– The clash of cannons and the squabbles of neighbors are, in essence, no different; what truly matters is whose voice rings loudest, not who holds the moral high ground. The final meeting’s agenda was, in truth, quite straightforward, primarily reiterating precautions that Lan Xifang had already thoroughly covered during their journey.
As per the previously negotiated withdrawal agreement, Xuanji Star was to evacuate the Great Promontory Region over three days. The withdrawal from Worldly Affairs City and its surrounding areas was slated for completion today. The region had been segmented into several zones, with Xuanji Star retreating from one zone every half hour, ceding control to Vega. On the map, Xuanji Star’s retreat from Worldly Affairs City unfolded zone by zone, much like the ebb of the tide.
‘Why this piecemeal withdrawal?’ Ke Yiyi wondered. ‘Couldn’t they simply pull out entirely and let Vega assume full control? Given Xuanji Star’s withdrawal speed, evacuating the entire Great Promontory within a single day would pose no challenge. Why complicate something so simple?’
However, her mission was to oversee the withdrawal, not to second-guess the rules already established by the Independent Observation Group.
Members of the observation group filed out of the Worldly Affairs City government building. According to the Independent Observation Group’s regulations, they were permitted to move freely throughout the area in groups of at least two, provided they did nothing to violate the established rules.
Unsure whom to pair with, Ke Yiyi spotted Gan Lan standing nearby, looking around, and waved her over.
She asked Gan Lan where she wished to go, but Gan Lan merely shook her head, returning the choice to Ke Yiyi.
‘Gan Lan used to be a training assistant,’ Ke Yiyi mused, ‘so she’s probably never participated in an operation like this. It’s understandable that she might feel a little out of place in such an environment. Then again, I’m in the same boat; who am I to judge anyone?’
After a moment of contemplation, she decided to head to the Worldly Affairs City Garrison Bureau. Though the police station building had been destroyed during the World War, map annotations indicated that Xuanji Star was currently using the site as a Garrison Bureau, suggesting it had been rebuilt.
Moreover, if Xuanji Star were to withdraw from that location next, Ichijō Hi and her team would likely proceed there to take over.
‘Monitoring a troop withdrawal… why would Vega send outsiders like us? Shouldn’t this task be entrusted to the military…’
As Ke Yiyi considered this, a potential reason for Vega’s deployment of The Robin Club suddenly dawned on her.
Given the past incident of the ‘Council of Justice making a separate peace,’ Vega’s handling of such matters necessitated the presence of all three major councils. Rather than drawing members from various departments to form an observation group, it was more practical for The Robin Club, already composed of members from different departments, to serve this role.
‘But this is just my wishful thinking,’ she mused. ‘The true situation might be far more complex. After all, The Robin Club has never handled such incidents, and its members lack experience in this area. Could it really be, as Lan Xifang claimed, that nothing will happen, and we just need to casually observe?’
****
“Yo! Lights of Shell City! Are you two heading to the ‘library’ as well?”
Ke Yiyi glanced sideways to see a van pulling up alongside them. Its windows were down, revealing Cui Wei, the man who seemed to be on familiar terms with everyone. But what was that in his passenger seat… a gas cylinder?
Though Ke Yiyi found the idea of a gas cylinder in the passenger seat incredibly dangerous, this area was not currently under Vega’s jurisdiction, so she couldn’t enforce Vega’s laws. Moreover, Cui Wei belonged to the Independent Observation Group, affording him certain special privileges—though she couldn’t recall anyone mentioning gas cylinders as one of them during their briefing.
“No, we’re going to the ‘Garrison Bureau,’” Ke Yiyi replied.
“Then our paths diverge. See you around.”
As Cui Wei finished speaking, the van, carrying its peculiar cargo, sped off into the distance. Aside from everything else, driving at such a speed within city limits was surely illegal! Thankfully, the surrounding streets were deserted, or an accident would have been inevitable.
‘Those Polaris people are truly reckless, completely disregarding human lives…’
Ke Yiyi merely thought this to herself. She was just an ordinary observer and couldn’t complain about her fellow observers, Cui Wei and Gan Lan included.
‘Still… how do the Polaris people know about the ‘Lights of Shell City’ meme?’
****
The car soon arrived at the Worldly Affairs City Garrison Bureau. The Garrison Bureau was a unique paramilitary organization of Xuanji Star, typically established only in major Xuanji Star cities, with smaller cities lacking such an institution.
The Garrison Bureau oversaw the ‘Garrison Police,’ a police force that wore military uniforms and operated under military management. All its members held military ranks, a practice that seemed highly unusual from Vega’s perspective.
Under Vega’s system, the military and police were two entirely distinct entities with different functions and chains of command, never to be conflated. Xuanji Star, however, had no such restrictions.
As if anticipating the observation group’s arrival, numerous guards had been stationed at the Garrison Bureau’s entrance, clearly intending to display Xuanji Star’s military might to outsiders. Following their defeat at Stern Island years ago and the continuous accusations of war crimes leveled against them, Xuanji Star was striving to project military strength in every aspect to bolster its influence, both domestically and internationally.
Upon Ke Yiyi’s disembarkation, a Garrison Bureau officer promptly emerged to greet them—an indication that Xuanji Star was well aware of every observer’s whereabouts.
