Chapter 664: Then Bring It On; We Don't Need Handed-Down Peace

Chapter 664: Then Come, We Don't Need Handouts of Peace

Outside Dawn City.

At the airport not far from the First Corps' garrison, a killer whale transport plane, trailing a faint blue plasma plume, slowly descended onto the tarmac.

Yi Chuan, who had just finished a meeting, stood outside the tarmac, watching Minister Wu Changnian step out of the cabin. He greeted him with a warm smile and extended his right hand.

"Welcome! Minister Wu!"

"Haha, Xiao Yi, long time no see!" Grasping Yi Chuan's right hand while patting his shoulder, Wu Changnian smiled as he sized up the young man before him.

Compared to the reckless youth from last year, this kid had indeed grown a lot.

And just as he had anticipated, this place was even more of a crucible for growth than he had imagined.

With a firm pat on his left shoulder, Wu Changnian released his right hand and began introducing the people behind him.

"...Let me introduce you. These are the employees reassigned from the General Management Department to Dawn City. They will primarily assist you in matters related to the slime mold agenda. This is Qin Juncai. According to the Council's resolution, he will serve as the corporation's representative to the Slime Mold Research Consortium."

The young man named Qin Juncai smiled nervously, looked at Yi Chuan with admiration, and enthusiastically extended his hand for a handshake.

"I've long admired you! Mr. Yi Chuan, I was already your fan back in Elysium! When I heard I'd be working with you, I was thrilled!"

In the corporation's clash with the Legion last year, they had successfully forced those arrogant barbarians back to the negotiating table and thwarted the Legion's expedition to the eastern part of the Central Continent.

The standout performer was undoubtedly the corporation's General Management Department, especially the five representatives from various subsidiaries dispatched to the Alliance.

Not only had they forced the Legion to retreat back into the Falcon Kingdom at minimal cost, but they had also cemented the corporation's friendship with the various survivor settlements in eastern Central Continent.

Especially the friendship with the Alliance.

Now, not only in the Cloud Province, but also in the River Valley Province in the middle of the Central Continent, there was hope for the end of the Wasteland Era.

Flattered by such enthusiastic praise, Yi Chuan smiled modestly and replied politely.

"Mr. Qin, you flatter me! I dare not claim such an honor. I'm merely basking in the glory of the pioneers of the *Pathfinder*."

Qin Juncai shook his hand vigorously and said with a laugh.

"I'm not exaggerating in the slightest! This is not only my heartfelt opinion, but also the view of many! I hope you can guide me in the work ahead."

Yi Chuan smiled faintly.

"Certainly!"

The study of the Slime Mold Research Consortium's charter had entered its final stage.

The staff who arrived in Dawn City with Minister Wu Changnian were all future members of the corporation's office at the "Slime Mold Consortium," and the young man named Qin Juncai was the corporation's representative to the consortium.

In rank, he was one level below Yi Chuan, who served as the corporation's ambassador to the Alliance, though both reported directly to the Council.

Wu Changnian's main purpose for this visit was to conduct a diplomatic mission to the Alliance on behalf of the corporation, along with arranging the next phase of work for the corporation's embassy to the Alliance.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group left the vicinity of the tarmac.

Yi Chuan had arranged vehicles to pick them up, but Wu Changnian suddenly had a whim and suggested they take a stroll around here.

So the group walked toward North Street in Dawn City, planning to have dinner there before returning to Embassy Row.

As they walked, Wu Changnian kept observing the streets, comparing them with the images in his memory.

Yi Chuan secretly watched his superior's expression.

Though he couldn't read much change on the man's face, he could still sense the surprise and awe hidden in his micro-expressions.

Clearly, the changes here had stunned him.

Just as Yi Chuan was pondering this, Wu Changnian suddenly spoke with a smile.

"How's Dawn City been lately?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Yi Chuan quickly replied with a smile.

"Quite lively!"

"In what way?"

"In every way!" Seeing Minister Wu's interested expression, Yi Chuan continued with a smile. "Take us, for example. Flights from Elysium to Dawn City used to be once every two days; now they've increased to twice a day. And it's not just our exchanges that have grown—every survivor settlement has sent diplomatic missions here."

Wu Changnian nodded approvingly.

