction—although they didn't look like any packaged supplies, mostly just pre-sealed boxes or barrels.

...Well, don't ask how much stuff is in these boxes and barrels.

Meanwhile, many more members of the canned food crew were already there, fully armored and waiting. They wore neat white armor, with some fine marks on the surface, as if recording the battles they had experienced; but overall, it looked smooth and solid, almost brand new, and you couldn't tell that it had just suffered such a heavy beating not long ago.

"Here he is, right on time."

Upon noticing that there were even more familiar faces in the group this time than last time, Milan, dressed only in casual clothes, smiled at Amiya and Ace, nodded to the group of operators behind them as a greeting, and stepped aside to say, "I don't think I need to introduce this one, right?"

“Mr. Milan, Director Helag.”

Amiya strode forward, her little face full of seriousness. It was clear that she was trying hard to project a serious and reliable image, but because she was so young, she just looked very cute.

However, despite the polite words, the worry and urgency in her eyes were unmistakable: "We have fully discussed Mr. Milan's suggestion and believe that a swift resolution is necessary, so we immediately organized a team to come here."

"What is the current situation in Chernobog?"

"When I arrived, everything was calm, but even those infected in the city have been coming to the clinic less frequently these past few days, so the situation is not very clear."

Herag looked at the Rhodes Island operators, nodded, and said in a deep voice, "Jung... Milan has made his decision, and I trust you all just like him. This is his last action in Chernobog, and Azazel is willing to open our secret passage to show his support."

"Thank you so much."

Amiya's expression relaxed slightly, and she turned to look at Milan—although it might just be her imagination, she still subtly sensed a strange reliability in Milan; Milan, without wasting words, exchanged a few pleasantries and got straight to the point:

"Three squads, plus my men, should be enough to confirm the area's safety. After all, if all goes well, there shouldn't be any conflict."

“The route has been planned. By going through my territory and the Azazel tunnel, we can directly enter the neighborhood near the Energy Research Institute from underground.”

"follow me."

The team quickly assembled.

A small squad from Milan will remain to ensure the safety of their retreat while also ensuring the complete evacuation of the Canned Food members—the evacuation of the Canned Food begins now, with Rhodes Island being the obvious short-term target, though Milan hasn't told Amiya and the others yet.

Another squad led the way, with Milan and Helag at the rear of the first echelon alongside Ace, and the others following behind. In the intricate underground world, even such a small group looked like a crowded procession. The group silently traversed the underground network, passing through the air thick with the smell of rust and grease, with only the particularly heavy footsteps of the armored soldiers echoing in their ears, bringing with them a chilling (physical) vibration.

According to Milan and Helag's plan, they should use an abandoned electrical substation converted into an unrented storefront as the exit, leading back to the ground from the street-side building.

But when they arrived at the designated area, climbed up to the surface from the underground shaft-like passage, and opened the inner compartment, the ground floor did not greet them with the tranquility they had expected.

Instead, there was a cacophony of shouts, curses, screams that ripped the silence apart, and explosions that could not be ignored!

"Old man!"

The members of the canned food squad, who had prepared cloaks for the nighttime operation, filed out of the gatehouse. They formed a defensive formation, but Milan and Herag, who came out later, looked grim. Herag could see that they were carefully leaving the underground through a secret passage outside Azazel, while the night sky over Azazel was ablaze with firelight.

Has the Reunion Movement launched an attack?

The Rhodes Island team also sensed the unease in the air; Amiya could even feel a great deal of chaos and fear. They immediately went on alert, and several skilled operators quickly climbed to high ground to observe and report back.

“We can see a lot of attacks from the Reunion Movement. In some places, they are unruly riots, and in others, they have turned into confrontations. The military and police have been mobilized, but their organization is limited.”

"They probably weren't after Azazel, but if the map is correct, that direction is definitely..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but looked at the few people who could make the decision.

Herag's expression turned serious as he reached for the hilt of his sword.

Chapter 96 - Preparing for Battle (7/80)

It's no longer necessary to analyze "why the Reunion Movement launched the attack." Rather than that—the situation has changed—the more important question is how to proceed now.

"Mr. Helag."

Amiya's face was filled with worry, but she still stepped forward and said, "I'm so sorry, we..."

"I see."

Before the little girl could finish speaking, Herrag interrupted her, though he remained calm and composed, unlike his usual self.

"I'm not going to hold a grudge against Rhodes Island, but our agreement was only to use this secret passage. Now that Rhodes Island's cooperation with Azazel has come to an end, I won't ask Rhodes Island to disperse its forces, but I have no choice but to leave now, and I ask for your understanding."

"Is Mr. Helag alright by himself?"

Amiya was still somewhat worried. She glanced at the people she had brought, but found it difficult to say things like, "It's okay, we'll help you solve your problem first," or "We'll send some of our people to help you." Azazel had provided assistance in this operation; Azazel was a comrade who provided medical care to the infected; Azazel was an organization primarily targeting underage infected individuals…

Regardless of the reason, any time other than this moment would be sufficient to justify the Rhodes Island operation, and a reason for the Rhodes Island banner and idealists to extend a helping hand even at the cost of their own lives.

But it's precisely now, at this very moment...

"When we say 'nothing unexpected happens,' something unexpected always happens... Ugh, I hate world line correction forces, really."

In the brief silence, Milan suddenly chuckled, breaking the suffocating atmosphere; Amiya's troubled expression hadn't faded yet, but her body instinctively twitched her long ears.

—Wait a minute, didn't we just hear that not long ago?

Then Milan shook his head and stepped forward.

Milan?

"Mr. Milan?"

Both Hellagur and Amiya, who were preparing to leave, voiced their doubts.

Milan chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "Sigh, what a busy life. Looks like I'll have to miss this iconic moment... Oh well, it doesn't matter. No matter how fate plays tricks on us, the fact that it brought the time forward to now should be enough impact I've made."

"...What are you saying?"