They already had enough cards to play and just needed to proceed carefully. If Kuller wasn't foolish, he'd know which side to take.
Fang, amused, thought Kuller was probably still overconfident about his plan. He covered his mouth with a paw and smiled, curious about how shocked Kuller would be when they revealed their trump card.
Alex just shook his head, not sharing Fang's dark humor.
The next morning, after a restful night, Alex felt much better. Donning his Silver Wand uniform, he headed to headquarters.
The recent turmoil had sapped the club's usual energy; even the Ashwinder seemed too distracted to joke around. Normally, this guy would tease Thunderbirds, especially after hearing about the British transfer station plan's failure.
But with the three breeding parks looted, it was clear how deeply the club had been impacted.
Ashwinder muttered irritably to Thunderbird, "Why are you here again? Is there trouble with the Nordic transport?
Every time I see you, something bad happens, first the UK defeat, then the breeding parks. Could the Northern European transshipment be next?"
Thunderbird just looked on, wondering what he was thinking.
Thunderbird gave Ashwinder a blank look and said, "There was some trouble during the transfer to Northern Europe, but I've already sorted it out. Here's what happened this time..."
Alex quickly filled in Ashwinder on the situation in Northern Europe, adopting Thunderbird's tone.
"Phew," Ashwinder sighed in relief after hearing the update. "It's good that the goods are safe. So, you came here to ask the headquarters for support?"
"Exactly," Thunderbird replied. "They went through a lot in the recent battles. Although they've escaped the Pure Land Society's control, their situation is still tough. They won't be able to act for a while, so besides sending supplies, it's best to send a few men to assist, preferably a spear or two."
"Aside from the shortage of manpower and supplies, their route shouldn't have too many complications. So I won't be escorting the Nordic shipments again. When you pick the people, make sure they're strong. Even if the journey ahead isn't dangerous, it's better to have extra backup."
While making the request, Thunderbird handed Ashwinder the magical animal transport list.
"Got it. I'll explain everything to Golden Snidget later," Ashwinder said.
He knew that since Thunderbird was a spear, spending so many days in Northern Europe was already a generous allowance. Usually, when wardings are exposed publicly, it's easier for others to detect their vulnerable molting periods.
That's why wardings normally don't take on escort tasks; this situation must be really serious for both Thunderbird and Augurey to be sent out.
After Ashwinder took the list and glanced over it, his eyes brightened when he saw a phoenix included.
"I didn't expect so many magical animals on this shipment. With these raw materials, we can produce at least another year's worth of undead medicine. That'll buy us more time."
Hearing Ashwinder's remark, Alex nodded quietly to himself. It seemed Ashwinder knew quite a bit about the elixir's mixing ratios.
Nearly a hundred magical animals were being transported this time, so how exactly were they estimating the undead medicine's production from that?
'It definitely isn't about quantity or weight.'
Based on Alex's own reasoning, the key factor seems to be the life force of different magical creatures or the amount of magical energy they store.
If we focus just on vitality, then generally, the bigger and more powerful the magical creature, the more elixir it should be able to produce. Take the phoenix, for example: it isn't very large, but it possesses an incredibly strong life force, making it something of an exception.
However, if we consider magical energy reserves instead, things get a bit more complicated. Compared to magical creatures, many human wizards actually have mana reserves that rival or even exceed theirs.
'Does that mean wizards or other intelligent beings could also be used as ingredients for making elixirs?'
Honestly, Alex felt a bit uneasy about this.
'If they ever pushed the Silver Wand to its limits, would they resort to extreme measures? Like, say, outright raiding Wizard Pharmaceuticals?'
It's worth remembering that Shalltear herself was once a product of the Silver Wand. Who knows if the group might end up selling her or using her for some twisted purpose.
Alex was deep in thought. On one hand, he needed to figure out if wizards were considered part of the raw materials required for the Rebirth Draught Elixir.
On the other, he had to find a way to weaken the Silver Wand, a group from the club, to prevent them from breaching the walls. Especially those wardings, they posed a serious threat.
After carefully weighing his options, Alex nodded quietly to himself, his eyes growing sharper and more determined.
Meanwhile, after agreeing to provide support, the Ashwinder immediately informed Golden Snidget once Thunderbird left headquarters. He was even more eager than Thunderbird to act.
"That's how it is," Ashwinder said, handing over a list. "Although Augurey is safe for now, the cost in materials and manpower has been huge. We can't wait any longer, you need to get people moving."
Golden Snidget glanced over the list and sighed.
"So many supplies? No wonder the Pure Land Association noticed."
He let out a long breath, sharing Ashwinder's concern.
"I understand. I'm going to mobilize our team right away. The investigation at the breeding park hasn't gone smoothly, so this time I'll have the 'Unicorn' and 'Voltebat' units, who helped before, lead the support team. These supplies are critical, we have to make sure nothing goes wrong."
"That's the best plan," Ashwinder agreed. "Luckily, Thunderbird was watching over things this time. I heard the Pure Land Society even sent elite forces to intercept the transport team. Augurey almost got caught."
Golden Snidget sighed.
"We already know how tough the Pure Land is. This was a desperate move, but after this clash, it'll be hard for the club to establish a foothold in Northern Europe. At least the harvest is big enough, but the problem isn't solved yet."
"So..." Ashwinder hesitated, sensing Golden Snidget had more to say. "What do we do once we get these magical creatures? Including supplies from other branches, the club should have enough raw materials for two years. But can Germany's plan really be completed in that time?"
"That's exactly what worries me," Golden Snidget admitted. "Lately, I've been wondering if there are actually ghosts lurking in the club, and it seems the German strategy is running into fresh resistance. Two years just isn't enough time."
Golden Snidget stood up and paced anxiously.
Ashwinder could tell something was brewing.
"What do you mean?" he asked.