I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 427 Nobody Wants to Step in Shit

Inside the military tent, the windproof lamp swayed gently in the wind outside, its bright light illuminating the simple wooden table piled high with maps and files.

Damn it, Rem, who should have been offline and going to sleep, was rubbing his temples with frustration, his brows furrowed. In front of him lay a report that had just been copied by the scribe, the ink not yet completely dry.

"Three defectors?"

He repeated it, his voice hoarse from staying up all night and clearly impatient.

Diu Ni Rem raised his head and looked at the NPC staff officer standing solemnly in front of the table. This staff officer, named Alvin, was a graduate of the Bagnia Military Academy and was meticulous in his demeanor.

Even in the dead of night, when he was exhausted, he still maintained the demeanor of a soldier.

"Yes, my lord."

Alvin bowed slightly.

"About half an hour ago, the sentry squad found and captured three people in the bushes on the southwest outskirts of the camp. They were an elderly man, a man and a woman who claimed to be survivors of Minisia after the fall of the Suvano region. They voluntarily gave up resistance and asked to see the commander, claiming that they had important intelligence and requested to be guided."

"Ah……"

Diu Ni Rem let out a laugh that was hard to decipher, his expression complicated.

"Another group leading the way? How many waves is this now?"

Alvin looked down at the data sheet in his hand.

"In the forty-eight hours since our army arrived at the Suvana coastline and established a camp, sir, including these three, this is the seventeenth group of local survivors who have voluntarily surrendered or claimed to be able to provide guiding services."

“The seventeenth batch…” Diu Ni Rem leaned back in the rough wooden chair, looking up at the canvas on the tent roof, feeling his head throb even more.

"On average, 8.5 batches a day, even more punctual than mealtimes. What about the results of the first 16 batches?"

"Based on initial questioning and on-site verification by the King's Guard,"

Alvin replied seriously.

"Five of these groups were confirmed to be decoys disguised as snake people or under the mind control of snake people, attempting to lure our troops into ambush zones or contaminated areas, and have been eliminated on the spot."

"Ah."

Diu Ni Rem nodded. This was an expected loss; the players were quite experienced in dealing with this kind of baiting.

"The other seven groups were confirmed to be local surviving refugees, but the intelligence they provided was of very low value. Most of it consisted of information about safe houses and water sources that our scouts had already explored or that had been abandoned long ago."

Regarding crucial information about the main force of the snake people, the location of their lair, or the core area of ​​the swamp, they either knew nothing, spoke vaguely, or even contradicted themselves.

Alvin continued his report, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"The trio claimed to know a secret path leading to a temple deep in the swamp, but ended up leading His Majesty's guard squad into a quicksand trap that had just been activated by the snake people, nearly resulting in their complete annihilation."

Rem rubbed his temples.

"What about the remaining four batches?"

"The remaining four batches."

Alvin's expression turned serious.

"Two of the groups suddenly underwent violent mutations during the quarantine and investigation period. Their bodies twisted and grew scales, and they attacked the guards. They were suppressed in time, but three soldiers were slightly injured."

The initial assessment is that the latent snake-man toxins or spores in the body were triggered by some kind of curse. After examination by our magic consultant, it was determined that this mutation would not last, and the cursed person would die within a few hours.

The last two groups... are currently still in the quarantine observation area, their mental state is extremely unstable, and the information they provide is fragmented, making it impossible to determine its veracity or the extent of the danger.

Diu Ni Rem let out a long breath, feeling an invisible pressure weighing heavily on his shoulders.

This godforsaken place, even the air is poisonous and cursed. The threat of the snake people is not just open warfare; their infiltration, disguise, mind control, and traps set by desperate refugees are far more insidious and deadly.

Every survivor who actively approaches the camp is like a bomb coated in sugar.

"so……"

Diu Ni Rem turned his gaze back to the brief description of the three new prisoners in the report.

"A local old hunter, a wounded officer, a young woman who appears to be the leader... a survivor squad template that couldn't be more standard."

What's so special about them?

Alvin briefly recalled the messenger's account.

"According to the report of the captain of His Majesty's personal guard sentry squad, the three were extremely vigilant when they were discovered. They seemed to be very familiar with the movements of the snake-man patrol and successfully avoided several known outposts on the outskirts before approaching the camp."

Upon being discovered, their surrender was extremely swift, without any hesitation or intention to resist. The woman, in particular, spoke clearly, directly stating her identity as a Miniserian survivor and her desire for refuge and assistance.

in addition……"

The staff officer paused.