"It's a good thing that settlements are taking the slime mold issue seriously. We just have to hope that the newer generations haven't completely forgotten how the Wasteland Era began."

Yi Chuan's heart stirred, and he looked at him.

"So... does the Council agree to let the Legion join the Slime Mold Consortium?"

Wu Changnian smiled faintly.

"Since we can shake hands with the Academy, there's no reason to exclude the Legion. Besides, even the Alliance, which has directly fought the Legion, has no objections. It would be petty of us to oppose it."

A hint of joy crept into Yi Chuan's smile.

If that was the Council's stance, the upcoming negotiations would go much more smoothly!

After a pause, Wu Changnian suddenly continued.

"By the way, what about the Great Rift? Any moves from them?"

Hearing this unexpected name, Yi Chuan was momentarily taken aback. After a moment's hesitation, he continued.

"The Great Rift hasn't made any moves, but according to our intelligence... they've instructed the Free State of Bugra to conduct a diplomatic visit to the Alliance, specifically regarding the Slime Mold Research Consortium."

Wu Changnian thought for a few seconds and nodded slowly.

"Hmm... That aligns with the Council's expectations."

Yi Chuan frowned slightly.

"I don't quite understand... What exactly are they thinking over at the Great Rift?"

Wu Changnian smiled faintly.

"What's so hard to understand? The old man who runs the Great Rift once made a serious mistake, and he's still haunted by it, afraid that too much interference might cause the disaster to repeat itself... So you'll notice that not only is his control over Bugra extremely conservative, but his attitude toward everything in the Wasteland is also conservatively passive."

Though the survivors of Bugra would certainly disagree, in Wu Changnian's view, that was undoubtedly the case.

No settlement in Cloud Province dared to stab the corporation in the back while it was locked in conflict with the Legion, but Bugra, relying on the Great Rift, profited handsomely from the war with the Legion's eastern expansionists, even sparking a man-made disaster that swept the entire province.

If that old man had intervened more decisively in time, the situation in the Sunset Province would never have deteriorated to the extent it did last year.

But then again, without that war and the Bone-Chewing Rebellion, the survivors of the River Valley Province wouldn't have united so smoothly.

Yi Chuan's expression still showed incomprehension.

"But it's been so many years... They should have moved on by now."

"To us, it has been a long time—several generations. But to that old man, something that happened a hundred years ago feels no different from yesterday. His sense of time has dulled. Don't worry about him..." Wu Changnian paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Let's get down to business. We need to bring the Free State of Bugra into the fold."

Yi Chuan looked at him with confusion.

"Why?"

Wu Changnian said softly.

"Without the Great Rift's participation, many efforts can't move forward. There are still quite a few survivor settlements in the Wasteland that follow their lead, especially those that have directly or indirectly received help from the War Construction Commission. Directly bringing the Great Rift in is unrealistic, but we can use their 'son' to indirectly rope them in."

And—

With the decline of the Legion's eastward expansion faction, the Free State was no longer within the Legion's sphere of influence.

In the Council's view, those wavering individuals were worth courting.

"But... what if their sons cause trouble?"

Facing Yi Chuan's hesitant expression, Wu Changnian gave a faint smile.

"Those fellows can't stir up any real trouble, and buying them off isn't hard. But the key issue is—what do our friends in the Alliance think? You can sound out Chu Guang indirectly and see his opinion. The Council hopes to give Bugra a chance to join the Slime Research Community as a secondary member, or even as a cooperative member—that would be acceptable."

Yi Chuan carefully noted his instructions and nodded.

"Understood."

As the group passed down a street, they suddenly saw a large crowd gathered not far away.

Wu Changnian instinctively stopped, looking over curiously, and the others halted as well.

"What's that?"

Yi Chuan glanced in that direction and quickly replied.

"It looks like the Vellant camp."

"Oh..." Wu Changnian nodded, a faint sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. "So it's those barbarians."

Qin Juncai, following behind the two, stepped forward a couple of paces, squinted, and frowned.

"They seem to be in a conflict with the locals."

Yi Chuan looked to Wu Changnian for instructions.

"Should I go find out?"

Wu Changnian was about to nod when his gaze suddenly fell on a group of people turning the corner and approaching. The smile on his lips took on a hint of amusement.

"No need."

"We'll just watch from here."

...

Half an hour earlier.

