"Wow, it's boiling, so hot! I'm finally back!" Jeanne grumbled as she strolled back into the gathering crowd, cradling Fafnir, who had already shifted back into her human form. If Fafnir hadn't flown away at top speed after that massive inferno in the sky, Jeanne might have actually been caught in her own flames.
Returning to the streets, Jeanne discovered that the chaos had already drawn to a close. None of the citizens were causing trouble anymore. Talulah and the rest of the leadership had likely taken the core activation key she sent back to assume command of the city.
"Here, give me some ice to cool down," Jeanne said, shuffling over to FrostNova's side to catch a cold breeze.
FrostNova glanced at the excited girl, letting out a helpless sigh before lowering the surrounding temperature a fraction. This girl already had access to both a personal furnace and a freezer within their circle. If she ever felt overheated in the future, was she just going to treat FrostNova as her personal air conditioner?
"By the way, what is everyone up to now? It feels like the whole place suddenly quieted down out of nowhere," Jeanne asked out of genuine curiosity, entirely oblivious to the recent happenings as she questioned FrostNova.
FrostNova offered her a look of utter disbelief. Did this girl truly possess no understanding of what she had just pulled off? Was she entirely unaware of just how jaw-dropping that fiery spectacle in the sky had been for the people below?
"Did you and Talulah genuinely not plan that beforehand?" FrostNova asked, staring at Jeanne with deep astonishment. Could a scene that magnificent truly be chalked up to nothing more than a coincidence?
"Plan what?" Jeanne replied, her mind completely blank regarding FrostNova's meaning. She looked at her companion in confusion while casually snatching an apple from Fafnir's small hands. Ignoring the child's frantic swatting, she took a large bite.
"See for yourself." FrostNova handed a photograph over to Jeanne. It was originally taken to serve as promotional material after Talulah finished her public address, but the visual impact was far greater than anyone could have anticipated.
Jeanne took the photo, and her eyes widened. Captured in the frame was Talulah standing tall upon a high platform, delivering a passionate speech beneath a brilliant, blazing sky. The image possessed enough epic grandeur to serve as a masterpiece painting.
"Wow, she looks incredibly fierce. Though calling that blockhead fierce always feels a bit strange," Jeanne remarked, staring at the photo. She was clearly delighted by how perfectly her actions had synced up with Talulah's speech.
Perhaps this was what people called perfect synergy.
"But seriously, what happened? Why did all the rioters vanish?" Jeanne asked, looking around the now-peaceful streets of Chernobog. It felt as though she had slept for days and just woken up to a different world.
"Do you honestly think anyone would still harbor malicious thoughts after watching the very heavens ignite? As for the uninfected residents, they are currently celebrating the fact that they managed to survive. They don't have the energy to come out and cause trouble," FrostNova explained with a sigh, marveling at their sheer luck.
Had it not been for this sudden Catastrophe, taking over the city would have required a tremendous amount of effort and likely resulted in several bloody clashes.
Instead, the terrifying natural disaster had frightened everyone into submission. Faced with impending doom, the citizens hadn't possessed the luxury to worry about Reunion's movements; they could only hunker down and wait for death.
Then, Reunion stepped forward and shattered the crisis in one move. This display not only demonstrated their terrifying martial prowess but also served as a massive gesture of goodwill. The citizens now harbored deeply complicated feelings toward the infected organization, choosing to remain safely tucked away inside their homes to watch from the shadows.
"Wow, I thought I'd have to step in and save the day. I didn't expect that stubborn blockhead to actually settle everything while I was busy!" Jeanne teased, staring at the figure in the photograph. Talulah truly carried an aura of majestic authority in the shot; the photographer was undoubtedly a true professional.
"Who exactly are you calling a stubborn blockhead behind her back?" Talulah's voice rang out as she stepped into view, a vein throbbing slightly on her forehead. She wore a deceptively sweet smile as she glared at Jeanne.
"Ah, ha! Look who's back! Here, have an apple!" Jeanne blurted out, quickly biting off half the fruit and handing the remaining portion to Talulah, all while Fafnir continued to swat at her for stealing the snack.
"Don't try to change the subject! Who were you talking about?" Talulah countered, taking the apple. Seeing Fafnir hitting Jeanne, she immediately guessed that the maiden had swiped the child's food again.
