Chapter 80: The Origin of The Numbers (Patreon)

Well, how could Bell forget that? Hussar had been a soldier for Zugspitze before he renounced his allegiance to it and the Empire dismissed it as a lost kingdom. That meant the kingdom was cut off from communication and held no diplomatic sway in the continent anymore. From the outset, it was an odd kingdom nestled in the northern mountain range, but it seemed like just another highland kingdom. It was never particularly advanced, especially compared to the Empire. 

During the war, that kingdom launched an attack on the Empire from the north while the husks overwhelmed them. The area was supposed to be defended by Lieutenant General Loyd, also known as Duke Boyd’s son, but the 25-year-old simply fled, leaving most of the border area defenseless. This alone fueled Bell's resentment towards the higher classes in the Empire even more. Nonetheless, that was a story for another day.

“So, the signal, the jamming, everything, is coming from the general area where Zugspitze kingdom used to stand? That's common knowledge. What concerns me is their advanced technology. As far as I know, Zugspitze was limited to muskets, not even rifles, and their technology was vastly inferior to that of the Empire,” Bell explained his reasoning for not initially suspecting Zugspitze.

“The evidence seems to suggest otherwise, Bell. Don't get me wrong, I know what my kingdom is capable of, but everything—the general direction of the jamming, the disappearances—all points to the area where Zugspitze used to stand,” Hussar said.

That caught Bell's interest. Amelia seemed to have already known, judging by her nods and her lack of attention to Hussar. Instead, she was focused on her tablet, sketching on top of a map of the general area. It was a sharp contrast to Lisa, who listened to the story attentively.

However, this didn’t exactly fill Bell with confidence. If Zugspitze, a kingdom with capabilities lesser than the Empire, suddenly had access to mind control and other advanced technologies, it meant they had a formidable opponent in the area whose capabilities surpassed those of the Federation, with the intent to wipe out the demonic race from the continent. In the best-case scenario, he would be dealing with nukes; in the worst-case scenario, he would be facing something incomprehensible.

Hussar then continued, "I get your skepticism, Bell. It's hard to picture Zugspitze, a kingdom known for sticking to outdated technology, evolving so rapidly into a threat capable of causing this level of disruption. But, let's entertain the possibility that they've found an ally, or stumbled upon something transformative, much like you."

“That’s… unsettling,” Bell admitted, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

He paused, letting the implications sink in. "My time in Zugspitze taught me that while the kingdom seemed technologically behind, there was always an undercurrent of something more. Hidden archives, forbidden research; the kings of Zugspitze were fixated on ancient artifacts. It's not unreasonable to think that they've come across something—or someone—capable of boosting their capabilities to what we're witnessing now."

“Sounds like crap, well, the same kind of crap that the system blessed me with,” Bell remarked bitterly.

“Agreed,” Amelia nodded in assent.

“Well, what’s the next best possibility then? Zugspitze stumbled upon a facility like ours, and unlike our facility, they accidentally unleashed something beyond their comprehension that immediately took control of them? I mean, there’s no other explanation for why Zugspitze had a radar jamming facility,” Lisa continued with her hypotheses.

Bell closed his eyes, contemplating their options. Most of their attacks were passive-aggressive, with the only aggressive action being the potential to make his troops vanish without a trace. So, if that was the case, why hadn’t they just nuked Frostwood into oblivion? Especially considering that Zugspitze's casus belli was to eradicate the demonic race, mirroring the coalition’s goal.

Bell's mind raced with the implications of what his team had suggested. The room was heavy with tension, each member grappling with the enormity of the situation. If Zugspitze had indeed discovered something so powerful, they were no longer dealing with a forgotten kingdom but a formidable enemy with unknown capabilities.

"The question isn't just about what Zugspitze has found or whom they've allied with," Bell finally said, breaking the silence. "It's about their intentions. If they have the means to strike us decisively and haven't, we need to understand why. Frankly, those people are driving our people crazy with those numbers.”