Standing at the entrance of the Triumph City delegation's camp, Lisa nervously gazed toward the camp, wanting to ask someone something but hesitating to approach.

Just then, a surprised voice came from beside her.

"Lisa?!"

The voice sounded familiar, and Lisa immediately turned to see a girl carrying a laundry basket, wearing a linen dress, staring at her wide-eyed.

Her light brown hair was identical to Lisa's, but she was taller, with a sprinkle of freckles on the tip of her nose.

"Emil!"

Muttering the familiar yet strange name, Lisa joyfully ran forward and clasped the hands of the equally excited girl.

Both were servants born in Triumph City and had trained together at the same servant school in washing, cooking, and serving tea—they had always been close.

Later, Lisa was chosen to board the *Heart of Steel* and follow General MacLenn's command to the distant East. Before she left, Emil had given her a handkerchief, which Lisa later sewed into her clothes and still kept to this day.

Lisa had nearly forgotten the past, never expecting to reunite with her friend in a foreign land tens of thousands of kilometers from Triumph City.

Not only was surprise written in her eyes, but Emil, gripping her small hand in return, exclaimed in disbelief.

"Great! You're safe! I heard you were captured by wastelanders from the River Valley Province and went missing... They... they didn't do anything terrible to you, did they?"

Slaves in Triumph City were protected by the Marshal's laws—though they had no rights or freedom, their lives weren't too bad.

Compared to the slavery tacitly permitted in most survivor settlements on the wasteland, it was more akin to a "lifetime employment" system with wasteland characteristics.

But Triumph City was one thing; the wasteland was another.

Especially since the *Triumph Gazette* frequently depicted wastelanders as cruel, even conflating the term with raiders, to bolster the legitimacy of the military aristocracy's expansion of Legion territory. Having read several such papers, Emil firmly believed her friend had been tortured to death by those wastelanders...

"No... Actually, they treated me quite well," Lisa whispered, blushing. "They taught me to read, found me work, and even paid me... I even bought some new clothes at the festival."

Emil stared at Lisa in astonishment.

But when her gaze fell on Lisa's apron—still stained with grease and not yet changed—her expression turned to that of someone looking at a fool who had taken the wrong medicine.

After a long moment, Emil gently touched Lisa's head and murmured sympathetically.

"My poor Lisa, what kind of potion did they feed you..."

Lisa smiled weakly, unsure how to explain.

Just then, her peripheral vision caught a group of people passing by the camp entrance, and she instinctively stood on tiptoe to look.

Noticing her movement, Emil blinked curiously.

"What's wrong?"

"That..." Lisa's heart stirred, and she whispered to her, "Can you help me find someone?"

Emil: "Who?"

"Please," Lisa continued, her face reddening. "His name... is Pangolin."

Hearing the name, Emil froze, staring at her incredulously.

"Lord Pangolin? Wait, you know him?"

Lisa whispered, her cheeks flushed.

"...In Falling Leaf Ridge, I once served him in his daily life. After the war ended... I lost track of him."

Though "serving" only meant washing a few clothes, Emil clearly misunderstood, her eyes turning a bit suggestive and also envious.

"You actually served Lord Pangolin."

Lisa murmured.

"...What's wrong?"

Emil looked toward the camp, her gaze filled with longing and admiration, muttering dreamily.

"Nothing, it's just that lord is truly remarkable. Strong, handsome, and accomplished at a young age—he became a chiliarch before thirty, and as an outsider, he earned the rank of a full two-star chiliarch through military merit! In Triumph City, countless people look up to him as a role model... By the Marshal above, I wish I could be that lord's maid."

Lisa's eyes were blank.

There was surprise, disappointment, but mostly confusion and helplessness.

Only now did she realize the chasm in their status.

Not to mention that the lord might not even remember her—she had only washed a few clothes for him. Even if something had happened between them, he would have no reason to spare her a glance.

But...

If it was just to say thank you in person, that should be fine, right?

She had only wanted to thank him face-to-face for saving her from that hell, never hoping for... that kind of thing.

Lisa bit her lower lip lightly, her heart tangled like a ball of yarn.

Not noticing Lisa's expression, Emil suddenly grabbed her hand excitedly and said to her.

"I can't believe you actually know that lord! That's wonderful, um... could you do me a favor?"

