Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 479: Shadowing
On the snowfields along the Ursus border, outside a hidden village.
Talulah, dressed in white, concealed herself within a patch of shrubs. Against the snow-covered landscape, her pure white coat blended seamlessly into the surroundings. The only sign of her presence was the faint mist of breath escaping her lips with each exhale.
Thanks to her Art, Talulah was one of those least troubled by the brutal climate of the borderlands. Even when nighttime temperatures here plunged to minus thirty degrees Celsius or lower, it was hardly an issue for her.
Compared to the biting cold, what concerned her far more were the Infected who had split off on their own and, after crossing mountains and snowfields, had arrived at this village she was now observing.
More precisely, it was the group led by Brull—the so-called "traitors."
Talulah did not want to label them with that name, yet their actions had already made the truth of the situation undeniable.
For the moment, however, these Infected had not taken any overtly retaliatory actions. At most, when they left, they complained incessantly about how little food and supplies they had been given.
Only Talulah knew that the supplies distributed to them were actually more than enough to sustain them on the snowfields for at least half a month. But human greed was not something that could be satisfied so easily.
Especially after they had once enjoyed the high-quality supplies Steven had provided them, it was only natural that they would grow increasingly dissatisfied with what they now considered "their rightful share."
It was easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it's painfully hard to return the other way around. Such was human nature, and Talulah could hardly fault them for it.
At the very least, Brull—now the leader of this group of Infected—had not complained the way his followers did. Instead, he comforted and encouraged them. After enduring a harsh night, he eventually led them to this village, which appeared to be untouched by any Infected patrols.
Talulah believed that when it came to caring for the Infected, Brull was in no way inferior to herself. If anything, he seemed even more devoted, as though the Infected who followed him were his entire world.
However, quite some time had passed since Brull had entered the village with a few guards. There had been no news from inside. Outside, the remaining Infected were gradually growing restless. If things dragged on any longer, Talulah feared that conflict—or worse—might erupt.
She had come merely to observe and experience what these Infected were thinking and what they truly needed. Yet at this moment, she could not help but worry for them.
Supplies were still sufficient, but without a place to rest and shelter, the situation was dire. Behind them lurked the Infected patrols, prowling like wolves. With their current condition, there was no way this group could survive for long on the snowfields.
Just as Talulah wrestled with her thoughts, a faint breeze brushed past her.
Sensing a strange presence drawing near, she frowned and looked warily toward an empty patch of snow. Her eyes saw nothing—only air.
Even so, her eyes could not deceive her instincts. Her sixth sense screamed that something had come close. It might not be hostile, but it was not something she could afford to ignore.
"Who's there?" she whispered toward the source of that unsettling sensation.
If she hadn't been concerned about exposing the fact that she was tailing these Infected, Talulah would have already unleashed her flames and sealed off that entire area.
Yet after her quiet call rang out, the spot that had given her that strange sensation remained completely silent. No response came at all. For a moment, she even began to wonder if it was simply fatigue from following them through the night—nothing more than a fleeting hallucination.
Just as Talulah started doubting herself, Brull finally emerged from the village gates with his close followers in tow, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
She no longer had the luxury to dwell on whether what she sensed earlier was real or not. Even if someone truly had approached her in secret, at that distance, if they had intended to strike, she would have already been dealt with by now. What mattered far more was what had happened inside the village.
Brull and his group looked no different from when they had entered—no signs of battle, no traces of conflict. After confirming this, Talulah finally relaxed a little.
If these Infected had begun committing atrocities the moment they left Reunion, it would only prove that this was their nature all along. In that case, she would have had no choice but to harden her heart and eliminate these bad apples herself. Fortunately, while Brull was fiercely protective of Infected interests, he was not the sort of man who would casually massacre ordinary civilians.
After all, doing so would bring them no benefit whatsoever.
"Come in and rest for a while," Brull said, his muscular, middle-aged frame standing out as he called to the Infected waiting outside. "I've spoken with the villagers. We'll stay here for a couple of days to recover. They're willing to provide us with some places to sleep."
Perhaps because this village was far removed from any cities—or perhaps because they hadn't yet realized that this group consisted of Infected—his discussion with the village chief had gone surprisingly smoothly. No threats, no bargaining, nothing special was required before they agreed to clear out a few rooms for them.
Even so, there was little joy on Brull's face.
There were no Infected in this village, and those with any authority here were all ordinary people. As the leader of these Infected, he had to remain vigilant at all times. He couldn't rule out the possibility that this was a trap meant to lure them in.
Fortunately, after taking the chance to quietly investigate the village, he confirmed that it truly was a poor but relatively friendly and harmonious place. It lacked the brutal "survival of the fittest" mentality so common across the snowfields.
After all, if such cruelty truly existed here, this settlement would never have remained so small—barely a few dozen households.
Villages that made a habit of killing and robbing travelers or massacring Infected usually lived quite comfortably. They wouldn't be scraping by like these villagers, whose living standards were only marginally better than those of Brull's group at best.
Only after confirming all of this did Brull dare to call the rest of the Infected into the village. Even then, for the sake of safety, they settled only along the outskirts, ready to withdraw at a moment's notice.
"I have to admit… when it comes to handling details like this, Brull is someone worth learning from."
Watching him methodically arrange lodging for the Infected who followed him, Talulah couldn't help but sigh. It wasn't that she couldn't do what Brull was doing, but when it came to such fine details, she often found herself overlooking things from time to time.
As things stood now, she couldn't see any immediate signs of trouble. Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction. Those who had willingly left Reunion had found a temporary haven, and the village, in turn, was learning bits and pieces of information about the outside world through them.
Talulah even saw scenes of Infected exchanging food with local villagers, chatting and sharing stories of their experiences. It all felt right—just as she had always imagined Infected and ordinary people might coexist.
Just when Talulah began to think that perhaps they really had been overthinking it, that there was no longer any reason to continue monitoring these Infected…
Conflict broke out—quietly, and without warning.
Even from the edge of the village, Talulah could hear the rising noise and chaotic shouts coming from within. Her brows knit together, and as if a thought had struck her, she reached into her pack and took out a small tin of candies. From it, she selected a pale lavender sweet and popped it into her mouth.
Bubbles shimmered into existence.
Moments later, Talulah's figure gradually blended into the surroundings, vanishing into the air.
Silently marveling at the uncanny effectiveness of the candies Steven had given her, Talulah lightened her steps and slipped into the suddenly lively village, heading straight toward the source of the disturbance.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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