Chapter 77: Shaken
“……Additionally, our army’s morale has seriously declined due to consecutive days of failed battles and heavy casualties. Currently, there are many complaints in the various camps within the army—however, this kind of dissatisfaction is not directed at you, Guard Officer, but at our Supreme Guardian Cocolia.
Looking back at the previous multiple battles, it is not hard to observe: every time there is a major casualty situation, it is caused by the Supreme Guardian issuing commands over your level. Although I fully understand the Supreme Guardian’s psychology of being eager to win, our army must not go out to engage in direct battle with Realm Splitting Creatures no matter what—this not only goes against the calculation results of the Ochobolov combat dynamics equation, but also negates our army’s long-standing combat experience.
To quell the complaints in the army, and to reduce casualties and preserve our army’s living forces to the greatest extent possible, please be sure to negotiate with the Supreme Guardian to fully reclaim command authority for the Silvermane Guards. At least don’t let her issue absurd orders like 「Silvermane Marksman fireteam advance twenty meters」 anymore.”
While everyone was reading the letter, Bronya was also speaking in a somewhat low tone about the various outrageous orders that Cocolia had issued in her eyes.
“Bronya, do you know? More than twenty years ago, when Cocolia graduated, her Command Class score was the same as yours, also a perfect score.” Serval said with a complex tone.
She realized that Cocolia’s behavior, which she hadn’t understood before, made perfect sense if viewed from the perspective of the Stellar Core.
“Then how could she issue such an obviously outrageous order that anyone with eyes can see is absurd?!” Bronya widened her eyes in disbelief.
“It’s already very obvious, she’s deliberately sacrificing Belobog’s living forces.” Xing said with certainty.
“Impossible! What’s the benefit of doing that?” Bronya, like Serval at first, couldn’t believe this at all; she would rather believe her Mother was an idiot in command.
“The benefit is to let the Realm Splitting expand faster, ultimately swallowing up Be, lo, bog!” Xing emphasized the last few words, her voice resounding.
“Too ridiculous, Mother is the Supreme Guardian, how could she do such a thing? Even if you are visitors from outer space, if you dare to slander the Guardian Lord again, I can only be rude to you.” Bronya glared angrily at Xing, pausing the spear in her hand, the energy of her Destiny slowly flowing over her body.
“Oh? And how exactly do you plan to be rude?” Xing Xiexie said.
“I… I will represent the will of the City Builders and poke this spear into your nostril!” Bronya raised her spear and gestured at Xing.
Xing covered her nostril exaggeratedly: “What a terrifying threat!”
Bronya’s ears turned red with anger.
“Bronya, hear us out.” Serval stood between the two, stopping them.
“Auntie Serval, could it be… you believe what they say?” Bronya looked at Serval in disbelief.
“More than ten years ago, you were still young, you might not remember Cocolia’s drastic change in personality, but I remember clearly what she was like before.” Serval said.
“After Mother succeeded to the position of Supreme Guardian, the safety of the entire Belobog rested on her alone; it’s normal for her personality to change.” Bronya tried to argue.
“No matter how much she changes, the will of Preservation shouldn’t change, do you agree with that, Miss Bronya?” Xing poked her head out from behind Serval and asked.
Bronya nodded without hesitation.
“In a situation that’s not yet desperate, abandoning half the people to fend for themselves, do you think that’s Preservation?”
“Of course not! Even in a desperate situation, if asked to abandon them, I absolutely couldn’t!” Bronya said firmly.
“Then, Miss Bronya, do you still remember the Underground?” Xing revealed her final card.
“Underground… Of course I remember.” Bronya was dazed for a moment; she realized she really had very few memories of the Underground. The last time she heard the word Underground was half a year ago.
The Underground seemed to have been sealed off long ago, isolated from the Ground.
She remembered a very, very long time ago, she had asked why the passages between the Underground and the Ground were blockaded, and Mother had severely criticized her.
She understood what Xing meant and hurriedly said: “We haven’t abandoned the Underground. We are fighting hard on the Ground, resisting the Realm Splitting. As long as we don’t fall, the Underground will be fine.”
“Haven’t abandoned? Do you think there are only Realm Splitting monsters on the Ground and not in the Underground? The Ground has sunlight, fresh air, plants, food, clean water—what does the Underground have? Answer me?” Xing questioned.
Bronya took half a step back. She racked her brains to think of what was in the Underground, but couldn’t think of anything.
“I… Sorry, I don’t know, but we send food and materials to the Underground every once in a while.”
“That’s because you need the people in the Underground to provide you with Earth Marrow! And do you really think that amount of materials is enough for so many people in the Underground?”
“Mother has her own considerations…”
“Enough, Bronya!” Serval slammed the table hard: “You only know her considerations—when will you have your own thoughts? Stop deceiving yourself! Cocolia abandoned the people of the Underground!”
“No, the Underground must still be fine.” Bronya said weakly, without any confidence; she was somewhat shaken.
“Bang, bang, bang.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” Serval hurriedly went out and asked loudly.
“Big Sister, we’re here to ask if you’ve seen these wanted criminals.” The people outside replied.
“What wanted criminals? Coming to ask me?” Serval opened the door discontentedly.
“It’s these ones. They’re said to be from outside Belobog, intending to subvert Belobog. Strange, besides Belobog, are there still living people outside?” A Silvermane Guard handed several wanted posters to Serval and said curiously: “Why is Big Sister closing the door today? Not doing business?”
Serval looked at the portraits of the Pioneer Squad on the wanted posters, her expression unchanged, and said very naturally: “I’m a famous singer in Belobog, I have plenty of money, do I still need to do business? I stayed up late writing songs last night, so I’m not opening today to rest well.”
While saying that, she finished looking at the nine wanted posters; there were four she didn’t recognize.
“Haven’t seen them, haven’t gone out much these past two days.” Serval returned the wanted posters to that Silvermane Guard.
“Then sorry to bother you, Big Sister, I’m off.” The Silvermane Guard said.
“Mm, bye, daring to subvert Belobog, they must be strong, be careful.” Serval said casually.
“Hey, thanks for the concern, Big Sister.” The Silvermane Guard turned and left happily.
Serval stood at the door for a while longer, then yawned and slowly closed the door.
