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Bermuda Chapter 282
🕑 Added 2024-09-06 13:47:18 +0000 UTCChapter 282
"There won't be any problem with the convoy returning. I placed the 3rd Battalion Commander at the lead in preparation for this kind of situation. If the Imperial Knights block his path, he's the type to break through even if it means engaging in hand-to-hand combat, so it might actually be fortunate if they encountered him first."
He answered as if there would be no problem with the return of the convoy that had headed in the opposite direction. However, that was an answer as the Commander of the Council, not the response expected by one who served the Duke of Agrizendro as their lord.
If the reason for the Council's return convoy stopping was the Imperial Knights, and their purpose was to pursue Leonardo Blaine. In the worst-case scenario, there was a risk of it being discovered that the two had disappeared during the process of checking the personnel in the escort vehicles.
The moment it became known that the de facto leader of the imperial faction had intentionally tried to shake off the Imperial Knights, it would surely escalate into a major conflict.
They could make up an excuse that they had temporarily left the convoy due to vehicle maintenance or fuel issues, but someone might suspect that there was another purpose to this independent movement.
However, despite knowing his subordinate's concerns, Hugo didn't add anything more. The person who had been looking at the back seat turned his head back to face forward at the ensuing silence. It seemed that although his lord wasn't showing it, his head was complicated with various thoughts.
As silence fell again, Hugo, who had been staring out the window, slowly closed and opened his eyes.
'If it's really them, it's earlier than expected.'
The Oldin Bridge they had reportedly passed last night was located closer to Fidele than other nearby territories. But with all portals to Fidele cut off now, the only way for them to come here was to physically cross mountains and fields.
Moreover, he had heard that Cordelia Hareth had issued a blockade order within a 20km radius around the bridge, citing reasons such as preventing monster escapes and repair work. Therefore, even if they employed all methods including teleportation, unless their mana was infinite, their expected arrival time was around noon today.
Only about two hours had passed since sunrise, and location-wise, it wasn't far from Fidele's gate.
But in this situation, a sudden stop of the convoy... Although he hoped it wasn't the case, he was overwhelmed by anxiety that they might have already arrived in the vicinity.
The fortunate thing in this misfortune was that no matter how much they were the Imperial Knights, they had no clear justification for an unannounced inspection of the Council's escort convoy carrying urgently injured patients. Moreover, if they were visiting Fidele to perform duties related to disaster relief, there was no reason to send a messenger 'secretly' in the first place, was there?
However, their actions, as if trying to move covertly, felt as if they hadn't received official permission to appear or didn't want this matter to attract attention by being known externally.
'So even if they encounter the northern convoy, if their purpose isn't to cause a commotion, they won't be able to search the vehicles one by one. Then the problem is rather on this side...'
Even if they avoided a head-on confrontation considering the external image, the moment such circumstances were detected, it would look strange in others' eyes. In the end, the vehicle carrying 'Hugo Agrizendro' must not be discovered by the Imperial Knights at the point of breaking away from the escort convoy. Especially not while carrying Leonardo Blaine, who was at the center of the controversy.
While enumerating the facts in his mind, Hugo had to admit that all of this was converging into one anxiety.
He rubbed his tired eyes with the hand that had been propping his chin.
'What if we're already surrounded? And why Leonardo, of all people?'
At that moment, a sharp sound of rubber and dirt ground friction split the air briefly twice. Simultaneously, the bodies of all passengers lurched forward as the vehicle came to a sudden stop.
Hugo leaned forward, bracing one hand against the front seat, and wrapped his arm around Leonardo's head and shoulders. Following his instinct, the sloshing water cushion increased in volume, instantly enveloping Leonardo's body.
The driver, who had also lurched forward, pressed her back against the seat and asked urgently:
"My lord, are you alright?"
"What's going on?"
Hugo, who had quickly checked Leonardo's condition, asked back with furrowed brows. The driver, gripping the steering wheel, lowered her dark-lensed glasses to the tip of her nose and stared ahead.
She narrowed her eyes and examined the rear of the vehicle in front that had stopped suddenly. The red fog lights blinked several times. It was an emergency signal.
Just then, a tense voice came from the vehicle's radio with a beep signal.
–Suspicious individuals spotted about 300m ahead, near the dam entrance at 10 o'clock. Estimated five people, all fully armed and mounted on horses.
At that moment, Hugo felt the back of his neck stiffen. Although he couldn't see exactly what was happening due to the vehicle in front blocking the view, he sensed that what he had been worried about had occurred.
The person in the passenger seat quickly pressed the fog light button to send a signal to the vehicle behind. Then, pressing and holding the radio's transmit button, he turned his head to look at his lord. Hugo asked calmly:
"Have they spotted us too?"
Beep–
–They don't seem to have seen us due to the undergrowth, but they appear to have heard the engine noise and friction sounds. Two horses are approaching our direction. Shall we retreat?
Hugo gritted his teeth. The dam entrance wasn't a place that looked like a common passageway. It would have been difficult to spot even hidden by the undergrowth, yet they were blocking that place.
Although he hadn't completely failed to anticipate this situation, now that the encirclement had become a fait accompli, even the other escape routes he had considered earlier couldn't be trusted. It was too late to turn back north, as that direction wasn't safe either. It was difficult to move rashly, not knowing where and how many of them might be waiting.
'There must be more ways...'
As Hugo was anxiously retracing the map markers in his mind, he suddenly recalled the moment he shook hands with the newly deployed Southern Branch battalion commanders.
'There's a quite wide forest path to the southeast of the territory.'
If the Imperial Knights had been lurking nearby at that time, they would have certainly reported to him, and assuming that Council vehicles were legally moving separately from the convoy, that was the path that would look least suspicious.
There was no guarantee it would be safe, but no other route came to mind. Having finished his thought, Hugo ordered decisively:
"Turn southeast, hurry!"
"Yes!"
As soon as the order was given, the drivers of the two rear escort vehicles out of the three simultaneously turned their steering wheels to the right. As the vehicles were still in the development stage with insufficient reverse function, they had to drive forward through the dense undergrowth to turn to another direction.
As a result, fragile grass and trees were mercilessly bent as they were pushed by the heavy bumpers. The large wheels began to crush the dirt ground and tree roots, plunging into the forest.
At that moment, the agonizing neigh of horses echoed all around like an ominous omen.
Beep–
–All five have started moving. This is Alpha 1, please go ahead. We'll cover you.
The lead vehicle, as if trying to lure the pursuers, blocked the path with its body as the two rear vehicles broke away.
The noise of heavy armor clanking grew closer. The accelerated sound of horse hooves changed the atmosphere of the forest, where one couldn't see an inch ahead, to one of urgency.
The person in the passenger seat, watching the escort vehicle left behind, shouted urgently into the public radio:
"Don't get caught, lure them appropriately and then shake them off!"
Meanwhile, the driver, who had floored it to maximum speed, dodged the endlessly stretching tree trunks with almost acrobatic skill.
Hugo, who had been embracing Leonardo's upper body to mitigate the shaking impact, immediately opened the window and extended his left hand to concentrate mana.
He drew up the dew clinging to the dense undergrowth to a height of 1m above the ground, then finely fragmented it in the air to spray water droplets. This caused a thick fog to form throughout the nearby forest, obscuring the five figures following behind with a veil.
Behind the gloomy backdrop, the heavy engine noise and the horses' neighing chaotically intermingled. The occasional unidentified shouts hinted at their difficult path ahead.
Comments
Jesse Gibson
Ah man
