The following morning, Jeanne stood perfectly still, staring blankly at the companions gathered before her. A profound silence hung in the air as she struggled to find the right words to address the assembly, her thoughts thoroughly knotted by the spectacle before her eyes.
Pressing a palm tightly against her forehead, Jeanne closed her eyes, wishing this entire scene was merely a terrible nightmare and that she would wake up to find the plaza empty.
Before her stood the grand delegation bound for Lungmen. FrostNova, Skullshatterer, and Crownslayer posed no issue at all. The crushing weight of her worry stemmed entirely from the rowdy crowd gathered right behind FrostNova—the Yeti Squadron.
Are these guys serious?
"We require people who excel at spreading our message," FrostNova explained, her voice trailing off as she looked at her own subordinates. "Talulah mentioned we should find a way to invite the impoverished denizens of the Lungmen slums to join our city, and these fools happened to..."
FrostNova couldn't even finish her own sentence. It wasn't that she lacked worries about her subordinates causing a massive scene, but the entire squad had eagerly volunteered, and virtually no one else in the city was currently idle.
To secure their spots on this journey, the rest of the Yeti Squadron had willingly taken over the daily labor of those selected. Faced with such overwhelming enthusiasm, what else could a commander do?
Thinking of this, FrostNova shifted her gaze away, unable to look Jeanne in the eye. The remaining leaders followed her lead, suddenly finding the bright morning sun incredibly fascinating.
"You lot... forget it. I only hope you don't stir up an unforgivable mess. Then again, letting your squad stretch their legs outside our walls for a time might not be a terrible idea."
Jeanne accepted her fate with a heavy sigh. In truth, aside from their boundless penchant for theatrical antics, the fighters of the Yeti Squadron were incredibly vibrant and lively—traits perfectly suited for connecting with the common folk.
She would simply treat this journey as taking a pack of energetic, chaotic hounds to visit a neighbor's estate. If these hounds truly decided to tear the place apart, leaving them behind would gift Lungmen a disruptive force whose chaotic energy easily rivaled Exusiai.
An entire battalion of individuals like Exusiai—just the thought of it was enough to make the blood pressure of the entire Lungmen Ch'en-led Guard Department skyrocket. Should matters truly reach that stage, one could only offer their deepest condolences to Ch'en.
"Lady Jeanne, please let us journey with you! We possess immense talent for bringing new people into the fold!"
Sensing the shift in Jeanne's posture, the warriors of the Yeti Squadron broke their silence, realizing that the matter was open for negotiation.
"Very well, I grant my permission," Jeanne sighed, dropping her hand from her forehead. Her expression turned exceptionally grim as she leveled a stern glare at the rowdy squadron. "But hear me well: if any of you dare to disgrace our city while inside Lungmen, I shall personally take you on a five-thousand-meter high-altitude bungee jump without a safety rope once we return. Do I make myself clear?"
"Clear!" the warriors answered, their voices carrying a distinct hint of panic.
"I cannot hear you! Louder!"
"CLEAR!!!!!!!!!"
"Excellent! You possess grand spirit! We depart!" Jeanne nodded in approval. Looking at the beaming faces of the Yeti Squadron, she realized their boisterous nature might actually serve as the perfect example to present to the slums of Lungmen.
After all, a faction capable of nurturing such a lively, cheerful crowd could never be viewed as a band of bloodthirsty monsters. The local perception might turn slightly eccentric, but an eccentric reputation was infinitely better than a villainous one.
The warriors immediately began to celebrate, though Jeanne's stern warning kept their rowdiness within reasonable bounds.
"Lady Jeanne, how shall we travel to Lungmen? Are we riding upon the Wyverns?" one of the squad representatives inquired eagerly once the arrangements were set.
"We travel alongside the personnel of Rhodes Island. Riding Wyverns into their territory would only invite their defense forces to shoot us out of the sky as an invading army," Jeanne countered, shooting the warrior a flat look before leading the assembly to the rendezvous point.
As the squad representatives wondered what kind of transport awaited them, a massive dark silhouette descended from the sky. It was the aerial vessel of Rhodes Island—an aircraft Jeanne recalled being named the Bad Guy.
Though Rhodes Island had effectively permitted the Doctor to assist Reunion for the next six months, Kal'tsit insisted on personally monitoring the strategist's physical recovery, which was why their medical team was departing and returning alongside the delegation.
