“As for that… I’m not entirely sure myself.”“Let’s put it this way—they’re using an academic symposium as a pretext. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”Geoffrey Harris said tactfully.“They want to discuss… other academic matters with me?”Joseph began to grasp the implication.“Yes, exactly.”“Some things aren’t convenient to say outright—we both understand well enough.”“As for the specifics, Professor Gerald Ortiz will explain them to you. It’s not something I can discuss on my end.”“I called to let you know that I’ve already agreed to it. What comes next will depend on you.”Geoffrey Harris continued.“Thank you, Principal. I understand.”Joseph expressed his gratitude.“Mr. Wilson, you’re being too polite.”“At first, we didn’t know who you truly were. Now that we do, Nova University will stand firmly behind you.”“Our institution has always placed the nation’s interests above all else. Your mentor, General Eugene Wilson, is a pillar of this country. He deserves greater su

“This child is still as courteous as ever.”“What are you thanking us for? We’ve come here for our own sake as well.”“Exactly—we’re simply taking the opportunity to see if we can lend a hand.”“…”The group responded one after another.At that moment, Eryndor Vexley spoke.Though he was neither the most senior nor the most renowned among them, he was widely acknowledged as their de facto leader.“Joseph, now that everyone is here and this is a suitable place to speak, I’ll get straight to the point.”“I assume you know everyone present.”“We have devoted our lives to this nation, yet now, someone intends to destroy the very work we have built.”“Among us are those who study advanced weaponry, as well as those engaged in fields related to national defense and public welfare. All of us have contributed, in our own way, to the nation’s foundation.”“This time, we’ve come with one primary goal—to preserve the spark.”Eryndor Vexley said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.“To p

“We’ve already established contact with the Southern Frontier.”“We reached out to General Clifford Castillo.”Neil Foster replied.“And what is the old general’s stance?”Joseph nodded slightly and asked.“General Clifford Castillo and General Malcolm Sanchez are old brothers-in-arms of ours. There’s no question—they stand with us.”Brian Adams chimed in.“Old Adams is right.”“Not only have we made contact, but we’ve also finalized the time, location, and specific details of the secret meeting.”“As far as the entire plan goes, it’s practically flawless. Confidentiality won’t be an issue.”Neil Foster continued.“So quickly?”Joseph was a little surprised.“When it’s among our own people, things move much faster.”“Through General Clifford Castillo, we also got in touch with Dale Jimenez—we approached him in your name.”“Dale Jimenez himself is willing to proceed with the secret meeting. He is, without question, one of the general’s key pieces—a highly important one.”“He should be

Joseph rode his bicycle on, and the closer he drew to his destination, the fewer people he saw.At this time of year, most had already returned home to celebrate the New Year.Neither too far nor too near, a few villages could be seen with thin curls of cooking smoke rising into the air. The rice in the fields had long been harvested; along the ridges, old oxen grazed lazily, and now and then flocks of ducks wandered about, pecking at scattered grains left behind.The journey of five or six kilometers took Joseph over an hour by bike. By a little past three in the afternoon, he arrived at the Good Fortune Farmhouse.He rode into the courtyard and had just set his bicycle aside when someone emerged from inside.Two men stepped out—it was none other than Neil Foster and Brian Adams.“Young master, you’re here,” Neil Foster said upon seeing him.“Young master, come inside,” Brian Adams added with a welcoming gesture.“You two got here early,” Joseph remarked, a touch surprised.“This is

“Generals,” Dale Jimenez said as he stepped forward, straightening his posture in an effort to appear more composed.“General Gray, we meet again.”“I didn’t expect what you said back then to be true,” Clifford Castillo remarked, a note of surprise in his voice.“You both believed me long ago—otherwise, you wouldn’t have left so readily that day,” Dale Jimenez replied with a light cough.“You’ve got a bit of a brain on you after all,” Malcolm Sanchez added.“Gentlemen, let’s continue this inside,” Joseph said.“Let’s,” they agreed, and together they made their way in.“I thought this New Year’s Eve would be consumed entirely by work. I didn’t expect we’d still manage a proper dinner here,” Clifford Castillo said, looking at the table full of dishes with genuine surprise.“Old Castillo, it looks quite a spread—and smells even better,” Malcolm Sanchez said.“If we weren’t waiting for you two, I’d have already dug in,” Dale Jimenez chuckled foolishly.“This is all prepared by the young m