"Huh?"

Thinking she had misheard, Lisa stood frozen on the spot, staring in bewilderment at Emil, who was now pleading for her help instead.

Somewhat embarrassed as she looked at her friend, Emil hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice.

"Lord Pangolin is different from the other lords—he's kind to both slaves and attendants, even outside Triumph City, unlike the others who are always handsy... Ah, of course, I'm not speaking ill of the other lords, but I'd love to become his personal servant. Let me be blunt—I want that lord to buy me. Can you help?"

Lisa stared blankly at her friend, whose face was full of supplication, and found herself gaping.

"Ah?! B-but... he... but..."

Seeing Lisa stammering and unable to speak, Emil lowered her voice and hurriedly continued her plea.

"Please, Lisa, help me for the sake of our years of friendship! I'll let you in on a secret—he's actually in that camp! I'll find a way to arrange a meeting between you and him."

Lisa looked at Emil in shock.

"He's here?!"

No sooner had she spoken than a sharp voice suddenly rang out from nearby.

"Emil! What are you doing? I told you to wash the clothes—are they done?"

It was the voice of an old woman.

At the sound, Emil flinched like a mouse caught by its tail, quickly stepping a few paces away from Lisa.

"I-I'm done! I was just about to take them back to hang!"

From the direction of the camp entrance, an old woman in a black dress stormed toward them, shouting loudly.

"Then what are you waiting for? For mushrooms to grow on them?"

Her face was covered in wrinkles, twisted together with a mean expression.

From her facial structure, she must have been a beauty in her youth, but at this moment, her expression made it impossible to associate her with anything pleasant.

Her sharp gaze was exactly like that of a Vlandian officer, leaving Emil hardly daring to breathe. Facing the old woman, she bowed respectfully.

"...No, Lady Cistil, please forgive my clumsiness."

Though Lady Cistil was not Vlandian, she was the head maid accompanying the delegation—in other words, their direct superior.

It wasn't a high-ranking position, but to some extent, she could even decide their fate.

Seeing Emil sneak a pleading look at her, Lisa nodded woodenly, indicating she would help with that favor.

But just as Lisa was about to wave goodbye, the old woman named Cistil suddenly noticed her. Her murky pupils glanced at Lisa's hair, then quickly shifted to her eyes.

Lisa instinctively avoided the gaze, but the old woman, as if she had spotted something, narrowed her eyes slightly, a sharp glint shining through the slits.

"You... are you from Triumph City?"

Lisa looked at her in terror, keeping her mouth shut and not answering. She stepped back, but the old woman grabbed her wrist and rolled up her sleeve.

There was a faint scar.

As the scar was exposed, Lisa instinctively tried to break free from the old woman's grip, but that thin, powerful arm clung to her like a vine.

"L-let go of me!"

"You're a legion slave!" Cistil stared at her intently, her murky yet sharp eyes pressing closer. "A runaway slave!"

The moment she heard that word, all color drained from Lisa's face, as if a bone-chilling cold had sapped all strength from her body.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about!"

The old woman only gave a cold smile, paying no heed to her explanation.

Soon, noticing the commotion at the entrance, a Vlandian officer led two soldiers out of the camp and came to the old woman's side.

The two soldiers stood behind Lisa, blocking the view of other passersby, while the officer narrowed his eyes at the old woman.

"Let go. Tell me what happened."

If it was a thief, this could be a chance to humiliate the Alliance and curb their arrogance.

But to his surprise, the kindly Lady Cistil did not release her grip. Instead, she bowed slightly, then showed him the mark on Lisa's wrist, speaking slowly.

"I have found a runaway slave, sir."

Her voice carried a hint of seeking credit.

The officer's pupils contracted slightly as he looked at Lisa with growing hostility.

In the Legion, slaves were the private property of Vlandians, as sacred and inviolable as the Academy's hoarded antiques.

Under Legion law, the Legion guaranteed a slave's safety, eight square meters of living space, three meals a day, and a healthy life until the age of fifty. But in return, if a slave fled from their master, they lost all rights protected by law.

At the same time, every Vlandian was obliged to capture and return them to their master, receiving a reward from the master.

Vlandians who could afford slaves were usually not stingy with rewards; at worst, they would give the slave to the finder.

