"What's wrong?" Clark asked in a low voice after following Verak to the bathroom.
"The situation is more complicated now..." After careful consideration, Verak decided to tell Clark that Cozmo had already betrayed the revolution. "What I will tell you next, you cannot leak it to anyone."
"...Understood." Clark looked serious and nodded solemnly.
Verak took a moment to organize his words, and then said: "Cozmo betrayed the revolution and is now a scavenger, a member of the government."
Clark's expression instantly changed from solemn to confused and shocked.
Before he could say anything, Verak continued: "The reason why the substation has become what it is now can be said to be almost entirely his hand. The worst thing is that we only know that Cozmo turned to the government. The conditions of the others are not yet known.”
"This, doesn't this mean that everything we do is exposed to the government's sight?" Clark's throat was dry, as if he was being sucked into a whirlpool, and he felt an inexplicable dizziness, "Stuart Don’t they also…”
"Yes, the scavengers now know that we want to pretend to be them, but considering that the sudden termination of their operations will arouse Cozmo's alert, I can only continue to let them carry out this mission that is impossible to achieve results. ." Verak said.
"Then what should we do?" Clark asked eagerly.
"The most important thing for us now is to find a way to investigate the situation of other people and find out all the traitors." Verak gently touched Clark's shoulder to help him calm down. "And if we want to find out the other people, we only need to find out the traitors." We can start with Cozmo."
Clark understood what Verak meant: "What can I do?"
If Clark's help was not needed for the investigation, Verak would not have told him about the matter. After all, it would be difficult for Clark to pretend that nothing happened in front of Cosmo: "You are the only one who knows about this matter now. , Quentin. In the tavern, Quentin and I will cooperate with each other in the investigation. Outside the tavern, I need you to use your identity as a patrol team to secretly prepare a hiding place that only the three of us know, in case of emergency."
"Okay." This was not difficult for Clark.
"If we really come to use this place, all of us will be wanted, so remember to avoid the attention of the patrol team and try not to leave any impression on others." Verak warned uneasily. detail.
"Understood." Clark nodded, "I can understand that you don't tell Stuart, Connie, and Oscar about this for the time being, but what about this secret site? I'm worried that something unexpected will happen. We didn't have time to tell them to evacuate."
"There is no way." Verak sighed lightly, "If you don't tell them Cozmo's rebellion, just telling them that the secret site will be very unsafe, in case they think too much, or inadvertently reveal the matter to other people who can't believe it yet. , then this site is neither secret nor safe enough."
Clark had a good impression of Vladislav and Arseny: "I feel that Comrade Vladislav and Arseny are not in the same group as Kozmo. If not, I went to Lezein earlier. The Vikenge who is back with us, August——"
"Even Cozmo can rebel, who else in the sub-station is absolutely trustworthy? And if you hadn't noticed the clue by chance, and I sent Quentin to confirm this fact, we would never know it until our death.
The truth... Therefore, past impressions can no longer be used as the basis for our judgment, and we cannot afford to take this risk." Verak was most reluctant to doubt everyone, because every time he suspected someone of impure motives for doing things, he felt more and more hurt.
torment.
"Then do you have any specific ideas? How to judge the situation of other people from Cozmo?" Clark had to give up the idea of gathering more comrades and ask about other situations.
"We haven't got a clue yet. I guess the Bash government knows our movements but has been slow to catch us all because it is concerned about cooperation with the International Equality Alliance. Once Bash ends up with Welland on the Sea of Sineveren,
In Brexi's war, there is no need to maintain friendship with the International Equality Alliance, we are afraid that we will be wiped out immediately." Verak said.
"It's only a few days away..." Clark's heart tightened.
"I don't know if in the few days left, we can find all the traitors and fight back. In short, the top priority is to identify the enemy and ourselves in the sub-station. Even if we withdraw, we cannot leave our comrades in vain.
