Firefly Journey

Chapter 144 Rescuing the Journalists in Action (1)

The wind howled, the snow was deep, and the city of Seror was not as desolate as the orc tribes in the north.

As the first step for the Debasa Empire government towards the tundra, the city was naturally bustling with activity, built entirely to the standards of a first-tier city.

The tundra holds vast, untapped resources that have attracted countless gold prospectors from within the empire, who flock to the city of Seror in hopes of striking it rich overnight.

The migration of residents within the empire and the integration of small northern tribes have given this military fortress a growing momentum.

Before the city, dozens of imperial soldiers in gleaming armor stood ready, questioning anyone entering the city.

The armor was silvery-white, blending seamlessly into the snowfield. Forged from anti-magic ore, it could reduce damage from magical attacks to a certain extent and offered considerable defense against ordinary swords, spears, and halberds.

The Imperial Army's unstoppable advance, sweeping across numerous countries across the Pan-Ancient Continent, was due in part to its abundance of talented individuals, but also inextricably linked to the superior equipment and weaponry of its soldiers.

Within the Empire, there is a vast vein of magic-resistant rock. Due to its extensive development, almost every Imperial soldier is armed to the teeth.

With better equipment, combat effectiveness naturally increases as well.

Lin Yuanran observed this and silently compared the equipment of the Duchy soldiers with that of the Black Mountain tribe. Although the equipment of the Duchy soldiers was among the best in the Pan-Ancient Continent, it could not be deployed on such a large scale. In the end, the Duchy of Bema did not have a large anti-magic rock mine, so it could not be developed on a large scale.

The Duchy's most elite forces are undoubtedly the three cavalry units that protect the Faith, but these forces do not usually obey the Duchy's orders. Unless His Holiness the Pope gives the order, they will not care even if the sky falls.

The equipment of the Black Mountain tribe and the Valkyr Alliance soldiers was so poor that it could only be described as meager compared to the Empire, let alone the duchies. Even though orcs were naturally stronger than humans, the difference in equipment meant that their combat strength was significantly reduced, which is why the Imperial army generally had the upper hand in the northern expedition.

The empire has a very open policy toward traveling merchants. No documents or permits are needed to travel to and from the city of Seror. All they need to do is obediently accept inspections and ensure that no lethal weapons are hidden among their people and goods before they are allowed to pass.

However, there are also some drawbacks. For example, Lin Yuanran and his group were easily fooled because Claudia had a spatial artifact that could store anything. Ordinary soldiers could not sense the fluctuations of magical power.

The Empire dared not set up a threshold for Seriol because of Buwei's considerations; if they were to launch a direct assault, it would only incite resistance among the northern inhabitants.

Freedom to enter and trade in the city of Seror is a policy of appeasement offered by the Empire. It means that the Empire warmly welcomes anyone willing to become a part of it.

As for the infiltration of superhumans, there's really no need to worry too much. First of all, since it's an infiltration, it means there won't be too many superhumans. The Imperial Army in the city is the elite of the elite; outnumbered, what good is being a superhuman? Two fists can't fight four hands.

Secondly, which of the high-ranking officers of the Empire is not a powerful superhuman? Any thief who dares to infiltrate would be walking into a trap.

Within the city, there are also superhuman individuals in the shadows specifically responsible for counter-espionage. From any perspective, the threshold for entering the city doesn't need to be set too high.

Lin Yuanran and his group, disguised as traveling merchants, easily passed the inventory check and entered the city without any trouble.

After entering the city, the three immediately found an inn to rest and discuss their next move.

In the private room, Claudia held the "Scent Compass." The pointer pointed to a certain spot and remained motionless, indicating that Victor's location was very stable and not far away.

Lin Yuanran said, "When we entered the city just now, I could feel that the Imperial Army's defenses were very tight. If we act rashly, we probably won't even be able to get out of this gate."

Dick said, "The Debasa Empire has become the dominant power on the continent because of its extremely powerful army. Even if a Three Awakened One came, he might not be able to escape unscathed. The three of us should be careful."

Lin Yuanran added, "Why don't we wait until night? It'll be easier to do things when it's dark."

Several days have passed since Viktor was captured, and the compass is still spinning, which means that he is not in immediate danger. Therefore, there is no need to rush to rescue him; a prudent plan should be devised first.

Claudia said, "Although there is no curfew in the Empire, the northern tundra is quite chaotic, and the Imperial Army's patrol efforts are significantly stronger than those in the inner cities."

If we're not careful, we'll be suspected and then arrested.

Lin Yuanran said, "There's nothing we can do about it. It's broad daylight, we can't just walk around with a compass in our hands. That would be too conspicuous and arouse even more suspicion."

Claudia thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's wait until tonight. We'll be careful then and try to avoid the patrolling soldiers."

"Ah."

……

The day passed in the blink of an eye, and the midnight bells rang crisply and brightly.

The state religion of the Debasa Empire was the "Ancient Battle Hall," and this bell is from the church of the Battle Hall in the city of Selyol.

The trio still hadn't taken any action; for humans, the latter half of the night is when they're most exhausted.

At 2 a.m., the three of them dressed neatly and left the hotel quietly.

Claudia carried the compass, and the group followed her directions, heading east of the city.

“That’s… the direction of the City Lord’s Mansion,” Lin Yuanran said.

When Lin Yuanran checked into his hotel, he used the excuse of being unfamiliar with the place to ask the waiter about the city of Seleur. After receiving a tip of 5 copper coins, the waiter was very enthusiastic and shared all the common knowledge he knew.

The city lord's mansion...

This coincided with Lin Yuanran's guess.

Since it was the Empire that intervened, it was a matter for the military, and the supreme commander of the Empire's Northern Expeditionary Army resided in the city lord's mansion in Selyol. Therefore, it would be reasonable for the reporter to be imprisoned there.

In the dead of night, with almost no other pedestrians on the road, the three people appearing on the street seemed very abrupt.

The patrolling soldiers came in one group after another, with the interval between the previous group and the next group passing through the same area not exceeding ten minutes, which is considered very frequent.

The three of them dodged and moved forward, and finally arrived at the most luxurious building in the city of Seror.

The three people hiding around the corner looked together at the landmark building.

Before the gate, a dozen elite soldiers clad in silver armor stood ramrod straight, spears in hand, their faces showing no sign of fatigue.

Keep in mind, it's already two or three in the morning. Even if you've slept enough during the day, you'd still feel sleepy at this hour. The fact that these people didn't even yawn can only mean one thing: they've been doing this for years and are used to reversing their biological clock.

Claudia spun the compass again and again, and the pointer moved with the rotation, but the direction it pointed to remained unchanged, which was the city lord's mansion.

Dick Onassin whispered, “It seems our initial exploration is complete, and Mr. Victor is inside.”

Lin Yuanran said, "Yes, let's go back quickly. I'll immediately inform the Nell brothers and Chief Iru to work together on the next steps."