The atmosphere between Andrew and Isolde was as harmonious as the panic felt by Lorenz, who sat opposite them, was intense. Watching Andrew sitting across from him, Lorenz finally could not suppress his expression, and sweat began to pour down his back.
But soon, he forcibly composed himself and regained his calm.
He was a Major General. If he chose to cower and beg for mercy over such a small matter, how could he expect the alliance of people he led to continue trusting him?
So, no matter what, he could not lose his momentum.
Moreover, Lorenz had his own confidence deep within his heart.
Although judging by the performance just now, the opponent's skill was indeed extraordinary, one had to realize that the roar of his adjutant's cannon had already resonated throughout the entire camp.
Just ten more seconds. Merely ten seconds.
The personal guard, realizing he was in danger, would completely seal off all retreat routes for the two people in front of him due to that gunshot. No matter how powerful this man's individual strength was, surely he couldn't wipe out that many troops all at once?!
At the end of the day, he was just one person.
Although Lorenz's imagination was quite reasonable, imagination is, after all, just imagination.
As seconds ticked by, Andrew, realizing what he was waiting for, even cooperatively sat in his seat and waited along with Lorenz.
But even after a full half-minute had passed, not a single soldier rushed in.
From beginning to end, the only sound in the entire tent was the tap-tap of Andrew's fingers gently knocking on the table.
At this moment, he finally realized the situation was wrong.
Facing Lorenz's incredulous gaze, Andrew spoke bluntly:
"Stop waiting. Right now, in this area you carved out for yourself, you're the only one left awake."
The surrounding camp, devoid of any movement, had already proven that Andrew's words were not false.
As a gust of wind lifted a corner of the tent's door curtain, Lorenz finally discovered that those soldiers who used to be patrolling and on standby all over the camp were now piled up like heaps of mud.
For a moment, Lorenz couldn't even confirm whether they were dead or alive.
He looked up at Andrew, who acted as if nothing had happened, and then asked in a deep voice with incomparable seriousness:
"You guy, what exactly is your identity?!"
Although Isolde had surprisingly announced the other party's name just now, Lorenz had absolutely no impression of this man named Andrew.
Clearly, in order to build his own network of interests, he had been constantly paying attention to all the powerful newcomers in the Defense Force and TOPS. But no matter how hard Lorenz tried to recall the face and name of the person before him, he quickly discovered the truth.
Whether among all the high-ranking officials in the military, the directors of those large enterprises in TOPS, or even the powerhouses in organizations cooperating with the government...
From beginning to end, there was no information about this man in front of him.
Even in the City Administration, which he hadn't managed to connect with at all, according to the intelligence he obtained through secret agents, there was absolutely no newcomer named Andrew internally.
The most recent newcomer was clearly a Wolf Thiren named Von Lycaon.
Regarding Lorenz's questioning, Andrew just gave a vague laugh and said casually:
"Oh my, I don't have any identity or anything. I'm merely a passing warm-hearted Hunter."
Hearing this, Lorenz's original expression instantly stiffened.
Others might not react so quickly upon hearing Andrew self-report his family name like this, but Lorenz, who had just listened to Isolde's combat report, could not possibly forget.
Leaving aside the events large and small during this recent period, just the fact that in the battle just now, he could cooperate with the Void Hunter Hoshimi Miyabi while also displaying such strong combat power was enough.
Even if Lorenz didn't understand combat, he could see that the combat power of the person in front of him was definitely not some ordinary existence.
It could even be completely said to be... a Void Hunter.
Although it sounded terrifying, it also answered why his carefully selected subordinates couldn't even last a single round when facing this man.
But this actually made Lorenz's originally panicked mood settle down once again.
Regaining his composure, Lorenz simply stopped pretending. He crossed his hands and rested them on his chin, facing Andrew in the seat opposite.
He was certain in his heart that even if Andrew beat his subordinates miserably, he wouldn't dare to touch him.
And the reason was his status in the Defense Force.
