A Core Ship From The Start

Chapter 346: Chapter 270 Companions_1

When the group emerged from the underground sewer, the majority of them were panting heavily from exhaustion.

Under normal conditions, the citizens of Jasindu would never dare enter the sewers. Jasindu is protected by a granite layer that the Beast Race cannot penetrate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t invade. In fact, they were always worried about encountering the Beast Race in the sewers—luckily, they were spared that ordeal.

“Alright, hurry up, it’s not time to rest.”

Seeing his companions panting and struggling, the man leading the group frowned and gave the command.

“I’ve arranged someone to lead us to the Tribunal… but they’ll only wait until sunrise! If we don’t hurry up, we will be left behind!”

“Uh…”

At these words, there was a moment of silence, but they all gritted their teeth and stood up, continuing their journey. Since they made the decision to leave Jasindu, there was no way back. Already afflicted by the plague, they couldn’t possibly continue living in Jasindu. Their only hope now was to head to the Tribunal!

Shortly, the group arrived at the ruins not far beneath Jasindu and made their way into an old garage. The lead man walked into the pitch-dark garage and suddenly, a light shone brightly onto their faces. Then, they saw two robust soldiers with guns aimed directly at them!

“Are you…GEAR?”

Seeing the familiar soldier emblem, the man’s face turned pale and he quickly raised his hands.

“We’re not spies, we just want to leave! Damn, are you trying to exterminate us?!”

“………”

At the man’s outcry, the two soldiers glanced at each other and lowered their weapons. Then, another man stepped out.

“Enough, they’re not here to arrest you, they’re just part of the caravan.”

“What do you mean?”

Looking at the vagrant merchant he had dealt with earlier, the man looked dumbfounded.

“You mean… they’re headed for the Tribunal too?”

“Exactly! Come on, get in. I don’t want to be hanging around here too long!”

Urged on by the vagrant merchant, the man led the rest of the anxious groups onto a truck, their eyes never leaving the two soldiers as they quietly distanced themselves.

Meanwhile, the two soldiers climbed into the back of the truck and took their seats, then the vehicle roared to life and sped off into the distance.

“………..”

In the rumbling vehicle, no one spoke, the refugees huddling together anxiously while the two soldiers sat outside. One of them, a man with a shaved head, kept rubbing a pendant. The other soldier, a man with a headscarf watched his comrade and sighed.

“Honestly, Dom, I’m not sure we’ve made the right choice.”

“I know but once I heard the news, I couldn’t give up. You understand, Marcus.”

As Dom spoke, he cast his gaze back to the pendant in his hand. Marcus merely shook his head in response, choosing to stay silent.

In reality, they were not ordinary GEAR soldiers, but Trump Card elites from Team D who had actively participated in the recent “Light Quality Assault”. One would expect that elite soldiers like them would not be allowed to leave Jasindu without permission.

But… Dom had no alternative.

Because he is searching for his wife—Maria.

Before the Beast Race War, Dom and his wife were raising two children, both of whom died in the conflict. Unable to cope with the loss, Maria lost control of her senses, she maintained the belief that her children were still alive and would often leave home to search for them.

Two years after the war, Maria vanished while Dom was away performing a task.

Since then, Dom has been searching for Maria, firmly believing she is still alive, though no clues have emerged.

Until recently, when the Tribunal appeared, overrunning the Beast Race Nest in the underground, and rescuing the prisoners inside. Some GEAR soldiers returned to Jasindu to report. That’s when Dom learned from them that a woman resembling the one in his photo was said to be at the Tribunal.

Dom actually wanted to go to the Tribunal to look for his wife at that time, but his duty came first, and he had to postpone his plan. Not until after the Light Quality Assault operation did he, using his connections, find a vagrant caravan heading to the Tribunal and made a deal with them to escort him there.

This act would be seen as desertion in the eyes of the COG, but Dom was resolute in his quest to find his wife. Completing the Light Quality Assault mission was his last duty to the COG. So, reluctantly, his comrade Marcus joined him, secretly leaving Jasindu, heading towards the legendary Tribunal.

It was then that Dom, through his connections among the vagrants, found a caravan willing to take them to the Tribunal.

