NOVEL WEB Chapter 505
Lighting a spark doesn’t always result in a roaring flame.
But you can’t create a fire without attempts and effort.
“-Dodge.”
“What do you mean dodge, Khaaaah…!”
Only pain and endurance ignite the spark, and a spark once lit cannot easily be extinguished, no matter how hard one tries.
“I feel like just a little more improvement is needed. Haah… I wonder if there’s a magical tool that grandmother has never experienced.”
Once a fire begins to blaze, it seldom extinguishes easily.
Like how a small flame inside a furnace spreads to a large coal, even a tiny ember can become a brilliant flame.
“Hmm? The Cleric’s punches are much faster. Quicker than before.”
“Really? Thank you for the compliment. Mr. Akande, your movements have also improved significantly.”
“Haha! I learned from watching the movements of monsters. Nature is the textbook of all things. It’s only natural since the answer was visible!”
An unextinguished spark continues to blaze and blaze.
“-Flamma Pallida.”
“…”
“How was it, Professor?”
“Even the child’s ancient magic has reached a considerable level that can be appreciated now.”
“Hey~ give me more compliments. Don’t be shy—ah, wait a minute! How can you attack so sneakily!”
While hoping that one day he too would become a flame.
“I’m off.”
“Come on in.”
Time flowed on.
Before we knew it, we were left with only the final obstacle.
—
Episode 18 – The Man’s Club
Humans are not born to be defeated.
God created humans to be free.
Wise one, awaken from your egg and seek freedom.
*
In the early dawn where darkness still lingered.
The fog at dawn obscured the eyes and ears, hiding the wilderness in unknown terror and fear.
In that place, there was a pair of candles.
Chasing away the darkness and clearing the fog, the candles lit up the wilderness.
Seven branches spread like a candlestick. The smoke rising from them reminded one of incense offered to the gods.
“…”
The Young Cleric gripped steel with the hands that were raised in prayer.
At that moment.
-Slither…
The sound vanished.
The hexagonal solitary cells were split in parallel.
In the calm blue sea, spectral clouds formed a pink streak.
Against a backdrop of thick dawn, soft clouds overlapped with each other, and bright hexagonal rays of sunlight shattered and collided.
The steel traversed space freely.
Sharing light and splitting wavelengths, it ventured to places one would scarcely imagine reaching.
Neither the wind of the wilderness nor the sun of the desert.
Nothing could restrain it.
Even the blue flames blazing brightly fell prostrate before the razor-sharp steel anchored in the hopes of freedom.
Before the darkness could comprehend, the light was already there.
The Young Cleric awakened from round bondage, claiming victory with a free body.
“…”
Within the restrictive barrier, scattering like star clusters in the wind.
The mace hovered, almost touching the crown of its head, but stopped just in time.
The Archmage, with a satisfied smile, spoke up.
“You passed.”
*
Have courage.
Don’t give up.
You might miss a miracle.
*
The sun blazed. The desert regained its vitality more red than in years past.
Passion inherently knows how to ignite.
Once a fire catches, it doesn’t easily extinguish, and heat is not easily shed.
The red desert and the black tattoos now burned with unparalleled fervor.
“K’ra-t-hama!”
The sand dunes split apart, revealing a solid ground. In the cracking earth, the underground water surged upwards.
The wild horse’s kicks reverberated through the plains; the moment the foot stomped the earth, the desert trembled.
The stagnant water began to ripple furiously, matching the ground’s quakes.
A beast charged toward its prey.
As fists and feet swung, the colorful protective fields of the Guardian School unfolded.
In response to the constantly morphing attacks, precarious ruptures erupted from the shields opened in multiple angles.
Lightning-fast ambushes targeted the gaps, burrowing into the wounds.
Without any warning, the spells were launched, intent on piercing vital areas.
Yet, the beast, with prey so near, did not retreat.
The warrior, narrowly dodging a kick aimed to smash his temple, refused to surrender and unleashed a final strike.
“…”
A kick flew in with the momentum to crush his temple.
The Archmage raised his arm to block it and smiled as though impressed.
“Not bad. You pass too.”
“Shut up and keep fighting, kkkk…!”
“Even if I say you passed.”
*
Magic is turning impossibilities into possibilities.
Without attempts and effort, results cannot exist, and without imagination, magic cannot be born.
Therefore, imagination is a wizard’s greatest asset.
