Chapter 197 Chapter 197-A Heart Alien is Always a Stranger
The training mission, originally planned to last longer, came to an abrupt end after just one night. Despite its brevity, the students' expressions remained grave.
They had witnessed their comrades being slaughtered by Extraplanar creatures.
The bloody scenes were etched deeply into their minds, instilling fear and anger, fueling an uncontrollable rage against the Extraplanar beings.
For the first time, they truly understood the dire consequences if humanity failed to withstand the onslaught of demons and Extraplanar creatures.
Humans are defined by their emotions.
The horrific scenes they witnessed at the base created a sense of urgency in the students' hearts.
To prevent their families from suffering a similar fate, they knew they had to train harder and eliminate every Extraplanar creature they encountered.
Almost the moment they returned to Adia City, Wales took Howard to find Rick.
Tana, though eager to join, had to prioritize the safety of the students and escorted them back first.
As for the so-called training experience? No one cared about it anymore, nor were there any points to discuss.
After all, only three people had survived at the base they were supposed to protect.
If points were to be tallied, not just the students but even the mentors would face deductions.
However, given the circumstances, Howard and the others had done their best, and the academy would not seriously deduct their points.
But it was certain that they could forget about receiving any rewards.
...
It had to be said, Howard's status proved quite useful.
With him around, even before the staff at the Alliance Lord's Manor could refuse Wales, Rick's voice rang out, directly inviting Howard and Wales into his office.
At that moment, Rick was dressed in casual attire, his demeanor relaxed, as if he had some good news.
Wales carefully observed Rick, then suddenly smiled, "Allow me to congratulate Lord Rick in advance on your return to the inner circle of the Alliance."
"There's nothing to congratulate me on," Rick said curiously. "What matter is so important that you couldn't have Howard relay it to me and had to come in person?"
Through Rick's words, Howard also realized that Rick knew Wales was concealing his true strength, leading him to internally remark on their cunning.
These old timers, surviving in the Alliance for so many years, indeed should not be underestimated. Practically everyone had something they were hiding.
Even the idea that Wales might actually be the Dean of the Holy Abyss Academy wouldn't surprise Howard if it turned out to be true one day.
"Recently, space rifts have been appearing with alarming frequency. I suspect that the Extraplanar creatures may have formed an alliance and are plotting something," Wales began.
"In just half a year, to my knowledge, there have been more than twenty instances of space rifts, and that's only around one city! Such occurrences would have been unthinkable in the past!"
Upon hearing this, Rick couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
He was well aware that the frequency of space rift appearances should not be so high.
After all, opening a space rift required a tremendous sacrifice.
Under normal circumstances, it was only when some extraplanar beings accidentally discovered a special space rift that they might descend upon the realm of humanity.
These kinds of space rifts had unpredictable destinations.
They could lead to the world of humans, or they might transport someone to other planets or even different planes of existence.
Therefore, even considering the entire world, it was quite rare for extraplanar beings to encounter such phenomena within a year.
"You might be very right," Rick nodded in agreement. "However, these matters still need to be discussed with the councilors before any response can be given."
There was a brief silence.
"I'll wait for your response then," Wales finally said.
"Disappointed, are you?" Rick asked, detecting the silence from Wales.
He couldn't help but smile.
"I thought Howard would be the one disappointed, considering the gravity of the situation and yet receiving no immediate response from us, instead having to wait for our meeting and discussion."
"To think, it's you, the old fox, who's disappointed."
Hearing Rick's words, Wales let out a wry smile. "After all these years, don't you understand? How could I not? I can understand, after all, the councilors of the Alliance have to consider not just the Alliance itself, but also various other powers. It's not possible to make decisions about everything directly; they must be harmonized through multiple considerations."
"I just hope that you can make a decision on this matter as soon as possible! After all, the strength of the extraplanar beings far surpasses that of demons!"
Wales spoke with a grave tone, "The reason extraplanar beings were not considered a major enemy in the past is that they couldn't descend upon our human world in large numbers, posing no existential threat to our race. But if they find a way to accurately descend into our realm, then they will become our greatest enemy, an adversary we must not underestimate!"
Rick nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "I am well aware of this. However, how the higher-ups decide is not something I can influence. All I can do is fight."
After saying this, Rick turned his gaze to Howard and spoke, "Howard, if extraplanar beings do descend, you must remember one thing... 'Those not of our kind, their hearts will differ!'"
"Extraplanar beings differ from demon monsters. They come in numerous species. Some are orcish, while others may appear similar to our own human race. But they are not human. No matter how much the monster you encounter resembles us, or even speaks our language, you must never trust them!"
"The moment you encounter an extraplanar being, you have only one objective: to eliminate them!"
Hearing Rick's solemn advice, Howard nodded and said, "Master, I will remember your words."
Howard wasn't naive; he understood that appearance and stature do not define friend or foe.
Even among humans living within the Alliance, there might be those who would turn against them.
How much more so for beings from other planes of existence?
"Good that you understand. Go back now. I'll report everything that happened here to the higher-ups. You just wait for the news," Rick said softly.
"To be honest, based on my estimation, the Alliance is likely to turn this to their advantage. In the short term, the frequent appearances of space rifts may not be alleviated but might actually intensify!"
"In that case, try to save as many people as you can. If it's beyond your capability, don't push yourselves too hard."
Rick knew that young men like Howard would find it difficult to accept the notion of sacrificing a few for a strategic victory.
He brought this up in advance to prepare him mentally.
And why was he so confident in saying this?
Having been with the Alliance for so long, how could he not understand the councilors' mindset?
Merely stopping the appearance of space rifts and preventing an alliance of extraplanar beings was indeed feasible, but that would not allow for a counter-attack.
Currently, the Alliance was contemplating a counter-offensive against the demons and extraplanar beings to prevent humanity from remaining at a disadvantage.
Given the opportunity, they would surely plan to use the enemy's strategy against them, luring the extraplanar beings into a trap.
Only then, with a successful counterattack, could they achieve a greater victory.
"Thank you for the heads-up, Lord Rick," said Wales, his expression growing darker.
He understood that Rick was just an executor, not a decision-maker.
Venting his frustration on Rick would be futile. Besides, he knew his own strength was no match for Rick's, so he could do nothing but leave in anger.
While Wales could depart directly, Howard could not, as Rick was his master.
"Master, Mr. Wales wasn't targeting you," Howard interjected, defending Wales.
"Don't worry, I'm not one to take such things to heart," Rick said with a light chuckle.
"Honestly, if it weren't for my position, I too would be outraged by the situation. But we have no choice. If we don't proceed this way, we'll lose even more warriors on the front lines!"
"Comparatively, I'd rather sacrifice a thousand ordinary citizens than lose ten elite soldiers. After all, elite warriors can deal significant damage to demon monsters and extraplanar beings, whereas ordinary citizens, no matter how numerous, can't have the same effect."
Howard hadn't expected Rick to express such a sentiment, clearly indicating his agreement with the councilors' decisions.
After a moment of silence, Howard sighed, "One's position dictates their policy. People in different roles view things from different perspectives, naturally leading to varied conclusions."
"It's good that you understand this," Rick said earnestly. "You're my only disciple, and I don't want our beliefs to conflict. I needed to make this clear to you."
When Howard became Rick's disciple, he was already mature with established thoughts.
Rick, therefore, never treated him like a child.
For the two to maintain a good relationship, it was essential to be transparent with each other.
"I'll keep you informed of any developments. If there's a plan, I'll ensure you get your share of the benefits," Rick said softly.
"Go back now, and focus on increasing your level. Once the extraplanar beings descend, it will be hard to withstand their assault without sufficient strength."
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