Of course, Jeanne wasn't foolish enough to simply wait in an open, empty field for Talulah and the others to arrive. Doing so would result in nothing but swallowing mouthfuls of freezing wind all night. She naturally found a leeward spot to hide. According to common logic, no matter how fast Talulah's group marched, they couldn't possibly arrive today.
After all, they had a large number of people, making their march significantly slower than hers. Moreover, to reduce the risk of discovery, they had to take several long detours. Adding to that the massive amount of baggage and supplies they carried, arriving today was nothing more than a beautiful fantasy, even if they pushed for maximum speed.
"The scouting units ahead just reported to me. They've spotted members of the Inspection Squads. Should we eliminate them or change our route?"
At this moment, the Reunion movement, currently on the march, was encountering significant trouble. They had discovered the presence of the Inspection Squads on several of the primary routes they had previously mapped out, which was highly suspicious.
In this kind of weather, they had chosen extremely remote paths specifically to slip into the vicinity of the enemy camp undetected. Was it possible there was a traitor in their ranks? Talulah found it hard to believe it was a mere coincidence that the Inspection Squads could cross their path several times in a row exactly where they needed to pass.
However, this matter couldn't be made public knowledge yet. Setting aside whether it was actually true, if they caused a stir and found nothing, it would be a heavy blow to morale.
"If there is a traitor, it can only be among those squads cooperating with us. Besides, it wouldn't be impossible for those cowards, whose courage was shattered by the Emperor's Blades, to sell us out."
Patriot's crimson eyes flickered at that moment. It was clear he also sensed something fishy and had even guessed who might be betraying them. If that were truly the case, even if it meant announcing the end of the cooperation, those individuals should be removed from the column. Otherwise, the march would be severely delayed by them!
"My apologies, it was a lapse in my judgment. I shouldn't have informed them of part of the marching routes. At the time, I simply thought that if they fell behind mid-way, they could catch up in time," Talulah said, knocking her head in regret. It seemed she had indeed thought too highly of these people; no wonder the attempt to unite the tundra's forces had never succeeded in all these years.
Fortunately, they had a second plan. Talulah had not shared some of the longer, alternative marching routes with the other squads, as she hadn't thought they would be necessary at the time.
"Then let's proceed as discussed. Split the forces. Each small unit will take a portion, and we will meet at the previously established rendezvous point."
As this plan was put into effect, the main body of Reunion was divided into three teams, each led by one of the three leaders. Mudrock followed Talulah and her squad of weaker Infected. It wasn't that Talulah and the others didn't trust the Sarkaz girl and her companions, but rather that the combat power of this specific unit was thin and required their protection.
Despite these precautions, news of Talulah and her forces advancing had already reached the enemy camp. Those who were already on edge didn't dare to relax for a second, fearing that a moment's negligence would lead to an assault. They didn't believe for a moment that these Infected would be kind enough to let them go after a defeat. Being killed outright without torture would be considered an act of great mercy.
"Yes, it is confirmed they are advancing toward us. However, we have not yet spotted any signs of giant beasts."
The commander was currently reporting to the figures behind him. He was well aware that what he was about to face was a vicious battle. Yet, at this moment, he was merely nervous. Upon hearing of the enemy's movements, his expression didn't change much; he even continued to hold his coffee.
"Very good. As long as they show up, that's enough. Remember, attack with everything you have. Force them to use their domesticated monsters! Your primary mission is to capture as many of them as possible and send the beasts back!"
The noble on the other end of the communicator sounded extremely excited upon hearing that Reunion had appeared. The reason he had spent money and effort to send them here was specifically for those valuable beasts. To him, it didn't matter if this entire unit was wiped out for them! And if this attempt failed, he would simply continue to send his own soldiers.
"I understand. As soon as I have intelligence on those creatures, I will immediately depart in a high-speed vehicle to deliver the information to you personally."
However, what the officer was actually thinking was how to find something to fool the noble with, so he would have a so-called excuse when his troops were defeated and he had to retreat. Though he didn't believe he would lose this battle, he still had to prepare a backup plan to ensure his own survival in the end!
After hanging up, he immediately ordered all soldiers to prepare for combat. Meanwhile, the Inspection Squads—who didn't even have formal military status—were turned into coolies for hauling supplies. They couldn't trust the Infected with such tasks, and since the soldiers were unwilling to do the labor themselves, they chose a group that wouldn't cause trouble to exploit.
As for the Infected? They were all locked inside a warehouse. The warehouse was filled with Molotov cocktails; if a riot occurred, those inside would be burned to death by the guards throwing the firebombs.
Under the commander's orders, a large number of soldiers with binoculars manned the watchtowers. They scanned every blade of grass and tree with extreme care, specifically searching for those legendary creatures. Generally speaking, a large creature would have cleared out an area long ago, waiting to be deployed rapidly for an attack.
But after searching for half the day, let alone large creatures—perhaps because this gods-forsaken place had recently suffered a Catastrophe—they couldn't even see many rabbits. The soldiers stood guard nervously all night, only to find not a single hair of a monster, nor even a shadow of the Infected.
The Infected mole who had been in contact with them had also gone silent, and with no news forthcoming, they were gradually becoming impatient. Was it possible the Infected hadn't betrayed their own after all, and had only agreed to the mole plan to feed them false information? Why couldn't they even find the vanguard? Would anyone really come to this wasteland? Or was this simply a game played to toy with them?
Meanwhile, as the enemy wallowed in their own thoughts, the three Reunion teams had crossed difficult obstacles and completed their rendezvous. They were now resting once again under the protection of the forest and the white snow.
The march had consumed a lot of their stamina, so now was not the most suitable time to attack. Wouldn't it be better to recover some strength while exhausting the patience of the enemy soldiers?
Talulah, having just arrived, used a unique method to contact Jeanne, signaling that she could begin. She produced a creature about the size of a lizard. After waking the sleeping creature, she placed it on the ground.
The lizard woke up and looked around, seemingly displeased that someone had disturbed its slumber, until it saw Talulah standing before it. The little guy clearly shrunk back a few steps in fear. Then, as if remembering something, it vanished in a flash, running off into the distance.
"Is that little guy really reliable? I feel like this method is a bit... unstable," FrostNova remarked, watching such an important task being handed over to such a silly-looking little thing. She expressed her doubt immediately. She was mostly worried the little thing would get lost and never find Jeanne, which would mean the entire operation would have to be modified.
"Don't worry. If you don't trust the lizard, don't you trust Jeanne? When has she ever fought a battle she wasn't prepared for?"
Talulah seemed quite optimistic regarding FrostNova's doubts. She believed that since Jeanne was doing it this way, she must have her reasons.
She only needed to trust her.