And at the same time, the strongest weapon.
*
The twilight sky boasts a serene charm.
Rather than rigid and stiff scriptures, it resonates like an epic that awakens forgotten purity and childlike innocence.
And battle calls forth the memories cherished deep in one’s heart.
On a day when lush greenery covers the barren fields, the pine trees bent under the wind surrounding the white sands.
In the melting snowfield, grass began to sprout. The parched ground cracked and tore and soon became a desert.
Sunbeams break through the dense foliage.
A violet flash scattered the air with a spine-chilling cry.
—
The ancient magic is the root of all modern magic.
Language is the root of magic, and incantations are dances that please the magic power.
Tears of winter.
The breath of a typhoon.
The warmth of life and the sanctity of creation.
The blessings buried in the soil and swept away by forgetfulness turned into a key, unlocking the tightly sealed box.
It called forth a world that had existed only in imagination into reality.
The dancing powers of magic in joy. The anguish revealed by the clouds and the rage of the stones.
From dense storm clouds, hail poured down, and lightning flashed.
Emerald mirrors pierced the scattering powers, colliding like thunder.
It seemed the surface was dyed with breath, and in the shine, one could glimpse blue eyes.
Mirrors holding the noon desert sun radiated a dazzling array of colors. The area brightened in an instant.
Amidst the blades that just brushed past.
The wizard, reversing time, closed his dispelling gaze and concentrated his mind.
-…
A warning bell rang.
Decades of honed sensitivity collectively warned.
The magic manifested without any forewarning.
It engulfed the surroundings, as if ink had been splattered across a pristine sheet of paper.
The wizard, who lost his magical sensitivity, deployed his barrier. Green blades scattered around, never even brushing against his skin.
As the breath of the wilderness disrupted the residual powers in the atmosphere.
The time-reversing wizard prepared to counterattack.
Something abnormal occurred.
The fallen blades rose all at once.
Noticing the flipped melody, the wizard deflected the blades, but before the magic could reach, three blades shot out in all directions.
“…Huh.”
The tiny blades surged like a storm.
Even when pushed away by elemental magic, they returned like boomerangs.
The Archmage, witnessing this unexpected trick, burst into a helpless smile.
“Did this grandmother annoy you that much? You’re eager to consume me.”
Truly, she hated to lose. Even if unsightly, it was reminiscent of her ancestors.
Giovanni would have surely been delighted.
The Archmage beamed with pure delight.
“You passed too, dear.”
*
Three duels, three trials, and three victories.
Some grasped it.
Some did not let it slip away.
Some achieved it.
And now, only one turn remains.
“Are you ready?”
Alexandra Petrovna asked before the last obstacle.
“You and that child are the last. To think we’re already at the final turn… Time truly is cruel. Now, let’s hear your thoughts.”
Camila, with a face full of tension, stroked her wrist.
“…”
Everyone fears failure.
However, what one is truly afraid of, is not the failure.
It is doing nothing at all.
“Professor, please don’t hold it against me for straining your back while we fight!”
“What a horrid…”
The Archmage clicked her tongue at the sight of her disciple teasing her with a smile.
After all, she thought she had molded the beast into a human. What a waste.
“What crime did I commit to raise such a rascal as my disciple?”
“…”
“Do you have nothing else to say?”
I, silently adjusting ‘Barbara,’ finally spoke up.
“Do we even have thoughts on it?”
We simply have tasks at hand.
Having finished the preparations, we stepped forward. The Duke also took one step forward.
Blue flames ignited at our fingertips.
The black armor clanked heavily.
Long, slender fingers pointed into the air as a short incantation was murmured.
The primordial humans regarded fire as a divine gift.
When lightning fell from the sky, it left fire in its wake and vanished.
Fire is a gift and grace.
Lightning is both a prophet and a messenger.
Fire is born from lightning, and lightning is the parent of fire.
Flickering from the fingertips, flames sprang forth. However, the flames did not grow though they devoured the air.
Instead, only purple sparks flew.
“…”
Camila and I exchanged gazes.
And we mutually questioned each other.
Could we truly win?
Win against the Archmage, pass through the obstacle,
And in the many battles we might face ahead.
Even if we lose our way and wander to the brink of a cliff.
Could we overcome it all and reach the destination in the end?
It was not a difficult question.
The answer was obvious.
And the results were anticipated.