"Here, Fafnir. You worked incredibly hard today, have some apple!" Talulah gently placed the remaining half into the child's hands. Fafnir looked up at Talulah with absolute gratitude, her eyes shining as if she were looking at a savior.
FrostNova watched the three interact without uttering a word, waiting until their playful squabbling quieted down before shifting the conversation back to the state of Chernobog.
"Everything is moving smoothly, far better than our original estimates. Still, I find it rather strange—where exactly is the energy core of this city located? I tried searching for the city's Originium reserves, but I couldn't find a single trace."
Talulah was deeply puzzled. The driving engine of this mobile city appeared entirely different from any model they had ever encountered. It didn't seem to rely on Originium as a primary power source at all—but if it didn't use Originium, what did it run on?
Having no knowledge of the city's deepest secret, Talulah remained completely baffled. Hearing her words, Jeanne suddenly remembered that she had never shared the truth about this matter with the Draco leader.
"You know something?" Talulah asked, catching the subtle arch of Jeanne's eyebrow.
"Yes, I happen to know a bit about it. The energy source of this city is quite unique. Once things settle down, I'll give you a proper breakdown; it's a rather complicated topic."
Jeanne didn't offer an immediate explanation, as the matter couldn't be summed up in a couple of sentences. She preferred to wait until she had a quiet moment to explain a reality that might completely shatter Talulah's understanding of technology.
"I've heard rumors about this," FrostNova interjected, recalling an old tale. "They say this city was constructed around a massive piece of machinery unearthed from an ancient ruin. Perhaps that explains the anomaly?"
"Pretty much. In any case, it doesn't pose any danger to us. For now, let's keep our focus on stabilizing the city; we won't have to worry about power issues anytime soon," Jeanne said, picking up the still-pouting Fafnir as the group began to mobilize.
The remaining tasks proved far easier than anticipated. Without the residents offering fierce resistance, the takeover of the mobile city could be described as incredibly smooth.
The only lingering anomaly was the complete disappearance of the local military garrison. As a border city of the Ursus Empire, Chernobog should have possessed a substantial standing army.
Jeanne had no idea that under Kashchey's subtle manipulation, all the rebellious elements had been purged by beforehand. Those corrupt elites were currently waiting at a safe distance, eagerly anticipating the massive slaughter they believed would consume Chernobog.
Unfortunately for them, they were bound for bitter disappointment. Such a tragedy was never going to occur, as the entire scenario was nothing more than a grand deception woven by Kashchey to lead them astray.
Meanwhile, in the distant city of Lungmen, the local communication arrays managed to pick up the broadcast signals due to their proximity. Naturally, they witnessed Talulah's speech beneath the burning sky, an event that sent massive ripples through their leadership.
Wei Yenwu's grip tightened until he accidentally snapped his smoking pipe in half. He wasn't shaken by Talulah's words; he was thoroughly stunned by the unprecedented method Reunion had utilized to neutralize the Catastrophe.
How had they pulled off such a feat? Igniting the airborne Originium dust with fire to prevent it from scattering? Deploying such a method against a natural disaster was equivalent to using an explosive to detonate a powder keg—it was a purely suicidal gamble, yet they had somehow emerged successful.
Was it a stroke of miraculous luck, or did they possess a specific, hidden technique to combat natural disasters? Wei Yenwu couldn't find an answer, but the mystery left a lingering question mark deep within his mind.
He resolved to maintain a watchful eye on Chernobog's movements over the coming days. No leader could remain at ease when an entire Ursus mobile city right next to their borders underwent such a radical transformation.
Furthermore, the shadow of Kashchey still loomed over the entire affair. Even Jeanne's previous warnings hadn't completely erased Wei Yenwu's deep-seated suspicion; they had merely softened his immediate hostility.
Yet, the greatest surprise within Lungmen occurred within the walls of the Guard Department. The officers suddenly realized that their usually strict and serious Senior Superintendent, Ch'en, had actually skipped work today! No matter where they searched, not a single soul could find the hidden superintendent.
At that very moment, within her private rented apartment, Ch'en sat silently, watching the broadcast of Talulah's speech play over and over on her screen. The emotions swirling within her eyes were incredibly complex, her thoughts tangled into a chaotic mess that she couldn't begin to unravel.