Though it felt a bit like mockery to frame it that way, Jeanne's overall evaluation of the clash was that it had been entirely too simple. Not a single person on their side had sustained an injury, though Mudrock and several of her casters had pushed their stamina near its limit.
Mudrock was currently drinking the holy water Jeanne had handed over, hoping to soothe the sudden flare-up of her Oripathy caused by wielding her heavy earth Arts. Watching her down the liquid gulp after gulp, Jeanne couldn't help but feel her own eyelids twitch in mild concern.
Is it truly wise for a Sarkaz to drink this much of it? Jeanne couldn't shake the worry that the warrior might suddenly collapse right there on the pavement, her ancient Sarkaz heritage clashing with the pure nature of the water if she overindulged.
Yet, when Mudrock casually noted that this was hardly her first time drinking such quantities without issue.
All around them, the Sarkaz warriors were methodically sweeping the field. Their portion of the assault was completely finished, leaving them to wonder how things were progressing on Talulah's side. Surely nothing unexpected would disrupt their victory at this stage?
Gradually, the entire city block grew quiet, signaling that the resistance had come to a halt. The rebel forces hadn't even managed to endure six hours under the coordinated onslaught before abandoning the platform entirely, fleeing like whipped hounds into the open barrens.
"Is everyone well on your end?"
Jeanne had only been resting for a short interval when a massive, towering figure emerged from the settling dust, guiding his veterans into the square. Patriot surveyed the area, turning to Jeanne to gather a direct report on the situation.
The courtyard had already been thoroughly swept. Aside from scattered stains on the cobblestones and a few broken iron thorns, it was practically impossible to tell that a fierce skirmish had transpired here just hours ago. Jeanne and her companions looked remarkably refreshed.
"We are perfectly fine," Jeanne replied, stepping forward to greet the old general. "Fortunately, your main force arrived precisely on time. If the clash had dragged on much longer, I was worried Mudrock's frame wouldn't be able to carry the burden."
Through their quick exchange, Jeanne learned that the primary fighting across the outer districts had also drawn to a successful close. Patriot was now personally inspecting the remaining sectors to root out any hidden stragglers, ensuring the retreating rebels couldn't ignite any sabotage before they left.
The old general placed the highest priority on this specific courtyard; if the munitions stored inside the magazine were ever detonated, the raw Originium dust scattered by the blast would cause severe, irreversible contamination throughout the entire area.
And knowing the nature of these deserters as thoroughly as Patriot did, he harbored no doubt that they possessed plenty of such terrible devices.
"Talulah and her vanguard should have completely secured the primary command nexus by now," Patriot grunted, adjusting his heavy armor. "Since this sector remains stable, I shall proceed to review the other districts. We must inspect every corner before nightfall."
With those words, the giant turned and led his veterans back into the lanes. He still had countless sectors left to examine, and the remaining daylight was growing short.
However, he left several of his seasoned shieldguards behind to assist Mudrock's squad in safely handling the crude explosives stored in the depths of the warehouse—a chore his men were remarkably adept at managing.
Shortly after, Jeanne witnessed the shieldguards' incredibly straightforward approach to neutralizing the hazardous munitions. The old general's veterans handled the task with a sheer simplicity that bordered on the absurd: they simply hauled the crates out to a nearby wasteland patch and detonated them in one controlled blast.
Listening to the thunderous thuds echoing from outside the city walls, Jeanne could only shake her head, fully convinced that this was undoubtedly the most direct and unrefined method of dispute resolution she had ever laid eyes upon.
Meanwhile, over at the central command nexus, Talulah had led her inner circle straight into the main operations room. Surveying the ancient, weathered consoles and dusty levers, a genuine sense of triumph filled her spirit.
No matter how one looked at it, this was the very first moving platform they had wrested away through their own strength. It was clear that the Draco was focusing entirely on the prize currently beneath her feet, rather than counting on the grand promises of the distant future.
"Talulah, everything has been taken care of," a member of the Yeti squad reported, stepping briskly out from a lower corridor that appeared to have served as a holding block. "We even uncovered a handful of captives who claim to be trained mechanics. They insist they possess the knowledge required to keep these engines running."
"I see. Excellent work," Talulah replied, giving a firm nod. Hearing that the engineers had survived the occupation confirmed her suspicions; the only reason a crude band of deserters could ever breathe life into a sleeping city block was that they had managed to press-gang folk who actually understood the machinery.
