Chapter 69 - 68: Preparations in Both the Overworld and Underworld

In the clinic, Natasha looked at the girl in front of her with a heavy heart. She recognized this girl. She had a sister, but only seeing the younger one here gave Natasha a sinking feeling. The two sisters had a tragic past—their parents had died due to the Fragmentum's spread. Both sisters had congenital conditions: one was blind, and the other was frail and unable to perform heavy mining labor. Natasha had secretly helped them before, but as the Fragmentum expanded and resources dwindled, it became harder to keep track of them. After she moved from Rivet Town to Boulder Town, she lost sight of where they had gone. She hadn't expected them to be hiding near the Fragmentum. While a few houses hadn't been consumed by the Fragmentum yet, it was only a matter of time. Pei Guang's team didn't just bring back a large number of resources from the Overworld and Herta Space Station: they also pulled people like this girl out of danger, people barely surviving on the edge of the Fragmentum. By scavenging additional resources from Rivet Town, they could sustain these people, who had nearly given up, long enough for the Underworld to face its inevitable destruction. Natasha believed they could make it. How long could the Underworld last? Counting all the mineable resources, perhaps another year. If nothing changed, that was the maximum time they had. But even if it came to the final moment, Natasha didn't want to give up. And she wasn't the only one—many people in the Underworld shared that sentiment. The will to preserve had been passed down through generations. Even when facing extinction, most people hoped their civilization and descendants could continue. If something were to change, then perhaps the timeline could be extended—extended again and again, maybe even indefinitely. The girl was very weak now. Hearing Natasha's voice, she reached out a hand. "Is that you, Sister Natasha?" "Yes... it's me." "Can you help me find my sister? A few days ago, she said she was going into the Fragmentum to gather some supplies, but she hasn't returned." Natasha hugged the girl. "I will. I'll send people to search for your sister. Now, drink some medicine to warm yourself up." "Thank you, Sister Natasha." The girl took the coffee Natasha handed her, inhaling its bittersweet aroma. Curious, she asked, "What kind of medicine is this? It smells good." Natasha smiled. "This? Drink it all, and it'll help you forget your worries for a while." As the girl finished the warm coffee, she slowly drifted into a deep sleep. People like her were all too common in the Underworld—sickly, living in dangerous areas because essential survival supplies couldn't reach them. But Pei Guang's arrival gave Natasha a glimmer of hope. Usually, when scavenging for supplies, people would focus on food and medicine. But Pei Guang's group? They took everything. Household items, building materials, machinery, even bricks and cement—there was nothing they left behind. They even managed to bring back someone's bathtub. With these resources, it was possible to construct makeshift housing in the mines, offering shelter to vagrants. It wasn't much, but it was something. While Natasha was deep in thought, Oleg entered the clinic. "You're here. I was just about to look for you." Oleg nodded. "Things are chaotic in Boulder Town—no, the whole Underworld. I wanted to ask what you thought we should do." Natasha pondered. "Ideas? I do have a few. I think it's time for us to try." The two had worked together for many years and understood each other with just a few words or a glance. Oleg clenched his fists. "Alright, let this old man give it one last shot." He knew what Natasha was referring to. They had plans and ideas for many things, but there had never been an opportunity—never a chance to unite the Underworld. None of them could have done it, but Pei Guang's group had. While the Underworld prepared, the situation in the Overworld was also in turmoil. Due to Pei Guang's actions the previous day, they were now wanted criminals. Being wanted didn't have much effect on the Silvermane Guards, but what did was a decree from Cocolia, banning the music Pei Guang had introduced. When the decree arrived, Gepard looked at his silent guards, unsure of what to say. The reasoning for the ban was simple. Cocolia claimed that Pei Guang and his group were cunning individuals intent on destroying Belobog and that the music they brought was meant to destabilize the morale of the troops. Just a day earlier, when Pei Guang's group had brought their uplifting music to the Silvermane Guards, a fire of hope had been