Two days after Vladislav Arseny led a group of comrades out of the city, Maxim finally noticed something unusual.
He had made an agreement with Cozmo that, regardless of whether he had important information or not, Cozmo must send him a letter every three days. If he could be alone, and under all safe conditions, he could also meet in person to discuss it in detail.
This is done not only to receive the latest developments from the Bash branch of the International Equality Alliance in a relatively timely manner, but also to ensure Cozmo's safety.
In the past few months, the interval between letters sent by Cozmo had never exceeded three days. This time, more than four days had passed since he secretly met with him at night, which made Maxim have to wonder if there was something wrong.
What happened.
In fact, as early as yesterday, he felt a little strange, because Cozmo has always been cautious and prudent in doing things. In order not to be disrupted by special circumstances, it took more than three days to send letters, so he basically sent them every two days.
Therefore, delaying it until the third day is equivalent to a timeout in a sense.
However, Maxim was not as sharp as Verak and the others expected, and was almost invulnerable. As the war came to an end, he had basically determined the outcome of the sub-station in his mind, so he relaxed a little.
Considering that Cozmo had already joined hands with him to kill hundreds of comrades from the sub-station, there was no way back, and he was very careful when sending letters and meeting him, so there was no possibility of being exposed, so he still had a chance to win.
Remain patiently and wait for Cosmo to contact you.
Until today.
About four and a half days have passed since Cozmo lost contact.
He couldn't hold back his anger.
Cozmo, the International Equality Alliance branch must not make mistakes at this juncture. Once they are beyond their control, the pressure from above will pour down and they cannot easily withstand it.
So he sent someone to contact the undercover agent who was stationed at the former Workers' Mutual Aid Association and is now the branch of the International Equality Alliance to confirm the situation at the branch.
"They said there was nothing unusual during this period and no one had contacted them." In the mansion, subordinates who had completed their tasks came to report the situation to Maxim.
"Nothing unusual..." Maxim didn't believe it anymore, "Send someone to secretly check the rogue sites we have and see what those places look like."
"yes."
An hour later, the subordinate returned again, this time his tone was no longer as calm as Maxim's: "Sir... those places are all... empty..."
Maxim did not react violently. He narrowed his eyes and slowly leaned back in his chair: "What do you mean?"
The subordinates felt the huge invisible pressure and immediately became nervous: "The chaos sites we have... no one is there anymore..."
"You mean, in the rebel party, the people from the original Workers' Mutual Aid Association have not moved, but those old members are gone?" Maxim confirmed every word.
"Yes." The subordinate swallowed.
"Where is Heping Street? Aren't their leaders all in Heping Street?"
"The tavern on Heping Street is also empty... I heard from people around that the tavern had closed a few days ago. As for when the person disappeared, they don't know... In addition, the captain of the patrol team responsible for patrolling that area and
This pub has a lot of connections
, the captain of the patrol team said that the owner of this pub had a drink with him the afternoon before yesterday, but when he went back yesterday, the door of the pub had been closed tightly, and the gangsters who had disappeared with the boss and others were also there.
A member of the patrol team."
"Seal the city and strictly prohibit unknown persons from leaving Winterfort." Maxim said coldly.
"yes!"
The moment his subordinate left the office and closed the door, Maxim suddenly became violent and kicked the desk over.
"Peng!" The desk overturned and hit the wooden floor heavily.
The subordinate who had not yet taken a step outside the door trembled and hurried away.
In the office, Maxim's chest was heaving violently and his face was gloomy.
He couldn't figure it out.
How could the people from the International Equality Alliance sub-station disappear without anyone noticing? He also avoided the former comrades from the Workers' Mutual Aid Association, so the many informants he planted were not noticed?
Could it be that Cozmo's betrayal was discovered? This would explain why they had such a big move, and also why they hadn't received the letter for four or five days.
But how could Cosmo be discovered?
Did he suddenly wake up? This is even more impossible! Since a person like Cozmo has defected, it is impossible to go back, not to mention that he has killed so many comrades, and he will die if he goes back!
"Huh..." Maxim breathed out, put his hands on his hips, abandoned all conjectures about the reasons, and speculated on several possible subsequent developments.