*
We tried, and we succeeded.
*
All personnel passed through the gate.
Since there were no dropouts, the human modification forge had no reason to continue existing.
We gathered around the campfire, celebrating our sweet victory after a month of intense training; it was no surprise we would throw a ruckus, but surprisingly, the atmosphere was still.
“…”
“…”
The reason was obvious.
After all, to best the Duke, we hadn’t run like horses with blinders on for a whole month?
Originally, the Duke had intended for us to train for at least three months, but his suggestion, “I’ll give you a chance every 30 days, so use your skills,” was the problem.
Hearing that, we shared an unspoken agreement: “We can’t repeat this for three months!” and dove into training like mad, all planning to pass on the first try.
(Reflecting on it now, it seems that was the Duke’s ploy. That crazy old wizard…)
We even cut off contact with the outside world.
While the Duke had prevented it, we all shut down communications after that one time. I felt like I had stepped into some kind of cram school.
Is this what they call closed-door training?
We had rushed in without considering the aftermath, so how could our bodies be intact?
With bodies and minds in tatters, we couldn’t even bask in our victory; everyone was merely withering like sickly chickens, huddling around the campfire.
“Camila. Pull yourself together.”
“…I came, I saw, I conquered.”
“What nonsense….”
Camila, clearly not herself, sounded as if she considered herself Caesar or something. “I came, I saw, I conquered” echoed.
“Haah…”
“I’m exhausted to death.”
Lucia, who resurrected three days later, rebounded faster than Jesus at three hours, while Francesca was desperately trying to quench her dry throat.
“Where’s the water… What are you eating all by yourself…?”
And there was Akande, munching away determinedly,
“Dinner. Tasty meat. Well done. Perfectly seasoned.”
A civilized person, witnessing an actual barbarian struggling to tear apart a massive thigh with both hands, was left blinking in shock.
Lucia, who resurrected faster than Jesus (remarkably in 2 days and 21 hours!), drank the water passed from Camila, then tilted her head.
“Where does that meat come from?”
“I provided it.”
The voice emanated from none other than Alexandra Petrovna, the Duke.
We all turned our heads in unison, and her presence captivated everyone’s attention—specifically, the bundle she brought.
Sniff sniff.
“…No way, this is!”
Camila sniffed and let out a cheer.
“Food!”
The Duke tossed the bundle of food to Camila. What a windfall! Excited, Camila began distributing the food contained within.
The Archmage chuckled to herself, momentarily pausing to dust off her hands.
“Thank you, Professor!”
“Seems like food is more welcome than me, huh?”
“Oh, come on! How could I not love you, Professor? It’d be wrong to say such things.”
“Enough. Now that the training’s over, why argue? Just eat plenty.”
Alexandra Petrovna officially declared the shutdown of the “Human Modification Forge.”
What truly warmed my heart was that news, and it was the second most delightful piece of news I’d heard in my life.
(For reference, the most delightful news was the death of Kim Jong-il. There will never be a piece of news as heartwarming and lovable as that.)
There was plenty of food. Enough for all five of us, plus the Duke.
From local cuisine of the Mauritania Continent to foods from across the sea, a diverse array was prepared, allowing us to fill our hungry bellies in ease.
“Ugh.”
As I unwrapped the bundle, I looked around for anything else. Even a drink would do.
“…Huh?”
While I rummaged through the bundle, several oddly-shaped bottles appeared. I took one out, and the transparent liquid sloshed around inside the glass container, making a clear sound.
Upon opening the cap and smelling it, I easily deduced it was alcohol.
Why is alcohol even here?
“Where did you get this? If you’re drinking at a foreigner-only bar, that’s one thing, but isn’t the sale of alcohol prohibited?”
“It’s moonshine.”
“…What?”
The Duke revealed the source of the liquor boldly.
“The embassy wizards informed me. They mentioned that there’s a diplomat who makes and sells moonshine. So after some sleuthing, I managed to procure it directly.”
“……”
I was rendered speechless by her audacity. How can she be so confident while committing illegal acts?
Of course, Alexandra Petrovna was infamous as a legendary brigand who had kidnapped diplomats from embassies, so the moonshine purchase didn’t tarnish her at all.
In any case.
Having eaten enough and drank plenty, the mood brightened considerably.
Having finally escaped the hellish human modification forge, our party jubilantly celebrated our victory through the night, and the Archmage showed no sign of concern, allowing us to have fun just for today.
