Глава 8

Hui-chieh:

The snow hasn't melted. And spring hasn't come.

It feels like this next spring is never going to arrive.

Each time I lift my head up to see the candlelight, I just cannot help but to reach my hand out to put it out, only to light it up anew in the darkness.

Please go away soon, winter. If you don't go away soon, we'll be buried by all this snow.

Please, I beg of you.

February 21st

Talulah, is something wrong?

What?

You've been pretty gloomy the past couple months. Did something happen?

Nothing... nothing at all.

I haven't spent that much time with everyone here, but going by what I've heard from the others, I got the impression you used to be a bit more... energetic?

Hey, watch it, buddy. Talulah's not often down in the crowd like this. Why don't you try repeating what you just said to the captain and see if he appreciates it?

Yeah, can't say I have the balls.

Patriot isn't as scary as it sounds. The Shieldguards are all like this. Don't let it get to you.

He just hasn't been talking much because of his throat problems lately... and his silence can be intimidating.

As for how I'm doing... Don't worry.

Yeah... I just have a lot going on in my mind. Our team is getting closer and closer to the Ursus cities. and there's a lot we need to thrash out. I probably gave you that impression because I've been really trying to rack my brain.

Yeah, you're right. We're running low on provisions, and we don't have enough manpower. If this goes on, we aren't going to last much longer.

That's right, and that's why we need to pay extra attention to what all the outside forces are up to.

First of all, we need to make contact with the local Infected groups and diaspora as soon as we can.

And aside from that, there are bound to be people trying to track us down... If we take even one wrong step and fall into their trap, all of us will have end up in a snowy grave.

That doesn't sound good.

Of course it doesn't, but as long as we plan our route carefully, we won't find ourselves in that situation.

...So that's why, the most important task we have at hand is to minimize our losses.

Breaking up our teams might conceal our movement better, but then communications will become a problem.

Oh, right, we can't use those comms we took from the Ursus. We don't have their transmitters.

This will put our liaisons and recon units in unnecessary danger.

It's a drain on resources to train someone to use the guerrillas' code words. If we want distribute whole sets of comms to everyone, we'll need to get our hands on the prototype somehow...

Talulah... Talulah! Our recon units were ambushed!

That's nothing. Why do you need her to clean you...

Shut up! This is nothing like what we've faced! Poor bastard fell over before any of us even figured out who the enemy was!

They pinpointed our recon caster and ambushed him with exact precision! We've never seen anything like that from the patrol units...!

Whenever something concerns our teammates, we can't just brush it aside.

Yeti, take me there.

Shieldguard, we might've encountered an Ursus Army platoon. Come with me.

Yes, ma'am!

Remember, even if they are just an advance team, be extra careful. If something goes wrong, we might have a large-scale retaliation waiting for us. We need to avoid that at all costs!

Understood!

Runner, inform Patriot immediately!

Tell FrostNova right away—Ugh! Ah, *cough*...!

Kondrasha!!

You!

Hang in there, Yeti!

Aghh!!

What...? What just happened?! Quick! S-Set him down here! Take that goddamned spear out!

(...What's going on? The black spear... grew out of his body?!)

(No, it can't be... The Empire's monsters?! What are they doing here?!)

*Hiss*...

Ngh, ugh... Ungh!

What? Think you're all that?!

I'll show you what for! Let's go! Get him!

Stop...!

What are you doing? Why are you stopping me?!

You have no idea... You have no idea what you're facing! You don't even know what exactly he is, and you want to get yourself killed?!

*Hiss*...

What are you so freaked out for?! We've got this many people on our side!

(Smashes shield into the ground)

Ugh?!

Do you want to get yourself killed?!

...That's...

That's the goddamned Ursus Royal Guard!

...To think the Shieldguards have fallen this low.

Take my advice. Kill yourselves now.

All Shieldguards, back in formation! Protect the other soldiers!

Remember! Don't give him any openings!

*Hiss*...

There is fear abound in the air.

The Infected next to you isn't ready at all.

...I...

Don't be afraid! The more afraid you are, the more likely he will kill you!

He may attack at any moment! Eyes open! Don't take your eyes off of him for even one second!

Looks like I'm leaving empty-handed again. These three cities need to be cut off from the information net for being completely useless.

Infected.

Ugh, ugh...! What are you so smug for?! You...

Surrender to the local garrison, or I will slice all your mouths and noses off and bringing them with me.

M-Mouths and noses... Isn't that...

...The Liches... The Facerending Liches! I-I thought that was just a made up fairy tale...?!

You mean... we are looking at them right now?! The Liches that slice faces off of bodies after killing everyone, leaving behind nothing but a bunch of nameless corpses in the forest?!

How long have these guys been around...? I first heard the story... T-They could only be Liches!

No, they aren't legends, and they aren't the Demons in the fairy tales! They're murderers and executioners!

How are we even supposed to fight Liches?! We are no match for these guys! We're just people, just normal people!

The Infected... called himself normal.

*Huff*...

...You... You...

Help... Help me...

Don't run away!

All of you, stay right where you are! You'll die if you run!

He's not even human! How are we supposed—

I'll kill anyone who runs!

What?!

Like it or not, you're now in the same boat as everyone else. If the defense line falls, everyone will die!

They are nowhere as terrifying as you think. They're still made of flesh and blood! Not even the Royal Guards can take down the Shieldguards' layers of defense without a tough fight...

...But if you're scared, you will become their breakthrough. They'll start with you when the killing starts!

We're both among the strongest forces in Ursus, and yet the Shieldguards choose to oppose us and stand with the Infected. How foolish.

These are truly unfortunate times.

He's unsheathing his blade! Shieldguards, shields up!! Hold!

*Hiss*...

...He... He's not attacking?

...Something is burning. I can smell it.