"Now it explains why Zugspitze’s soldiers never return to the coalition. That area has become a no-go zone," Hussar added.

“No-go zone or not, we're losing too many planes to that thing…” Bell added, frustration lacing his voice.

Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted the discussion, catching Bell off guard. No one had informed him of additional attendees for the meeting. Nevertheless, he welcomed them in, recognizing the value of having more voices in the room. Sylva entered first, followed by Gerhard, Aurora, and surprisingly, Lilith. While they were part of the command staff, their unexpected presence raised questions about the purpose of their attendance.

“A pleasant surprise, but a welcomed one. So, what brings you all here?” Lisa remarked, extending a handshake to Aurora.

“We're here with intelligence reports,” Gerhard explained as he took a seat and connected his tablet to the projector in the room. He began his presentation, displaying a detailed map similar to the one Amelia had drawn, but with more intricate details. It depicted three distinct zones: the twilight zone, the red zone, and the safe zone.

Gerhard pointed out that the twilight zone, marked in black, was where individuals and aircraft had been mysteriously disappearing without a trace. He shared that he had lost numerous reconnaissance aircraft and personnel while defining this zone. However, this loss had provided crucial knowledge about an area to avoid trespassing into.

“That covers the entire area of the kingdom,” Hussar observed.

“Exactly. This is the territory of the Zugspitze Kingdom, albeit expanded by four kilometers in all directions. Interestingly, Aya reported that coalition forces also went missing upon crossing into the zone,” Gerhard added, gesturing to the black area on the map.

Aya. Bell's thoughts were drawn back to the enigmatic girl once again. It remained a mystery how she had managed to establish a spy network within the coalition forces. Then again, considering her education at one of the top universities money could buy, perhaps it wasn't entirely surprising. Shaking off the distraction, Bell refocused on the pressing issue at hand: the Zugspitze problem.

"So, regarding the red zone," Gerhard continued, bringing the team's attention back to the presentation, "this is the area where people can still be tracked, but the jamming is so strong that if you become trapped here, there's virtually no chance for rescue. However, most of our reconnaissance personnel do manage to return from this area, making it the last stop before potential disaster." The red zone on the map appeared significantly larger, encompassing a third of the mountain range.

Gerhard adjusted in his seat, transitioning to the next segment of his presentation. "Now, let's discuss the so-called 'safe zone'," he began, caution evident in his tone. The map on the projector screen highlighted an area encircling the red zone, marked in a less foreboding green.

"This zone," Gerhard continued, "allows for radio contact, albeit with difficulty. Communications can be established, but the signal quality is poor, often plagued by static and interference from those... numbers." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle in. "So, while we label it as 'safe', it's a relative term. It's safer compared to the red and twilight zones, but it's still fraught with danger."

The room absorbed this information, grasping the complexities of operating within such a compromised area. "Essentially," Gerhard added, "operations within the safe zone require heightened communication protocols to minimize the risk of signal loss or enemy interception. We've also encountered sporadic equipment malfunctions here, suggesting that whatever is causing disruptions in the twilight and red zones has a lingering presence in this area as well."

Lisa leaned forward, posing a question. "So, even in this 'safe zone', we're still at a disadvantage. Have there been any successful missions within this area, or is it just as prohibitive as the others?"

Gerhard nodded in response. "There have been a few successful reconnaissance missions, but they're the exception rather than the rule. The unpredictability of the signal interference makes every operation a gamble. And while physical presence is possible, it's far from safe. The name is somewhat of a misnomer; it implies a level of security that simply doesn't exist under current conditions."

Bell then chimed in, adding another layer to the discussion. “Nevertheless, Zugspitze really doesn’t want anyone to visit it. So, the next question is, why?”

The room fell silent at Bell's inquiry. However, it was a question that struck at the heart of their concerns. While they may not fully understand Zugspitze's capabilities, discerning their intentions was crucial. Their passive-aggressive stance only heightened the tension, and unlike the coalition, there might still be a chance for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. Otherwise, the situation could quickly escalate into a full-scale nuclear conflict.