"So our journey to Free Port ends like this?"
Palr looked out the car window at the port city. After a few days of restoration work, people had gradually healed the city’s wounds from the storm. The bustling city was operating again, as if it had never stopped.
"What else?"
Bologue sat opposite Palr, holding a newspaper filled with information about the Paradise incident.
After restoring order, conspiracy related to Paradise erged like mushrooms after a rainstorm. Originally thought to need the Logistics Departnt for information control, the United Company, as the master of Free Port, displayed their power.
The United Company did not forcibly silence everyone, but rather flooded people’s cognition with a large amount of fake news. Various absurd statents spread among the crowd. Within just a few days, this horrifying event had beco sowhat entertaining. It was said soone wanted to write a book about it, and investors said they wanted to make a movie, but first needed to consult with the United Company...
Throwing the newspaper aside, Bologue understood that they were only leaving Free Port, and this incident was far from over.
Nolen was injured, and local forces suffered a heavy blow from the Zongge Orchestra. anwhile, those responsible for hunting Hert, the Raging Tide Guards, perfectly filled the power vacuum. The Horror was anchored in the near waters of Free Port, deterring all those with ill intentions.
His gaze extended down the aisle, and at the end of the carriage, Lebius’s figure appeared in Bologue’s view. He still rembered the conversation between Lebius and Nolen at the train station before departure.
"In the end, you guys dragged into this, Lebius."
Nolen’s tone was devoid of emotion, like a cold machine, and his eyes were the sa, with complex twisted emotions hidden in the indifference.
Hert was slain by Lebius’s own hand...
Nolen was already prepared to lose Hert. Over the years, guilt had tornted everyone, but when the truth was really before his eyes, the intense ntal shock still left Nolen exhausted.
Nolen knew Lebius simply made the right choice. He also understood that an invisible gap had appeared between him and Lebius, uncertain if it could ever be nded.
"No one can remain unaffected; it’s been this way from the beginning."
Lebius did not have many complicated thoughts; his rationality was akin to that of a Sage.
"What will you do next? Resign as Navigator, then appoint another puppet to maintain neutrality?"
Faced with Lebius’s question, Nolen didn’t know how to answer for a mont. He had never thought about what would happen afterward.
"Let offer you so advice, from a friend’s perspective," Lebius leaned closer to Nolen and whispered in his ear, "This world has been peaceful for too long, Nolen. Have you not heard the storm approaching from the sea?"
Nolen stared intensely at Lebius, knowing he wouldn’t joke about such matters. A phantom pain radiated from his broken wrist.
Nolen asked, "What do you know?"
"This isn’t much of a secret," Lebius estimated, "With the efficiency of your Synergy Tide people’s intelligence network, you’ll probably know in a few days."
Lebius didn’t want to explain too much to Nolen, and a rare smile appeared on his typically stern and indifferent face, "So we’ll be on our way first."
Geoffrey caught up with Lebius, not forgetting to wave at Nolen, "Don’t worry, the Logistics Departnt is on the way, and you can just hand the bill over to them."
Bologue observed all of this, and Lebius did not hide anything from him when advising Nolen, as if intending for him to overhear.
Bologue did not pursue what had happened from Lebius; from certain angles, Bologue was also a foolish person. Once he trusted soone, he maintained absolute trust rather than endless suspicion.
Lebius was a trustworthy group leader, and when Bologue needed to know this piece of information, he would naturally tell him in person.
His gaze moved away from Lebius. The previously spacious ard carriage now seed extrely crowded; it contained more than just mbers of the Special Operations Group.
Canary sat on the other side of the aisle, and since getting on the train, she had been gazing out the window, occasionally handling the wrapped head, playing with Bai Ou like a ball.
Regarding Canary’s information, Lebius didn’t explain much to the team mbers; others, like Bologue, trusted Lebius’s decision.
Bologue knew the inside story. Canary had a special identity; she could fully be regarded as a mber of the Order Bureau, though she was directly affiliated with Yubelvinger.
According to subsequent communication, she needed to bring Bai Ou before Yubelvinger, as the Tooth of Deathly Silence restricted the Alchemy Matrix of both. Canary simply took the Special Operations Group as bodyguards to travel together.
