“Whoa!
Has the Underworld’s automaton manufacturing improved this much?”
Looking at the unusual automatons lined up before her, Serval was astonished.
To set up an automaton production line from scratch and upgrade them all under a total lockdown…
Just thinking about it made the countless obstacles obvious.
For the people of the Underworld to overcome all those hardships and pull this off was truly commendable!
Along with her admiration, her researcher’s curiosity flared.
“Could I take a tour of the production line?”
“If there actually were one, I’d gladly let you look around…”
Oleg cast a stunned gaze across the town at the various automatons stationed about.
He had only been away for a few hours, and Su Yan had already churned out a whole batch of upgraded machines?!
As for why he assumed it was Su Yan’s doing—well, no one else had the ability to upgrade automatons in such a short time.
“Huh?” Serval looked at Oleg in surprise, confusion written across her face.
“What do you mean…?”
“These automatons weren’t made by us.
It was probably the Nameless…”
Saying that, Oleg glanced at the silent Dan Heng beside him.
“I’m not wrong, am I?”
“It should be him…” Dan Heng came to the same conclusion.
*Su Yan, what are you planning…?*
Pulling his gaze away from the automatons, Dan Heng headed toward the clinic.
“Let’s go.
Back to the clinic…”
Oleg followed closely behind.
Bronya took one last look at the automatons before catching up with them, followed by a bewildered Serval.
When the group reached the clinic, they saw Su Yan, Svarog, and Clara.
And alongside them…
There stood upgraded Automaton Grizzlies that resembled mobile turrets, their barrels gleaming with cold light, as well as three-legged, four-armed Automaton Direwolves, each mechanical arm mounted with a high-tech melee weapon…
They were on an entirely different level from the automatons they had seen just minutes ago.
If these machines were deployed in the Administrative District…
The Silvermane Guards stationed there wouldn’t stand a chance of stopping them.
Bronya and Serval shared nearly identical thoughts.
Dan Heng and Oleg, on the other hand, did not waste time daydreaming.
They went straight to Su Yan to ask why he was building automatons, and Su Yan did not hide his reasoning, laying out his concerns frankly.
Dan Heng agreed with Su Yan’s caution; making extra preparations was always wise.
“How did the investigation go?”
As Su Yan spoke, his gaze drifted to the newcomer—a woman with purple-streaked hair fading from gold to blue.
The distinctive hair color immediately brought someone to mind.
“Who is she?
A new companion you found?”
She’s a friend of mine, and she wants to help seal the Stellaron,” Bronya explained.
“As for the investigation…
we confirmed that Mother—Cocolia Rand—has been corrupted by the Stellaron…”
Bronya paused for a moment before asking, “Su Yan, do you have a way to cure Stellaron corruption?”
“A cure?” Hearing this, Su Yan instantly understood why Bronya was asking.
Meeting the hopeful gazes of both Bronya and Serval, he answered, “There is a way.
Do you want to save Cocolia?”
Oleg remained silent nearby.
He felt that keeping Cocolia alive to atone for her sins was a fine idea.
“Yes.
I want to save Mother.
I know she has done many terrible things, but…”
Bronya’s feelings were complicated, and she didn’t know how to explain or convince the others.
Without waiting for her to finish, Su Yan gave his answer.
“I can agree to that.”
As for why he was willing to save Cocolia…
Su Yan’s perspective was similar to Oleg’s: he believed Cocolia needed to atone.
The person responsible for countless tragedies in Belobog had no right to “leave” before paying for her crimes.
Both Bronya and Serval looked at him in shock.
*We haven’t even finished explaining…
You agreed awfully fast…*
Ignoring their surprise, Su Yan turned to Dan Heng and Oleg.
“The preliminary preparations are complete.
We’ll seal the Stellaron tomorrow.
Svarog will leave behind a portion of the automatons, and Clara has operational authority over them.”
“While we’re sealing the Stellaron, Fragmentum monsters might attack Boulder Town…”
Oleg nodded.
He would arrange for Wildfire and the automatons to form a joint defensive line.
Bronya and Serval thought of the Overworld.
The Fragmentum had encroached on a much larger area up there.
If Fragmentum creatures attacked residential zones, the Overworld would be in far greater danger.
The two exchanged a look.
Very few people had the authority to mobilize the Silvermane Guards, and Bronya was one of them.
However…
Bronya glanced to the side at the neatly lined-up automatons.
If they could obtain automaton support, the Silvermane Guards’ casualties would definitely be reduced.
With that thought in mind, she voiced her request.
“I agree,” Oleg stated his position.
He bore no ill will toward the rank-and-file soldiers and ordinary citizens.
“Who gets the operational authority over the automatons?”
Su Yan didn’t object either, turning to ask Bronya’s opinion.
“Don’t tell me you want it.
I assume you’ll be coming with us to Everwinter Hill…”
Bronya looked at Serval, who instantly understood her intent.
“I’m just an ordinary civilian.
I don’t have the authority to command the Silvermane Guards.” To make sure the responsibility was passed to the right person, Serval immediately suggested a suitable candidate: “I think Pela would be a great fit.
She’s an Intelligence Officer and has experience commanding the Guards in battle.”
“Pela?” Bronya considered it for a moment and found no reason to disagree.
In terms of ability and reputation within the military, Pela was fully qualified.
“All right.
I’ll speak with her tonight.”
Tomorrow would be the decisive battle, leaving no time to rest.
She had to get everything arranged tonight.
“I suggest you bring her down to Boulder Town.
Registering temporary authority requires recording her information.”
“Understood!” Bronya agreed.
After discussing a few more details, the group dispersed.
Su Yan resumed his night watch, Dan Heng went to rest in his room, and Oleg and Svarog discussed defensive deployments.
Bronya headed back to the Overworld to persuade Pela.
As for Serval, having absorbed so much shocking information in such a short time, she wasn’t sleepy at all.
She examined the new automatons while taking time to sort through her emotions.
At that same moment, inside Cocolia’s quarters…
The Stellaron was communicating with Cocolia, claiming it had sensed the presence of another Stellaron and demanding that she find it.
Could a single area host two Stellarons?
The answer was yes.
The Stellaron’s goal was Destruction, and it had no objection to cooperation.
Cocolia felt irritated by the Stellaron’s demands!
She asked for the other Stellaron’s location…
“The Underworld…”
Cocolia’s expression turned grim.
If that rabble in the Underworld had obtained a Stellaron, it would certainly threaten Belobog.
She had to locate it and bring it under control as soon as possible.
Due to the unique nature of the Stellaron, she did not plan on delegating this task to anyone else.
She would search for it herself.
Nighttime was the most convenient cover…
Without hesitation, Cocolia set off for the Underworld.
Using the Stellaron’s power to slip past the guards unnoticed was effortless for her…