Chapter 9: The Final Feast
A black shadow streaked across the night sky, diving down to the rooftop of a civilian house.
"Finally here."
Baha shook the feathers on his wings. He had been flying since morning and had only now reached Su Xiao's location.
After confirming there were no suspicious targets nearby, Baha leaped from the rooftop to the window and tapped on the glass pane with his sharp claws.
Before long, Bubu Wang's dog head appeared near the window.
"Woof."
"Hey, I'm the second one here. Amu is still in the sea."
Baha jumped through the window. The two of them were a bit distant at first, but after surviving life-and-death situations together in the insect world and frequently teaming up to hit the food street in Reincarnation Paradise, they had forged a deep friendship.
"What's the situation now, caw..."
"Woof."
After Bubu Wang gave a brief description, Baha basically understood. Not long after, Bubu Wang left the house again. He was responsible for monitoring the Moon Goddess, and he had only returned this time because he had discovered important intel.
Inside the living room on the second floor of the house, Su Xiao sat at a wooden table covered with metal parts—the disassembled components of a steam bomb.
The structure of the steam bomb was actually quite simple, even somewhat outdated, but the compressed steam inside was something Su Xiao had never seen before.
This type of steam wasn't produced by evaporating water. Instead, a natural ore called "Sulfur Crystal" was heated to high temperatures, turning it from a solid into a gaseous state. It was then compressed into a capsule form, creating the basic material for the steam bomb.
The transportation and agriculture in this world were relatively backward, but steam purification and compression technology were exceptionally advanced. This was a result of the war between the three empires. Though war was brutal, it also spurred human progress.
While Su Xiao was studying the steam bomb, the young adjutant hurried over. Her expression wasn't good.
"Commander, the Hawk Marquis has invited you to a banquet."
The young adjutant spoke through gritted teeth. The Hawk Marquis had played a key role in the Ninth Unit's current tragic state. Although the Ninth Unit's disbandment was inevitable, a unit that had achieved such brilliant military merits ending up like this was truly shocking.
The disbandment of the Ninth Unit was proposed by the Hawk Marquis, but the actual execution was carried out by the Old Holy King and the Moon Goddess. Under normal procedures, over 80% of the Ninth Unit's members would have been sent to remote areas, either guarding mines or watching over forests.
However, the reality was that 90% of the Ninth Unit's members had mysteriously disappeared. The remaining 10% either had shady pasts or were sent to remote regions.
Why did this happen? The answer was that someone had been fanning the flames, and that someone was the Hawk Marquis.
The Hawk Marquis had no grudge against the Ninth Unit. His actions were actually quite clever. Once the birds were gone, the good bow was put away. The Hawk Marquis was that "good bow." He knew he had to give up his military power, but he needed time to observe the situation.
For this reason, the Hawk Marquis chose to sacrifice a more conspicuous target to serve as a scapegoat—the Ninth Unit.
Moreover, if the Old Holy King and the Moon Goddess wanted to deal with the Hawk Marquis, they would definitely use the Ninth Unit. There was a sense of making use of waste. Therefore, the Hawk Marquis struck first to gain some breathing room.
Such was the nature of power struggles. The Hawk Marquis and the Ninth Unit had originally had a good relationship. One was the main frontline force, and the other was an elite assassination unit. They had cooperated countless times.
In fact, based on the memory images provided by Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao's identity had even protected the Hawk Marquis during negotiations with the Ximoro Empire.
"Location."
Su Xiao dropped the metal parts in his hand. Today, either the Hawk Marquis would die, or Su Xiao would be forever trapped there.
"Snus Port."
"Good place."
Su Xiao walked out of the house. As soon as he stepped outside, Baha, who was on the roof, soared into the sky.
"Signal is normal."
Baha's voice came through the wireless earpiece. He was responsible for high-altitude reconnaissance today, as well as assassinating a few key military officials.
A carriage stopped in front of the house. The driver was a bearded man. This world had steam-powered vehicles, but they were too noisy, and the interior was quite hot. On this summer night, riding in a steam car was like sitting in a sauna.
The carriage moved steadily through the streets. The steam lamps on both sides of the road emitted a faint white light. Looking down from above, the imperial capital presented a prosperous and grand scene.
It was already ten o'clock at night, but the streets of the imperial capital weren't deserted. There were noblewomen in elegant dresses, workers staggering home drunk after a long day, and soldiers in uniform walking with brisk steps.
After the ceasefire, the Dawn Empire had become even more prosperous. The tricks behind this were obvious to anyone with discerning eyes.
Carriages passed by on the streets from time to time. One of them was heading straight for Snus Port. This wasn't a cargo shipping port but an exclusive place for the wealthy. On this summer night, there was nothing more pleasant than sitting by the port with its moist air, feeling the night breeze, and savoring a fine wine.
The carriage meandered through the imperial capital for over twenty minutes before arriving at the port district. Here, the streetwalkers disappeared, replaced by high-end entertainment establishments. The former weren't exactly legal, while the latter were completely legal.
At the edge of the port stood a four-story hotel—the "Snus Hotel." The entire port was named after it. It wasn't the most luxurious hotel on the port, but it was a symbol of status and prestige.
The carriage stopped in front of the main entrance of the Snus Hotel. Two young men in waiter uniforms stepped forward.
"Move aside."
The burly, bearded driver spoke, pushing the two waiters aside and opening the carriage door.
"Sir, we've arrived."
The driver made a gesture of invitation. Su Xiao and his young adjutant stepped down from the carriage. By now, Su Xiao had changed into the commander's uniform of the Ninth Unit. A few medals of honor hung on the left side of his chest. He had at least a few hundred of these things; he just casually wore a few on his uniform for show.
The young adjutant was also dressed in a black-green military uniform. Only the commander of the Ninth Unit wore a pure black uniform.
Several soldiers were guarding the hotel entrance. When they saw Su Xiao, they all frowned. One officer even retreated into a dark corner. The camaraderie of fighting and drinking together on the battlefield made him unable to face this former friend.
"Sir, please submit to an inspection."
The soldier who blocked Su Xiao stood at attention, his expression resolute.
Su Xiao raised his arms. A soldier stepped forward, confirmed that Su Xiao wasn't carrying a blade or any wire-type weapons, and then stepped back. The young adjutant underwent a check by a female soldier.
Su Xiao led the young adjutant through the main entrance and into a corridor covered with a red carpet. He didn't go directly to the third floor. Instead, he first took his adjutant to the restroom on the first floor. Not for a pre-battle rendezvous, but to get some weapons for her.
In front of the women's restroom, Su Xiao tossed a cloth bag to the young adjutant. Inside were 21 steam bombs.
The young adjutant entered the restroom. After only about ten seconds, she came out, lightly shaking the water off her hands.
The path was clear all the way. Su Xiao soon reached the banquet hall on the third floor. Pushing open the door, the sound of soothing music greeted him. The banquet was in a buffet style. In the center of the dance floor, pairs of men and women were dancing.
Su Xiao scanned the surroundings and finally spotted a man in his thirties wearing a military uniform with an aquiline nose near the back of the banquet hall. He was lean but not frail, exuding a sharp and formidable aura. This was the Hawk Marquis.
"Two minutes."
Su Xiao said, walking straight toward the Hawk Marquis. The young adjutant headed toward the side near the window, picking up a piece of pastry and popping it into her mouth along the way.