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Felix concluded his meeting with Hellagur. This time, the reconnaissance and action teams had been dispatched to different Siracusan mobile cities. Some squads had already returned to the flagship, while many others were still out on field missions. Recording the environments and family structures of each mobile city was secondary. The priority was determining whether there was room for Tomorrow's Development to step in and secure certain interests.
Beyond that, there was also the task of treating the Infected, selecting capable individuals among them, and attempting to recommend Tomorrow's Development as a place they could join. This was one of the advantages of expanding their ranks.
After offering a salute, Hellagur departed. He was about to board a plane to another mobile city to conduct yet another round of negotiations with the local families.
With the meeting over, Felix headed to the medical level. Some time ago, this place had been filled mostly with Ursus people. Now, after moving from Lungmen to Siracusa, their numbers had gradually declined. Some had returned to Ursus, relocating to the newly constructed New Chernobog and New Kursk camps built by the official Ursus government.
They expressed endless gratitude toward Tomorrow's Development, yet many still chose to return home. After all, the vast majority of them were not Infected, and even if they went back, they could still live ordinary lives on familiar soil.
More Infected chose to stay. Among them were the Chernobog police officers who had helped evacuate civilians together with Tomorrow's Development. Most of them had been infected during battles with the Reunion Movement. Now, they had taken on new roles as guards and patrol units for Tomorrow's Development. Chief Ivan was among them. Although he himself was not infected, he still chose to stay with his family.
Those who stayed were not only civilians. Many students remained as well. Some had been persuaded by Operator Zima and chose to fight for the future of Tomorrow's Development. Another group consisted of children from noble families. Most of them had siblings, and their parents understood that eggs should not all be placed in one basket. With an interest in investing in Tomorrow's Development, having one child inside the organization gave them a clear advantage.
At present, Siracusans made up the largest group here. Most had been brought back by the medical teams for examinations, treatment, and medicine distribution. As the head of the medical group, Folinic was constantly busy, nearly matching the workload of her mentor, Kal'tsit.
Felix arrived at the medical level. Among the many Infected, he spotted Angelina, who looked around with curiosity yet seemed somewhat lonely. Sitting across from her was Perfumer, who was gently comforting her while drawing blood for testing.
He stepped into the intensive care ward. There, he saw Patriot, with Yelena standing behind him, gently patting his back and massaging his shoulders.
Upon seeing Felix, Yelena smiled. Patriot, meanwhile, slowly stood up. Seeing this, Yelena withdrew her hands and looked at her father with some confusion.
"Your Highness…"
"Patriot, how is your recovery coming along?"
Felix stepped forward to examine Patriot's condition. He was not wearing his armor at the moment, though certain parts still had to be covered, as some Originium had fused directly with his body, much like the helmet fused to his head.
Kal'tsit had once explained to him the difference between mixed-blood Wendigos and pure-blood Wendigos. Mixed-blood individuals possessed greater strength than ordinary Sarkaz, but little more than that. Their heads would not gradually turn into bare antlered skulls over time. Pure-blood Wendigos, on the other hand, lost their appearance entirely, but their strength and defensive power could be considered the strongest among the Sarkaz.
"Not bad… Columbian… special medicine… works."
Patriot spoke in broken phrases, but his voice carried more strength than before. He was gradually regaining the power he once held at his peak. After his battle with Felix, he had been resting and refraining from combat at Yelena's insistence. After taking the Columbian medication, his Oripathy had stabilized. Perhaps only his pure bloodline could continue suppressing the Originium particles flowing through his veins.
"If there is… anything you need me for… please… tell me."
"Recovering your health is the most important thing," Felix replied calmly. "Before the true war begins, we still have plenty of time. Conflicts will not be few on this land in the future. I will need veterans like you to help continue the path of expansion."
"…"
Patriot nodded. His red eyes suddenly flickered, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
"Your Highness… you and… Yelena."
Hearing this, Yelena's face flushed. Even her ears began to change color. What could possibly be more embarrassing than having one's father suddenly play such a decisive card in person?
"I… am at ease…"
Patriot's next words stunned Yelena, followed by a wave of soreness in her chest. This was him entrusting her to Felix. The man before her had rescued her from the ruins and accompanied her through so many years. Now, he was entrusting her to another man to be cared for.
How could she not feel moved, or emotional?
"Your Highness… once I have rested… enough… I will… challenge you again."
"Alright."
Felix nodded.
Yelena was taken aback. What did he mean by "again"?
"Father, you didn't fight Felix, did you?" she asked anxiously.
Patriot seemed to deflate at once, the red glow in his eyes slowly fading.
"Father, that's too much. Felix is the leader of Tomorrow's Development. You already intended to join him. Why would you still fight him? That's being irresponsible with your body."
Yelena put her hands on her hips.
Patriot turned his head slightly to the side.
"…"
After a short while, a faint snoring sound could be heard.
He had fallen asleep.
"…"
Yelena and Felix exchanged a glance and laughed softly. Yelena stepped forward and extended her hand, which Felix gently took.
The two of them left the ward together.
"I need to go take care of Angelina." Seeing that there was no one nearby outside the intensive care unit, Yelena leaned lightly against Felix's chest. "She has no relatives or anyone she can rely on in Tomorrow's Development. Right now, she only has me."
"Mhm."
Felix nodded. "Then I'll leave her to you. At her age, enduring that kind of pain, she truly needs a dependable older sister."
Hearing that, Yelena gave Felix's chest a light punch. She rose onto her toes and kissed him, then seemed to remember something.