The last time Cosmo met him was on the night of July 25th.
If other people in the sub-station discovered his betrayal, it was most likely because of this last meeting. Based on this inference, it would take up to four days for the sub-station to learn of the betrayal and urgently mobilize comrades to evacuate the original hiding place.
At this point, Maxim could only prepare for the worst possibility.
Therefore, he fully planned to give the International Equality Alliance branch a four-and-a-half-day informed period.
Four and a half days.
What can we do with so many of them?
Did they find a reliable secret site in Winterfort again, or did they leave the city early and follow their original plan to go to Shiling City and other places to develop the revolution?
Maxim hoped it was the former.
As long as this group of people is still in Winterfort, even if I use the stupidest method and spend a lot of manpower searching all over the place, I will be able to find them sooner or later.
But if they leave Winterhold, they will be in trouble.
The purpose of the creation of the Scavengers is to eliminate revolutionaries and maintain the stability of Winterhold and Bash.
When the revolutionaries become active in Shiling City and other places, he will have to lead people to track them down.
The problem is that the outside is so big, this group of people can completely change the place with one shot, and I can't trap them in a place like Winterfort and remain passive.
"Damn..." Maxim went crazy and kicked the desk several times. The force was so strong that cracks appeared on the desk, "It's just one step away...just one step away!"
The war is about to end, and in just two days at most, he will be able to wipe out all these people and completely return the Bash government to a stable country!
After making such a great contribution, he was able to be promoted again!
But these are now at risk.
If those people had really left Winterhold, his blockade of the city and the sweeping searches he wanted to carry out would be meaningless.
When the time comes to ask questions and place blame, how will he explain it?
"No, those leaders were still in Heping Street at least the afternoon before yesterday, and they have only been missing for less than two days..." Maxim murmured, trying to comfort himself.
In fact, he knew very well that these leaders who stayed until the day before yesterday were most likely behind the scenes to cover others who could evacuate first.
The presence of these leaders can divert the attention of the scavengers. After the large troops leave one after another, it will not be too late for them to leave.
Just like last night, it was an excellent opportunity.
The so-called closure of the city only means blocking all entrances and exits, imposing a curfew and increasing patrols. Winterfort is so big, there are always places they can't take care of to find a way out.
After taking a few deep breaths, Maxim called another subordinate in: "Immediately send someone out of the city to an abandoned old house on the edge of Vano town to secretly investigate the situation."
When Verak and the others first arrived, Cozmo wrote a letter to inform him.
The letter written at that time was that it was the comrades at the sub-station who temporarily took Verak and others to live in the nearby town of Vano outside the city.
Although if Cozmo was really exposed, the people from the sub-station would most likely not have left any clues if they really left the city, but there were currently very few clues, and Maxim still tried his best to seize this ethereal hope.
Two hours later, the subordinate sent back news that made his heart sink to the bottom.
According to a resident of Vanuo Town, when he got up the night before, he saw many people near the abandoned old house. At first, he thought they were bandits. Fortunately, the group left not long after.
The night before yesterday, a large number of people were at the secret site in Vanuo Town...
Every clue matches the possibility that Maxim is least willing to face in his heart.
The people from the International Equality Alliance branch really evacuated Winterhold the day before yesterday...
"Get out!
"Maxim roared.
"Yes..." The subordinate was afraid of offending Maxim and fled the office.
Maxim flopped down on the sofa and stared blankly at the ceiling.
At the moment, all he can do is to bring out the group of people from the former Workers' Mutual Aid Association that was abandoned by the International Equality Alliance branch.
There are hundreds of people, accounting for more than half of the people in the sub-station. With them here, the higher-ups will not blame themselves for this major mistake.
From now on, I will have to lead people to chase down the group of people who escaped.
But what if they didn't go to Shilling City? Or what if they returned to Winterhold to cause trouble after they left the city?
This kind of passivity is exactly what Maxim, who is used to taking preemptive strikes, least wants to see.
Now he could only wait for the escaped group to get news before he could determine their location and then pursue them.
