Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Since the pretext of foreign war has failed, isn't there another ready-made one here?

Infected individuals, ah, what perfect targets.

The people feared them, the nobles enslaved them, no one cared for them or loved them, and they were almost universally disliked.

Did the Ursus high command really not know Black Serpent's original plans?

Could he really have mobilized an army to ambush Chernobog without anyone noticing? Could the Reunion Movement have taken over an entire city by one person?

Impossible. Given the leaky state of Ursus, you think you can keep it a secret?

The truth is, everyone wants a war, so they're all pretending not to see it!

The emperor wanted war. His father had been able to suppress various factions and maintain a balance by relying on the benefits of war. He wanted to use this war to weaken the power of the nobility.

The nobles want war. Those who lived through the golden age of the previous emperor cannot tolerate the current state of Ursus. They want to seize more power for themselves through war.

After the Chernobyl incident was resolved, the Patriots attracted everyone's attention.

Infected individuals are truly a perfect target.

Those who want to gain more through war can achieve their goals through external wars or internal wars, such as a large-scale rebellion instigated by infected individuals.

The latter is even easier.

Fighting other countries carries the risk of defeat, but these infected individuals within the country are disregarded by everyone.

These people don't need the infected to be able to fight against the regular army. As long as the infected rebels break out and commit arson, murder, and looting in Ursus, just like the Reunion Movement did in Chernobog, their goal will be achieved.

Whether it's attacking political enemies or seizing power, it all comes down to who has the better methods.

That's why those people kept sending infected people to the Patriots' side, forcing them to abandon their previous guerrilla warfare. That's why they deliberately placed heavily fortified towns full of supplies at the front of the battle line before they had gathered enough infected people, so as to weaken the guerrillas and make the rebellion break out when they wanted it to.

That's why they ignored the infected camps that they could easily crush, and instead formed a battle line, acting as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

Ultimately, the infected are merely the knife in their hands used to kill.

Thinking of this, Xia Yu shook her head.

Sometimes I really wish I could have a clean and tidy wash like I did in Casimir.

But Ursus and Kazimir are ultimately different.

Just like Kal'tsit said before we came, what would happen to the demons of the North if Ursus collapsed overnight?

Without this human shield in front, the civilized world would immediately face annihilation.

No matter how powerful you are, Xia Yu, and how well you can hold off evil spirits on your own, given the nature of those ghostly things... are you willing to spend the next few hundred or even a thousand years alone there resisting them?

Xia Yu and Kal'tsit had learned about demons, the concepts of collapse and collapse bodies, but this thing was really... too much like science fiction? Fantasy?

It's really not easy to handle; it's certainly not something that can be resolved in a short time.

Therefore, Xia Yu dug out the simulated Gaia - Spiritual Particle Environment Modification System from the bottom of the warehouse.

This system transforms the harsh, snowy landscape of Ursus into a habitat designed for human habitation. And then, would you like it?

Let's head north.

Go and fight against the evil spirits, go and seize them!

Let the dogs fight; there are vast tracts of land there.

Xia Yu has plenty of ways to keep them hanging on to fight the demons.

“Doctor, before I came back, I went to see the Orville,” Anton said, looking into Xia Yu’s eyes. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Indeed,” Xia Yu nodded upon hearing this, “Although I don’t like Kazimierz, I do agree with their aesthetic sense in this regard.”

"I need to know what method you intend to use to escape from the two high-speed warships of the Sixth Army."

Anton said, "Forgive my offense, this may be your secret, but I must make sure everything is perfect."

He gave a bitter smile. "The captain can't take any more bad news."

“Our soldiers have suffered heavy losses. Although the camp has no shortage of people, it takes time and resources to transform a civilian into a qualified soldier.”

"How can we train them to be qualified soldiers when they can't even afford to eat?"

"My mission before I came here was to determine whether the Orville could pass through the Cheprinid alone, and if not..."

At this point, Anton took a deep breath and solemnly said, "Please make sure you take good care of yourselves and don't go east."

Xia Yu just stared at him, already having a premonition in her mind.

"The captain... will bring everyone over."

“I think this must be the last resort, right?” Xia Yu sighed. “Without food or clothing, we still have to lead over a hundred thousand people on a trek of more than a thousand kilometers. The deaths and injuries along the way…”

“What’s worse, if it really comes to that, even the captain’s prestige won’t be able to restrain our starving compatriots,” Anton said somberly, bowing his head. “What happened in Chernobyl will happen again, and even worse. The infected will be burdened with countless crimes and plunged into an abyss.”

"Those people's intentions have been completely fulfilled."

"Don't worry," Xia Yu patted his shoulder, seeing his dejected look.

"Getting through here shouldn't be a problem for me."

"So how do you plan to do that? Escaping from two high-speed warships while piloting a transport ship?"

"Do you remember the corpses you saw when you came back?"

"I think no matter how fast Ursus's warships are, they can't defend against natural disasters, right?"