“How gluttonous one can be! Eat slowly.”
“Ubbbeeehh!”
“Goodness….”
Camila and Akande were devouring their food as if chased, while Lucia and Francesca, soon returning to their routine, returned to drink.
Watching the antics of her grandkids as if she were observing a performance, the Duke smiled for a long while. Then, as if suddenly reminded of something, she posed a question to us.
“Now then. With the training done, what do you all plan to do next?”
“Plans?”
Camila, who had been nibbling at a chicken wing without lifting a finger (who knew how she managed that), began to mumble.
“Hmm… As for plans, there’s not much. I’ll just continue as always, searching for people. Catching arms dealers, arresting criminals, and tracking down sorcerers in the underworld.”
“Tsk tsk.”
Thinking that was a suitably good answer, the Duke only clicked her tongue in displeasure.
“Is that all there is to your goals? Just catching the bad guys?”
“Oh come now, isn’t it immensely important?”
World peace!
With a swift fist-clench, Camila declared decisively, her powerful stance rather lackluster since she held a chicken leg in hand.
I couldn’t fathom the meaning of world peace, but the shared sentiment of wanting to catch bad guys resonated among Lucia and Francesca. Akande shared a similar opinion, but…
“Criminals. Strong enemies. Crushing skulls isn’t a crime. A pretty sight indeed.”
“…Why are you smashing heads, you lunatic?”
Even now, I couldn’t believe he was the most well-behaved among us (excluding myself).
After everyone shared similar thoughts, the Duke relented. Perhaps she had initially prodded to gauge our true thoughts.
Alexandra Petrovna expressed pride in our lofty ambitions but also voiced concern about the perilous journey ahead.
“It’s good to have big dreams. With noble intentions, I’m proud, but I worry you might find yourselves in great peril.”
At the moment the Duke expressed her concern, Lucia and Francesca jumped into the conversation.
“Um…”
“Uh, Grandmother…”
“What is it?”
“…Wasn’t the danger you created?”
Lucia and Francesca stared very seriously at the Archmage, as if to try and inflict an awkward poison.
For the simple reason that it was true.
1. All sorts of restrictions were placed, tossing us right into the midst of monsters. (??: Where even is this…? / ?? : It’s where a massive omelet is made.)
2. Just when it seemed like the monsters were reduced, she filled the void with specially selected monsters. (??: My name is Lizard. I’m the friend of the roasted turtle for dinner and the husband of the mockingly treated salamander, and I will surely take revenge!)
3. The one-on-one duel training had us dodged into the pit of monsters upon losing. (?? : Isn’t this the last desperate line of defense pattern? / ?? : Yup, how come I didn’t die though I’d whittled down all the health?)
Wasn’t that just the start?
Running off to fetch students (who weren’t students) ended us up repeatedly in illegal trespassing and turning diplomacy into blazing chaos.
The beleaguered Abas government threatened to push over the Kien embassy that was stationed in their country amid their rampaging spirit. Of course, they never actually did, but.
Fortunately, late into the night, we managed to relay news to the outside. If we hadn’t, many in the Imperial Foreign Ministry would have suffered dire consequences.
While the Kien embassy diplomats were thoroughly shaken and repeatedly pleaded, “Just spare us!” that level of detail eluded Lucia and Francesca.
But the very image of the Kien ambassador, aged at least 50 years and weeping uncontrollably while hearing the tale at a meeting with appointed diplomats to the Jamria Federation was enough to convey nature’s sorrow to many hearts.
Oh woe!
“…Grandmother’s words compel me to think a little—”
“Um, I hate to say this, but I think you may have forgotten your sense of shame.”
“Yes. You might just be a shameless person. Wait, what did you just say?”
What an absurd joke like a wildfire! A total provocation toward our Grandmother (who isn’t), leaving Francesca nearly losing her mind. Meanwhile, the Duke seemed unperturbed.
“…Ahem.”
To be honest, I truly hadn’t thought of the aftereffects while impulsively advising not to go into the embassies.
No matter how urgent circumstances, how could one waltz into an embassy?
The Duke cringed, sharing her regrets once she caught wind of the situation through counsel from the Chancellor, but from Abas’ perspective, it was nothing short of a waste of breath. (???: Give us our diplomats back!!!)
