Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 238 - 231: Restructuring

Chapter 238: Chapter 231: Restructuring

On the same day as Kali was sent away, the Advance Team took a merchant ship headed for the capital of Saint Basaya, Saint Bava City. As they were going upstream, the merchant ship would take at least three days to get to Saint Bava.

Saint Bava lies downstream of the Bavana River and is located in a plain terrain, so Luo’er would have actually preferred to travel there by land. However, they couldn’t find enough horses, and they had heard that inspections on the water route were generally simpler than those on the land route.

The atmosphere in Saint Bava was tense now. The town’s soldiers were driving out all the foreign races, especially the Southerners. This action was for the good of these people, because once they encountered the Heresy Tribunal Army, their fate was no longer solely in the hands of these soldiers.

The merchant ship traveled upstream along the Bavana River, finally reaching the outskirts of Saint Bava. It was a typical riverside plains city, surrounded by high walls. The Bavana river divided the city into two. Five stone bridges spanning the middle of the river play a critical role in urban traffic.

The city of Saint Bava is divided into the Uptown District on the north bank and the downtown on the south bank. Unlike in Holy Heart City, neither of these districts in Saint Bava is considered superior. Whether adversaries come from the south or the north, taking control of both districts requires crossing the city’s five stone bridges. During times of war, these bridges become critical junctions.

If enemies capture the Uptown District, the city’s nobility and military institutions escape to the downtown area. To completely conquer the remnants of Saint Bava, the whole of the downtown area must also fall. This flexibility increases the survival rate of Saint Bava’s military forces, ensuring their ability to counterattack and serves to maximize the river’s role as a barrier.

Saint Bava was currently under martial law, and seeing this adverse situation, Luo’er decided to disembark just before entering the city and stayed in an inn on the city’s outskirts. In the inn’s room, the five individuals gathered again to conduct another pre-battle meeting.

"Boss, why didn’t we go right in?" Hu Daoke asked.

"I’ve been thinking that our plan may need to change," Luo’er announced after a moment of contemplation.

"Tell us what you’re thinking!" Cheng Ziang chimed in.

"Now that Saint Bava is on full lockdown, it’ll be easy for us to enter but if we were to obtain the sword, escaping would be much more difficult. Even though the headquarters suggest that we should retrieve the sword before the Heresy Tribunal Army arrives, I think that plan is a little unreal," Luo’er stated.

"How is it unreal?" Cheng Ziang queried.

"The headquarters wants us to avoid the Heresy Tribunal Army, but something they’ve overlooked is the fact that the Saint Bartz Army, the forces guarding Saint Bava, are also military. Now it’s clear that the Saint Bartz Army has put the entire city under martial law. If we cause any significant trouble, we’ll be hunted across the city. Of course, the Heresy Tribunal Army is formidable, but we must not underestimate the army inside the city!" Luo’er explained.

"So what are you suggesting?" Cheng Ziang prompted.

"Here is my take, let the mantis stalk the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. I reckon, we are not the only ones who know the location of Arya’s Blade, along with the Heresy Tribunal Army. Certainly, others would be eyeing this divine artifact, like the agents from the intelligence bureau that we already know."

"If nobody steals it, and the Heresy Tribunal Army takes the sword back to the Holy City of the Church, it will be almost impossible for us to obtain it then," Cheng Ziang bitterly commented.

"If we trail behind, they will eventually be ambushed by someone. So long as we can grasp the opportunity to act, there’s a high possibility of seizing the sword," Luo’er stated.

"So we wait for the people of the Heresy Tribunal Army to come, let them take the sword, follow them, and when they get attacked, we snatch the sword?" Cheng Ziang inferred.

"That’s the most prudent strategy I can conceive!" Luo’er declared.

"What do you think?" Cheng Ziang turned to the others to ask.

"Whatever the Boss says, I’ll do!" Hu Daoke immediately responded.

"Get lost, nobody asked for your opinion!" Cheng Ziang rolled his eyes.

"We can’t be without an informant in the city, otherwise, we won’t know when they take it out," Baiyue surprisingly opined at this point.

"I agree with her!" Cheng Ziang nodded, then shifted his gaze to Luo’er.

"Hmm," Luo’er agreed, considering something for a bit before stating, "In that case, I’ll arrange for two people to go into the city to keep an eye on our enemies’ movements."

"Who do you plan to send?" Cheng Ziang asked, having already guessed who it might be.

Luo’er looked at Cheng Ziang, then Baiyue, then finally said, "You two have the most experience with reconnaissance, so I’m thinking of sending you two into the city. You will take turns returning once a day to report, and as soon as the artifact leaves the city, you both leave the city immediately and rendezvous with us."