369. A single punch can ward off a hundred.

“Of course,” Anton said, his heart skipped a beat. “Even the most powerful warships can’t withstand natural disasters. Even mobile cities, which are larger and thicker than warships, have to take shelter when faced with a natural disaster.”

"However, as far as I know, isn't the so-called Cheprini cold wave disaster just a rumor spread by the Ursus government to stop you and your ship?"

He leaned forward. “When Victor and I went to Ceprini, we got this answer from an official who had been helping local infected people, and several scholars from your team whom we met on the road also confirmed this possibility.”

“The news of the natural disaster they spread was indeed false,” Xia Yu smiled upon hearing this, “but in my hands, it can become true!”

"...Just like those armies in the valley outside?"

“Just like them.”

“That’s really…” Anton took a deep breath upon hearing this, “It’s incredible.”

"When we came back with Victor, although there were many suspicious points at the scene, we all thought that a natural disaster had really happened. After all, what else on this land could do such a horrifying thing besides a natural disaster?"

"To make him feel better and to salvage his shattered mind, since this village could be considered his refuge for the rest of his life, I had no choice but to weave a lie using the Yeti Squad's teleportation in the snowfield and Yelena's existence, along with those suspicious points."

“If you say it was all caused by Frostnova and the Yetis, the villagers will surely be alright,” Anton said with a sigh. “But I know in my heart that Yelena couldn’t do such a thing, and neither could the Yeti squad.”

“If she can really do that, then she won’t just be the Yeti’s princess, she’ll be our queen. The guerrillas won’t have to hide everywhere anymore, and we’ll truly become Ursus’s nightmare.”

"However, when I was mentally prepared and crossed that hill, and saw wisps of smoke rising from the village in the morning, I was deeply moved."

“When I saw Yelena, I almost really thought it was her masterpiece,” Anton said, shaking his head with a smile. “But I still had my senses. Yelena’s health was so bad when she was in Chernobog. Although the captain sent her to Rhodes Island for treatment and to learn from his old friend, it is a miracle in my opinion that she was able to turn a seriously ill patient into someone who looks so healthy in such a short time.”

"It's simply impossible that she could develop her Originium Arts to such an unbelievable level."

“I know Yelena. I was there when the captain brought her out of the mine. I watched that child grow up. I saw the trust in you in her eyes just now. There aren’t many people in the guerrillas besides us old guys who can be trusted like that.”

Anton looked at Xia Yu, "So, you did all of this, right, Doctor?"

“It can’t be said that Froststar did nothing,” Xia Yu said humorously upon hearing this, “At least she and the guerrillas helped me set up those bases perfectly.”

“It sounds like just doing odd jobs,” Anton laughed when he heard this. “If the villagers here were taught properly, they could do it too.”

The two of them just looked at each other and smiled.

"Doctor, since you can eliminate five thousand people, the remaining fifteen thousand in Cheprini should be no threat, right? Once the spell is cast, who would dare to chase us?"

Anton's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "But the Orville is still docked in Cheprini. Does such a large-scale spell require something special? Or are there any limitations? Is there anything we can do to help?"

“None of that is necessary,” Xia Yu shook her head upon hearing this. “First of all, please stop calling me doctor.”

He sighed, "To be honest, I'm not even as good as Frostnova, who follows Kal'tsit, in terms of medical skills. I rely solely on my unique skill to get by. Calling me a doctor always feels a bit strange to me."

"Then how should I address you?"

"Hmm, let me think, what should I call him/her by his/her title?" Xia Yu said, stroking her chin.

"Position? Oh, you're the captain of the Orville. From now on, I'll call you Captain..."

Before Anton could finish speaking, Xia Yu waved her hands repeatedly, "No, no, no, it feels like we're on the wrong channel. Besides, a grown man calling me captain... just call me advisor like Frostnova does."

While it's not entirely impossible, it's best not to taint your few remaining memories of your past life. Calling someone "Captain" or something like that... at least she should be an incredibly, super cute girl.

Anton was completely confused. To him, captain was a normal position, so why couldn't a man be called that?

However, he naturally wouldn't dwell on these things. After all, talented people often have quirks. Why would you care about these things when someone already has such great abilities?

"I can also answer your question."

Xia Yu said to Anton, "You should know this snowfield better than I do. How far do you think it is from Cheprini to the Patriots' camp?"

“One thousand one hundred and forty-two kilometers,” Anton answered without hesitation.

“More than a thousand kilometers,” Xia Yu nodded. “Compared to modern land-based ships, a thousand kilometers would take about a week in places with good waterways, and in places like the snowfields with harsh climates, it would take almost a month at most.”

"This doesn't even take into account the fact that local governments don't cause trouble. In reality, it would be impossible to get the Orville, a behemoth with a carrying capacity of tens of tons, to the Patriot in less than two or three months."

"By the time we get there, everyone will have starved to death."