The military department, having lost it, responded, “Oho, just perfect. Let’s see how far you can push up north!” They began taking preliminary steps to bulldoze the embassies.
In the end, it was only after that Hajimaru fellow rekindling a connection with their parents that the situation managed to calm down.
(Admittedly, the identity was never revealed, but a threat to ‘break every limb off upon return!’ was enough to scare Hitchhiker’s Captain play-acting him into hiding for a while.)
The Duke coughed into her hand, attempting to mask her embarrassment. Yet just a cough would be nowhere near sufficient to slip past one’s blunder.
You shouldn’t evade responsibility for your decisions; a true man (or woman) must face their actions!
Thus, Alexandra Petrovna had to admit her mistakes.
“My shadow runs deep indeed.”
“I’m glad you realized that, Your Grace.”
Saint Lucia burst forth, reprimanding the Archmage with peculiar fortitude!
Whether this misdeed could be observed or halted was an arduous dilemma for the Sorceress, like a dying flame in a blackened campfire.
On the other hand, the audacious disciple refused to glance at the mentor being beaten by an unblooded elder—a more pressing conversation was taking place.
“Where should we start once we go out?”
“First, we must deal with the Warlords. Just before entering, I had observed many smaller warlords conspiring together.”
Two spies—one seasoned, one aspirational—were chained in a marathon conference!
It was time for an exhilarating session of crafting a “treasure map” (or more accurately, a hunting of humans)!
“The warlords from the South had all retreated due to utter decimation. Ascent and Sanya have reached a truce. Currently, they are absorbed around Hassan.”
“Leave Hassan for now. You mean we should tidy up the smaller warlords first, right?”
“Yes. I can control those goons. It’s wiser to eliminate those whom I can’t control.”
This was reminiscent of European empires plotting subjugation across the Arabian Peninsula to support the bandits of the Saud family. Or the heinous antics of Western powers marking their territory across African maps. Both were Britain’s doing, and oddly enough, Camila hailed from the UK.
Truly, humans so often repeat the same mistakes that they embody the proverb: “All ills stem from Britain!”
Oh woe! Of all people, the scoundrel Brit, the evil spirit of the world, has mimicked his ancestors in instigating the land!
The cunning agent sketched a rough map in the sand while absentmindedly scratching his cheek.
“According to the information caught in the information network of neighboring countries, there are rumors that the red goblins are becoming active again. Though this isn’t confirmed. The information hasn’t been fully assessed.”
In any case, we unanimously agreed to hunt down the warlords once we got out.
Gaining the consent of the other members wasn’t difficult. Lucia and Francesca’s response was a mere, “They’re just bad guys,” and Akande found it exhilarating.
Rather, it was concerning for someone who wasn’t even involved.
In other words, it was the aging backroom keeper, Alexandra Petrovna.
(Now that training was complete, she was treated more like an old-timer with no use. And she needed to be without worth going forward. As long as possible. Please…)
“The warlords… You’ve picked quite a challenging opponent. They likely have Shamans in tow. You know well how bothersome the shamans allied with the warlords can be.”
“……”
“Even if you’ve attained enlightenment, it may still present a difficult struggle. So….”
The Archmage wore a worried expression but continued without hesitation.
“Do not fall ill and return safe.”
Camila smiled and responded.
As always, with vigor.
“Absolutely!”
*
The campfire cast endearing shadows.
Crackling sounds danced as the embers soared high into the night.
Laughter and chatter continued for a long while.
I tore off a piece of bread and pulled out my communicator, posing the Duke a question.
“When shall we depart tomorrow?”
“We’ll go when you wish. Choose a time you find comfortable.”
The sooner we go, the better.
“Let’s sleep early. Or I’ll find an empty bottle around here.”
The Duke lightly scolded the rambunctious children drinking excessively. However, she couldn’t stop them, either.
Akande, quite tipsy, sprawled out on a rock and began snoring, while a fatigued Francesca leaned back against a log and began dozing off.
A drunken Camila, attempting to show Lucia something entertaining, played with flames near the fire, accidentally singeing her clothes, prompting the Duke’s resonant shout, which rattled the night sky.
I settled beneath a decaying tree trunk, trying to check for overdue messages by powering up my communicator.
“…?”
No response came.
“What’s going on?”
As I tapped the device, the silence abruptly lifted the screen. But that was all it did.