reignited in their hearts, despite their growing despair. But this decree wasn't just meant to extinguish that flame—it also dealt a heavy blow to the guards' morale. As for the claim that Pei Guang's group were assassins? The guards knew better. The so-called assassins hadn't killed a single person in the city. They'd stolen some food and medicine, injured a few guards, and escaped to the Underworld on a train. Assassins? Hardly. Besides, some of the guards knew the ones who got injured. There were rumors circulating among them—secrets that higher-ups might not be aware of, but the guards could piece things together. Ten years ago, they might have believed in Cocolia's grand plans. But in recent years, the Silvermane Guards had seen firsthand what was really happening in the city. And Bronya? Everyone knew that Lady Bronya had spoken up for the Underworld countless times. Who knew if she had willingly followed those so-called assassins? Seeing everyone's silence, Gepard was about to speak when one of the more hot headed guards grabbed his weapon. "To hell with the Supreme Guardian! I signed up to protect Belobog, not Cocolia's whims. As long as I'm on the frontlines, I'll sing whatever I damn well please." "That's right! We're here to protect our homeland, not some pompous 'Supreme Guardian'." "If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have lost so many of our brothers." "Damn it! Push forward by twenty meters? I still can't believe how she came up with such a ridiculous order!" "I'm telling you, even the captain would make a better leader than Cocolia!" Gepard: "Silence!" Gepard took a deep breath and looked at his comrades. "Our duty is to protect Belobog. Everything else is irrelevant!" Is Gepard a fool? Definitely not. A fool wouldn't become the captain of the Silvermane Guards. His sister might think so, but that's just because she's his sister. In reality, he's quite sharp—he just knows there are some things he shouldn't think about. He had witnessed Pei Guang and her group's movements—it was clearly not an assassination attempt. Moreover, after considering the Supreme Guardian's order to intercept Bronya outside the city and the Silvermane Guards' reports, he could tell this was a staged "assassination." But Gepard is a sentinel, the commander of the Silvermane Guards, not a politician. His job is to protect Belobog. Other matters aren't for him to ponder. While all the guards remained silent, a new recruit, clad in armor and helmet, suddenly shouted with excitement, "How about we revolt? Overthrow Cocolia's tyranny! The position of Protector should be held by someone capable! Cocolia's incompetence is ruining the Underworld and the mines are drying up while she does nothing. The Fragmentum is expanding in the Overworld, and we're losing more soldiers every day. How can someone like that remain in power?" The recruit continued, even more excited, "If it weren't for the Supreme Guardian's incompetence, why would the frontlines be in such a dire state? Overthrow Cocolia's tyranny! The Will of Preservation belongs to us all!" Gepard: "Enough! Someone, restrain this recruit! Cool him down and make sure no one outside hears this!" "Sir!" As soldiers, obedience to orders is paramount. The Silvermane Guards carried out Gepard's commands without question because they knew what kind of man their commander was. The new recruit was dragged away, but every guard had heard his words loud and clear. Gepard was aware things were going south. Cocolia had issued far too many reckless orders—forcing soldiers to venture outside the city to engage Fragmentum creatures, and now advancing or retreating by mere meters. Before Cocolia took command, maybe thirty soldiers would die in a year. Now, in just one month under her leadership, thirty-five had died, with over a hundred injured. Even Gepard, with his unwavering "Enduring Bulwark"—capable of greatly enhancing his comrades' defense against the Fragmentum creatures—was unable to prevent such heavy losses. It didn't seem logical to the guards. How could there be so many casualties? It didn't add up. And there were whispers that the rapid expansion of the Fragmentum was connected to Cocolia's reckless command. The frontline collapsed due to poor oversight, and without a stable defense, the Fragmentum spread even faster. One event after another had built up enormous resentment among the guards. Today's prohibition order had ignited all the bottled-up anger. And the recruit's outburst? It hit home with every Silvermane Guard. The news that the Underworld was also being consumed by the Fragmentum—despite being cut off from the Overworld—shocked them. Cocolia's