"I just ran into Talulah. She said she wanted to talk to you." Yelena frowned slightly. "From her expression, it felt like she had… realized something, or perhaps reached a sudden understanding during her self-reflection."
After saying that, she kissed Felix once more, then left while softly humming a tune.
Felix remained where he was, deep in thought.
At present, the prison housed only high-ranking members and hardened enforcers of the Reunion Movement. Each of them had a separate room with food, water, and sanitation provided. Only senior officers had the authority to visit them. If ordinary operators wished to enter, they had to submit an application. Misha had applied many times through Siege to visit her brother, Alex.
"Your Highness… I didn't expect to see you here."
Natalya bowed to Felix, her ample chest swaying slightly.
"Why are you here, Natalya?"
Clever discreetly scanned her identification and confirmed that her entry request had already been approved by the HR officer.
"I…" Natalya's face paled as she bit her lower lip. "Your Highness… I came here to confront my fear."
"I see. Post-traumatic stress?" Felix nodded slightly. There were many young people like Natalya in Ursus. Chernobog and Kursk had become wounds that would never fully heal, nightmares they could not escape. They wanted to forget, yet in the stillness of night, those memories inevitably resurfaced. Countless times, they woke from their sleep, terrified that white-uniformed Reunion thugs would suddenly burst through their doors.
"If you need it, you can speak with a counselor," Felix said earnestly. "Perfumer in the medical department is an excellent listener. If she's busy, I can listen as well. I hope I can be of some help."
"I…"
Natalya took a deep breath, like a small, frightened animal seeking shelter.
"May I… seek some comfort from you, Your Highness?"
"Of course."
"…Mhm."
Natalya stepped forward and gently rested her head against Felix's chest, hugging him tightly like a little bear searching for warmth.
Felix said nothing. He simply stroked her head again and again, trying to offer her a measure of comfort.
Pressed against his chest, Natalya's face flushed. The bitterness and darkness in her heart slowly gave way to warmth and softness. Shyness and embarrassment welled up inside her, and her body shifted slightly.
Seeing this, Felix loosened his embrace. Natalya stumbled back two steps, breathing a little fast, and covered her flushed cheeks with her hands.
After that embrace, her body felt weak, as if she might melt at any moment. Rather than staying here, she needed to go to the restroom.
"Um… excuse me!"
She hurried away with small, quick steps. Felix watched her leave, then continued forward.
___
Talulah was seated on the floor as she always was, her expression calm. When Felix approached the barrier of the prison, she lifted her head and met his gaze.
"I was wrong in my thinking before."
"Oh?"
Talulah pressed her lips together and spoke softly. "Hatred cannot bring victory. It only plants the seeds of violence in people's hearts. Whether it was me or the Black Snake, we were both destroying the Reunion Movement in our own ways."
"When there are more people, everything becomes more complicated. Perhaps I was wrong from the very beginning."
"I was too one-sided from the very beginning," Talulah sighed softly. "What I pursued were short-term results, yet those results were nothing more than moths flying into a flame."
"Hui-chieh told me about the tragedy in Lungmen. Those were all sins committed by the Reunion Movement. As its leader, I cannot escape responsibility."
Felix nodded. "Have you thought it through? What do you want now?"
"If it were possible, I would rather you had killed me with a single sword strike back then." Talulah curled her lips in a self-mocking smile, then her expression returned to calm emptiness. "The Reunion Movement no longer exists. Its last remnants were absorbed by Tomorrow's Development. I once wanted to rebuild it, but now it seems…"
"You still haven't seen everything clearly," Felix shook his head. "As for your actions, judgment will be passed only after we return to Kazdel. As for your future plans, let us wait until after the trial."
"I understand. I will accept my fate."
After a brief pause, Talulah added quietly, "Thank you again, Felix."
"Without you… I might have been swallowed by that endless black abyss, never to find redemption."
"Besides me," Felix replied calmly, "you should also thank those infected who walked alongside you all this way and still managed to remain true to themselves."
Talulah was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "You're right."
The construction of Felix's mechanical race, Melira, was nearing completion, and the Venus was preparing to return to Kazdel for maintenance. At that time, some operators would disembark, while new ones would come aboard. Just as he had said before, the high-ranking members of the Reunion Movement were about to face judgment.
The person appointed to oversee this trial was a Lupo girl named Lavinia, backed by the Bellone family whom Siege had encountered during reconnaissance. She had just passed the examination to become a judge.
After learning the true value of Tomorrow's Development, the Bellone family proved remarkably cooperative. Not only did the family head receive Siege and her entourage, they also signed several trade agreements with Tomorrow's Development. During a quiet exchange, Bernardo Bellone, head of the family, clearly sensed what Tomorrow's Development lacked.
A judicial framework existed, but there was no one specifically responsible for enforcing it. As part of their agreement, Lavinia was recommended to join the Tomorrow's Development landship as an operator. Given her ties to the Bellone family, this was beneficial for the long-term cooperation and development of both sides.
It was also a considerable honor for the Bellone family. Ordinarily, other families had no opportunity to recommend personnel to Tomorrow's Development. Lavinia was the sole exception, despite not being a direct member of the Bellone family.
The crimes of the Reunion Movement's upper echelon would be judged by the Kazdel Court, at Nürnberg, Kazdel. The jury would include victims of the Ursus massacre, operators from Tomorrow's Development, former Reunion members who later joined Tomorrow's Development, and even players, ensuring fairness and impartiality.
As for the players, they even came to Felix to ask whether those red-named players could be locked up in Kazdel's dungeon.