But with the talents supported by the International Equality Alliance headquarters such as Verak, they probably won’t be stupid enough to expose their whereabouts again. Next, there is a high probability that they will play the way they are best at, hiding in various places to accumulate strength, waiting for the right moment.
Opportunities are pouring out.
"Verak..." The advantage he had worked so hard to accumulate was gone. Maxim then murmured Verak's name and re-examined the man he once despised. "No wonder he was wanted by Bresci and set such a high reward...
…”
Verak's face on the wanted list appeared in his mind.
Inadvertently, a smile appeared.
This person, who has been in Winterhold for less than a month, is really capable. He can see through his plan and lead a group of people who were originally about to die to escape from adversity.
"Ha, interesting." Maxim showed an ugly smile.
Verak ruined his beautiful plan, but it also aroused his long-lost fighting spirit. He couldn't wait to fight with this person whom he had never met in person before, until he trampled under his feet.
——
July 31st
In the workers' dormitory of a civilian restaurant in Winterhold
"The scavengers sealed off the city yesterday morning, but they did not allocate manpower to conduct a search." Quentin said to Verak, who was sitting opposite, "This may be because they discovered Vladislav's whereabouts and determined that we are all
We have left Winterhold, so we only sealed the city to prevent us from coming back. It is also possible that we still suspect that there are our people in the city, so we sealed the city first and did not rush to search."
"I prefer the former." Verak sat on the neatly made bed and said calmly, "If they really want to search us, they must do it as early as possible. Otherwise, as time goes by and there are more variables, they will not be able to guarantee us.
Did you leave Winterhold through another way?"
"Anyway, we have the initiative now. I guess Maxim was pissed to death." Clark said with a smile.
Verak smiled and said, "Where's Cozmo? Didn't you make any noise?"
"No, he was tied up tightly and locked up in the utility room, with several of our comrades guarding him. He couldn't use any of his ideas," Clark said.
"The Romance of Fairy Wood"
"That's good. He is considered a burden now. We can take advantage of these few days to discuss the specific disposal method and resolve his matter." Verak nodded slightly.
"Should we stay put for the next few days?" Stuart couldn't help but wanted to go out and do something under the cover of the restaurant.
"We must stay quiet now and not give the scavengers the slightest chance to notice that we are still in Winterfort. When Comrade Vladislav and the others make enough noise outside and lure Maxim away, we can start infiltrating again.
Plan." Verak patted Stuart, but he didn't look anxious at all, "We can't make the same mistakes as our enemies."
"Comrade Verak! Comrade Verak!"
Oscar, who was dressed simply, ran into the small dormitory with Connie shouting, and excitedly handed a newspaper to Verak: "Willan, the Bresci coalition has withdrawn! The war is over!
"
Upon hearing the news of the withdrawal, Verak quickly took the newspaper and started reading it.
Quentin, Stuart, and Clark also sat around and read the reports above.
After all, the Shennai Empire failed to withstand Bash's pressure and gave up on continuing to provide ports and supplies for the Welland and Brexi coalition forces.
Without the nearest transfer station and logistical supplies, the sustainable combat capability is greatly reduced...
The losses during this period were considerable, and we were still unable to effectively counter the unrestricted submarine warfare of the Bash and Pruman armies...
Bresi was in chaos again, and neither fleet had the intention to stay in the Sea of Signewellen...
The hope of victory for the Welland and Bresci coalition forces is infinitely close to zero.
There was no need to continue a war with no chance of winning, so today they were forced to officially lift the blockade of the route to Bash, and the fleet began to return.
The war lasted for two full months and ended with the defeat of the Welland and Brexi coalition forces.
As for Oscar and Connie, the reason why they are so happy is because the disastrous defeat of Brexi will affect the assistance provided by Welland, which will directly affect the battle situation between the International Equality Alliance in Brexi and the government forces.
It was precisely this that Bash took a fancy to and reached cooperation with the International Equality Alliance.
Now both sides have successfully survived the long night and welcomed the dawn.
Although this also represents the termination of the cooperation between the International Alliance of Equality and the Bash Empire, and Verak and the others will face a more severe situation, the overall revolution has taken another big step towards a great victory. This big step is enough to smooth out some of the