justification for the lockdown had been to concentrate forces to protect everyone. But now? The lower district was on the brink of collapse, unable even to mine resources anymore? Belobog was one whole city. The guards had always believed that, while life in the Underworld was hard, without the Fragmentum's corruption it should've been stable. But now they heard the truth: the Fragmentum had spread down there too? And it was severe? What was Cocolia doing? The oath of the Silvermane Guards was to protect all of Belobog—both the Overworld and the Underworld. Yet, according to the recruit's words, the lower district was on the verge of destruction. Gepard wanted to speak but found himself unable to. Because no one really knew the situation. The transport of supplies and ore was handled via a special channel—no communication, no letters. Until they could verify the state of the lower district, he had no way to refute the recruit's claims. But at that moment, Gepard thought of Bronya. "Everyone, please listen to me. Commander Bronya has been taken to the Underworld by the so-called assassins. You've all seen them—I don't believe they would harm Commander Bronya. Until she returns, let's not jump to conclusions." He pursed his lips and continued, "If the lower district really is in that condition, I will personally lead a group of brothers to defend it. Until then, don't let your minds run wild. Focus on completing our mission! And don't let today's conversation leave this room. I will give you all a proper explanation." "Understood, Sir!" The Silvermane Guards trusted Gepard. His promises were always kept, and his command and combat abilities had earned their deep respect. Since their commander had given his word, they naturally believed him. They also trusted Bronya. Unlike Cocolia's reckless commands, Bronya had never made a bad call—every order was carefully judged based on the battlefield situation. Both Bronya and Gepard were commanders worthy of trust. As for Cocolia? Who was she, anyway? If she had the guts to come to the Silvermane Guard's restricted area, they wouldn't even let her leave without stumbling into a pit latrine first. Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th were blissfully unaware of what the people in the Overworld or the Underworld were thinking: right now, they were simply having fun. March 7th, for the first time since waking up, was experiencing the joy of looting, smashing, and wrecking things. In their previous journeys, they were always running from something or fighting while on the run, constantly needing to explain themselves and engage in battles here and there. Sure, the outcomes were good, but the process? It was... well... But now? Don't even ask! If they saw something they liked, they took it! Even though everything would eventually be returned to its original owners or redistributed to those in need, the process was incredibly fun. Exploring planets with other people meant you couldn't just smash houses or cut down enemies. See something? Take it? Not a chance. Even abandoned houses felt off-limits. But when someone leads the charge? Pei Guang's boldness made everything so much more enjoyable. If not for the fact that the houses provided some shelter or that many were already corroded, they might have torn them all down. Rivet Town wasn't swarming with Fragmentum creatures, but there were enough of them. Some houses were overrun, but some had none at all. Strangely, Rivet Town was still in decent condition, and a lot of the equipment was still operational, making their scavenging even smoother. But just as they were in the middle of it all, Pei Guang suddenly stopped. Noticing this, March 7th curiously asked, "What did you find?" Pei Guang: "I found something interesting. Look over there." Following his gesture, Stelle and March 7th spotted a robot in a nearby restaurant, working on some equipment. March 7th curiously watched the robot. "Wow! Is that one of Svarog's robots? Does it still maintain the equipment here?" Pei Guang: "It seems like it. The people from this town probably gave it a command before evacuating. Or maybe the robot developed emotions and decided to stay. That kind of story happens a lot." March 7th: "I was wondering why so much of what we've collected is in good condition. Turns out, someone—or rather, some robot—has been maintaining things. Such a dedicated robot..." Stelle: "Why don't we take it with us? It seems pretty smart!" Pei Guang: "I think that's a great idea!" Not far away, the small robot was oblivious to its fate. The three of them stopped searching the area and ducked behind trash cans, carefully creeping towards the robot.