Глава 10

The court does not understand the general's pain... They do not understand how fragile the current balance is.

Do you know why I insisted on activating only the secondary defense cannons?

If I activate the primary cannons right now... will the dukes out there march right inside?

Suppose we proceed to slaughter all the people of Londinium. Will that once again stir disloyalty among the nobles in the city and the soldiers who joined us, causing them to turn their swords against us and fight to the bitter end?

Suppose we completely abandon this industrial district. How much longer will the general's plans be delayed without the trains carrying materials to The Shard every day?

The lords' pride prevented them from casting their ancient skulls downward to see these foreign cities.

In my opinion, if we are to control all of Londinium, the most difficult battle we must fight is right before our eyes.

The Sarkaz calls us the rebels. We got no complaints in that department.

If the only way to save ourselves is by standing up against them, then even the most ordinary of Londiniers will take up arms.

Do you know what's happening in the other wards?

Can't be better than here.

All of us either work for the Sarkaz or die.

We've been getting bits and pieces of news from up north. From what I heard, the Sarkaz army there's much more cruel.

Vina, does that mean Baird and the rest who stayed behind...

Calm down.

How am I supposed to be calm?! It's been five years! Five years! I don't even know if they're still...

We'll find them.

Soon, we'll find each of them, one by one.

Okay, Vina. I trust you. No matter where they are. No matter if they're alive or...

Never mind! I won't get so gloomy in front of everyone.

Ladies, as long as your friends are still alive, we should have a way to get in touch with them.

You operate outside of Sudean too?

We can get anywhere in Londinium. Even outside the city.

For each of us they take away, ten more join our ranks.

Rockrock is a born and bred Sudean girl. She's one of our most senior fighters. She knows better than the rest of us how our team grew, bit by bit.

Seeing as you're leading a team now, we might've been adding to our ranks a little too quickly.

Haha, who do you think led you to eleven victories, Lieutenant?

All we did was lead people underground. How does that count as a victory?

Managing to live another day under the Sarkaz's noses, all while we get to keep operating in the dark? I'd call that a win.

It's just as you saw. The Sarkaz haven't taken complete control of Sudean yet.

The terrain and flow of people here are so chaotic that if the Sarkaz really are trying to take control of every inch, then they must really have underestimated the place.

And besides... This is where the last Londinium defense force squad fought the Sarkaz.

Looks like they lost too.

*Sigh*... They fought and they lost.

That battle was over quick... way too quick. Before any of us could react, the Sarkaz were already standing atop the walls.

It's all because of the traitors! They bought out our elite squads!

Miss, were you in the military?

No, I wasn't. I was... uh... a local, like them.

Alright, a local.

I know the military had its share of traitors. Plenty of them, even.

The traitors and some of the aristocrats defected to the Sarkaz with much of the defense force.

Outside Sudean, you may still find Londinium forces patrolling the streets, but their commanding officers are all regulars at Sarkaz soirees now.

What about the last squad that fought here?

They held out to the bitter end. Each of them paid a dear, terrible price.

I don't know how many of them survived, but I think... having experienced a hopeless fight like that, even if they made it out alive, their hearts must ache whenever they look at Londinium's walls.

Don't be so alarmed. Keep your head up. Take your hand off the crossbow, and relax a little.

*cough*, *cough*.

The residents here are used to seeing all kinds of people. They won't help us, but as long as they don't feel their lives are in danger, they won't follow Dublinn or the Sarkaz's orders.

Life under the enemy's watchful eyes... I can't imagine going through that.

Do you know how they used to think of us?

Uh, I haven't thought about it.

I never did either.

Lieutenant...?

Alright, stop calling me Lieutenant. I'm Horn here. There are way too many lieutenants running around, of all different factions.

Right, Horn. Where are we going?

To regroup with my companions first.

The Sarkaz patrol will pass by the area in five minutes. We'll split into two teams and follow the rail tracks east separately.

After three hundred and fifty meters, you'll see an iron staircase leading up.

If you hear five metallic knocks, come on up. Three, stay put. Two, disband immediately.

You might think the abandoned factories there look familiar... Don't be surprised. It's Dublinn's stronghold.

Isn't that a little dangerous?

With Dublinn occupying the area, the Sarkaz don't go there often.

Want to try your hand at hide-and-seek? You're welcome to join in on the fun.

So are you really just a normal business?

Just like you're a normal engineer.

Haha... That's putting it simply.

Now that the Sarkaz are in charge of Londinium, who am I to doubt your excuses? You're security personnel working for a medical corporation, right?

Let's see... a team with a total of seventeen people. All of you are outfitted with military-grade equipment, and you work well with each other. You even have these half-decent drones.

'Half-decent...?'

What do you mean, 'half-decent?' You can't talk about my work like that!

Ehhh, settle down.

I didn't get a good look at them up there. Maybe you can show them to me another time?

The Sarkaz blew them all up! Just thinking about it makes my heart ache!

Why don't you try fixing them? You should have a couple wrecked drones left, right? How about I take a look at them for you? I have all the tools we need.

Closure, I did manage to snatch two...

Those drones are Rhodes Island technology.;You have to work with us first before we can share it.

I gotta find something nice to trade with you, then?

Whoa, someone's cautious.

Doctor... What kind of doctor are you anyway? Eh, never mind. We'll talk about it another time. I'm in no rush.

That aside, how did you make it to Londinium in the first place? I've told you plenty about the city's situation. If we're working with each other, why don't you tell me something about the outside?

It was a long journey...

I know you already fought Dublinn.

You have eyes outside the city?

Cautus lady. We talked about this. We're sharing information with each other.

Okay.

Taking us back a bit... We did have a run-in with Dublinn outside Londinium...