Chapter 1644 - 107: Fox and Rat Game (17)

[Maplestone City Cathedral]

As night fell, the once bustling nave became quiet.

Of the nearly one hundred junior officers summoned that morning, only twelve remained.

Among these twelve, nine were true graduates of the Alliance Army Academy, and three were commissioned officers.

Their departments were different, their posts varied, their responsibilities diverse, including even a disabled man who had gone to teach at the military academy.

Clearly, those who selected them did not care whether they needed a cane to walk, nor did they care if they could speak fluent Guidao City dialect, not even "trustworthiness" seemed to be a necessary condition.

Twelve young men stood before the altar, unaware of why they had been chosen.

Yet, they all kept silent, quietly waiting for that person to arrive.

Moonlight streamed through the side windows, casting upon the altar, the Saint Heir nailed to the cross with closed eyes and a sorrowful expression.

The small side door creaked open, and the "Alliance Major" and Major Roson walked out one after the other.

The twelve officers snapped their heels together and raised their hands in salute.

The Alliance Major went up to the pulpit and solemnly returned the salute.

Without even a formal introduction, he straightforwardly answered the question in everyone's hearts:

"The fire in the clothing warehouse at dawn, unless by accident, should be the work of an imperial spy.

"The motive, it seems, is to respond to our attempted assassination of the Empress Princess Elizabeth Li Yang last night — unsuccessful, but judging from the enemy's reaction, they felt they had to respond."

One question was answered, but more arose, the unfolding of the story was too abrupt, leaving those below the altar somewhat dazed.

Some were teaching a group of illiterates to spell [cow], [horse], [sheep], [rabbit], [pig] just yesterday, now listening to a stranger speaking of [arson], [Empire], [spy], [assassination], [princess].

Yet, inadvertently, the twelve below the altar began to reveal a commonality.

Faced with the absurd prelude, they voiced no objections, made no movements, nor did they impatiently question, they chose to silently digest the information, patiently waiting for more intelligence.

Roson sneaked a glance at Major Moritz, expecting to see appreciation and satisfaction on his face.

But Moritz van Nassau showed no expression, he simply maintained his characteristic calm and efficiency, pouring out what he deemed necessary to the twelve below the altar:

"Surely, you've all heard the saying 'Oath Breakers have many spies within the Alliance,' everyone has heard it, but even having heard it, the public treats 'imperial spies' as some kind of folklore.

"The folklore is true, at least most of it is.

"All along, the Empire has operated an extensive intelligence network within the Alliance.

"During the First Sovereignty War, this intelligence network already existed, woven together by Royalist sympathizers and nobles.

"After the Second Sovereignty War ended, the Empire's intelligence network temporarily became dysfunctional, but the Oath Breakers quickly rebuilt and expanded it.

"Its main members are no longer Royalists and noble sympathizers but 'envoys' directly dispatched by the Pretender Emperor and opposition within the Alliance, making it more covert and more dangerous... nearly invisible.

"This invisible enemy has driven a whole generation of United Provincials mad, for in their eyes, behind every accident, every disaster, every homicide, every conflict looms the shadow of the Oath Breakers, yet they find no real evidence.

"Then came the 'Hundred Days of Terror.'

The "Major" paused for a moment on the altar, calmly saying, "All my family died in that purge."

The Sanctuary became utterly quiet, if moonlight had a sound when it touched the ground, the twelve young men before the altar would have heard it.

Roson would have heard it too.

But the "Major" had already moved on.

"Even so," the one on the altar continued, "they have not been able to eliminate the Empire's intelligence network, they simply no longer publicly acknowledge it.

"Because they finally realized — the existence of the Phantom itself is not fatal, what is fatal is the extreme actions born from the fear of the Phantom."

The gaze of the one on the altar swept over those beneath him, "This is why I chose you.

"The hand of the Oath Breakers has reached the Newly Reclaimed Land.

"Here in Maplestone City, their spies have already woven a large net, one that allows them to silently destroy your warehouses and escape capture with ease.

"This is why I am here.

"I am here to handle this network.

"To deal with this network, I need some helpers who can shoot, but do not shoot recklessly.

"Today, you showed good stress tolerance, you completed missions efficiently, and responded calmly to unfair treatment..."

"So," said the one on the altar, "I have applied to transfer you all into my department.

"The transfer orders you are about to receive are mandatory, but I am giving you a chance to refuse, right here, if anyone says 'no,' I will pull out the application with his name.

"If there are any questions, now is the time to ask."

After a headless search ended, came a headless recruitment — no, this could not be called recruitment, it could only be called a notification.

Moments later, the one-legged junior officer raised his hand.

"Speak," the one on the altar nodded slightly.

"What is your department?"

"Department of Security," the one on the altar answered blandly.