Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central-Southern Region Corridor, Central Region, Base Gecko
"General Maden, what now?" the deputy general asked in concern, trying hard to mask his sheer dumbfounderment as they glanced down at the deserted base Gecko. Except for the logistic unit and a few high-ranking officials, all the other soldiers of base Gecko were captured, and their reinforcements were choosing suicide over facing Field Marshal Lorn. There were no combatants left on their side. Unless Maden planned to lead a bunch of fat officials and the logistic unit to the front lines, they had no choice but to surrender.
"Don’t forget rescue squad three is still on standby. As long as we have chips in our hands, we still have a chance to make a comeback," General Maden said, reminding his deputy not to give in until the very end.
However, to the deputy general’s ears, Maden sounded like his drunk father, who would beat and snatch his mother’s hard-earned daily wages only to lose it all at the neighborhood’s illegal gambling den. Clearly, Maden didn’t plan on making a decision until it was made for him by time.
"General, what is so special about Agent Lois that the rescue squads are willing to sacrifice themselves and our unconscious soldiers in hopes of creating a window of escape for her—" the deputy general asked, wondering what was so special about Agent Lois that the rescue squads were given so desperately. He couldn’t even fathom a reason that would justify the sacrifice of an entire regiment and two rescue squads for one agent.
"Don’t ask about things above your pay grade," Maden remained his deputy and couldn’t help wondering if he should change him as this one had gotten too comfortable around him and asking questions someone of his position should know not to ask.
’Ah, just when he was getting used to having this one around.’ General Maden subtly sighed .
The thought of going through heaps of personal files once again to find a new deputy for himself, General Maden couldn’t help unconsciously wince. This was one of the things he hated the most about his job. He invested all that time and work in getting to know these people all for him to kill or ghost them. It was such a waste. Unfortunately, he was not in the business of my king friends.
"General. It’s not that I am curious about things I shouldn’t be. It’s just that regardless of what happens here today, there is going to be a ton of mess that we will have to clear. I just want to know enough to avoid stepping on a landmine during the cleaning process," the deputy general answered.
Working under Maden, he had helped the former sweep enough unaccounted incidents under the rug. So, he could help but ponder why General Maden was being so secretive and cautious about this one.
What was so special about this one? Both the general and the rescue squad were acting oddly. All for what? One M.I.A asset that suddenly showed up at their doorsteps. The deputy general felt that there was more than what meets the eye here, but he knew better than to poke his nose where it did not belong.
"Don’t worry about it. Someone from headquarters will come to take care of it. Just make sure you or any of our men don’t get in his way," General Maden informed without thinking as the light from nine exploding divinities blinded him.
"Woah!" the deputy general exclaimed at the sight of Field Marshal Lorn confining and compressing the energy of nine exploding divinities at the tip of her index finger and shooting it in the sky like a firework. The sight was just too shocking.
Just as Maden and his deputy were watching the fireworks in the sky, risking being temporarily blinded by them, Maden received a text from the leader of the rescue squad 3,
[General, we have secured the asset and are heading towards supply depot three. Please ensure the supply depot has made the necessary arrangements to send the asset to safety ASAP.] Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥
"Yes," Maden cheered and immediately contacted the supply depot three without wasting any time celebrating the minor victory they secured at great loss. He ensured that the supply depot three had its teleportation array formation ready for Agent Lois’s escape.
Meanwhile, listening to his general cheer, the deputy general mistook that the general was enjoying the fireworks more than he should, especially considering the dire situation they were in with most of their regiment being captured by the Southerners.
Location: Central-Southern Region Corridor, Central Region
"Fuck," the leader of the rescue squad three cursed, seeing that squads one and two chose to detonate their divinities and embrace death.
Not wasting any time mourning for his fallen comrades or enjoying the Field Marshal’s show of strength, the leader of the rescue squad three struggled to decide if his squad should continue laying in wait for Lois to miraculously escape or go face the Field Marshal. Actually, after seeing how easily she dealt with the energy from the nine exploding divinities, they didn’t have the will to go face her. However, knowing only oblivion awaited them back home if they returned empty-handed, they were helpless, not knowing what to do.
Just when the rescue squad were planning to resign to their fates, the sensory demigod on their team sensed a vague but fast soul energy signature crossing the Southern-Central Region Corridor and continued to head deeper into the central region. So, she exclaimed, "It’s Agent Lois! She has escaped and crossed the border. Follow me!"
"Fuck, the luck is on our side today. Hurry!" The rescue squad chased their sensory card demigod to trace Agent Lois. Some even tried contacting her, but for some reason they couldn’t do so. So they could only focus their attention on finding and reaching Agent Lois and getting her to one of the supply depots as soon as possible.