"Keep your hands to yourselves once we are aboard. This vessel is nothing like a Wyvern! If your idle fingers tamper with the machinery and cause a critical failure, you will only have enough time to draft your final testaments," Jeanne warned sharply.
These troublemakers possessed a long history of meddling with unfamiliar objects. Though she doubted they would dare sabotage an aircraft, delivering a stern reminder beforehand was always wise.
The warning worked like a charm. From the moment they stepped into the passenger bay, the warriors of the Yeti Squadron sat in absolute silence, their eyes scanning the interior like searchlights.
"Um... there is no need for everyone to remain so tense. The flight stability of the Bad Guy is exceptional, so please, relax and make yourselves comfortable," Amiya offered gently, misinterpreting the squadron's stiff posture as simple flight anxiety.
Amiya fondly recalled the warmth these rough fighters had shown her during her stay in Chernobog. Every single day, someone would prepare a meal and deliver it straight to her quarters—even if the dish was invariably a massive mountain of stir-fried cabbage.
Ever since the squad's grand plan to pamper the Big Sister began, they had lacked a Cautus girl to dote upon. When Amiya originally arrived, the entire squad had celebrated as if a major festival had dawned.
Hearing Amiya's comforting words, the fighters relaxed slightly. They huddled together in low whispers, intensely debating the grand mysteries of engineering required to lift such a massive metal structure into the sky.
Even the silent figures nearby cast curious glances at the interior layout, deeply intrigued by the immense secrets Rhodes Island seemed to harbor. An advanced aerial vessel of this scale was an extreme rarity, a luxury many grand nations completely lacked.
Time flowed swiftly, and before long, the aircraft touched down at the Rhodes Island port, from which the delegation proceeded directly into the borders of Lungmen. The Reunion fighters looked upon the towering mobile metropolis, their whispers rising in excitement.
Many among them knew that this very city was the birthplace of their leader, Talulah. Consequently, they maintained immense decorum as they walked through the entry gates, terrified that any uncouth behavior might bring shame to the Draco lady's name.
"You lot are quite late, Rhodes—ahem. Welcome to Lungmen, everyone."
Ch'en stood at the checkpoint, her face initially locked in her usual stern, unwelcoming scowl as she prepared to conduct the standard security evaluations. However, the moment she spotted the individuals descending the ramp, her expression shifted dramatically.
"I am Ch'en, Senior Superintendent of the Lungmen Guard Bureau. I welcome the personnel of Rhodes Island, as well as the formal envoys of Chernobog, to our city. That being said, I must request that everyone submit to the standard security inspections."
Her tone was significantly gentler than usual, and the rigid, fierce expression on her draconic features softened into a remarkably polite smile as she looked upon Jeanne and the surrounding delegation.
Are these... Talulah's companions? With that thought lingering in her mind, Ch'en's gaze drifted across the assembly, her heart growing immensely heavy with complicated emotions.
"Chen? Could she be..." FrostNova and Crownslayer widened their eyes in unison, staring intently at the blue-haired Lung maiden before them.
Having spent years living alongside Talulah, they had frequently heard tales of a younger sister named Ch'en. Yet, looking at the maiden before them...
"I always assumed our leader's sister would be a Draco as well. To think she belongs to the Lung lineage," Crownslayer whispered softly, leaning in to confer with Jeanne and FrostNova.
Meanwhile, Skullshatterer remained wrapped in a state of quiet melancholy, entirely consumed by thoughts of his missing sister, Misha, and paid zero attention to the discussion regarding families.
"Hey, is that officer truly Leader Talulah's sister?"
"They do share a passing resemblance around the eyes, don't you think?"
...
The sharp-eared warriors of the Yeti Squadron immediately caught wind of this monumental piece of gossip and began whispering furiously. Hearing their loud chatter, Ch'en's tail twitched with distinct irritation, though she maintained her rigid, welcoming smile.
"Silence, all of you! Another word, and we are going straight to the bungee jump!" Jeanne hissed through her teeth, turning a fierce glare upon her embarrassing entourage. If this continued, they would truly turn their movement into a comedy troupe!
Instantly, the entire squad fell dead silent. The delegation proceeded to endure the standard registry checks with absolute compliance, allowing Ch'en to let out a quiet sigh of relief at their unexpected cooperation.