After dismissing the street surveillance squad, the three of them couldn't just stay crouched in the alley forever. Instead of trying to hide imperfectly, it was better to walk openly on the street.
"Operating in the German Occupation Zone isn't actually difficult. As long as you're not feeling guilty and act naturally, there won't be a problem."
Su Ming walked with the two of them on the main street, not even glancing at the German soldiers passing by. The more you act with a clear conscience, the safer you are.
The important thing isn't whether you can speak German, but to perfectly imitate the inherent arrogance of the Junker nobility, and the superior smugness of the Hydra officers.
The airships in the sky cast large shadows on the ground, which is why there always seemed to be dense clouds overhead. The light on the street was seemingly blocked by these giant beasts in the air, spreading a feeling of oppression in the trio's hearts.
But the street wasn't a place for discussion. The doctor would slip up as soon as his Brooklyn accent came out, so Su Ming quickly chose a café by the roadside to sit down.
This was an intersection with a good view, convenient for retreat in any direction, and there weren't many people around, making it easier to find a discreet place to talk.
Paris has many cafes, just like Berlin has beer halls.
Perhaps before the war, this café with a view of the Eiffel Tower would have been considered a romantic holy land for many young boys and girls, but at this moment, those sitting inside were mostly stern German officers.
Even during a break, drinking coffee, they sat meticulously like robots, each sip perfectly measured.
Su Ming spoke softly in French to the owner, now adopting a Marseille accent.
"Give me and my friends a quiet place, somewhere away from the Germans."
The café owner glanced at him as if understanding something, said nothing more, and directly led them to the balcony on the second floor.
There were a few small tables here, facing the park at the street corner. Although the balcony was a bit narrow, there wasn't a single German around.
A nice spot. After ordering coffee and snacks, Su Ming observed the surroundings for any disturbances.
It was currently safe, with no surveillance or eavesdropping devices.
"Okay, Monac, where is our target?" Originally planning to rest for a day, but now realizing that Paris wasn't suitable for tourism, it was better to focus on business.
There were about two hours until sunset. If possible, Su Ming hoped to resolve the matter tonight.
Monac took a rabbit out of his pocket, placing it on his lap, stroking its snow-white fur while forming a dharma seal with the other hand to cast a spell.
A moment later, he killed the rabbit, trembling, and took a large drink of coffee.
"Our target is constantly moving... If I'm not mistaken, this fragment of Paris is somewhere above us."
As he spoke, he put down the empty cup, pointing a finger towards the sky.
It was filled with countless airships, like a swarm of bees.
They layered and moved continuously, while on the ground, only vast shadows were visible.
It was impossible to distinguish which airship held the fragment.
The airship's load capacity was substantial, enough to support a laboratory, and they could go a long time without needing to land for supplies.
The three of them had limited tactics to choose from.
The first was to figure out where the airships docked, waiting for them to land for supplies, allowing Monac to hide nearby to detect them, and once the target was found, Su Ming would launch a flawless infiltration.
The downside of this method was its passivity. If the enemy used a method like aerial refueling for mutual supply, keeping the airship lab airborne indefinitely, they'd be at a loss.
And for Holloway's rabbits, this would be doomsday-like news. Each use of the divination magic costs a rabbit's life, and with hundreds of airships in the sky, landing them all might exceed Holloway's rabbit reserves.
The second method was for the three of them to fly up and search actively. With the magic floating cloak, this was feasible, saving more time.
But the issue was that Su Ming would have to handle aerial combat with the flying discs. The airships also had self-defense firepower and radar, making a silent operation impossible.
Once a full-scale battle ensued, it would easily cause an airship to crash. If the Namor Fragment were destroyed, it would be troublesome if an important piece like the head was gone.
The third tactic was to create a big distraction, like blowing up half of Paris. The Germans would definitely relocate the Namor 'Fragment' for safety, and the airship lab would leave independently. Su Ming could then use the cloak to pursue, the least labor-intensive method, and they could remain in the shadows.
However, this method had its problems too. Paris was a city with historically significant architecture. Even the Germans were reluctant to bomb it. Destroying it in Su Ming's hands felt like a cultural travesty.
Moreover, Su Ming didn't have that much explosive, a fundamental issue...
He pondered silently while sipping coffee. While these tactics were possible, some details needed to be reconsidered.
How to achieve the tactical objectives with the least effort.
"There's a fluctuation of magic energy, I can feel it." Monac stopped his actions, looking down from the balcony as the magic floating cloak peeked out from the box with Su Ming, indicating it felt something too: "It seems my spell just now attracted the German sorcerers. They're like bloodhounds, rushing in at the slightest whiff of magic."
"For now, we're safe. They haven't pinpointed an exact range, just wandered the streets." Su Ming saw a group of oddly dressed people passing on the street, holding strange magical artifacts resembling water exploration sticks, with two rods spinning continuously in one of the sorcerer's hands.
But they hadn't found the group's precise location. The crowd on the street disrupted their search.
"You mentioned the Germans also have warlock units. Aren't most mages generally averse to mundane affairs?" Holloway's hand was on the grip of a gun hidden inside his coat, as he glanced into the distance.
Monac tossed a small snack into his mouth, watching the sorcerers disappear around the street corner: "They're sorcerers. It's said they've merged with the bloodlines of Hell Demons, not really fitting as proper warlocks. They can cast some magic, but more often fight with guns."
"Oh, doesn't sound particularly dangerous." Holloway also picked up a snack to eat.
"Their strength lies in acute magic detection. They're constantly searching for magic items for their Supreme Leader, or sacrificial offerings for their demon overlords. I'd bet they've already checked where the Paris wormhole is. It's only a matter of time before they find this place."
With that, the mage smiled, emptied the snacks into his hat, placed it on his head, signaling the others to leave quickly.
Su Ming sighed, the coffee was still good, but stealth operations took priority. Once they found a more secure foothold, they would plan their next move.