Chapter 278: Chapter 278- Iron

In a spartan yet commanding office, two figures defined the space. Heikal, the leader of the New Order, sat behind a heavy wooden desk, his movements economical and precise.

His stark white hair fell around a face that was often arranged in a placid, approachable expression, but his eyes—a piercing, unnatural red—held a calculating depth that betrayed his gentle tone.

Across from him stood Rei, her posture ramrod straight in her formal military-style attire. Her own white hair was pulled back severely, emphasizing the cool, judicial sharpness in her blue eyes, which seemed to radiate an aura of unwavering principle.

Heikal set down the last of the day’s reports, steepling his fingers. "The logistical allocations are settled for now," he said, his voice calm and pleasant. "It leads me to a more personal inquiry. Have there been any updates on our dear Beatrix? It’s been too quiet."

Rei’s brow furrowed slightly, a tiny crack in her composed facade. "None. My connection to her remains, but it’s... muted. Clouded. It’s as if something is actively interfering with my ability to pinpoint her. I can confirm she is alive, but her status is unknown." A hint of frustration, laced with concern, colored her tone. She disliked failing in her duties, especially on a matter he clearly valued.

Heikal leaned back, his crimson eyes losing focus for a moment as he processed the information. A dozen possibilities, each more troubling than the last, flitted through his mind.

’A captured asset? A voluntary defector? Or simply a victim?’

He finally let out a soft, dismissive sigh, a carefully curated sound meant to convey resigned acceptance. "Well, we cannot force the issue. Leave her be for now. Our resources are better spent elsewhere. Prepare a new scouting team; I want intelligence on the Iron Vanguard’s movements along the southern ridge. Their expansion is becoming... problematic."

Rei’s lips tightened, her sense of responsibility pricked. "My failure to track Beatrix is a security risk. I should be leading the effort to find her."

Heikal offered her a warm, disarming smile, a perfect tool of manipulation. "Rei, look at me. This is not your failure. In this broken world, anything can happen. Signals get lost. People vanish. It is the nature of our reality."

His voice was soothing, absolving her of blame while simultaneously redirecting her focus. "Your talents are far too valuable to be wasted on a wild goose chase. I need you here, ensuring the Order’s justice is upheld."

Rei held his gaze for a moment, the conflict between her personal desire to rectify the failure and her loyalty to his command clear in her eyes. Finally, she gave a sharp, dutiful nod. "Understood. I will assemble the scouting team immediately."

As she turned to leave, Heikal’s pleasant smile remained, but his red eyes followed her with a cold, speculative intensity. Beatrix’s disappearance was a variable he did not appreciate. And he made a silent vow to himself to uncover the truth, with or without Rei’s knowledge.

The dense forest canopy blotted out the moonlight, casting the world into deep shadows broken only by the beams of their handheld lights. The air was cold and damp, causing Beatrix to sneeze sharply.

"Are you alright?" Celestia asked, her voice a calm contrast to the surrounding darkness. "Would you like something warm to drink? I believe Clarissa packed some instant tea."

"I’m fine," Beatrix dismissed with a wave of her hand, though she pulled her coat tighter. "Let’s just keep moving."

Veronica, however, was less composed. "How much longer do we have to trek through this miserable jungle? My boots are ruined, and I’m exhausted."

"Please don’t complain, Veronica," Clarissa chided gently. "We’re all tired."

Emma, surprisingly still energetic, chimed in, "She’s right! Look at Zoe, she’s not complaining at all!"

The girl in question moved silently ahead of them, her form barely visible in the gloom, navigating the treacherous path with instinctual grace.

Veronica scoffed, "That’s because she’s practically feral. And this is exactly why our magnificent mobile base is useless here. Too large for this terrain."

Aya nodded from where she walked beside Julian. "That is its main weakness. It’s designed for open roads, not... this."

Celestia, ever the pragmatist, turned to Julian. "How much further to the coordinates?"

Julian, who was carrying a still-unconscious Fey over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, came to a stop. His sharp eyes scanned the group, taking in Veronica’s genuine fatigue, the dark circles under Aya’s eyes, and the general weariness that had settled over everyone, even the usually indefatigable Emma. Pushing through would be inefficient and risk mistakes.

"We’re stopping here for the night," he declared, his voice cutting through the complaints. "We’ll continue at first light."

A wave of palpable relief swept through the party. Veronica didn’t even offer a retort, simply sinking onto a nearby moss-covered log with a grateful sigh.

"Finally," she breathed.

With the decision made, the group snapped into a well-practiced routine. Clarissa and Emma began clearing a safe area for camp.

Aya, Dori and Celestia started unloading compact tent modules from their packs. Julian carefully deposited Fey onto a bedroll Clarissa had laid out, the engineer murmuring incoherently but not waking. Zoe, without being asked, vanished into the shadows to patrol the immediate perimeter.

A small but steady campfire soon crackled at the center of their clearing, pushing back the chill and the oppressive darkness of the forest. The smell of rehydrated stew and instant coffee began to fill the air, a simple but comforting aroma. As Clarissa and Emma handled the cooking, the others settled around the fire.

Beatrix, seated on a folded blanket, watched Julian across the flames. Her expression, usually one of pure boredom, was now sharp with curiosity.

"Julian," she began, her voice cutting through the quiet sounds of the forest. "This destination of yours. What’s the real objective?"

Julian poked the fire with a stick, the embers swirling into the dark. "I’m looking for someone," he stated, his tone flat and factual. "A high-ranking member of the Iron Fortress faction. Their leader possesses a skill called Indomitable Body."

He looked up, the firelight reflecting in his cold eyes. "I need it. My current defensive capabilities have a ceiling. This will break it."

Beatrix processed this, her analytical mind whirring. "The way your skill works is... unnatural. To be able to take what belongs to others. It’s no wonder you’ve grown so powerful." There was no judgment in her tone, merely clinical observation.

Julian’s response was just as clinical. "My Domination was limited at first. Only worked on creatures. Lesser minds." He clenched his fist, watching the flames dance. "I learned to maximize it. To refine the extraction process. Now, it can target the very essence of a skill within a person’s soul, provided I can break their will."

A slight chill that had nothing to do with the night air went through Beatrix. The casual way he described such a violation was unsettling. It was the ultimate pragmatism, stripped of all morality.

"Well," Beatrix said finally, taking a sip of the hot tea Clarissa offered her. "It’s a good thing for me that you’re not my enemy."