Noticing the atmosphere in the air wasn't quite right, Camellia observed the expressions of her companions and asked cautiously, "This operation was still a success... right?"
No one responded to her. Everyone in the base was busy with their own tasks. Night Owl was adjusting the radio, trying to scout the Mountain Crow family's next moves. Sparrow was blowing pink bubbles while focused intently on the handheld game console in his hands. Owl was training her physique, landing heavy punch after heavy punch on a sandbag. With a loud shout from the girl, the sandbag was sent flying, making Camellia's heart tremble in fear.
"What's wrong? We caught that guy, and he's locked in the basement right now. Why are you all so grim-faced?" Camellia held up a finger. "How about this? We'll have a victory banquet tonight, and it's my treat. What do you say?"
"Camellia, for the next operation, you'll be responsible for staying here to monitor the Mountain Crow family's movements."
Owl let out a breath, wiped the sweat from her body with a dry towel, hung it around her neck, and casually shoved the boxing gloves into Camellia's arms.
The girl's tone wasn't particularly heavy, but it made Camellia feel as if her self-esteem had been stepped on. She placed the gloves on the table.
"I know I can be a bit willful, but I've never held the team back, have I? I know how to weigh the importance of things. This operation was ultimately a success..."
"You just had to leave a red doll on that car to provoke them," Night Owl said, glancing at the guilt-stricken girl. "Now look at what happened. You successfully riled up the main house's loyal dogs, and they're scouring the streets for us."
"As you wished, we'll have to stay hidden in the shadows for the next half a month. Satisfied now, Young Miss?"
"I just wanted more people to know about the Night Walkers. We started this with that goal in mind, didn't we?" Camellia said, somewhat unwilling to give in.
"And besides, many things wouldn't be possible without the funding I provide. This equipment, the modification parts, even this basement—I bought and furnished it all. Without me, the Night Walkers wouldn't even exist today..."
The group exchanged looks and sighed helplessly. Night Owl said to Sparrow, "I told you before that this Young Miss is hard to handle, didn't I?"
The youth looked at Camellia, his tone solemn as he raised a finger. "First, you were the one who stubbornly insisted on joining us, swearing up and down that you would follow orders, accept arrangements, provide funding, and get along with the team members."
"Second, if you really can't stay any longer, you can quit at any time. The Night Walkers can go back to how things were before."
"Don't you feel that your personality is too self-centered? It's like everything has to revolve around you. Whether it's the people from the Mountain Crow family or us, have you really stepped down from your pedestal and treated us as your comrades? Or do you just think this group's ideals are fun to play with, like servants you can order around at will?"
Camellia paused, momentarily speechless. No one had ever said such sharp words to her face since she was a child.
She knew she was at fault in this matter, but she just couldn't bring herself to lower her head and apologize. Moreover, was she really wrong? She only wanted justice to be proclaimed so that one day, all darkness would have nowhere to hide.
Noticing Camellia's awkward expression, the others shook their heads and stood up one by one, walking past her. Sparrow hopped lightly to her side, the pink bubble popping at the corner of his mouth.
"Alright, reflect on your problems a bit. It was just one operation. After we go back to school, no matter who you talk to, make sure you don't reveal even the slightest detail about the mission."
"As if I'd make such a rookie mistake," Camellia said, turning her head away.
"Let's go." Sparrow waved his hand and left the base.
The environment turned cold and quiet. Camellia was the only one left in the empty room of several dozen square meters. She looked around, bit into a bitter melon candy, and opened her curtain with a disgruntled expression, intending to share today's events with Yuzu.
Without adding any embellishments, she recounted the incident. She felt that this online friend she always got along with would surely understand her. Before long, Xu Xiaoyou's message arrived.
[Yuzu: That really isn't good. Why don't you apologize to your companions?]
Camellia froze. She unexpectedly typed out a long paragraph of text, only to delete every bit of it in the end. Her thoughts were a tangled mess. Recalling her companions' final expressions, the bittersweet aftertaste of the candy spread through her mouth.
Even the usually considerate Yuzu thought she was wrong. Did she really go too far this time?
Camellia thought it over and didn't continue the topic, instead asking:
[Camellia: Yuzu, didn't you say before that you needed my help? Are you interested in joining us?]
Far away on the other side, Xu Xiaoyou, who was brushing her teeth, froze. Facing the olive branch suddenly thrown by the girl, she looked up at Angelina, who also had her chin resting on Xu Xiaoyou's head while brushing her teeth. The latter arched an eyebrow.
"What are you looking at me for?"
This scene reminded her of the time in the apartment long ago, except back then, she was the one resting on Anya. 'Time really flies,' Xu Xiaoyou thought.
After finishing her teeth, Xu Xiaoyou didn't give an answer to continue the previous topic with Camellia. Instead, she walked to the window with Angelina. A strange, blood-red celestial body hung high above. Clusters of steel buildings of varying heights formed the city's nightscape. Under the darkness, countless incidents of violence, crime, and gang wars were taking place. Gunfire and flames pierced the silence, composing a symphony of iron and fire. They clinked glasses and drank together to the main theme of vice.
Dragonfly Town, a town that couldn't be more inconspicuous in Red Heaven, was sandwiched between two giant fortress cities, Tower City and Lice Tower City. It stretched like a ditch between mountain ranges into the distance. The tallest buildings were only a few dozen meters high. On either side were steel city walls tens of thousands of miles long, towering into the clouds, as magnificent as two giants guarding the city.
Compared to the thousands of meters high walls of the two fortress cities, the entirety of Dragonfly Town was as small as a grain of dust. Squadrons of fighter jets streaked overhead, turning into eagles soaring through the sky and battling fierce winds, flying toward the blood-red, eerie night.
Every minute and every second, millions of drone swarms were produced from the wall fortifications. Four or five large transport planes worked together to ferry war titans into the canopy. No one knew what was happening inside the two giant cities at this moment, but it wasn't hard to tell from the occasional booming explosions that a war requiring the lives of countless people was being fought.
The construction of the steel city walls wasn't to defend against external threats, but to prevent the flames of war from spreading to the towns outside the walls and burning all of Red Heaven to ash.
The interior of the cities had long ago become unsuitable for living beings, turning into a forbidden zone for life amidst the ceaseless fire. This war had been fought for nearly a hundred years, and the enemies were endless. No one knew how much longer the war would continue, or when they would be reunited with their relatives outside the walls. Perhaps until the last person of Red Heaven died in battle, there would be no rest from the fighting.
Rate on N.U.