Moments later, a few gaunt, emaciated Ursus stepped into the bright light of the operations hall. The prominent, jagged black crystals breaking through the skin of their forearms instantly proclaimed their identity to everyone present—Infected!
"Greetings, leader... I presume you are the commander of these forces?" the foremost captive ventured, his voice trembling slightly. "I used to serve under the Ursus Ministry of... no, that matters very little now. We are merely a handful of Infected looking for shelter."
He had clearly intended to invoke his former credentials to prove his worth, but the words died in his throat before he could finish.
In a wretched wasteland like this, what value did a past title hold? Clinging to a vanished status would only invite mockery, serving as nothing more than a source of bitter pain.
"I am truly glad to see you all alive," Talulah answered, her tone softening significantly as she noted their hesitant, frightened glances, wanting to ease the palpable tension in the room. "Though offering a formal welcome under these circumstances might sound a bit hollow, please rest assured that you have nothing to fear from us. We do not share the nature of your previous captors, and we will never force you into labor."
"Let us hold off on the pleasantries for now, Lady Talulah," the lead engineer countered quietly. Though he could sense a distinct difference in her demeanor compared to the rebels, he wasn't about to surrender his caution so easily. "Trust is something built through extended trial. For now, we only wish to trade our knowledge and labor for a hot meal."
He preferred to keep the interaction strictly business until their true intentions were proven.
"That is perfectly acceptable," Talulah replied, completely unfazed by his skepticism. She had never expected a few kind words to instantly dissolve their suspicion and earn their complete devotion.
If they had blindly trusted her the moment she spoke, she would have started questioning whether they were genuine engineers at all.
"However, curiosity does get the better of me," Talulah added, her gaze locking onto the lead mechanic's eyes. "An engineer capable of restoring an ancient platform of this scale is no ordinary laborer. What could possibly drive folk of your talents into the depths of the snowfields?"
The little group of captives hesitated upon hearing the question, looking rather embarrassed to share the gritty details of their plight.
Ultimately, the leader let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as he confessed, "After an accident left us Infected, our sole plan was to flee toward Columbia to build a new life. But the authorities refused to let us slip away so easily. We were hunted relentlessly, leaving us no choice but to seek refuge in these barrens before the rebels caught us."
Though he skipped past the specific hardships that had forced them to alter their course and tumble right into the hands of the deserters, the brief summary explained more than enough.
Talulah gave an understanding nod, then gestured for her guards to escort them to a quiet space where they could rest and eat. Once their strength was fully restored, she would certainly require their expertise to assess the city's condition.
Yet, while Talulah was busy inspecting the console arrays inside the nexus, a completely different situation was brewing out on the streets. A vocal crowd had gathered near the entrance, their hushed arguments growing increasingly loud as they prepared to make a dramatic move.
They stood right outside the thoroughfare, their eyes fixed on the doors as they waited for the Draco leader to emerge.
"Talulah, we have a few choice words we want to share with you!" the leader of the crowd shouted the exact moment she stepped through the threshold, his tone completely devoid of respect.
They didn't look like folk who had come to negotiate a compromise; their aggressive stance made it feel as though they were looking to spark a physical brawl. The surrounding guards quietly shifted their weight, moving a few steps closer to Talulah's position.
"If you have something on your mind, speak plainly right here," Talulah replied, her expression perfectly composed—so calm, in fact, that it seemed she had anticipated their arrival all along.
Faced with her cool, almost icy demeanor, the disgruntled elements acted as though they were completely blind to the danger, bluntly delivering their ultimatum.
"We have spent the past few days turning this over in our minds, and we have zero intention of accompanying you on this march to the south! What could those distant lands possibly offer that can match the safety of the village we already built?"
Talulah's features remained entirely unreadable. She had known from the start why these characters were seeking her out, but she truly didn't comprehend why they chose this specific moment to mount their challenge.
"Continue," she murmured, her response consisting of those two quiet words.
"We refuse to stay lumped together with you and that erratic woman who crawled out of nowhere! We are washing our hands of this ridiculous movement. As for this mobile city, we want our fair share, so we intend to take—"
"Go right ahead."
Talulah's voice didn't betray a hint of emotion, but those standing closest to the formidable fire caster could already see a terrifying wrath igniting in the depths of her eyes.