Lisa's legs went weak as she looked at the man with the high-bridged nose before her, her lips trembling as she tried to explain.

"I... I really am not..."

Without listening to her feeble explanation, the officer didn't even glance at her. Instead, he reached out and dragged the trembling Emil over.

"Ah!!"

Ignoring her pained cry and the laundry basket that fell to the ground, he pulled her in front of Lisa and said, word by word,

"Do you know her?"

Emil's face was pale, her lips quivering, unable to utter a single word.

More and more people emerged from the camp, gathering around the group—among them, members of the delegation's diplomatic staff and accompanying servants.

Just then, a hoarse voice tinged with surprise came from the crowd.

"I recognize her... sir, her name is Lisa. She used to be a servant on General MacLenn's airship!"

Lisa whipped her head around and saw a strange servant looking fawningly at the officer with a sycophantic smile.

She recognized that person—her name was Brina, who had also worked on the Steel Heart, but had been transferred elsewhere before the airship sailed east.

The officer's eyes narrowed as he stared at the pale-faced Lisa for a moment, then a sharpness crept into his gaze.

"You know the punishment for a runaway slave, don't you?"

Lisa trembled and nodded.

Seeing she had no courage to resist, the officer's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He gave a cold order to the soldiers standing behind her.

"Take her back."

An unexpected windfall.

Who would have thought that on this land thousands of miles away, he would find a runaway slave from Triumph City—and one who had fled from General MacLenn's household.

Judging by her well-kept appearance, she must have been expensive. If sent back to the General's estate, that lord would surely thank him.

More importantly, it seemed she had been living in Shining City for some time.

From her, he might be able to pry out some intelligence about this settlement.

A Valiant soldier reached out to grab Lisa’s arm, but before his hand was even halfway extended, another hand shot out from the side and seized his wrist.

That hand clamped down on the soldier’s wrist like a pair of iron pincers; the latter strained with all his might, his face flushed red, yet he could not move his hand forward even an inch.

The crowd gathered around all turned their gazes toward the newcomer, and saw a man in an exoskeleton standing beside the soldier.

Ignoring the soldier’s pained expression, his gaze swept past the pale-faced Lisa and several Valiant servants, fixing directly on the officer as he spoke without emotion.

“This is Alliance land. Take your dirty hand back.”

With that, he released the wrist he held, and the soldier stumbled backward, tumbling into the surrounding crowd.

Another soldier, seeing this, placed his hand on the pistol at his waist, but before he could draw it, the officer raised a hand to stop him.

He did not want to escalate matters.

Looking at the man in the exoskeleton, the officer narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Who are you?”

“Commander of the Storm Corps. You can call me Quanshui.”

Commander Quanshui narrowed his eyes as well, staring straight at the Valiant.

“And what are you?”

“Jimmy, Centurion.”

A flicker of wariness rose in the officer’s eyes, but he did not retreat; instead, he fixed his gaze on the self-proclaimed commander and spoke in a warning tone.

“She is our slave. We have the right to dispose of our property.”

Commander Quanshui replied without expression.

“She is a citizen of the Alliance, not anyone’s property. We are obligated to protect her.”

The officer’s tone took on a hint of threat.

“I advise you to think carefully. Is it worth opposing us for a slave?”

At these words, Lisa’s face gradually turned pale.

But what happened next surprised her.

Upon hearing the threat, the man in the exoskeleton did not show fear; instead, he burst out laughing.

“I’ll say it again: she is a citizen of the Alliance. Even if it means fighting you again, so what?”

The atmosphere in the scene instantly dropped to freezing point.

The Valiant soldiers, including the officer, all showed anger, and for a moment, the tension was palpable, as if swords were about to be drawn.

The officer stared coldly at Quanshui.

“Do you really think we’re afraid of you?”

Quanshui stared back at him with indifference.

“Then come on. We don’t need your charity peace.”

More and more players gathered at the scene. The First Corps also noticed the situation and, while contacting the guard, sent a patrol over.

Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Bannott strode quickly out of the camp and shouted into the middle of the crowd.

“Stop it! What do you think you’re doing?”

The officer who had been staring at Quanshui withdrew his gaze and hurried over to Chiliarch Bannott, reporting the situation to him.

“Sir, we found a runaway slave. She may be the property of General MacLenn...”

