The clamor within the tavern had vanished entirely at some unknown point.
Everyone who caught the exchange froze, looking toward the bar in shock or skepticism.
The cold detachment and suspicion on Raynor's face instantly hardened, giving way to a heavy, almost tangible sharpness.
He set his glass down and leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping, yet carrying an imposing weight: "A swarm of monsters? Speak plainly.
What kind of beasts are we talking about? How many? Where is your proof?"
"We do not have a name for them yet, but they are incredibly ravenous and spreading fast.
As for the proof—" Valerie retrieved a sleek, portable holoprojector from the folder, casting a clear, shifting star map above the counter between them.
A pulsing red cluster, representing a massive presence of lifeforms, was clearly closing in on the icon denoting Mar Sara.
"This shows the grander movement.
The exact readings belong to my employers and cannot be fully shared.
However, I can promise you that this warning has been confirmed from multiple reliable sources."
Raynor stared fixedly at the star map, his expression turning exceptionally grim.
Certain deeply buried memories were violently pried open, and the sickening chittering and scraping of the Zerg seemed to echo faintly in his ears once more.
He was far too familiar with this ominous portent.
"Why tell me?" Raynor's voice was raspy, locking onto Valerie with a complex gaze that interwove the gravity of the threat, deep distrust of her origins, and a struggle that forced him to take it seriously.
"Is this kindness from the Core Worlds? Or is this just another part of your test?"
"Warning you of danger is a matter of basic decency, and we wish to protect our future business investments.
We have no desire to see a potential market turned to ash before we even finish our work here," Valerie gathered the projector, her expression returning to a professional calm.
"Furthermore," she pushed the folder toward Raynor, containing a concise draft of an agreement, "this is a token of our good faith.
We are looking for local partners who truly know this land and can handle dangerous situations, specifically to help keep us safe and share what they know.
Raynor's Raiders are on our list.
If your men are willing to shelter myself and a small team of researchers during this time, we can provide substantial resources upfront.
It should help you reinforce your defenses and stock up on ammunition."
Raynor's eyes swept across the genuinely tempting offer on the agreement, looked back at Valerie, and then glanced at the silent iron guard behind her.
A mysterious woman arriving from the Core Worlds, carrying a terrifying warning and a wealthy contract right before the Zerg might return—it did not feel like a coincidence.
It felt more like a meticulously engineered, spine-chilling trap that was impossible to refuse.
"You want to stay with us?" Raynor asked slowly, each word seemingly dragged through his teeth.
"Right when we might have to fight those bugs for our lives? Just for your study?"
"Seeing things firsthand is the only way to truly judge a partner's worth, especially when things go wrong.
This serves us both," Valerie's reasoning sounded flawless.
"My guards and I will not meddle with your decisions or your command.
We will simply stay close enough to watch and take notes, keeping the right to defend ourselves if things turn dire.
You can look at us as a valuable asset that you need to protect, proving you can keep it safe through the storm."
Raynor fell silent for a long time, his fingers absentmindedly tapping the hard surface of the bar.
The shadow of the Swarm and the reputation of the Core Worlds interwove, leaving him doubly uneasy.
However, he could not ignore the truth of the warning, and the resources offered by the woman appeared exceptionally precious ahead of a potential catastrophe.
"Warning received.
I will check on it," Raynor spoke raspily at last, making no move to touch the agreement, though his tone was no longer a flat rejection.
"Whatever your reasons are, for this...
thank you." He glanced out the window at the dimming sky, as if he could already see the faint outline of the Swarm on the horizon.
"If your news is true, staying here means death.
As for working together—" He turned his head back, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"You want to come along? Fine.
But do not look for special favors.
On Mar Sara, especially with bugs coming, everyone has to prove they are useful and will not betray the rest.
Especially someone from the Core Worlds.
Your iron soldiers had better fight as well as they look."
"Entirely fair, Mr.
Raynor," Valerie stood up, smoothly reclaiming the folder.
"We will show our value and our goodwill through our deeds.
I look forward to our partnership." She gave a slight nod, offering no further words, and walked calmly toward the exit amid the heavy, complex silence of the tavern.
Just as her fingers were about to brush the door handle, the somewhat dilapidated door of the tavern was forcefully shoved open from the outside with a loud bang.
A figure displaying a fierce strength that rivaled her guard blocked the threshold, silhouetted against the dim light outside.
The newcomer wore a suit of heavily scuffed, battle-scarred but well-maintained blue power armor, his massive frame almost completely filling the doorframe.
He walked in carelessly, the heavy footsteps of his armor causing the floorboards to vibrate slightly.
The helmet's visor retracted upward with a sharp hiss, revealing a weathered, stubble-covered face with an unlit cigar clamped in the corner of his mouth.
His eyes held a mix of cynicism and aggressive defiance.
The already tense atmosphere within the tavern ground to a halt; everyone's gaze shifted from Valerie to focus on this new, uninvited arrival.
A few regular patrons seemed to recognize him, their faces shifting into expressions of shock or wariness.
The large man cared nothing for the looks thrown his way—or rather, he was long accustomed to them.
His eyes scanned the dimly lit tavern, instantly locking onto Raynor at the bar.
Grinning, he bared his teeth in a smile that was hard to classify as friendly or provocative, and began walking straight through the center of the tavern.
Wherever he passed, people instinctively stepped aside to clear a path.
Valerie stopped near the entrance, moving to the side to clear the way while using a very slight gesture to signal her guard to remain motionless.
Her calm gaze rapidly evaluated this newly arrived man, who was clearly a close acquaintance of Raynor and absolutely no ordinary character, deciding to linger for a brief moment to observe this unexpected turn of events.