Lorenz's gaze tilted slightly, sweeping over the face of Isolde, whom he had previously thought was a loyal dog he had disciplined and controlled perfectly.
Under the circumstances where the facade was completely torn, when Isolde looked at him, there was no longer the previous submission on her face, only the anger of revenge suppressed for many years.
But so what if she was angry?
Lorenz's gaze skipped directly over Isolde's face and landed gently on the epaulets on his shoulders that belonged to the rank of Major General.
The fact that he had never worn protective armor in the Defense Force and New Eridu after the Fall of the Old Capital, yet remained unharmed after mixing in for so many years, was not because his own strength was strong.
The main reason he could commit crimes without worrying about encountering danger was this pair of epaulets on his shoulders.
The identity of a Defense Force Major General was his best protection.
If he, as a Defense Force Major General, were attacked by someone outside the Defense Force, resulting in serious injury or even death, this would be a major event for the Defense Force, no less than being slapped in the face on the street.
At that time, no matter how perfect the other party's reason was, the Defense Force could not choose to let them go casually.
Even a Void Hunter wouldn't do.
After all, if they shrank back whenever they faced a strong person, the Defense Force would have no way to become the third largest force in New Eridu, standing side by side with TOPS and the City Administration.
And most importantly, who said the military doesn't have Void Hunters?
So facing Andrew in front of him, Lorenz said in a deep voice:
"So, this Hunter gentleman wants to interfere?"
Looking at Andrew in front of him, Lorenz pretended to be kind, but actually spoke with a reminder that carried a threat:
"But, Mr. Andrew, in what capacity do you want to come in and mind this business?"
It was called a question, but it was basically mockery.
"This matter belongs to the internal affairs of the Defense Force. Outside personnel shouldn't meddle randomly."
Speaking up to here, Lorenz, hypocritically pretending to be kind, revealed his true intention for saying this.
"Don't forget what the consequences of randomly attacking a Defense Force Major General will be."
However, Lorenz actually got one thing wrong.
Since Andrew chose to take action to help this time, he couldn't have failed to consider these things.
So regarding his threat, Andrew actually already had a solution of his own in his heart before making a move. Andrew simply suddenly remembered before taking action outside that he also had the identity of a Silver Squad Commander.
But under these circumstances, since he actually dared to threaten instead of admitting his mistake, Andrew couldn't help but gently clench his fist.
Regarding Lorenz's threat, although Andrew had a smile on his face, there was long since no warmth in it.
Not only did he not choose to cower, but he chose to threaten instead?
Andrew, who originally wanted to see if he could solve it a bit more peacefully to avoid some follow-up trouble, thoroughly clenched his fist at this moment.
But to have less trouble later, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.
Andrew cleared his throat lightly and interrupted:
"Major General Lorenz, I think you might have misunderstood one thing from start to finish."
Subsequently, Andrew said solemnly with a serious face:
"Who said I came to trouble you because of Colonel Isolde's matter?"
The moment he heard this sentence from Andrew, the expression on Lorenz's face involuntarily transformed from being fierce in appearance but weak inside to uncontrollable ecstasy.
Sure enough, the status of Major General is forever my most powerful insurance!
As long as this identity of Defense Force Major General exists, facing people from other forces, the Defense Force is my eternal shield!
How could anyone risk being targeted by the entire Defense Force and becoming its enemy to make a move on me! He's not some hotheaded youth!
But what he didn't notice was that behind Andrew, Isolde—who in his imagination should have been panic-stricken or even despairing because of Andrew's turning back—revealed a mocking smile at him as if she had thought of something.
The next moment, when Lorenz suddenly realized he was being lifted up by Andrew like a little chick, he could no longer laugh.
Subsequently, he saw Andrew say with a smile that didn't reach his eyes:
"I'm just a superior officer who came in to settle accounts with you out of anger because I suddenly heard someone conspiring to seize my soldier's credit while I was taking a walk."
Hearing this, Lorenz instantly became anxious.
