Chapter 141: Chapter 73: Those Who Stare At The Flames (Part 2)
Walter: "Well, well, this has certainly become really interesting."
He says as he looks at Angela Holystone, the volcano tasked with killing Abgere, and smiles excitedly.
Walter: "Can't wait to see what you do to kill him."
Hearing so, Angela sighs with exasperation.
Angela: "Well, it won't be easy."
Walter: "Definitely not."
Like a child who is unable to contain his excitement the day before some important event is about to happen, Walter chuckles.
Walter: "So then, what are you going to do?"
Angela: "First, I'll separate from the person who is slowing me down."
Walter: "Ow, that's harsh!"
Despite acting like he does though, he doesn't take any offence to that statement. After all,
Angela: "If you help me, there'd be no point to this. And if you can't help me, then obviously you are just going to slow me down."
It's true.
And so, Walter doesn't argue with her.
Angela: "Thanks for everything you have done, but seeing the situation now, goodbye!"
She says in a half-sarcastic tone and starts heading off. Walter Schmidt watches from behind as she leaves and then brings out two of his fingers, joins them, and in quite the unnecessarily theatrical fashion, brings them to his forehead.
By doing so, he forces his brain to use long-range telepathy so he could mentally talk to a particular person. It doesn't take too long for Walter's telepathy to reach that person, and as soon as it does,
Walter: "Dyne, I have some interesting news for you."
Spectre Dyne, the leader of the army of the Ghost Nation, speaks from the other end.
Dyne: "And what is that?"
Walter: "Will need to meet in person to tell you that."
A sighing can be heard from the other end as the Spectre says,
Dyne: "Alright then, come to the Ghost Nation in the evening."
Walter: "Hmm, alright! I hope you prepare yourself by then for some exciting-"
Dyne: "Yeah, I'm busy right now so if that's all you had to say,"
Walter sighs and his smile fades away a little as he says.
Walter: "Man, you are such a simpleton."
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A factory of electronic goods, on the outskirts of a city, lies silent in the veil of night.
In this night however, the lords of the night seek to destroy it.
Reid: "I don't see how destroying a factory like this helps us in any way."
The commander of the forces that has the factory surrounded whispers so.
Bronzer: "Don't you know this factory belongs to Vermillion?"
Reid: "Yes, I do know that. And I can see how troubling them like this can helps us but we all know very well that these electronics are just a front and the organization wouldn't be affected all that much even if we destroy a factory or two."
As always, Bronzer smiles while answering.
Bronzer: "You are right about it being a front but, my dear friend; it will definitely affect them if we destroy a factory or two."
Reid: "How?"
Bronzer: "Well, you'll just have to trust me on that."
Reid sighs and stands up, ordering his men to charge in and start the rampage.
Reid: "You ordered the destruction of an orphanage the other day and even made a show out of one of the sister's dead body by writing that bloody message about … the heck was it?"
Bronzer: "People don't just smile when they are happy, they also-"
Reid: "Yeah, that fiasco."
He cuts off Bronzer as his focus is on a different subject altogether.
Reid: "Then you asked us to salvage through Julius Rome's place to dig out his dead body and now you want us to attack Vermillion's factory."
Listing his actions, Reid only finds himself more frustrated than before.
Bronzer: "Yeah, those are the actions I have taken so far."
Reid: "For what purpose?"
Unable to contain himself, Reid looks at Bronzer with his uneasiness clear on his face.
Reid: "I can see that our actions are leaving a dent on Vermillion but that's all they are doing, leaving a dent. We can't win a war against them by making a few dents."
With a smile, the strategist says.
Bronzer: "Yes, I am well aware of that. In fact, Vermillion isn't even going to fight us directly. They will be the backup for the Dragons and the Ghost Nation. So, putting a dent on them doesn't do much at all for winning the war."
Seeing the man himself saying that, Reid asks with an exasperated sigh.
Reid: "Then why?"
Bronzer sighs as well as he takes a look at the Vampire Kingdom's troops destroying the factory.
Bronzer: "It's because … simply put, we can't win this war in a direct confrontation."
This is a fact that both the Vampire Kingdom and the Dragon Alliance knows very well.
Bronzer: "That is exactly why our enemies will try to bring this war to a direct confrontation. They know that we'll burn out before being able to defeat them so that's what they'll aim for."
Reid nods as to say that he would do the same if he was in their shoes.
Bronzer: "However, what neither we nor they truly realize – is that we will lose in an indirect confrontation as well."
Furrowing his brows, Reid urges him to go on.
Bronzer: "I mean, think about it, what have we got on our side? Spies, tacticians, a few really powerful people. They have got all that, in spades, as well. So even if we try to attack them indirectly, we will still lose."
The greatest advantage Vampires have when it comes to spying is their night vision. However, take that away and Aurals and Psychics easily are better at spying, as well as catching spies.
The greatest tacticians the Vampire Kingdom has got are the four generals, Reid and some other commanders, all of whom know very well that the situation is beyond hope and have given all the reigns to Bronzer.
The few powerful people are, numerically, only a tenth of what the Dragon Alliance has got.
So, how can they win in indirect warfare either?
Bronzer: "So, as you can see, the only way for us to win is to use other factors to our advantage."
Reid: "And what exactly does that mean?"
Bronzer: "Oh, you know,"
Bronzer smiles deviously as he lists a few 'people' who he considers factors in the war.
Bronzer: "A mysterious supernatural with immense hatred towards Vermillion, a really psychotic and manipulative individual who wants to stop the 'God', a revenge-seeking spirit-master with also a grudge against the 'God', an Aural who lost everything because of the 'God' and seeks to correct her life as much as possible and … a different psychic."
Reid sighs.
Reid: "I'm assuming those are Reid's friend and the self-proclaimed 'third faction'."
Bronzer: "Indeed."
Looking at the Vampires who are almost done ruining the entire factory, Reid droops his shoulders.
Reid: "I still don't get how this is connected to them and how either of the two things will help us."
Bronzer: "Patience, friend, patience."
Reid: "I WILL be patient if you stop calling me 'friend'. That word out of your mouth makes me sick."
Half-sarcastically but half-seriously, Reid says so.
Bronzer: "Aw, and here I thought there was something special between us."
Joining in the sarcasm, Bronzer says with a smile.
Darcy: "You two!"
Saying so, Darcy gains their attention and tells them.
Darcy: "This factory is done for. What next?"
Seeing the sight of the burning factory from some distance, Bronzer casually speaks.
Bronzer: "There's another factory not far from here. Let's go destroy that next!"
With a thumbs-up, Bronzer announces.
Reid: "So it's a night of factory destruction, eh?"
Bronzer: "Ah yes, you can say that. Since I couldn't get it out of Ethan what those guys are up to right now, we can only proceed with these little skirmishes for the time being."
And so, Bronzer takes one last look at the fire the factory is on, with the same malicious grin that Ethan has as he looks at the fireplace somewhere else but at the same time.
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