Chapter 124: Farce
The meal ended without any further drama. Leo accepted a second bowl of food without complaint, eating in silence. Nearby, Cyrus sat waiting. His earlier enthusiasm had faded to a dull lull, leaving room for second thoughts. Rex caught the shift in his captain’s posture.
Oh no. The Captain’s brain is starting to work again.
Before Cyrus could change his mind, Rex slipped behind Atlas and leaned close to his ear.
"Atlas."
"Hmm?"
"If you go with the Captain, there’ll be more delicious food waiting for you."
Atlas froze, his eyes widening.
"More food?"
Rex gave a deadpan nod.
"Much more."
Atlas sprang to his feet.
"Captain!"
Cyrus turned to look at him.
"Let’s go!"
Cyrus nodded, shedding the last traces of his hesitation.
Rex, however, still wasn’t satisfied. Cyrus could come to his senses at any moment. He shot a subtle glance and a hand gesture toward Nina.
Catching the cue, Nina rushed toward Cyrus, her face lighting up with excitement.
"Yay! I knew the Captain would stand up for us!"
Cyrus puffed out his chest.
"Captain, you’re the most dependable!"
His chest expanded even further at the praise.
"Follow me!"
"Let’s see who dares to bully my people after today!"
With that, Cyrus marched off in the direction of the military camp.
Atlas trailed right on his heels. Nina followed them both, wearing an innocent expression that failed to hide the knowing smile on her lips.
Rex watched the trio leave and let out a long breath of relief. The bait had been swallowed.
Valentine stepped up beside him.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Rex kept his answer brief.
"Solving the supply problem."
Valentine raised an eyebrow. A faint smile touched her face.
"So what do you have planned for me?"
She crossed her arms.
"Don’t tell me you’re going to give me some grand moral lecture too."
Rex offered a strained, awkward smile.
"How could I possibly dare?"
He cleared his throat.
"But, Sis..."
"For the plan to work, we need to create as big a commotion as possible."
Valentine’s eyes lit up.
"I see."
She uncrossed her arms, ready to move.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"Let’s go."
"Ah... you can go ahead," Rex said.
"I’ll join you later."
Valentine gave him a knowing look before turning to trail after Cyrus. Grandpa Jiro rose from his seat to follow. The masked woman went with them, making no sound.
With the group gone, Rex let his shoulders drop, finally relaxing.
A short while later, he approached Leo, who stood waiting beside his truck. Rex held a folded sheet of paper in his hand. Before handing it over, he stopped.
"Are you sure you don’t need more people?"
Leo shook his head.
"No."
"I’m enough."
Rex narrowed his eyes.
"But how am I supposed to trust you to divide the spoils honestly if we don’t have anyone on our side?"
Leo met his gaze.
"You don’t."
Rex blinked.
"What?"
"You don’t have to trust me."
Rex stared at him.
"You have no choice but to trust me."
Leo’s tone remained perfectly flat.
"If you have a problem with that, we can do this separately."
A complicated look washed over Rex’s face.
Leo pressed on.
"I hadn’t even considered your plan before."
"Otherwise, I would have raided the depots myself already."
He gave a casual shrug.
"Actually, I don’t even need your group’s help."
"Since you came up with the idea, I’m willing to give you thirty percent."
Rex kept staring at him.
"Whoa."
"So serious, dude."
He shoved the folded paper into Leo’s hand.
"Fine. I’ll trust you."
His joking demeanor faded, leaving a harder edge.
"Our convoy is short on supplies."
"We can manage somehow."
"But the children need to eat ."
Leo shook his head.
"Don’t try to emotionally manipulate me."
"I’m not a blockhead like your Captain."
Rex’s lips twitched.
"Hey , it’s not like what you think "
Leo ignored the excuse.
"Anyway."
He waved a hand and walked toward the driver’s side of his truck.
"See you later."
Rex stayed put, watching the man walk away. Once Leo disappeared into the cab of the truck, Rex narrowed his eyes.
"I hate dealing with smart people."
Inside the truck, Leo unfolded the paper and studied the contents.
It was a map of the military territory. Someone had marked several supply depots, traced the patrol routes, and circled the officers’ quarters.
Leo grew tense. The map was far too detailed. How does Rex know this much about the military? For an outsider, getting ahold of this kind of intel bordered on impossible.
He remembered how Rex had figured out he was the one selling intelligence to the military. Seeing this map only deepened his curiosity about the man.
Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts aside.
"Whatever."
He folded the map.
"Time to get to work."
Leo fired up the engine and drove toward the military-controlled zone. He parked a few streets away from the main camp, choosing an abandoned stretch of the highway.
Stepping out, he slipped into the shadows along the side of the road and closed his eyes.
Void Sense.
Faint disturbances rippled through the space around him. Leo scanned the perimeter. No soldiers. No survivors. No one on his tail.
Satisfied, he opened his eyes.
With a single thought, he willed the Robe of Shroud to return to its true form. The fabric of his ordinary black jacket rippled. Dark material stretched across his body as the long robe formed into shape. In a matter of seconds, the black cloak concealed his entire figure. The moment he pulled the hood over his head, his presence melted into the surrounding darkness.
Leo made his way toward the nearest military depot, moving without a sound.
Minutes later, he closed in on his target.
A small army guarded the depot. Blinding floodlights bathed the compound in a harsh white glow. Rifle-toting soldiers stood at multiple checkpoints, while patrol squads circled the perimeter in steady rotations. Snipers kept watch from the neighboring rooftops.
Leo pulled out Tom’s Peeping Binoculars to survey the layout. A heavy frown crept onto his face.
Too many guards. Even with the Cloak of Shroud, slipping inside would be a challenge. Surveillance cameras monitored the front gates. Motion sensors dotted the outer fences. None of the soldiers looked bored or distracted; they were on high alert. One wrong step would give him away.
Leo lowered the binoculars.
"Let’s wait."
"Once the Freedom Convoy creates enough trouble, some of these guards should be pulled away."
Meanwhile, Cyrus arrived at the perimeter of the commander’s tent, flanked by Atlas and Nina.
A squad of armed soldiers spotted them approaching.
"Stop!"
Rifles snapped up, aiming straight at the trio.
"State your purpose!"
Cyrus planted his feet. For a brief second, he glanced back at Nina and Atlas. Then, remembering his heavy burden as their captain, he squared his shoulders. His chest puffed out.
He took a bold step forward.
"I’m here to speak with whoever is in charge."