After hearing the officer’s report, Bannott immediately understood what had happened.

He narrowed his eyes, glanced at the pale-faced Lisa, then looked at the man who called himself Quanshui.

To be honest, he looked down on these wastelanders, especially those living tens of thousands of kilometers away from Triumph City in barbaric lands.

Not to mention that compared to the majestic Triumph City, this settlement called Dawn City was nothing more than a speck of snot stuck on a map.

Yet, despite his deep contempt for them, Bannott knew that starting a conflict with these people right now was not a good idea.

They possessed something the Marshal needed.

It was said that thing could help them eliminate the mutated slime mother nests scattered across the wasteland’s major city clusters.

Looking at the commander of the Storm Corps, Bannott walked over and stared at him.

“I am Bannott, Chiliarch of the Legion, and the representative sent here by Triumph City. Are you the highest-ranking here?”

“Not me. He is.” Quanshui pointed at Old Bai standing nearby, speaking in a half-joking tone.

Seeing that Quanshui had dragged him into it, Old Bai no longer held back. He stepped forward and extended his right hand to Bannott, who was looking his way.

“Old Bai, commander of the Burning Corps. And don’t listen to his nonsense—we shelter residents are all equal; there’s no higher or lower. Of course, our determination to defend the Alliance Constitution is the same, no matter who stands here.”

He paused, then added meaningfully.

“Also, give my regards to Chiliarchs MacLenn and Softe. Tell them to drop by when they have time.”

Hearing this guy mention those two disgraceful figures, Bannott’s mouth twitched, but he still shook Old Bai’s hand.

“An honor... a great honor, that such a trivial matter would trouble two corps commanders. But I still want to say, there may be some misunderstanding between us.”

The old woman in the long dress, Sistil, looked at the Chiliarch in astonishment, unable to believe that such a high-ranking official would bow to these barbarians.

The centurion named Jimmy was the same, staring incredulously at Chiliarch Bannott’s profile, his expression as if he had seen a ghost.

Of course, the most surprised were Lisa, her friend Emil, and the crowd of servants around them...

The Valiants were always adamant, especially when facing inferior races with different noses.

These arrogant people had actually backed down...

Bannott was furious inside.

He certainly did not want to yield.

But thinking of the Marshal’s orders and the one watching him from the camp, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and take a step back.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at those who had stirred up trouble, especially the old woman who thought she had done a great deed and the maidservant who had first discovered the runaway slave.

He would deal with these clueless fools when they returned to camp!

Old Bai did not make things difficult for him, only gave him a meaningful look.

“I hope this is a misunderstanding, not a provocation... Also, our laws forbid more than just slavery. If you don’t have time to study the rules, you might hire a lawyer to ask before making decisions.”

Bannott’s eyebrow twitched, but he suppressed his anger and said.

“That’s a good suggestion. I’ll consider it!”

...

The crowd of onlookers grew larger.

Not only soldiers from the First Corps, but also some passersby came to watch the excitement. Though this place was remote, it was not completely empty.

Watching the Valiants retreat to their camp with their tails between their legs, the Foreign Minister of the Free State, Noreg, stood among the onlookers, his face full of surprise and shock.

Unbelievable!

The Valiants, who always spoke with their fists, had actually cowered like this?!

Standing on the other side watching the spectacle, Wu Changnian wore an intrigued expression, his index finger constantly rubbing his chin.

“Interesting.”

Yi Chuan stole a glance at Minister Wu, but had no idea what the Minister was thinking.

At the same time, the Battlefield Veteran standing in the camp let out a sigh of relief and moved away from the restroom near the camp entrance.

He had noticed the moment the conflict broke out, and immediately contacted Wo Zuihei through the Storm Corps' emergency communication method, and then through Wo Zuihei contacted Quanshui.

Regardless, that fellow had made it in time and successfully controlled the situation before it could deteriorate.

However, Quanshui's offline reply to his message left him completely baffled.

“MMP, I was the one who gave the side quest, so why am I the one who owes a favor?”

Speaking of which, Old Bai had repeatedly urged him to go check out the Highway Town Inn, telling him not to ask questions and just go—he had no idea what that guy was playing at.

The Battlefield Veteran's heart stirred slightly.

Might as well make it tonight.

He had already made up his mind, planning to find a chance to slip out and take a look later...