No matter how hard I pressed or tapped, it yielded no reaction. Neither documents nor images would open.
What on earth…?
Is this what it’s like when you turn on a year-old flip phone? That’s precisely the kind of feeling I was experiencing now.
“……”
While I stood idly, gazing absently at the communicator, all of a sudden, the screen changed.
Messages and memos sent from all around began flooding in like mad. Hundreds of notifications, like a tsunami of messages, overflowed from the bottom left up to the top.
Military Intelligence Agency, Royal Intelligence Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy…
The order of notifications arranged by age was easy to predict at a glance.
—
《 A meeting was held with local warlord leaders in the safe house of Songpundu in the Eastern Province: HUMAN INTEL (HUMINT) → Confirmed by all source intelligence (human intelligence, technical intelligence, and diverse sources) 》
—
《 Ministry of Defense of the Jamria Federation issues orders for increased surveillance and preparedness at southern provincial army bases. This appears to be in response to the ceasefire agreement between Ascent and Sanya warlords, likely anticipating conflicts between the Federation Army and Warlords: SIGNAL INTEL (SIGINT) 》
– Following this, multiple Federation military divisions are moving to the southern province.
– Recognized as troops from the east and west. Local figures in the East and West are concerned over security vacuums due to this decision.
—
《 Massive bloodshed occurred in Kafuyambe in the Western Province: OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE (OSINT) 》
– Local media reports indicate a minimum of 21 casualties—maximum 80.
– Damage confirmed at 6 local government police stations and 2 government military observation posts.
– Debris presumed to be explosives found at the scene contained traces of sugar. Analyzing them as improvised explosives using the dehydration reaction of sulfuric acid and sugar.
– Some reports by local media state witnesses claiming the perpetrators are presumed to be shamans.
—
《 Statements issued by warlords in the Eastern and Western regions. They claim responsibility for the Kafuyambe bloodbath: OSINT 》
– Considering the capabilities of the Eastern and Western warlords, there are none among the armed factions who have the capacity to mount surprise attacks on eight hard targets (government facilities and military bases).
—
《 An armed conflict occurs between suspected Warlord and Federation Army groups near the western outskirts of Umsalga, the capital of the Jamria Federation, at 2140 local time on the 26th. 》
– A 3rd-grade secretary returning to his accommodations confirmed the fierce shooting. Both groups were wearing uniforms.
—
《 Military coup erupting in the Jamria Federation. 》
—
《 Continuous reports of gunfire and explosions in Umsalga: 》
—
《 PFF communication states, “A disturbance has occurred in Umsalga city”: OSINT. 》
—
《 Analyzing it as likely the work of military officials within the army dissatisfied with ethnic favoritism: SIGINT. 》
—
《 28 hard targets including the Central Court, Presidential Palace, and main office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been assaulted: OSINT. 》
—
《 Numerous military and police casualties and bodies accepted at a hospital in Umsalga, believed to stem from the government’s attempt to suppress the coup: HUMINT. 》
—
《 A vehicle departing from the Presidential Palace heads toward Umsalga’s eastern highway. Supposed to be driven by the President’s security detail in the President’s vehicle: IMINT (Imagery Intelligence) 》
—
《 The rebels declare the arrest of government officials from the Jamria Federation and announce a suspension of governance. They declare martial law, close borders, institute a nighttime curfew, and disband all government agencies until further notice: All source. 》
—
“……”
An eerie silence settled.
Camila approached my side, reading the displayed text with a serious expression.
《 Warlord leader, Captain Kasim of the Jamria Federation states, “The arrest of criminals by foreigners lacking legal jurisdiction is a violation of constitutional order. Traitor Ayad is plotting to undermine the Federation’s security in collusion with foreign elements.”: OSINT. 》
—
《 PFF communication states, “Captain Kasim of the Jamria Federation says that five foreign individuals with illegal law enforcement activities in the Jamria Federation have 24 hours to leave Jamria… Is this an ultimatum?” : OSINT. 》
—
《 PFF communication states, “Five fugitive foreigners are wanted.” : OSINT. 》
—
《 President Ayad of the Jamria Federation successfully fled to a neighboring country, evading pursuit by the rebels: All source. 》
—
《 “Rather than running away like a coward, the President should return and fight…. Those with weapons, congressmen of both parties, are clashing with the rebels in the Federation Assembly.” : OSINT. 》
—
…What is going on?