Usually, these convoys were quite risky, but now, due to the Tribunal and COG attacking the Beast Race underground twice in succession, forcing them to hide underground, business was booming. For many vagrants, ferrying people to the Tribunal’s territory seemed like a profitable venture.

These caravans were not organized by the Tribunal itself, but there were incentives for the vagrants. Under the current conditions, the Tribunal had shown its power and could offer a sense of security to the people. Added to that, with the outbreak of the plague ravaging many areas, many people chose to leave their homes for safer places. So these vagrant convoys could make a living by transporting these refugees to the Tribunal’s territories for a fee.

And now, it was the same.

After two days and two nights on the truck, they finally arrived at the Tribunal—the place of legend.

“So this is the Tribunal….”

Staring at the five-meter-high city wall, the imposing Steel Warriors at the gate, and the skull and War Hammer decorations etched on the walls, the man swallowed hard and then broke into a violent cough. After the two-day journey, he could feel his body aching more than ever. It felt as though the disease was ravaging his body little by little.

Now, there was no turning back!

“Let’s go!”

Gritting his teeth, the man led the group toward the gate, only to be stopped by two Steel Warriors.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“We…we came here for help!”

Looking at the dark, Steel Warrior standing a head taller than himself, the man hastily spoke.

“We want to survive… We have contracted the plague. We can be cured here, right?”

“………”

Hearing the man’s words, the Steel Warrior exchanged glances before pointing to the side.

“Go in from there. Someone will tell you what to do.”

“Phew……….”

The man sighed in relief upon hearing the Steel Warrior’s reply. He had considered concealing the truth during their journey, but the problem stemmed from the fact that they indeed had contracted the plague. Hiding this would be of no use, especially to the discerning eye. If the Tribunal could treat the plague…then perhaps it was worthwhile to take a chance!

As it appears, he had gambled wisely.

Soon after, the man escorted the others to the side. When they reached the spot, they discovered that it was an empty expanse with another Steel Warrior standing at one end next to a curious statue of a hammer-head and skull.

“If you wish to enter, pray to it. After praying, you can enter the city.”

“…..Pray???”

Despite being residents of Jasindu, the men were already accustomed to filling out various forms before entering the city. However, this was their first time being asked to pray. They looked at each other, but obediently approached the peculiar statue to begin their prayers. Simultaneously, the man clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

Please, please save me, I’ll do anything as long as I can be cured!!

“——————!!”

As the man offered up his prayer in silence, suddenly, he felt a tremor throughout his body. A cool sensation emerged from within him and in the face of this coolness, the burning pain and plaguing heat engulfing his body disappeared!

“What, what…”

The man opened his eyes in surprise and took a deep breath. Just moments ago, even a task as simple as breathing felt like he was going to cough out a lung, but now, he inhaled the fresh air smoothly. His previously fatigued and painful body seemed to be revitalized!

How is this possible?

Just from praying, was his plague cured?!

Was it really that simple???

Or was it, perhaps, a hallucination?

The man looked at his companions in bewilderment, and their faces of mixed shock and joy told him that this was not some fever-induced hallucination. The plague that had troubled them had indeed been cured?

How was this possible?

“We…our disease is cured?”

The man watched the Steel Warrior in disbelief and cautiously asked. The Warrior simply gave a slight nod in response.

“Remember the Tribunal’s mercy to you, and now you can leave.”

Having said these words, the Steel Warrior ignored them, and the man and his companions hurriedly gathered together.

“What…what should we do next?”

“Our disease, it’s really cured?”

“I can’t understand, why? Can prayer cure diseases? I’ve been praying all the time… Why is it like this…?”

Everyone’s faces were difficult to read. They, like the man, had come here determined. They thought they may encounter many difficulties after arriving here, and expected to encounter rejection or even need to make sacrifices in order to get a chance of treatment.

But…it turned out to be this simple?

Just like that, they were cured?

Then what about our determination?

“……………”

Amidst everyone’s clamor, the man fell silent for a moment before raising his head.

“I’ve made my decision. I’m going back to Jasindu.”

“You’re going back???”

Seeing their leader intending to go back, everyone was surprised.

“Why?”

“Because there are others still suffering! And now, we’ve found a way to cure the plaguing disease. I won’t leave them there to die!”

As he spoke, the man clenched his fists.

“I will rescue them, not let them stay here and be killed by the COG!”

Then, he spoke again.