On the seat at the other end of Bologue, sat Ewen and Cinderella. The atmosphere in the carriage was sowhat suppressed, and everyone remained silent. Though bandaged and with a crutch, Ewen maintained an upright and serious posture, while Cinderella curiously looked around; she had never seen such a luxurious carriage.
Bologue quietly asked Palr, "How did you manage it?"
"What?"
Palr stopped daydreaming and refocused his gaze on Bologue’s face.
"Them," Bologue’s gaze shifted to Ewen and Cinderella, "logically, they should have been detained by the Tidewave People, had their mories cleared, and then released. But now they’re on the sa train as us. Does this make sense?"
Palr smiled slightly, "Just a little trick."
Bologue looked at Palr curiously, unable to imagine what Palr had done to make the always ticulous Lebius agree with his idea.
"Have you seriously read the regulations? mory clearance doesn’t apply to all situations," Palr explained to Bologue, "The essence of Condensers is human. We always have to deal with ordinary people, so among them, we have a whitelist."
"You really seem to be his hardcore fan, must’ve been quite an effort."
Bologue glanced at Ewen again, having read the book Ewen wrote, Bologue thought it was quite good. If he had to say, he also counted as a fan of Ewen... probably.
Palr’s eyes shone brightly, "But it’s very worth it."
"Oh?"
Bologue beca more curious. Getting Palr, that lazy dog, to spend ti and strive for effort seed to indicate it wasn’t just a simple fan relationship.
There must be so secret deal between Palr and Ewen.
Just as Bologue was about to further question Palr, the train wobbled and stopped. Looking out the window, Free Port was clearly visible, they hadn’t traveled far before stopping again.
Before departure, Lebius had inford the others, Bologue glanced at the platform then returned his gaze to the newspaper, while Palr looked expectantly toward the rear of the carriage.
"Has... sothing happened?"
Ewen shifted in his seat, leaned out, and asked Palr.
Among these mysterious Condensers, the only one Ewen was relatively familiar with was Palr. The others seed difficult to interact with.
Now the train hadn’t departed Free Port but had stopped again, inevitably making Ewen feel a bit tense. Ordinarily, the most dangerous thing Ewen encountered was slashing and shooting the Demon. Ever since eting these Condensers... no, since eting Cinderella, the intensity of incidents he encountered directly escalated several levels.
Palr said, "Don’t be nervous, it’s just a rendezvous with friends."
The train track shifted, two trains crossed paths, and at the end of another train, an ard carriage detached and was subsequently connected to the end of Ewen’s ard carriage.
To avoid accidents, this train was a special train, and besides them, there were no other passengers.
The two ard carriages were connected, and the train slowly started moving again. At the sa ti, soone ca out from the newly joined ard carriage.
"Good morning, everyone."
Yas pushed the door open, his ard suit had a few holes and blood stains that hadn’t been completely cleaned. Prior to this, the Sixth Group had endured considerable pressure for the Special Operations Group.
Ewen looked at these new arrivals with vigilance, Yas also noticed the unfamiliar faces in the carriage but didn’t pay much attention to them. Lebius stood up and led Yas to see Gold, which was the most important thing.
After Yas left, another guy walked in. His stature was overly tall, his head hitting the ceiling, forcing him to stoop heavily.
Ewen noticed the newcor’s proportions seed eerily large, and then a pair of big hands lifted and he struggled to pull off his helt, causing his fluffy hair to puff out instantly, revealing an intimidating bestial visage.
"Hey! Hart!"
Palr excitedly waved to his friend, and Hart stooped low and sat next to Palr, almost squeezing him out of sight. Bologue felt the space was even more crowded.
Ewen’s face turned a bit pale. He rubbed his eyes, doubting his vision.
"By the way, Hart, let introduce you,"
Palr struggled to show his head and arm, pointing at Ewen. In a voice trying to suppress excitent, he said, "He’s the Crested Blue Jay!"
Hart abruptly turned his head, his gaze falling on Ewen, and for an instant, Ewen felt as if he was imrsed in ice water, which then boiled around him as Hart’s gaze beca fervent.
Ewen struggled to accept reality, "You... hello."
"Crested Blue Jay!"
Hart embraced Ewen, and Ewen felt like he was attacked by a beast. He vaguely heard Hart say sothing about being a fan in the process. Over the past few days, Ewen had heard similar things countless tis.
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