Death." Verak's shoulders were heavy, "Okay, let's stop talking here, and then Cozmo will get suspicious."
Clark's eyes were firm: "I will hurry up and prepare as big a hiding place as possible. If there is anything else that needs me, just let me know."
"When you are dealing with Cozmo and the others later, don't stare so hard. After saying hello to them, go back to Quentin." Verak and Clark walked out of the bathroom together, adjusting their pants and clothes as they walked, as if they were really
I just went to the toilet.
"Understood." Clark couldn't help breathing heavily.
After returning to the cubicle, Vera Clara opened the door and said: "Clark, go back, be careful not to be suspected by the captain of the patrol team."
"Understood, I'll go first." Clark glanced at Cosmo, Vladislav, and Arseny, nodded to them, turned and walked to another compartment.
"Let's continue what we just said." Verak closed the door and sat down, drawing the attention of the three of them to himself, "Sitting here, what can we do."
"We can only wait." Cozmo said passively as usual.
——
Before noon, the captain of the patrol team, who had finished drinking, left with Clark, who had received the secret mission.
Verak and the others made little progress in the compartment, and his many attempts failed to deepen or alleviate Vladislav and Arseny's suspicions.
After having lunch tacitly, Verak found an opportunity to be alone with Quentin in the cubicle, and revealed the secret arrangements for Clark to find a place to stay.
"This is very important. Even if the scavengers suddenly attack us and we don't have time to leave the city, our temporary safety can be guaranteed. But the key still lies in whether we can find all the traitors. Only by finding them can the problem be fundamentally resolved.
.Did you get anything from Cozmo this morning?" Quentin asked.
"No. In this kind of matter, it is difficult for me to make accurate judgments on their various performances." Verak was under a lot of psychological pressure. He did not think that he could rely on the other party's words, a look, or a move to make an accurate judgment.
Can disintegrate the other party's disguise, "It's too difficult to do this."
"The problem is that we don't have much time. If it really doesn't work, we can only withdraw first and save our strength to make other plans. If the stalemate continues like this, not only will we not be able to save others, but we will also be wiped out." Quentin proposed to evacuate again.
Withdraw now, and these new comrades who came with Verak will not have time to leave Winterhold.
If we wait any longer and continue to try to reverse the situation and rescue our comrades, everyone will end up dead.
Should we give up the comrades who were kept in the dark at the sub-station, preserve our only strength and find another way to develop, or should we risk everyone's sacrifice and persevere in Winterfort.
sss
The life and death of all the comrades in the sub-station were decided by Verak.
"Wait a minute." Verak shook his head slightly and frowned, "Withdrawing now is equivalent to the sacrifice of innocent comrades in the sub-station. Half of the responsibility lies with us. If it were you, you wouldn't want to do it without knowing anything.
Under such circumstances, would you be abandoned by your companions?"
"Now is not the time for us to be emotional. If we talk about this, the result may be that we are buried together, and Bash's current situation has not changed at all." Quentin has experienced a lot in the intelligence department, including giving up his companions. "If the abandoned
It’s me, as long as it’s for the greater good, I’m willing.”
"What we are talking about now is not the sacrifice of one or two people, but the life and death of hundreds of people in the entire sub-station." Verak emphasized, "The most important thing is, are we doing our best now? If the situation is really bad, we will not leave now.
Is it impossible? If we really have no choice, then you don’t need to mention this evacuation, I will take the initiative to say so. But now, we haven’t reached the last step yet.”
"We have absolutely no choice now. What's the difference between this and a dead end?"
"How long has it been?
"How long do we have left?" Quentin asked rhetorically and was silent for a long time, "...I actually have no intention of leaving now. We can at least try for two or three more days. But there is no progress after two or three days. You
You have to make a choice.”
"It is undeniable that your idea is very rational. No matter what, we have the minimum strength to rebuild the sub-station and start the revolution in Bash again." Verak sat down, "I have been thinking about this in my heart.