The officer saluted Ke Yiyi, then meticulously introduced herself.
“Captain Li Subai of the Xuanji Star Worldly Affairs City Garrison Bureau. Welcome to our inspection, Independent Observation Group.”
Ke Yiyi did not offer a full introduction, simply stating, ‘Independent Observation Group Observer Ke Yiyi.’ As emphasized in their earlier briefing, observers were not required to state their positions within their respective academies, merely to identify themselves as ‘observers.’
Ke Yiyi had had very little interaction with the Xuanji Star military. Her impression of Xuanji Star soldiers was one of rigid, stern figures, like unyielding trees.
Yet, Li Subai, standing before her, defied this image entirely. Perhaps it was due to her role in the Garrison Bureau, but she stood tall and vibrant, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of her lips.
From what Ke Yiyi had learned at the Polzo Police Academy, such a subtle smile could sometimes win over strangers more effectively than an overt one.
Li Subai’s uniform closely resembled that of Polaris, both featuring a black base with white trim. However, the Garrison Bureau uniform’s white trim was noticeably wider, with a vertical white stripe extending from front to back on each side. Across the chest, where the front vertical stripe met, a horizontal white stripe, edged with black, stretched across, wrapping around the left side of the uniform to converge with the vertical stripe at the back. Coupled with the distinctive insignia of the Garrison Police on her left breast, the uniform was strikingly conspicuous.
“Would the two of you require an introduction?” Li Subai asked, her words clear and articulate.
She gestured with an open arm towards the Worldly Affairs City Garrison Bureau. Seeing Ke Yiyi’s calm shake of the head, indicating no need, Li Subai continued.
“Then I shall leave you both to your inspection. Please feel free to call upon me if you require anything.”
Ke Yiyi surveyed the Garrison Bureau personnel scattered around. Noticing a residential building nearby, she motioned for Gan Lan to accompany her.
Gan Lan watched Li Subai’s retreating figure, then spoke abruptly.
“Profound Heaven Shadow-Extinguishing Leg.”
“Hmm?”
Ke Yiyi looked at Li Subai’s back. She had indeed noticed the captain’s steady gait, suggesting the possibility of a formidable skill—but Ke Yiyi wasn’t particularly adept in martial arts and rarely paid attention to others’ individual strengths, so she hadn’t given it much thought.
“I’ve seen others who practice the Profound Heaven Shadow-Extinguishing Leg,” Gan Lan explained. “Their footwork is always like that when they walk.”
“Steady, light, yet containing power that could erupt at any moment.”
Li Subai’s gaze sharpened imperceptibly. She had heard Gan Lan’s words but didn’t break her stride, continuing towards her original position. ‘For a mere third-level assistant instructor from a Sunset Martial Arts Hall to possess such insight, it seems Vega is far from being spent, not yet without successors.’
Ke Yiyi and Gan Lan arrived before the residential building. She noticed it appeared newly constructed, bearing the architectural style of the Eastern Continent, indicating it was built post-war.
The building’s windows were all tightly shut, each one draped with curtains, presenting a rather unusual sight.
She rounded the wall and saw that the open ground near the building was devoid of playing children—a highly abnormal sight in broad daylight.
‘The wall is so close to the building that the ground floor wouldn’t get any sunlight anyway, even without curtains… so why are they drawn?’
As she walked along the wall, she noticed a corner of a curtain in one window had been lifted, and a single eye peered out from behind it, curiously observing everything.
Ke Yiyi offered a gentle smile and waved. A small hand then reached out from behind the curtain, softly unlatching the window, revealing an innocent, smiling face.
The very next second, a hand clamped over that smiling face from behind, instantly erasing all mirth.
Ke Yiyi, quick as lightning, pushed the window open and swiftly entered, pinning the person down with her bare hands.
“Who are you? Why are you grabbing this child?”
“Don’t… don’t kill me…”
Seeing the fear on the person’s face, Ke Yiyi watched as they released their grip. The little boy quickly broke free and tugged at Ke Yiyi’s sleeve.
“Don’t hurt my sister!”
‘Sister?’
Ke Yiyi looked at the old civilian before her, quickly releasing her hold. Beside her, Gan Lan remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings.
The civilian was a girl who appeared to be not even eighteen… perhaps not even sixteen. Ke Yiyi noticed ‘middle school’ written on her uniform.
“Why did you cover your brother’s face from behind?” Ke Yiyi asked.
The civilian girl adjusted her uniform, her wary eyes filled with terror and apprehension. She dared not look directly at Ke Yiyi, instead pulling the little boy closer and observing Ke Yiyi from the corner of her eye. When she spotted the Vega insignia on Ke Yiyi’s clothing, her fear instantly transformed into surprise, followed by a joy Ke Yiyi had never witnessed before, as if she had discovered a beacon in the darkness.
Yet, as her gaze moved upwards to Ke Yiyi’s face, fear once again gripped her.
‘Was my expression too serious?’
“Don’t be afraid, I’m an Indep—”
Ke Yiyi had intended to introduce herself as an observer, but seeing the girl’s unwavering gaze fixed on her Vega badge, she instinctively responded differently—she couldn’t refuse that desperate plea for help in her eyes.
“I am from Vega…”
“Vega… It’s really Vega… Vega has returned…”