"They were also wearing a non-standard symbol of the sea god faith. When the woman was captured, she was clutching a small trident-shaped badge in her hand, the material of which is unknown."

"A non-standard badge? A trident?"

Diu Ni Rem sat up straight, her fingers tapping lightly on the table.

In the Kingdom of Minicia, the orthodox faith is the Church of the Sea God, and the emblem is a trident, but the strategist says they possess non-standard tridents... which is rather interesting.

Did these three know that the snake-man was a monster that Charles and the Church of the Sea God had jointly put in?

"How are the three of them mentally? Are there any signs of them being controlled or about to mutate?"

The report stated that nothing was found, and the three individuals behaved normally and were very cooperative.

Rem remained silent.

"Sir, what should we do?"

Seeing that Diu Ni Rem had been pondering for a long time, Alvin asked for instructions.

"Should we send them to the isolation and investigation area as usual, or..."

"Throw Rem" clicked his tongue, and a few seconds later, his eyes narrowed as he made a decision.

"Bring them here. Bring them directly to me. I want to see them in person."

He paused and added.

"Then inform the magic advisor; I need his help and judgment."

Alvin was slightly surprised by Rem's decision, but he immediately agreed.

"Yes, my lord!"

He bowed and then quickly left to make arrangements.

Silence returned to the military tent. Diu Ni Rem picked up the report, his gaze sweeping over the old hunter, the wounded officer, the young woman, and the words "Sea God's Emblem."

"Hopefully it won't be another shock."

He whispered to himself.

Soon after, Alvin's voice rang out from outside the tent.

"Sir, the people are here."

"Come in."

Alvin brought in three people, escorted by two soldiers.

These are the three people mentioned in the report.

A weary old hunter, a pale-faced officer with a shoulder injury, and a young woman.

When the last woman came in, she stood up straight, her face covered in mud, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and one hand clenched into a fist.

Diu Ni Rem's gaze swept over them.

"I heard you have important intelligence? And you want to lead the way?"

His voice was hoarse, deliberately creating pressure.

At that moment, the curtain was lifted, and the magic advisor Polka walked in.

Polka's appearance made the atmosphere even more tense, especially for the woman. She reacted the most, jumping up and down, instinctively wanting to scream, but forcibly suppressing it. However, her gaze towards Polka became complicated afterward.

The young woman's reaction caught Diu Ni Rem's attention, and he immediately turned his gaze to Polka.

The latter nodded slightly.

Diu Ni Rem immediately understood.

Polka didn't say anything, walked around the three of them once, and then stopped in front of the woman.

Can I see what you're holding?

His voice was soft and soothing.

The woman appeared somewhat frightened; she looked at Polka and Diu Ni Rem, then at her own hands.

She took a deep breath, slowly opened her palm, revealing a deep blue trident emblem, engraved with wave patterns, radiating a faint, pure spiritual light. Polka glanced down at it, then looked up again at Diu Ni Rem.

"My lord, this is a respected sea god priest, the kind who can perform divine magic. Even if he is not the high priest in the church, he is one of the candidates for high priest."

"Oh……"

Rem's eyes lit up.

This is a pleasant surprise.

You say you can help us?

"Yes, my lord."

Even after her identity was exposed, the woman remained composed and calm, though her gaze toward Polka held a hint of confusion.

"How to help?"

"Throw you Rem" followed up.

"We know a way."

The woman answered immediately.

“A secluded path that leads directly to the center of Suvano, avoiding the snake people’s patrols and contaminated areas. It was once a secret path for the church.”

"Tongcheng Center?"

After Suvana became a swamp, is the road still there?

Dig you up and press for details until you get to the point.

The wounded officer's interface.

"This passage is underground, and the surface has become a swamp, so it doesn't affect it much... However, we're not sure when the snake people will discover it; those monstrous things will dig tunnels."

"What are your names?"

Diu Ni Rem turned to other questions, showing little interest in the underground passage.

After a brief silence, the priestess spoke.

“My name is Ivira, and I was once an apprentice priest at the Suvano Cathedral.”

Her voice trembled slightly, and a deep pain flashed in her eyes when she mentioned the church.

The wounded officer straightened up a bit, though this made his face even paler.

“Athos, captain of the third squadron of the Suvano City Guard of the Kingdom of Minicia.”

It was the old hunter's turn. His voice was hoarse and had a heavy local accent.

