Chương 49: Lies in Smoke
Rosseaulyn was driving the "borrowed" car to a scrap car plant, where she met the three soldiers who had joined the rescue operation the previous night. They had brought Rosseaulyn's own military vehicle and assisted her in scrapping the "borrowed" car. In a matter of moments, the car had been completely dismantled, along with the escort vehicle.
"Finished! Ma'am, there's no evidence to prove that we are the ones responsible for the chaos at the campsite last night!" one of the soldiers proclaimed.
"Be more vigilant, everyone. Keep in mind that Dialla is a cunning operative who excels at executing his plans with precision. Your past actions have been somewhat careless, so we must go the extra mile to ensure that all traces of our involvement are thoroughly concealed."
"In that case, what should we do next?"
"Take these scrap parts and dispose of them in different scrapyards and various junkyards. Just ensure they are scattered to avoid suspicion."
"What? Do we really need to go to such lengths to cover up these scraps?" one of the soldiers asked with a troubled expression.
"Yes, we must. Do it, or I won't release your rewards."
"Ma'am! You can't treat us like this! We've been fighting by your side for years, and now we're risking our lives for you instead of the country!"
"Well, I appreciate your dedication. Thank you. This will be your final ad hoc duty for this operation."
"Oh, Ma'am... Seriously? We've only had about three hours of sleep and didn't get proper rest. Now you're giving us another energy-draining task..."
"Feeling tired? Is that an excuse a soldier should make?"
"Ma'am, we are human, not machines like you."
"Stop making excuses; you've been a bit too lax lately, which is why none of you have been promoted for so long."
"Well... Don't be too hard on us, Ma'am. Life is tough," one soldier awkwardly admitted, their faces conveying their acknowledgment of their shortcomings.
"I'm just giving you a little excitement in your lives. Otherwise, you'd be stuck in the office or patrolling those boring streets for the rest of your careers."
"Don't be too tough on us... By the way, we don't even know how much you're going to pay us for all this..."
"I'm not a strict or ungenerous superior. I've already prepared your rewards. Would you like to see what's in these envelopes?"
"Can we take a peek inside?"
"Of course, I'll show you. Ta-da! Stacks of cash. Is that sufficient?"
"Whoa! That's enough to cover my living expenses for the next five years!" The soldiers exclaimed, their eyes widening.
"Ma'am! I won't forget your generosity as long as I live!" another soldier added.
"Count me in! I can finally get a new motorcycle, and the rest can go towards my son's school fees."
"Enough talk, let's get the job done."
"Yes, Ma'am. We'll take care of it right away!"
"Once you've completed your tasks, please return to HQ. We have a special guest arriving from the Capital city."
"Huh? Who? We were never informed that someone would be visiting today."
"Exactly, you weren't informed because the special guest is Dialla. Do you think he wouldn't show up after we thwarted his plans?"
"Indeed."
"If my calculations are correct, he'll be here in about three hours. So, I need to head back to my office and act surprised when I hear about the attack on our campsite last night. Then, I must return to the campsite to assess the situation before he arrives."
"Ma'am, you're the sharpest commander in Kothern for sure..."
"Enough with the flattery. Remember to act surprised when you hear about the attack."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"We're running out of time. I need to get back to my office. See you all later."
Rosseaulyn drove her military vehicle back to HQ. Upon her arrival, she noticed a gathering of soldiers at the assembly point. Sergeant Whitlock, who served under Rosseaulyn, rushed to halt her vehicle as soon as he saw her.
"Good morning, Ma'am! I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I had to stop you right here!" Sergeant Whitlock said in a panicked and urgent tone.
"What's going on? It seems pretty serious from the atmosphere here..." Rosseaulyn inquired, maintaining a serious demeanor as if she were already aware of the situation.
"Our western campsite was attacked by a group of assailants last night!"
"How many casualties?"
"So far, there have been around fifty reported injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities."
