The scorching midday sun poured down onto the city streets, casting long shadows over the bustling avenues teeming with people and endless traffic. It was the busiest and most restless hour in the metropolis. Far from the noise in a quiet residential building in the northern district, behind sealed windows and drawn curtains, a dimly lit room hosted a gathering of the Fourth Squad's core members and several intelligence operatives. They were assembled to finalize the concrete plan and details for the upcoming operation. Time was on their side, but the earlier the planning, the better the preparation.
"This is the full list of guests attending the banquet."
Agent Darrick pulled a thick stack of documents from his briefcase. The densely packed pages listed the names and profiles of every guest — generals from various divisions, royal envoys, mayors of neighboring cities, and so on. It wasn't just military personnel; many political figures from both local and nearby regions would be present. The total headcount exceeded a staggering 1,300 attendees.
"These people... surely not all of them are targets, right...?"
The documents eventually reached Sennia. She flipped through them quickly. The so-called "high-value targets" were listed at the front; the further down the list, the lower the rank and less notable the background.
"The most valuable targets number around fifty. There are another hundred or so secondary ones," Darrick said, taking the documents back from Sennia.
"Our orders are to cooperate fully with your operation. If you need anything, just say the word. I'll also provide detailed layouts of the venue and a city map of Hekar shortly."
"So these 150-plus individuals are our actual objectives?" Edwin spoke lazily from a corner of the long table, his legs casually propped up on its edge. If Nordhausen hadn't objected for security reasons, he might have lit a cigarette by now.
"That's right. You could say that the rest of the guests together don't hold as much strategic weight as these individuals."
"Well, that makes it simple. Just infiltrate the venue and mow them all down."
As blunt as Edwin's method was, it matched his usual approach — but it was immediately rejected by the others.
"There are over 1,300 guests. That's more than a full infantry battalion. It's simply not feasible," Otto said, shaking his head. "The real challenge lies in the fact that these high-value targets won't be clustered together. Even if they are, the moment gunfire erupts, they'll scatter. Once chaos breaks out, it'll be nearly impossible to track them down again."
"Then why not use explosives? Just blow up the entire venue. We brought enough charges, didn't we?"
"The venue's security is extremely tight. They'll sweep the area thoroughly beforehand."
"What about picking them off one by one? Assassinate them the night before the banquet."
"Highly unlikely. First, we don't have the exact schedules for all of them. Second, do we even have enough manpower?"
"Our efficiency isn't the issue. If you can get us their movements, we can take them all out in one night."
"Poisoning?"
…
The discussion continued. Though the Night Knights were no strangers to special operations, their missions were usually conducted on the battlefield. This time, the Fourth Platoon had been assigned more as heavy enforcers. Their usual tactics weren't well-suited to a covert mission of this nature.
"May I say something?"
Sennia, who had remained silent until now, suddenly stood up. The discussion came to an abrupt halt.
"Go ahead," Nordhausen replied first, likely considering who Sennia might really be.
"First of all, I don't believe killing all 153 targets is a wise course of action. I took another close look at their profiles — nearly 90% of them are from middle or high-ranking noble families. If we eliminate them, the resulting hatred and fear will only make the enemy more determined in their resistance. Worse, it could accelerate the unification of northern neutral states. While the Empire has the strength to wage full-scale war, the cost would be enormous — it could burn through forty years of development. And let's not forget: the Church won't stand idly by while the northern powers fall one by one."
The room fell completely silent. Eight pairs of eyes focused on Sennia, making her somewhat uneasy. But she couldn't be blamed — no one had expected such insight from her.
"You raise a very valid point — one we hadn't considered," Nordhausen acknowledged. It seemed to affirm what he suspected about her identity.
"She's right," Darrick agreed. "Her analysis makes sense. But if we don't kill them, then what's the plan?"
Edwin voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"Capture them. That way, we'll have leverage. Among the 153 targets is a field army commander from the Luvina royal family."
Sennia's response was immediate, as though she had already formulated a plan.
"He's listed right on the first page. Frankly, it's amazing that so many high-level figures are gathering in one place. Don't they realize the risk of us launching a major offensive during the banquet?"
"For officials of their rank, missing the emperor's birthday banquet is a greater sin than losing sixty kilometers of the front line," someone quipped.
"True enough…"
In their back-and-forth, Edwin and Nordhausen laid bare the rigid absurdity of their enemy's hierarchy — something all too familiar in Dazilet.
"So how do we go about capturing them?" Otto asked, having spent the last few minutes pondering her plan.
"I noticed on the map that a reserve guard unit is stationed near the venue. If we can create chaos at the banquet, then impersonate the reserve guard coming to 'assist' the venue, we could escort the targets out under the guise of protection."
"But the place will be in complete disarray. How do we identify and convince all 153 of them to leave with us?" Nordhausen asked, warming to the idea but still cautious.
"The banquet opens with ceremonial speeches. All high-ranking officials will be on the podium or seated at the front rows. If we strike then, identifying them won't be difficult. But... is this plan too insane?" Darrick, who was more familiar with the banquet's details, expressed concern.
"Our two teams — the attackers and the disguised reserve guards — can stage a dramatic fight. The more intense it looks, the more pressure the officials will feel to go along with our plan," Edwin added, now intrigued, swinging his legs off the table.
"But how do we escape? The front line is over 400 kilometers away. Even traveling non-stop, it'll take at least three days to reach friendly territory. And with that many captured high-ranking officials, the enemy won't sit idle."
"We'll have to adapt as we go. But yes, we'll need vehicles — lots of them. Otherwise, we'll never break through with that many prisoners."
"There's another issue — most of those 153 targets are military officers. What if they resist or fight back?"
"Type-3 serum," said Arcia, who had until now remained silent. "A low dose induces mild organ trauma and unconsciousness."
"The plan is starting to take shape," Otto said, summarizing the discussion. "We'll need three teams: one to pose as the reserve guard, one to play the attackers, and one to delay the real reserve guard. Once the speech begins, the attack team will strike. The fake reserve guard arrives shortly after, 'rescues' the officials, injects them with Type-3 serum to immobilize them, and then extracts them from Hekar as fast as possible. All other contingencies… we'll deal with on the move."
"But the details still need refining," he continued. "What if the targets relocate before the fake guard arrives? How do we prep the vehicles? How do we break through enemy checkpoints? Most importantly, we simply don't have enough manpower."
Everyone looked to Otto in silence, waiting for his direction.
"For the next few days, let's focus on solving these issues. I'll also try to contact command and request reinforcements."
When no one objected, Otto concluded, "If there are no further additions, I'd say this meeting is adjourned."
They exchanged a few final thoughts, and the meeting came to a close.
Afterward, Sennia let out a long breath and sank into her chair. Though all she had done was share her unpolished ideas, the discussion had refined them into a concrete plan.
"Well done."
The sudden voice beside her made Sennia turn sharply. Otto had appeared at her side without her noticing.
"I only put forth a rough concept. The real plan came together thanks to everyone's input."
"No need to be so modest. Your political insight, especially earlier, was spot-on. Frontline personnel like us rarely think that far ahead."
"Maybe my time studying in Altasa is finally paying off," Sennia said with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Then, under Otto's watchful gaze, she quietly left the meeting room.