C21 Generalplot
Now, only professors and students remained on Ruin Island.
"Very good." Dozens of guns were lowered, no longer pointed at Egil.
"Mark is dead? Good riddance. That guy had no idea how to behave."
"Excellent. Since you're all scholars, the Military Academy will now take control here."
This response was completely unexpected to Egil, as well as to Martina and Quintana.
The Drautera think so differently from us!
No verification!
No interrogation!
All the rehearsed statements were now irrelevant!
They simply sent someone to confirm there were no combatants left on Ruin Island, then brought in a ship full of people to take over the entire security operation... though 'occupation' might be a more fitting term.
Once everything was in place, without even a glimpse of Martina or Quintana, they rushed Egil to the site of Mark's demise, the location of the monster flower, beneath the stone door.
Egil slid down the stem ladder from behind the stone door, leading the way to the breeding pool.
The monster flower remained, swaying gently in the still air.
The liquid on the throne had dried into chunks, turning from green to black.
Hot on Egil's heels were ten fully armed individuals. The one in charge, the shortest of the ten, was referred to by the nine taller ones as 'General Plot.'
In the Military Academy, instructors were known by military ranks, not professorial titles.
"Prof. Lloyd, is this the place?" General Plot inquired, looking outside the door.
"Yes, Captain Mark and his team have been properly laid to rest," Egil replied, sticking to the prepared script.
Plot nodded, then turned and roared at the nine tall men, "Go, avenge Mark and the others!"
"Charge!" they all bellowed in unison, guns blazing!
Egil covered his face in disbelief. What on earth was happening?
The ten of them charged forward, firing at the monster flowers like a swarm of fireflies!
As they ran and shot, they seamlessly shifted formations with practiced ease.
A triangle formation! The bullets traced a perfect triangle!
A flying V! The bullets mimicked the formation of geese in flight!
Encirclement! They split into two groups, five to a flower, circling and firing non-stop!
The room was a frenzy of activity, with bullets ricocheting off the monster flowers, filling the space with the sound of firecrackers and a haze of smoke.
Unfortunately, ordinary bullets were useless against the monster flowers, just as ordinary people would be. But these ten individuals were far from ordinary! Or more precisely, there had to be someone among them who was extraordinary!
The smoke churned up by the frenzied gunfire suddenly took on a life of its own before Egil's eyes! The smoke in the room began to swirl, gathering speed and pulling in more dust, until a tornado had formed in an instant!
The wind was fierce, the sand dark. Egil was forced to retreat back to the entrance he had slid through.
Lying at the doorway, he squinted into the room. The flying sand and stones obscured everything; he couldn't even hear the sounds of combat!
What kind of psionic power was this? What level? Who had activated it? Could it be General Plot?
It was impossible to confirm. Such an excellent concealment! But unfortunately for them, they were up against Egil. He closed his eyes and instantly connected with the two monster flowers.
It's nothing... just a bit of an itch.
That was the consciousness conveyed by the monster flowers.
Can plants feel itchy? Egil wondered.
Right! Like the mimosa plant! Haha...
About ten minutes later, a head emerged from the tornado, followed by the rest. All ten people walked out of the smoke-filled whirlwind, one by one, and stood beside Egil at the entrance.
With a whoosh, the tornado dissipated! The smoke settled, and the two monster flowers still stood on either side of the throne, swaying gently as if nothing had happened. However, Egil could clearly sense an emotion from the monster flowers.
It was an emotion akin to smugness.
Egil looked at the ten grimy figures before him. General Plot raised his hand, and the other nine snapped to attention.
Hmm... was this a signal to about-face and march back home?
Egil's eyes moved to the hand of General Plot, who was holding a device with a button.
That shape... it looked like a detonator!
Egil reacted as one should in such a situation.
He covered his ears and hit the deck!
Boom!
The ground shook, and the mountains seemed to tremble. If they hadn't been within the branches of the 'Anchor Tree', but in a regular underground space, that blast would have surely buried Egil and those ten fools alive!
Clearly, those ten had no idea about the 'Anchor Tree'. In their minds, they were risking an explosive burial!
This was precisely why Egil had called them idiots.
Sand and stones were flying everywhere, and smoke filled the air. Once the dust settled, Plot was the first to charge out of the entrance.
The throne had vanished! The floor had disappeared! The entire room's flooring had been ripped up, exposing the foundation beneath!
The foundation was a tangle of roots! The entire room's floor had been laid over the roots of the monster flower!
The bomb had blasted the floor away, and now Plot was standing on a foundation of roots woven together like a basket.
They squirmed and writhed! The roots were still moving! The whole root foundation was in motion! It was revolting and made one's skin crawl! Plot hurried back into the entrance.
Egil wanted to laugh but dared not. He bowed his head to contain it, then subtly raised his eyebrows to gauge Plot's expression.
It was a look of sheer terror!
"General! Time to execute the final plan!"
"Yes! General!"
"Don't hesitate any longer! General!" All nine of them urged him on with fervent expressions, creating an atmosphere as if they were facing their last moments.
Did they have a plan even more terrifying than setting off explosives underground? Egil slowly backed away toward the slide, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
Plot the General closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as though he was wrestling with an unthinkable, universally condemned decision.
Upon opening his eyes, Plot's gaze was fixed on Egil!
Damn it! Egil covertly commanded the monster flowers to quietly turn towards the entrance.
Plot the General approached Egil with determined steps, taking another deep breath. "Prof. Lloyd!"
Just as Egil was on the brink of panic, Plot's face transformed, revealing a smile more grotesque than tears.
"Um, Prof. Lloyd, our Military Academy is at a loss with the holy beast... So, haha, could you please introduce me to the heads of the other two academies? ...This... I believe that if all four academies collaborate, we can surely unravel the mystery of the holy beast! Haha."
Hehe, my foot! While it was Martina and Quintana's hope to back you into a corner and force your hand into cooperation, this process... was just too much!
Truly a testament to the Drautera's legacy!
