Book 6 Chapter 21.3 - Soar
He stood up, walked a few circles around the office, and then stopped before the french windows, gazing into the great sea under the dark curtain of night. He ordered, "Tell Paniya to investigate who exactly it is that attacked our food factory. Also, regardless of who it is, seize that factory back for me, she has 24 hours of time. As for the requirements for this battle… I do not wish for even a single intruder to escape, nor do I need any captives, she should know what I mean. Also, contact Luke, have him start mobilizing the family's troops, he has three days."
The female secretary recorded the orders, and then left the office. General Morgan slowly turned around, this bit of working making him look like he aged more than ten years. The general walked over to the office table, stood there silently for a bit, and then lifted up the phone, dialing a number. A bit later, he said, "Old friend, how are things on your end?"
A hoarse voice transmitted from the other end of the receiver. "Everything has still been quite good up until now! Extremely peaceful, no insects coming to disturb me. However, it has been a bit too peaceful, enough to make one a bit restless. Those old friends of ours are definitely not fellas who know their place, still not displaying any activity until now, this really is quite strange."
General Morgan sighed, and then said, "Perhaps they are plotting something. However, I believe they will do something soon, with the war reaching this state, it is about time for the trump cards to be shown. However, your area there is extremely important, better watch carefully, definitely cannot let those fellas to escape amidst the chaos!"
"Relax! It has been several decades already, yet there hasn't been a single mistake from my end. Those fellas in the prison can just wait for their bodies to rot underground! However, number two has already been let out for quite some time, he hasn't stirred up any trouble has he? I let him out privately for you, so if something happens, it'll be a bit hard for me to explain."
General Morgan laughed and said, "He is together with Helen, what kind of tricks can he even play?"
A loud and bold laughter sounded from the telephone, "You have a point there! That little fella Helen was extremely difficult to deal with when she was only a few years old, I have never seen anyone who managed to make her suffer a loss! However, Helen's body is extremely weak after all, that fella number two goes crazy sometimes, so it's better if you are a bit more careful."
"It's fine. Curtis is there as well!"
"That crafty Black Steel?"
"That's the one."
"Why do I feel like that rash fella seems to dislike you quite a bit?"
"It was Helen who called him over."
"En, that makes more sense. Heh heh, I just knew you weren't that considerate when doing things! Alright, I should go and inspect the prisons, you know how troublesome those fellas are, just the slightest bit of carelessness and they might stir up something. However, don't worry, I will watch number one carefully."
After lowering the phone, General Morgan thought for a bit, suddenly feeling like he wasn't all that at ease, and as such, he dialed another number. A moment later, Helen's image appeared on the office table's light screen. She looked a bit thin and pallid, but there was still an ice-cold and machine-like expression on her face as she coldly said, "General Morgan, energy is extremely scarce right now, I have many experimental facilities that had to be shut down, so long distance wireless communication is an extremely extravagant thing. I hope what your distinguished self has to say is important enough, at the very least enough to not let down the consumption of this energy."
General Morgan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ended up holding himself back. Only after a bit did he ask, "Recently… what do you need more of?"
Helen's ice-cold face revealed a hint of surprise. She also paused for a second, and only then did she say, "Electricity, fuel, ammunition, raw materials, medications, and food, need more of everything. Especially food, those two fellas are quite the eaters."
General Morgan carefully asked, "Then I'll send some supplies over tomorrow morning?"
"There's no need, I can't afford it." Helen directly refused. She was always like this. After Persephone had her general rank stripped, without much of a budget left to the private hospital, the funds she relied on the previous plotting to acquire were quickly used up. Right now, Helen was already no different from poverty-stricken, lacking all ability to purchase the goods that have become incredibly scarce because of war.
"How about this, I can offer you a loan specially for purchasing these things. As for the interest, we'll just calculate it through the present market rate." General Morgan proposed another suggestion.
Helen refused once more, saying, "I apologize, right now, I do not need these things anymore. If your distinguished self doesn't have any other matters, I believe enough energy has already been used up."
"He has already admitted defeat against me."
Morgan was shocked. "What? This isn't his style of doing things!"
"I crushed his ego in where he was most proud of, and then he withdrew in defeat. This wasn't that difficult of a task." Helen said, deemphasizing the situation, and then she cut off the communications.
"Where he is most proud of… trampling on his ego… en, it is a bit strange. Lafite that fella, wasn't he always most proud of his strength?" General Morgan frowned and began to think hard to himself. Right now, his face was covered in curiosity and concern, the lofty and valiant look from when he was giving the orders to mobilize his family's military force nowhere to be seen.