If he wasn't afraid of Andrew managing this matter before, it was because no matter how dirty or unreasonable it was, it was an internal affair of the Defense Force.
But if Andrew, an outsider not of the Defense Force, harmed him because of this, no matter what, it would be an outsider harming a Defense Force Major General. Then Andrew's current reason completely changed the nature of this matter.
Forcibly seizing credit was an unpresentable matter to begin with. The reason he could do it was purely because the higher-ups gave tacit consent while Isolde had no power or influence.
Most importantly, she was his direct subordinate, so he could forcibly suppress it.
But Andrew was different!
If he was in the Defense Force and belonged to its internal members, regardless of position, with such strength, he himself was the biggest backer in the Defense Force.
As a Major General, I absolutely cannot suppress him forcibly like I did with Isolde.
If I really seized the credit of his team member, then being beaten by him until I'm hemiplegic would be purely me deserving it. After knowing this, the backer behind me wouldn't possibly stick their neck out for me; they might even have to consider carefully whether to act to protect me.
After all, an outsider attacking internal personnel is one thing. But internal conflicts appearing and being resolved is another matter entirely.
Not to mention that in the case where I'm in the wrong to begin with, Andrew will inevitably be fawned over by those profit-seeking guys relying on his strength.
By then, I'm afraid I would become a sacrifice offered up just to make him happy!
One must know, others might not be clear, but isn't he clear about how his Major General rank came about?
For a high-level white glove like himself, losing him would only make those guys feel distressed for two days; they wouldn't truly care! The reason they tolerated him before was only because he could fill their increasingly greedy appetites!
Thus, he immediately tried to explain with incomparable urgency, even somewhat palely and feebly:
"Wait! Isn't that woman Isolde my subordinate?! Isn't Obols Squad also a squad under her name?!"
Facing Andrew's fist that was raised higher and higher, he screamed loudly in terror, even his originally thick male voice becoming high-pitched because of it:
"You can't speak recklessly! When... when did I ever seize the credit of your soldiers?! And who are your subordinates anyway!!!"
Looking at his appearance of completely not knowing the reason, Andrew, preparing to let him die knowing why, still spoke:
"Did you forget that the position of main attacker in the current Obols Squad has always been vacant?"
Hearing this, Lorenz immediately recalled the promise he gave Isolde earlier as a 'sweet date'.
He had known from start to finish that Obols Squad always lacked a main attacker.
Instantly, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have overlooked something this time, and Andrew's next words shattered his last trace of luck.
"My subordinate, the Silver Squad member Soldier 11, temporarily joined Obols Squad as an external main attacker in this operation and acted together with them."
As Lorenz was lifted up bit by bit, Andrew looked straight into his eyes and said:
"Weren't you just about to wipe out half of Obols Squad's credit? Hmm? Speak!"
"This! I... I..."
At this moment, Lorenz was completely dumbfounded.
In the end, knowing he had absolutely no way to quibble anymore, Lorenz could no longer speak. He could only turn his head toward Isolde at the side.
There was not a shred of repentance in his eyes, only the anger of having made a miscalculation and been pit.
Facing the fist rapidly enlarging in his vision, relying on his resentment towards Isolde, he used his last strength to struggle and say:
"This is that woman plotting against you! She is using you to achieve her goals!!!"
Accompanied by Andrew punching him so hard that his whole body crashed to the ground, and then bounced up again with a loud bang under the reaction force.
Looking at Lorenz, who had completely passed out, Andrew curled his lips speechlessly and said:
"I just casually found a passable excuse to avoid trouble later, and you took it for real?"
After casually adding another punch to the other half of his face, confirming that he wouldn't be able to wake up for at least ten to fifteen days, and that even if he woke up later, whether he could be cured was another matter...
After all, he was a Major General; currently, this reason could at most justify beating him to this extent.
Subsequently, Andrew continued to roast:
"Hilarious. You speak as if I would want this stuff given by your Defense Force every day like you do."
____
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