"I see. I noticed that the soldiers who were supposed to be patrolling the city are gathering over there. Was that your order?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I wish I could have reported to you before issuing the order, but the situation didn't allow for any delays."
"What's your plan?"
"We've identified the possible location of the assailants based on accounts from some soldiers who witnessed where the enemy fled last night. I've recalled all the soldiers and intend to reinforce security at those locations, possibly even locate them with our forces!"
'No wonder I didn't see any patrolling soldiers in the slum just now' Rosseaulyn thought.
"Ermm... Ma'am, are you listening?"
"Yes, I was just considering if there's a better approach. Never mind, please provide a list of those locations and send it to my office right away."
"Yes! What about our troops? Should I instruct them to..."
"No, I'll make those assignments later. First, I need more details on the attack. Please head to my office now; I'll be there in three minutes."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
'Someone may have spotted us fleeing? I hope the slum area isn't on the list...' Rosseaulyn thought with a touch of anxiety.
Sergeant Whitlock promptly prepared the reports and location details and presented them to Rosseaulyn in her office. As Rosseaulyn reviewed the identified locations, none of them were related to the slum area. She let out a silent sigh of relief and continued with her act.
"Have our men spotted any of the assailants? Their vehicles? Weapons?" Rosseaulyn deliberately inquired to ensure that none of the soldiers had seen their presence the previous night.
"Yes, according to one of the soldiers, he saw one of the attackers who appeared to be a young lady." Sergeant Whitlock presented the recorded evidence while explaining.
"What are her characteristics?"
"It was reported that the young lady has short violet hair, and her combat skills surpass those of an ordinary soldier."
'Damn... It's Ms. Ayukawa...'
"As for the vehicle, it was reported to be a police escort van built with bulletproof armor. They even had military weapons, such as RPGs. We also received a report from the police HQ that one of their escort vehicles, which matches the description, has been stolen."
"Apparently, it's quite evident who these assailants are."
"Ma'am, you've already figured this out based on these limited reports?"
"Yes. Do you recall why we were assigned to be in charge of the city's security?"
"Because of the Nisaeria Guerillas' attacks... Oh! Ma'am, you mean their remnants..."
"Probably. We just dismantled their country. They likely harbor intense animosity toward us now."
"You're right, Ma'am. How can we efficiently eliminate these remnants?"
"I think we should avoid overreacting because it would create social unrest among the people."
"But Ma'am, not taking stern action against them puts people's lives at risk!"
"I understand your concern, Sergeant Whitlock, but this isn't the way. Trust me."
"Alright. I've served under your command for years, and you've never disappointed any of us. Perhaps you can come up with a more strategic plan."
"Thank you for your understanding. Your experience in the military is invaluable, and I've always valued your opinion."
"It's an honor."
"Please assign our men back to their designated areas and instruct them to be vigilant of any suspicious individuals for the time being."
"Yes, Ma'am. I'll issue the order right away."
"One more thing, I need to head to the western camp and assess the situation after the attack. Could you accompany me?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance. If there's nothing else, I'll depart now."
'Right now, I'm truly concerned about Ms. Ayukawa...'
The soldiers received the order from Whitlock and swiftly returned to their posts, resolved to uncover any leads on the assailants, even though it was a fabrication by Rosseaulyn. She boarded the car arranged by Whitlock. During the journey, Rosseaulyn appeared slightly anxious and nervous, fearing that someone might have discovered she was the mastermind behind the attack.
Upon her arrival, the soldiers formed a line and saluted her, including Lyon. They exchanged glances, and a Corporal approached her, introducing her to everyone.
"Alright, soldiers, this is Second Lieutenant Winton, who currently oversees the military across Luthernza! If any of you have any information about the assailants, please step forward!" the Corporal instructed.
However, the soldiers were too distracted by Rosseaulyn's presence to pay attention. Their gaze fixated on her alone, and they began discussing her appearance among themselves.
"Wow, Lieutenant Winton is so tall! Even taller than I expected!"