“Old Hack, I’ve been hunting in Suvana for half my life, I know the area inside and outside the city well.”

Diu Ni Rem nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

In fact, the matter was already over at this point. He had confirmed that the three of them were fine, and the snake-man's corruption had not yet appeared on them.

So, Diu Ni Rem waved his hand, signaling the guards to take them away.

"Go and rest. Arrange accommodations for them, and provide them with food, drink, and clothing according to our soldiers' standards."

"Yes, my lord."

As Alvin was about to lead the three of them out, Ivira stepped forward.

"My lord, I have a request."

"kindness?"

It's undeniable that you should throw Rem away.

"explain."

“There are still a dozen or so people in our camp. I think they can also move into the military camp and receive assistance.”

This is a small matter, so Rem's attitude was very straightforward.

"Okay, take them back. After a preliminary check to make sure they are mentally and physically healthy, they will receive the standard treatment we provide for soldiers."

"thanks, thanks……"

As Ivila spoke, before finally leaving the tent, she couldn't help but turn back and look at Polka one last time.

Once the group had walked away, Rem looked up at the magic advisor Chris had assigned to him, waiting for the latter to explain.

Polka shrugged, speaking with a nonchalant and nonchalant air.

"This priestess has realized that I am a magician. Based on the way the gods of the Greek continent act, she just subconsciously wanted to attack me, which is why she was so startled."

"Thank you for His Majesty Chris's protection."

In closing, Polka also took the opportunity to explain who her biggest backer was.

Diu Ni Rem thought about it and realized that this matter obviously had little to do with him and would not affect the Holy Expeditionary Army's current mission, so he decided to ignore it.

"Have you noticed anything wrong with these three people?"

he asked.

"No."

Polka replied.

“I don’t think they’ll have any problems either. That priestess is clearly quite capable; the one worshipped by the Lamia snake people can’t corrupt her.”

"So, they are trustworthy?"

"Doo Rem," Rem continued to ask, but Polka shook his head at this moment.

"My lord, this matter requires your judgment. The advice I can offer is limited to the realm of the mysterious. Do not ask me about matters of politics or human nature."

If I had that ability, I wouldn't be here in mainland Greece trying to make a living.

Yes, Rem gave up on asking any further questions.

"What are your thoughts on the Holy Expeditionary Force's current operational plans?"

Is it beheading?

"Yes."

"That's not very reliable. The swampy environment is not conducive to the movement of our soldiers. It's disgusting."

"Are you seducing the snake people?"

"We can give it a try, but it may take a lot of time and resources."

Do you have any better suggestions?

When asked, Polka thought about it seriously for a moment, then nodded.

"I have no advice, but based on my investigation and what I saw and heard in the Magic Tower before, I can tell you about the characteristics of the Lamia snake people."

They are oviparous, and a single clutch can produce many young snakes. Among them, the racial hierarchy is very clear: ordinary snake people, snake people warriors, snake people generals, snake people priests, and snake people kings.

Based on the current situation, I personally deduce that several snake-man priests have come to Suvano, because it would be impossible for a single priest to accomplish such a feat as corrupting and sacrificing an entire city.

Then, on their bodies, the snake-man's mucus, shed scales, and even their breath all carry corrosive toxins with magical properties.

They are extremely sensitive to vibrations, especially on soft swampy ground and underwater. Large-scale marches can be easily detected by their geophones.

At the same time, their thermal vision is highly effective in cold and damp swamp environments, making them difficult to fool with ordinary camouflage.

But the divine power and magic of the true gods are very effective against them, which is the main reason why I think the priestess is fine.

Polka paused, his expression serious.

"I remember a book mentioning that the Lamia snake people possessed a structure called a hatchery."

This hatchery is not just a breeding ground; it is more like the source of their power and the core amplifier of pollution. Destroying the hatchery can severely damage the snake-people population and significantly reduce the pollution concentration in the entire area.

Finding and destroying the hatcheries might be more practical and more effective at shaking their foundations than a decapitation strike.

Hatchery?
Diu Ni Rem immediately thought of what Barbarossa had reported.

"Advisor, can you lead a team into the swamp and help us find..."

"No, no, no, don't let me in, it's disgusting."

"Uh……"

Polka refused without hesitation, which made Rem feel a bit annoyed.

What can we do? Without anyone to guide us, relying on players who have never been in the area before to go in and behead someone is obviously not going to be very successful.

(End of this chapter)