"I understand!" Despite a moment of reluctance, Baiyue agreed with Luo’er’s suggestion.

Cheng Ziang looked at her and then asked, "Is there anything else to be instructed?"

"You two should enter the city disguised as adventurers and it is best not to carry firearms from Earth. This way, you will avoid attracting attention." said Luo’er.

"Piece of cake!" Cheng Ziang revealed a cold smile, being unable to carry firearms meant he could use his precious sword overtly. Though he had rarely used cold weapons in past battles, it did not mean he preferred firearms. Deep down, Cheng Ziang was a person who liked the close-quarters combat of cold weapons.

"Yue’er is rather shy, won’t she give herself away during inspections if we enter the city?" Tangmo touched Baiyue’s little head, asking with worry.

Luo’er was taken aback, he hadn’t expected Tangmo to offer a constructive suggestion. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Indeed, Yue’er is quite introverted, there might be some unnecessary conflicts during the inspections."

He then looked at Baiyue’s hood. Those familiar with her knew that Baiyue did not like others seeing her rabbit ears, so unless she was among her team, she wouldn’t easily remove her hood.

"How about letting Little Ke tag along?" Tangmo suggested.

"No, thank you, I’d rather go alone!" Upon hearing that Hu Daoke was to cooperate with him, Cheng Ziang immediately waved his hands in refusal.

"As if I want to be your partner!" Hu Daoke rolled his eyes with a look of disgust.

Luo’er also thought that pairing these two together was not feasible. After all, both of them were unpredictable, what kind of trouble they might cause was anybody’s guess. Moreover, as a half-beastman, Hu Daoke had distinctive facial features that made him unsuitable for reconnaissance missions.

"Give her an identity," Cheng Ziang looked at Baiyue, "an identity where she does not need to speak."

"Couple?" Hu Daoke regretted his words immediately as he felt Baiyue’s resentful gaze and saw Cheng Ziang’s disgusted face.

"As siblings," Luo’er pondered, then shook his head, "it is unrealistic, you two are not even the same species."

"Slave!" Just as everyone was at a loss, Tangmo suddenly opened his mouth and made a very constructive suggestion.

"Slave?" Everyone looked at her, then immediately turned their gazes to Baiyue.

"Ziang is pretty dominant, if Yue’er is his slave, then at least she doesn’t need to speak when communicating, ensuring she won’t be wronged!" Tangmo added.

"Indeed!" Cheng Ziang nodded in agreement. Given his own character, if Baiyue were his slave, he could make sure she wouldn’t be bullied. It was unnecessary for her to speak during communication which seemed like a good solution.

However, such a decision required Baiyue’s approval. Without it, Luo’er would not force her to agree.

"I, I’m okay with it." Seeing that everyone was watching her, Baiyue spoke softly with her head lowered.

"Then it’s settled. Yue’er will be my slave, um, for a name, let’s call her Diana!" Cheng Ziang pondered for a moment and said.

Diana was the name given by Baiyue’s father. Though she never used it, she treasured the name her father gave her. She didn’t feel much resistance to using her real name for the mission.

However, having given her the slave identity, they couldn’t alternate in delivering information. After thinking it over, Luo’er changed the information delivery frequency from daily rotation to once every two days. Any new information could be passed on by Cheng Ziang when he left the city, while Baiyue could stay to continue the reconnaissance.

Once the decision was made, everyone began preparations. Firstly, there were the clothes for the two of them, it was impossible to charge through the checkpoint dressed in the modular adventurer clothes provided by the headquarters. Cheng Ziang was set up as a young noble from Odelanqi, and Baiyue was his purchased slave.

To solve the clothing problem, Luo’er entrusted the innkeeper to call over the head of a city merchant, who was also an informant for the headquarters, and got some noble clothes and a drab, full-length dress.

Dressed in noble clothes, Cheng Ziang looked much more imposing. Though his appearance and demeanor matched, Luo’er could still sense the rebellious look in Cheng Ziang’s eyes, making him appear all the more charming.

Baiyue’s clothes were a simple full-length dress, so plain that it couldn’t be any plainer. The long sleeves hid her hands, the large turban tied around her head perfectly covered her fluffy rabbit ears.

A rusty shackle was fastened around her neck, as a mark of being a slave, like a collar carried by domestic pets. However, affluent nobles would use a leather choker for the slaves, those who found it a hassle would simply use the shackles given by slave traders as the collar.

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