Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 782: Smuggling Routes

CH782 Smuggling Routes

***

Alex walked back to the same inn in the town’s western district where he had previously stayed, which had now become his residence within the town.

Interestingly, the inn had been jointly owned by the Winkler and Aulin clans. By confiscating the wealth of the five clans, ownership of the inn had automatically passed to the domain, allowing Alex to use it as he saw fit.

As he entered the inn, Eleanore, who had been beside him the entire time, looked towards him.

“Are you going to turn the orphanage into another Cradle and Echelon?” Eleanore asked.

Cradle was the academy Alex had established back on Pangea, while Echelon was the academy’s special programme designed to identify and cultivate talented individuals who could one day become key retainers under him.

“Yes,” Alex nodded. Then he paused to think before adding, “At the very least, it will become an educational institution that subtly indoctrinates the children into becoming steadfast supporters of both myself and the domain.”

Eleanore nodded in understanding.

A moment later, she asked, “Shouldn’t we implement the same kind of indoctrination across all the other educational institutions in the domain?”

“Hmm…” Alex pondered for a moment. “While I do want to secure the next generation, as that would strengthen both my hold over the domain and its future, I don’t want the indoctrination to be too blatant.

“For the orphanages, the domain essentially becomes their parent, so I can justify instilling loyalty towards both me and the domain. As for the other children, I think nurturing their patriotism towards the domain will be enough.

“In the long run, it won’t benefit the domain if everyone believes I am always right. Diverging viewpoints help prevent stagnation and allow the domain to continue progressing.” He added.

Eleanore nodded in understanding.

Alex headed up the stairs while she watched him from behind.

Once again, he had proven to her that his way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of the nobility she had grown up among and become familiar with.

Most nobles strove to ensure that everyone within their domain ate from the palms of their hands and believed in them unconditionally.

Alex, on the other hand, tried as much as possible to maintain—as he put it—a healthy balance, aiming for a domain that was neither overly subservient nor openly antagonistic towards him.

Many nobles, whether on Verdantis or back home on Pangea, would consider such thinking foolish. To some extent, even Eleanore herself thought so. It seemed Alex was envisioning an entirely different system of governance from the one she and most other nobles were familiar with. Yet there was something about the way he spoke of his ideals that made her want to believe in him.

It also helped that his previous plans, no matter how unhinged they had seemed beforehand, had always produced favourable results.

Entering one of the inn’s rooms, which had now been converted into an office, Alex and Eleanore walked in on a discussion between Udara, Saul, and Kavakan.

“Good work,” Alex nodded to Udara.

“We merely followed your plan, Master.” Udara replied with a smile.

Although Alex hadn’t been directly involved in the operation, he had personally overseen everything through Senu’s shared vision while issuing instructions over the communications network.

These moments of shared vision were the reason several people had perceived Senu’s eyes as possessing human-like crimson pupils during the mission.

“Should the ANBO unit be disbanded?” Udara asked.

“Yes,” Alex nodded. “The Assault and Neutralisation Black Operations unit will not be a permanent organisation, but a fluid one assembled from personnel within the domain as each mission requires. Once a mission is complete, the unit will be dissolved.”

“Understood.” Udara nodded.

Alex intended for the ANBO unit to remain an elusive organisation with constantly rotating members rather than permanent ones.

The masks, the anonymity they provided, and the ever-changing membership would ensure it remained an elite covert unit whose operations would always be shrouded in mystery—even to those who had once served within its ranks.

“What about the smuggling route? Any new developments?” Alex asked.

“Contrary to the intelligence we deliberately disseminated, there isn’t just one smuggling route. Each clan maintained its own routes.” Udara revealed.

“There’s more than one route out of the domain?” Alex asked with a frown.

“No, there’s only one exit besides the valley.” Udara shook her head.

Alex raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Udara pointed to a location on the eastern mountain range marked on the map.

“There is a cavern here that passes through the mountain range,” she explained. “Each of the five clans has multiple hidden paths leading to it while avoiding prying eyes, as well as multiple routes from the cavern into the Stronghold.”

“How many routes lead directly into the Stronghold itself?” Alex asked.

“We have confirmed two. One is jointly used by four of the five clans. We haven’t been able to definitively confirm whether the Dunn clan uses it as well. The other route was either recently discovered or newly established through a partnership between the Aulin and Winkler clans. They have kept it hidden from the other three clans.” Udara revealed.

‘The Winklers and Aulins again…’ Alex mused to himself.

“What are you doing now?” He asked.

“The scout team is operating under the assumption that the Dunn clan also used the first smuggling route, so we believe it will soon be abandoned. As for the second, newer route, we’re moving to secure it in case we ever need to enter the Stronghold quietly.” Udara replied.

Alex nodded with a smile. That was exactly what he would have ordered.

Securing the route wasn’t simply about preparing for a possible incursion into the Stronghold. The primary objective was to determine whether the Stronghold itself was aware of the route’s existence.

Whether they knew about it or not would determine both how and when the route could be used.

‘If the Stronghold is aware of it, they’ll most likely move to seal it. Knowing that beforehand will allow us to prepare the appropriate countermeasures.’ Alex thought to himself.

“Keep me informed.” He said.

“Will do, Master.” Udara nodded.

“So…” Alex looked between Kavakan, Saul, and Udara. “What were you discussing earlier?” He asked.

“It would seem the convoy bringing the remainder of our forces has encountered a problem…” Saul replied.

***