Chapter 60 - Rummaging Through Trash Cans is Contagious (?)

Leaving Everwinter Hill and passing through the Echo of War, the Trailblaze party finally returned to the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone.

Looking from a distance, the guards had already set up a defensive line outside the Restricted Zone. Previously, the Fragmentum creatures' assault had been so ferocious that they could only rely on the city walls for defense, but...

That was until Serval brought back the latest battle report, carrying Bronya on her back... The "culprit" behind Belobog's suffering from the Cold Wave and the Fragmentum had been sealed, and the Great Guardian "Cocolia" had tragically perished in battle...

This was a lie Serval had told for the sake of the bigger picture.

If the true cause of Cocolia's death became known, Belobog would be plunged into a new round of conflict, and chaos would rise again.

"Isn't that Serval's little brother, Gepard?" March 7th pointed to the front, where Gepard was commanding the Silvermane Guards in reconstructing their defensive line.

"It seems they've already gotten the news. Otherwise, they wouldn't be proactively expanding their line," Dan Heng analyzed, watching the guards construct their fortifications.

"But... the Cold Wave and the Fragmentum..." March opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something.

"..."

Stelle took March's hand and shook her head.

Telling them the truth now would be too cruel, for both Gepard and the Silvermane Guards.

They had just received the news that the disaster was nearly over, but they didn't know that the real test was only just beginning.

"Let's... go find Bronya first. We'll tell her Mr. Yang's analysis, and then we need to head back to the Underworld to inform Miss Natasha," Stelle said, uncharacteristically not going wild for once.

"Mm," Dan Heng nodded in agreement.

"Huh? Stelle, is your sickness cured?" March asked, looking with great surprise at Stelle, who was no longer clinging to Wende for dear life.

"Hm? Sickness? What sickness?"

Stelle touched her head with a blank expression, having no idea what March was talking about.

Wende, at the side, raised an eyebrow. He mysteriously placed a finger to his lips, signaling March not to continue.

Seeing Wende's gesture, March understood what was going on and shot a pitying look at the not-so-bright Stelle.

Stelle: "???"

While Stelle was still completely baffled, the group had already reached the guards' defensive line. Gepard, who was commanding the guards to do some plastering... oh, no, to construct defenses, spotted the returning group. He immediately handed over command to his adjutant and came over to greet them.

"Trailblazers, you've returned."

"Trailblazers, this is the first time we've been called that here!" March remarked with some emotion upon hearing the familiar title.

"My apologies. We were unclear on the situation before. If it weren't for my sister, I might have caused a great disaster." Gepard shook his head with a bitter smile.

He still felt a sense of unreality...

The guards no longer had to die for nothing. The Fragmentum creatures no longer attacked with their previous ferocity...

He could now, truly, rest easy.

"It's alright. You didn't stop us in the end, did you? If anything, we were the ones who snuck in and knocked out a few of your guards," Wende said, smiling reassuringly at Gepard. If Gepard hadn't been persuaded by Serval back then, they would have been delayed for a considerable amount of time.

The thought sent a shiver of fear down Wende's spine... If they had been just a little later, the Stellaron's corrosion of Bronya would have succeeded... At that point, even if they had defeated Cocolia, Belobog would have ended up as a mess with no one to take over.

As the successor to the "Great Guardian," Bronya's prestige in the Overworld was in no way inferior to Cocolia's. While it was possible Cocolia had deliberately built up Bronya's reputation, it was also inseparable from Bronya's own competence.

It seems destiny was predetermined after all...

After being seen off by Gepard, they left the Restricted Zone. Before long, they were back in Belobog's Administrative District.

"Nat, they're back."

Beside the statue in the district, Seele spoke to Natasha, who was sitting quietly on a bench.

After dropping off Bronya and Serval, Seele had rushed back to the Underworld without stopping to share the good news of Cocolia's downfall with everyone there.

They had only just returned to the surface, and Natasha was enjoying the peace and quiet...

But now...

Standing up from the bench, Natasha's eyes crinkled with a smile.

"Let's go. We should meet our great heroes. They played an indispensable role in saving Belobog this time."

In the square of the Administrative District, Bronya, Serval, and the Silvermane Guards' intelligence officer, Pela, were waiting. A crowd of curious residents was looking their way, wondering who could be so important as to have Lady Bronya come to greet them personally.

"Bronya, are you really okay?" Serval asked with concern, looking at Bronya's still somewhat pale face.

"Thank you, Serval. I'm really fine," Bronya smiled at Serval. She already felt much better, and besides...

Watching the Trailblaze party slowly approach, a knowing smile appeared on Bronya's face.

"We can't let our great heroes feel disheartened."

"So, is it really okay to do this to Stelle?"

Watching Stelle wave at Bronya in the distance, March whispered to Wende.

"March, you don't want her rummaging through trash cans and mailboxes in front of everyone, do you?"

Wende spread his hands helplessly. Looking at the lightning needle on the back of Stelle's neck, he knew it was a last resort.

This child would go crazy if she wasn't zapped. It was better to zap her a little; it was far better than having her go crazy a little.

"When I get back, I'll suggest to Pom-Pom that the trash cans on the Express should have some sort of protective device."

Dan Heng recalled Stelle's previous actions and actually began stroking his chin in serious thought.

"Is it really that serious? She wouldn't rummage through a trash can she already knows is full of trash, right? Doesn't the desire only come from the unknown?" March touched her face, then asked Dan Heng.

"......" x2

"March."

Wende suddenly said her name.

"Hm? What's wrong?" March raised an eyebrow, looking confusedly at the hesitant Wende.

"Promise me, you won't learn from Stelle and start rummaging through trash cans, okay?" Wende's expression was dead serious.

Dan Heng, at the side, nodded in agreement.

"Hey! What kind of beautiful girl goes through stuff like that!!!" March puffed up her cheeks, looking displeased.

"Then why do you know so much... about trash cans..." Dan Heng deadpanned from the side.

"Uh... well... a girl can't be curious?!"