"Yeah, and I heard the rumors that she's very beautiful. Today, we finally get to see her in person! She looks like a princess. She even appears much younger than I expected too!"
"Hey, look at her shoes! She's wearing high heels, just as the rumors said!"
"HEYYY!! Are you all deaf? I said, those who witnessed or have any clues, please step FORWARD!!!" The Corporal shouted angrily through a megaphone.
The soldiers fell silent instantly. Only three soldiers, including Lyon, stepped forward.
"Three of you, please report everything you saw to Lieutenant Winton and Sergeant Whitlock right now!"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Alright, you first. What did you see last night?" Rosseaulyn inquired.
"Ma'am, I was in combat with a woman with short violet hair. Her combat skills were unmatched. I'm sorry, but we couldn't apprehend her..." the soldier reported.
"That aligns with what Sergeant Whitlock informed me. How about you?"
"Yes, Ma'am! Nice to meet you. I'm Private James. I was pursuing their vehicle with our comrades as they were trying to escape. Then, a woman suddenly emerged from the vehicle and single-handedly took down one of us after another. I was the last one standing... I had no choice but to retreat and rescue our fallen comrades."
"Hmm... another woman. Private James, you did an exceptional job and saved your comrades. That's the spirit!"
"It's an honor!" Private James replied loudly, his face slightly blushing as he received a compliment from Rosseaulyn. Other soldiers cast envious glances at him.
"How about you? What information do you have for me?" Rosseaulyn asked Lyon.
"Ma'am, I saw a man with short violet hair, not a woman as the others mentioned!"
"A man?!" Rosseaulyn asked, but she immediately understood that Lyon was trying to help her by providing false information.
"Huh?! Hey, Rookie, are you serious? Did you get your eyes checked before joining the military?" Private James asked fiercely.
"I'm telling the truth! They were attacking our comrades and deploying numerous smoke grenades. Fortunately, I was outside the smoke and had a clear view of the attacker's appearance!" Lyon continued with the false testimony.
"Isn't it? Private James, does the woman you mentioned also have violet hair?" Rosseaulyn asked again.
"Um, I'm sorry, Ma'am. Actually, I'm not sure. The attacker was wearing a helmet when I saw her. Since the soldier over there said he encountered a woman who attacked them, I naturally assumed it was a woman who attacked me too..."
"Well, Ma'am... Although our visibility wasn't great at the time, I heard the attacker's voice, and it was definitely a woman!" the soldier reconfirmed.
"But I maintain that it was a man! And I can tell that they didn't see or hear clearly at that time!" Lyon insisted.
"Rookie, don't try to make us look bad in front of the Lieutenant!" Private James warned.
"It's fine. Please allow him to clarify." Rosseaulyn requested.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I mentioned he was mistaken about the attacker because he had been drinking that evening. They had consumed quite a bit of alcohol last night."
"Drinking inside this camp?!" Rosseaulyn expressed her disbelief.
"Screw you! How could you betray me?" The soldier retorted angrily.
"You! Shut up! How dare you?! Drinking alcohol in a military camp? Stop wasting the Lieutenant's valuable time and leave my sight immediately! I want you to wait at my place!" The Corporal reprimanded the soldier sternly.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am and Sir! I only had a few sips and wasn't drunk. Please forgive me!"
"I told you to leave! Are you deaf?!" The Corporal admonished.
"Yes, Sir!"
"Corporal, please make sure there's no more alcohol consumption in the military campsite!" Rosseaulyn ordered.
"Yes, Lieutenant! I will enforce strict punishment for those who violate this rule."
"Excellent! So, you are absolutely certain that you saw a man instead of a woman?" Rosseaulyn inquired Lyon again.
"Yes!" Lyon answered with certainty.
"Alright, Sergeant Whitlock! Please relay this message to all our troops later. One of the assailants is a short violet-haired man. We need to identify him, and it might lead us to the rest of his group."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"Oh, Lieutenant Winton! First Lieutenant Dialla has just arrived outside!" the Corporal informed.
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