District 42-Chapter 349: Conclusion

"Will you defend this base till death, fight back and try to conquer the Castle until your body crumbles, or go to their side?"

MMA’s words echoed in Casper’s mind as he walked through the still messed Support base.

People were yet to finish organizing everything. The apprehension on their hearts about getting attacked at any time made them do it quickly, but there were too many things to get done.

Dislocating an entire base from a specific place to another wasn’t something that they could do overnight, particularly when they needed to take special care of the patients.

Casper could see how much care the healers had with the wounded people who were still under treatment. It somehow soothed his mind but didn’t make it easier for him to forget about what MMA asked. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

He thought that he needed a little stroll to get to a conclusion, but, of course, it wasn’t as simple as that.

After all, the Boss basically let the decision on his hands, right when Casper was questioning again his capabilities as a leader. More than never, his ability to make efficient and right decisions wasn’t at its best.

’Somehow, I feel now just like I felt when I still served the Yanke Forces. I had to do this kind of decision, right? If we go now to the mission, it will be nearly suicide. Because we are one week earlier than what MMA stipulated, our number of soldiers is low. Seven days is too much time to recover our troops, particularly because of the advanced medicine of District 42.

’However, even if we don’t go, there is the possibility to get attacked. We don’t have strong defenses, so the Supporting base would crumble down easily.

’As for helping the Frelsis... I don’t want them to win, nor the Aesirs, nor anyone. This war needs a third party to change things, and I will be this third party. However, I can’t make anything that will benefit them individually in a way that the table can’t be turned. If I cooperate with the Frelsis to deal with Gungnir and end with the mask’s restrictions, then I can’t have for granted that my plan will work.’

Casper kept his head lowered while walking and reasoning about the pros and cons of his decision. Sometimes he would bump into someone and, absently, apologize. Tents appeared in his way and he avoided them automatically.

He seemed like a ghost wandering on the Support base.

People didn’t mind him at all. They knew the White warrior, one of the few of the district that didn’t wear a mask. Even now, they couldn’t tell what Casper meant for them, but something was undeniable: he became a master key to give an end to that war.

Suddenly, Casper heard a voice that he couldn’t hear for a long while until then.

"I am here, Master."

"Y-Yanke?" Casper said out loud, turning to all sides, but not seeing the little robot. He seemed like a crazy man while doing so.

"Hahaha, no Master, I am not around. I am very far away, to be honest. Inside the Castle, precisely."

Casper got dumbfounded. He nearly forgot about Yanke while on all that fuss inside the Support base. Because of it, he couldn’t pay attention to that detail, but since the day when he asked the little robot to leave the Frelsis’ base and come to meet him, Yanke disappeared.

’Yanke, what were you doing? And why are you inside the Castle right now?’ He thought, knowing that Yanke would be able to hear him.

"I decided to go against your orders and find the answer, Master. I have been exploring your memories for a while, and there is something important that would be essential for you. However, it is inside the Castle... more or less. Anyway, if you come here, you will see it with your own eyes."

Casper knew about Yanke’s potential. He could trust the little robot. After so much time, maybe Yanke was even more amazing than before since he was always improving himself every day.

’Yanke, listen, I am not in the mood nor in the better situation to deviate my attention from my objectives. There are a lot of... complicated things happening here. I don’t know whether you are aware of it or not, but I am sure that you can search on my memories and see what happened. Sorry, but I can’t lose my time with anything else. I don’t have more time, after all.’

The robot got quiet for a while, probably looking at Casper’s recent memories.

"What I want to show to you is something that will surely help you with this. It’s an important thing, if you want to end this war. Without this, you won’t be able to do it. Not alone. I searched all this time and learned a lot just because it was indispensable. That’s why I need you to sacrifice a bit of your time, Master."

Casper thought on that matter for a while. He hesitated for some seconds, looking around.

Sighing, he decided to let his conclusion to a later time.

’Please, guide me, Yanke.’

"I will teleport you now, Master."

Casper agreed, walking to a hidden place and waiting for it to happen.

Like in the last times when Yanke did it, a beam of white light enveloped Casper’s body, making him disappear in just some seconds. Some people noticed that white beam, but nobody could tell what it was, nor gave it necessarily attention.

After a process that seemed to last a shorter span than the common teleportation that Casper went through so many times before, he appeared at his destination.

The White warrior opened his eyes slowly, waiting for his vision to get less blurry and looking around to see where he was.

That place seemed to be a mix of a laboratory and a programming office.

There were computers, sheets, desks, and all sorts of machines spread everywhere. An outstanding huge computer was present in the center of the room.

"Ah! White warrior! Long time no see." Casper heard a familiar voice.