"I never thought the silver wand would be so bold," Moody said. "After losing their hometown, they're causing trouble far beyond their borders. Do you think they've lost their minds?"
Moody wasn't fully up to speed, but he'd noticed the silver wand had been more active lately. In the past, they'd kept a low profile, almost disappearing from sight.
Andre nodded in agreement.
"This might be a chain reaction from when we raided their breeding park. Now they're openly operating across Northern Europe, probably sticking to their old haunts. Given how cold it is there this season, it actually shows their weakness. Maybe their funding is drying up."
Though Andre didn't know much about the elixir, he pieced together a lot from the clues around them.
Moody sneered grimly, "We should strike those Silver Wands head-on while they're weak. The weaker they are now, the less harm they can do later."
Alex nodded in agreement.
Then he turned to Moody and asked, "How are those two guys in the warehouse stronghold doing? Have they decided to escape from prison yet?"
Moody curled his lips in disgust.
"Those two are the most cowardly wizards."
"They're the most cowardly I've ever seen. All they do is talk about avoiding the guards and planning their escape every day, but they never take any real action. It's frustrating to wait around for them!"
The others exchanged amused glances, and Andre tried to calm Moody down.
"They're at least trying to figure out a way out. You're just getting impatient. It's normal to be cautious."
Moody's frustration only grew.
"I'm not worried about a day or two, but if these idiots wait a month or two before making a move, how long are we supposed to wait?"
Alex nodded thoughtfully.
"Moody's right. Let's give them a few more days. If they're still hesitating after that, you can try to scare them into acting faster."
Moody raised an eyebrow.
"What do you have in mind?"
Alex smiled.
"Simple. Put some pressure on them in prison. Spread rumors that they're about to be transferred, or erase the memories of a wizard or two right in front of them. Make it clear what happens if they don't act quickly."
Moody's eyes lit up with a sinister grin.
"Perfect. Some of the club members have been getting on my nerves anyway. We can make an example out of them!"
Andre quickly warned, "Hey, be careful. Don't hurt the innocent civilian wizards."
Andre still placed great importance on civilian wizards who were also German and refused to accept any plan that involved sacrificing them for personal gain.
"Don't worry, I'm an Auror too. How could I ever do something like killing civilians? And since you're not the Minister of Magic yet, why worry about this so early?" Moody snapped, clearly trying to assert himself in front of Andre, though they clearly disagreed on the matter.
Seeing the tension rise between the two, Alex quickly stepped in.
"Relax, Andre. Moody will be careful. Besides, there's something else important that needs your cooperation right now."
"Oh?" Andre raised an eyebrow. "What is it? Isn't the next step just waiting for 'Operation Blind Snake' to launch?"
Alex smiled coldly.
"This isn't as big as 'Operation Blind Snake,' but it's still crucial and can deal a serious blow to the club."
"A serious blow? Are you talking about what I mentioned before...?" Andre's eyes widened as he began to understand.
"That's right," Alex confirmed with a nod. "We're going after the 'Phoenix.'"
At Alex's words, both Moody and Andre's eyes lit up with excitement, their gazes burning with anticipation.
Seeing their hopeful expressions, Alex didn't hesitate.
"I've confirmed she's recently arrived in Germany and tracked her location. She'll be there for at least two days. If we want to take her down, we have to act quickly, otherwise, the chance will be gone. Didn't you say the Schmidt family wanted to eliminate her? Now's the perfect opportunity."
Alex had never stopped keeping tabs on this "Phoenix." Fang had been stationed in Germany, monitoring every move of both the silver wand headquarters and the Golden Snidget, but most importantly, keeping the Phoenix in sight.
Just yesterday, not long after her return to Germany, Fang sent a report confirming her presence. It seems that after the club's failed attempt to attack the "Berlin United Front" with the help of the "West German Endeavor Association," they were planning some smaller moves, and this was their chance to strike back.
This time, the target had shifted to a non-governmental organization in East Germany. Previously, the NGOs in West Germany had already sparked public outrage, and since they were now being handled more carefully, it wasn't a good idea to strike there again.
"So, what are we waiting for?" Andre jumped up from the sofa as soon as he heard this. "Let's go right now. I'll call someone immediately. I've known about this Phoenix for a long time, she's not just a top executive in the club, she might even be one of the founders of the silver wand. Taking her down would be a huge blow to the club!"
"I haven't finished explaining yet. Why are you rushing?" Alex, having gotten to know Andre, couldn't help but get annoyed at his impulsiveness. "Phoenix isn't easy to deal with. If we just rush in and she manages to escape, won't that just alert her?"
"Uh, well..." Andre scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "But you said Phoenix doesn't stay in Germany for long. We might not have the luxury of carefully planning like before. What if we spend too much time discussing tactics and then miss the chance to catch her?"
"Yes, Alex," Moody added at that moment. "Taking down Phoenix isn't like raiding a breeding park. We can't afford to waste time!"
"I understand what you both mean," Alex said calmly. "We definitely can't waste time when dealing with Phoenix. But I didn't say to delay action, I just mean that when the time comes, we need to be prepared. We have to gather more information about her beforehand; otherwise, I won't be responsible if things go wrong."
Andre realized Alex's point made a lot of sense. After all, Alex had always seemed calm, thoughtful, and methodical in his actions.
Since he was suggesting Phoenix as the target now, he must already have a plan in mind.
With that in mind, Andre settled back into his seat, ready to listen.
After seeing Andre calm down following his persuasion, Alex began to explain, "I've learned quite a bit about thias Phoenix. Besides being one of the founders of the Silver Wand, she's also considered one of the four strongest Silver Wands in the club.
If you're not careful when dealing with her, things could quickly get out of hand. The Silver Wand is known as a dueling club, and you definitely shouldn't underestimate their strength."
"That's true," Andre replied. "I've faced some of the tough guys from the silver wand, and they're no joke."
He realized Alex's concerns were well-founded.