Chapter 139.1. New Market
The Tsukuba Line Fortress is a fortress that never lacks water and electricity. That alone has significant advantages.
Well, it had. Now there's no electricity. There is, but it's only routed to important command centers.
Since there are limits to preparing kerosene, there's no choice. And since people understand there's no support from the country, they don't complain about not having electricity. Masamune's plan worked well.
Outside the barracks, people who were once refugees are working energetically. Despite being unable to use electricity and understanding they've been abandoned by the country, they show no signs of despondency.
In addition to the busy workers, many people gather, receiving explanations from Amatsugahara Corporation employees.
"Since we can't rely on government support, we have to be self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency means protecting ourselves from monsters and obtaining food. It doesn't mean we have to produce everything ourselves. Let's do business."
My employees explain it like some MLM scam seminar. The people are listening intently.
On the dry ground, with concrete walls and somewhat dilapidated barracks, the atmosphere was gloomy and depressing, but now it's a bit different.
"So, let's cultivate fields. There are plenty of seeds available. Plows are provided, and there are plenty of abandoned fields. Let's start with potatoes."
"This is a recruitment for establishing a base on the plains."
"This is for military personnel. It's about demon extermination."
They're brokering multiple job opportunities.
Yes, there are jobs now. But it's different from when they were just living as refugees.
Once things get going, it'll become a new market.
"Well, the country did a good job in the end."
"If you're told to stay away at gunpoint, what choice do you have? That story spread throughout the Tsukuba Line Fortress. But those who still want to visit the city, though it's not advisable, will be accommodated in our main headquarters to see the reality."
As the guards look satisfied with the people's demeanor, Masamune and the others standing beside him answer with a wry smile. They should have been considered dead already, so their family registers should have been deleted, but they don't seem to care.
"Unable to give up, a helicopter flew in the other day. They probably wanted to know about the fortress's situation."
I'm somewhat surprised by Soma's words. It was quite a blatant response. It's natural to be curious, but did they really send a helicopter?
"A helicopter? A helicopter came? That's news to me."
If that's the case, wouldn't the redeployed machine guns and the hidden vehicles have been exposed? I thought they might come back to retrieve them, but that wasn't the case.
"It was shot down by three Wyvern Riders. Seems like they entered the enemy's airspace. I haven't seen them in a while."
"Wyvern Riders? What's that? Aren't they just Wyverns?"
Were they knights wielding spears? Not just flying dragons?
[Wyvern Riders are a combination of B-rank Wyverns and C-rank Lizard Riders. The Lizard Rider is a mage. They excel in long-range attacks.]
Shizuku, the enemy's commentator, informs us. They seem quite formidable ranks. But the rider is a mage?
[Long-range attacks? Aren't they attacking the enemy with long knight spears?]
I've heard of Dragon Riders in games, but aren't Wyvern Riders similar?
[That's fantasy within fantasy, Sakimori-san. I understand what you're trying to say, but please consider it realistically. Wyverns are large enough for monsters to ride. Even equipped with long spears, they won't hit the enemy. If the Wyvern lands and lies down, maybe the Wyvern Rider's spear will reach the enemy.]
Shizuku proudly explains while wagging her index finger. Indeed, that makes sense. The Wyvern is just hindering the Rider. In that case, does the mage become the rider?
[They use attacks, support, and healing. That's the Lizard Rider. When they're not riding Wyverns, they're called Lizard Magicians. Wyvern scales can even bounce off heavy machine gun bullets, and with their agile movements in aerial combat, they can even beat combat helicopters.]
[Regular combat helicopters probably can't win. I pity the pilots attacked by those guys.]
[The manufacturer of that helicopter must have been bankrupt.]
[I've never heard of that manufacturing company, but I get the idea.]
I understand that Wyvern Riders are strong. But if that's the case, there's still a problem.
"Why don't they attack the fortress? If they have Wyvern Riders, they could easily take it, right?"
"Don't say unpleasant things. We have heavy machine guns, so it's not easy to capture us quickly."
"We can't win if we lose air superiority. Don't we understand that better than anyone else?"
Indeed, there are heavy machine guns installed on the watchtower. But those are just props.
They're flying at hundreds of kilometers per hour? There's no way our weak anti-air guns can compete against them. We need anti-aircraft guns or missiles.
Masamune and the others seem to understand that, judging by my grim expression.
"I understand what you're saying. But maybe there are no longer dungeons with Riders. Therefore, we're not the enemy's top priority."
With a troubled expression, Masamune answers, and his reasoning hits home.
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