, don’t worry, when that time comes, this will no longer be an option, I will lead everyone to evacuate Winterfort as soon as possible."
"I believe you." Verak has never disappointed Quentin in anything. Quentin chose to believe in Verak unconditionally within the scope of his own choices.
Verak said "hmm": "In addition to our investigation and Clark's search for an alternate site, I think we also need to contact the main station and inform them of this matter to avoid any important intelligence leaks at the main station and other problems.
loss."
"This is a bit tricky. Cozmo has always been in control of this aspect. It is impossible for us to bypass him and send the information back to the main station, unless we use a code word specially prepared by the intelligence department, but I am worried that using the code word will arouse Cozmo's anger.
Be alert." Quentin said.
"Is the code word easily exposed, or are you worried that Cosmo also knows the code word?"
"As the sub-site director, Cozmo probably knows the code words. After all, the code words are common to the entire International Equality Alliance, so to be on the safe side, it's better not to take this path." Quentin shook his head.
Verak closed his eyes and thought hard: "The only option is to contact Clark again. As a patrolman, he must have many connections."
Quentin didn't speak, just nodded.
"There must be some progress in the afternoon, and we have to cooperate." Verak added, "I have a little idea now. Maybe I can test out the situation of Vladislav and Arseny first."
Quentin was all ears.
"Unless there are special circumstances, Kozmo will generally not leave here to report the news to the scavenger. I think we can try to create a news that must be reported, and then deliberately leave him behind to see Vladislav,
Arseni's reaction. If Cozmo doesn't mind them going, it means that the two of them have betrayed the revolution and can go to Maxim on behalf of Cozmo. If Cozmo prevents them from going, it means that the two of them have
One is innocent." Verak said.
"We can even further confirm. If Vladislav and Arseny go, I will find a reason to go out and monitor their movements at the secret site in the basement." Quentin feels that Verak's method is feasible.
.
"No matter what, let's find out the two of them first. If they are innocent, then many things will be easier to carry out."
"Then let's think about how to create news and how to have a legitimate reason to keep Cozmo." Quentin and Verak discussed the details of the plan.
Half an hour later, a complete plan was formulated, and only waiting for Verak to convene a meeting to formally test the innocence of Vladislav and Arseny.
"Then let's go and ask them to come over and talk." Verak stood up and prepared to go out.
"throat."
At this time, a small voice suddenly came from outside the door.
Verak and Quentin, who noticed the sound at the same time, looked at each other, quickly stepped forward to open the door, and looked into the corridor.
The corridor was empty and eerily quiet.
Where did the sound come from?
Verak looked around.
He was the only one who heard it, so there was a certain probability that it was an auditory hallucination, but Quentin heard it as well as him, which meant that there was indeed movement outside the door when they were about to go out.
"Could it be..." Quentin made a whisper-like voice.
His meaning was obvious. Someone outside might have been eavesdropping on their conversation. When he heard that they were about to come out, he left quickly.
Cozmo was the only one in the tavern who had the motive to eavesdrop on their conversation. But if he came and overheard the entire conversation between Verak and Quentin, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Don't worry." Verak also made a slight voice, and then looked around cautiously.
From the time they said they were going out to the time they actually came out, it took less than three or four seconds.
In just three or four seconds, it was almost impossible for the eavesdropper to leave the corridor without making even a slight sound.
If there is really an eavesdropper, then he must still be nearby now, and there are only a few compartments where he can hide.
Verak patted Quentin on the back, signaling him to get ready, then walked slowly to the compartment door directly opposite, and touched the door handle.
"throat!"
Before he could open the door, the person in the compartment pushed the door open first, forcing Verak and Quentin, who were close to the door, to step back.
"Eh? Are you here?" Cosmo asked as he opened the door.
Seeing Cozmo walking out, Verak, who stood firm, secretly screamed that something was not good.
It is very possible that they have been suspected by Cozmo and have overheard all the plans!