Endless Debt

The Forty-Sixth Outpost was located on the fringe of the Land of Secrets. Serving as the primary liaison station between the All Secrets Order and the Order Bureau, it also functioned as a watchtower, keeping a vigilant eye on the All Secrets Order’s every move. Though Heine and Ossana hadn’t exchanged a single word, Bologue was certain they knew each other.

Leaving the courtroom, the group stepped outside. The blinding sunlight poured down, forcing Bologue to look away for a moment. After his eyes adjusted, the azure sky came into view. Bologue then looked around, and he and Palmer both froze on the spot.

By common sense, for reasons of cost and secrecy, outpost facilities were never very large. Some might be a single house hidden in a city block, others a hunter’s cabin deep in the woods.

The Forty-Sixth Outpost completely exceeded Bologue’s imagination.

They were currently standing on a viewing platform, from which they could easily look down over the many buildings below. Instead of looking forward, Bologue turned his head to examine the Forty-Sixth Outpost itself.

Heavy bricks and stones were piled one atop another, rising in dense ranks to form a towering castle. Ivy crawled over the walls, and most of the surrounding greenfield seemed to engulf it like aquatic weeds.

"This really is a castle."

Bologue thought the Order Bureau must have repurposed some existing ruin; otherwise, given the Order Bureau’s usual style, they’d have raised a stark, impregnable bastion.

"Bologue."

Palmer called his name. Bologue turned and followed Palmer’s line of sight. What he saw next shocked him even more.

Bologue looked down at the buildings stretching out from the base of the castle. Tall blocks ran endlessly along the roads. Their exterior walls were clean and bright, windows catching the sunlight. Roads crisscrossed one another in a complicated maze. Some streets were wide and busy, others narrow and quiet. People walked to and fro, vehicles threaded through the traffic.

The concrete and rebar cut off abruptly at the edge of Bologue’s vision, where they met a lush, ancient forest. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Bologue could hardly have imagined that, in such a desolate place, a town could have risen out of thin air.

A long, drawn-out whistle drifted from afar. Bologue followed the sound, but couldn’t find the train racing along the tracks. He could only see the thick white smoke rising above the treetops.

There were two landmark buildings in this town. One was the castle where Bologue currently stood, the other was the train station at the town’s center.

"You can think of the Forty-Sixth Outpost as a secret town. Aside from its designated functions, it’s also in charge of handling the All Secrets Order’s trades and material transit."

Heine introduced the place to the staff visiting for the first time. "Because the outpost requires a large maintenance staff, everything necessary for daily life has been set up for everyone’s convenience. After years of repeated expansions, it finally turned into what you see now."

Bologue didn’t buy Heine’s nonsense. They said the expansions were for the staff, but to him this looked far more like the steadily growing wariness toward the All Secrets Order.

"The Land of Secrets may claim seclusion from the world, but they can’t manage full self-sufficiency. They still need to trade for supplies with the outside," Palmer, for once, managed a sharp observation. "I’d guess the railway at the Forty-Sixth Outpost is only one of their trading routes. There must be more secret lines coming in from all directions, all linked to this place."

"And from the looks on their faces, this isn’t their first visit." Palmer cast a sidelong glance at Ossana and the other two as he spoke.

Ossana was as indifferent as ever, but Rorford and Soti showed undisguised revulsion.

That disgust wasn’t just because of the Order Bureau, Palmer guessed, but also because the place was crawling with mortals. Their pride as Condensers had seeped into their very bones. Yet when he thought of the All Secrets Order’s ancient, bizarre traditions, Palmer actually felt a brief flicker of sympathy.

The sympathy vanished in an instant.

No matter how superior or powerful Condensers were, they still needed large numbers of mortals for logistical support—like this railway that stretched hundreds of kilometers, and the dense blocks of high-rises and streets.

"Everyone, take a break for now. You’re free to look around," Nesanel said, glancing at his watch. "The train is still undergoing maintenance. We depart in one hour, on the dot."

After a brief rest, the crowd dispersed. Holt, returned to his old haunt, found that everything here had changed greatly. He wanted to take advantage of the time to look around carefully.

Ossana and the other two remained where they were, showing no interest in the place at all. Perhaps they had visited too many times already and were long since accustomed to it.

Bologue and Palmer were full of curiosity, and soon set off, walking along the street toward the town center.

This secret town didn’t have a large population. The pedestrians on the streets were scattered, men and women, young and old. Bologue guessed they must be the staff’s families. There were also soldiers with guns posted at the street corners, but people were clearly used to their presence.

Bars, cinemas, bookstores...everything was there.

"For the same type of outpost, the working conditions here are far better than the Fourth Group’s Desperate Outpost," Palmer remarked.

"This place has developed its own town culture already. Let’s just hope it won’t be ravaged by war." Bologue’s thoughts were always more sober than Palmer’s.

While the two of them strolled through the town, enjoying what remained of its peace, Nesanel and Heine had already gone deep into the castle, walking and quietly conversing.

"Any results from the investigation?" Nesanel asked.

"For now, we haven’t obtained any direct evidence that the All Secrets Order has joined hands with the Rebellious Royal Court," Heine answered, sounding somewhat troubled. "You know how xenophobic the Land of Secrets is."

"Then do you think the All Secrets Order can be trusted?" Nesanel pressed.

This time Heine fell silent for a long while before giving his own answer. "No matter how trustworthy they might seem, if there’s even a one percent chance of their betrayal, we cannot tolerate it."

Nesanel pondered a moment, then instructed, "Once we leave the outpost, organize an evacuation. Leave only the Condensers who can fight."

Heine had long been mentally prepared for this possibility, but hearing Nesanel say it aloud still sent a tremor through him.

"You’re going to war?"

"I’m not sure. But like you said, even a one percent probability is unacceptable."

"All right."

Heine couldn’t help but sigh. He realized that after surviving such a long era of peace, the Forty-Sixth Outpost was finally approaching the ending that had been set for it from the very beginning.

"If I could help it, I wouldn’t choose this either," Nesanel said. "But this is the eve of war. We have no choice."

Hands clasped behind his back, Heine asked anxiously, "If we truly find ourselves facing an unavoidable conflict, what will you do?"

"Destroy the Ancestral Council and forcibly seize control of the All Secrets Order."

Nesanel said, "Don’t worry. We’ll do our best to keep losses to a minimum...a swift and lethal decapitation strike."

"And if the decapitation operation fails?"

"Then it’ll be up to you," Nesanel said, giving Heine a measuring look. "This place will become a bridgehead for civil war. Weapons and Condensers will pour in without end, until the Land of Secrets is completely plowed under."

"You’ve already mapped everything out, haven’t you?" Heine suddenly realized.

"That’s right. Several armed trains are already rushing toward this place. They should arrive not long after we leave. They’re packed with mortal troops redeployed from the Rhine Alliance. Only this time, every one of those mortal units has been augmented with Alchemy Armaments."

Nesanel said quietly, "A single rat will only be mercilessly crushed underfoot. But when a swarm of rats surges forth, they consume everything."

For a moment, Heine felt as if a storm of blood and steel had brushed his cheek. He adjusted his glasses and muttered, "Seems I’ve been here too long. I had no idea how dire things have become outside."

"Yes, Heine, it’s as bad as if the Scorched Earth’s Wrath had come again."

Nesanel suddenly laughed. "But once this operation is over, if you and I are still alive, most of that intelligence can finally be made public to the Defenders."

"What intelligence?"

"The truth about the world," Nesanel said, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "Curious, aren’t you? Then you’d better find a way to stay alive."

Heine took a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly, and answered with a smile, "I’ll do my best."

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