Reboot: Mechanic

As the soldiers proceeded with Phoebe's orders, they deftly maneuvered to subtly disperse the remaining flammable oil.

Utilizing the pretext of aiding the injured soldiers, they discreetly coated specific paths, making sure to lead the next wave of Gilaso variants in Theobold's direction.

The troops worked swiftly and quietly, careful to maintain the guise of rescue while executing Phoebe's diversionary tactic.

Phoebe observed the execution of her plan from a distance, her eyes fixed on the discreet yet deliberate actions of her soldiers.

"Hope you enjoy this little present of mine, Theobold." She muttered, still feeling angered for being forced to kill the families of the soldiers who were caught.

As heartless as she could be, those soldiers were loyal to her and had given her quite the intel in the past. Their lives were forfeited, so she was planning on letting their family live a good life afterward.

However, that plan could no longer be fulfilled, having been forced to silence them as well as the pressure from the higher-ups.

So seeing the sight of the strategic dispersion of the oil, it felt like an intricate chess move amid a high-stakes battle, positioning her pawns against an advancing threat, namely Theobold in this case.

She appreciated the soldiers' obedience to her subtle instructions, ensuring their actions remained under the radar.

As the last trails of the oil were scattered across the field, the soldiers began guiding the wounded away from the soon-to-be contested area. Their act of escorting the injured soldiers back to the designated "safe zone" completed the ruse, concealing the true motive behind the oil trail.

"Well done, now use this time to recover your stamina properly." Phoebe complimented them and allowed them to rest. She was going to handle the surveillance now and ensure that the ruse would be completed under her action solely.

It wasn't that she didn't trust her soldiers, but rather that she wished to take revenge with her own hands.

The higher-ups pressured her to work with Theobold, but if a mishap were to occur to him, then what can she do about it?

'Even if this wouldn't kill you, Theobold. I hope that your soldiers can follow in the footsteps of the deceased families.' Phoebe sneered inwardly.

While Phoebe was orchestrating such a scheme, Theobold was fully engrossed in his tactical approach at his East side.

Observing the ongoing battle situation with the Gilaso variants, he had been meticulously planning his strategies to combat the horde. His attention to detail and strategic insight were evident as he coordinated his troops, preparing them for the impending threat.

"Hmm, at this rate, the horde should be suppressed sooner or later," Theobold murmured. His soldiers were different from the other commanders, given that they had constantly been in the wilderness, always combatting different types of monsters.

Therefore, even if he ordered his soldiers to confront the monster head-on, it wouldn't pose much of a problem. Nevertheless, Theobold still preferred to fight smart rather than to use raw strength to overcome everything.

With everything planned, Theobold then turned around and looked at Felix, who was seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

His eyes narrowed and he asked, "Are you still thinking about getting revenge, Felix?"

Felix snapped out of his thought process after a few seconds as he quickly shook his head.

"No, Commander Theobold."

"Do you take me for a fool, Felix?"

"I dare not, Commander Theobold."

"So you dare not to, but still take me for huh." Theobold snorted coldly and glared at him.

"Don't think that just because the monster wave is starting I'll be distracted. I already know about your little scheme, but I'm going to warn you right now. Without my permission, you're not allowed to act."

Felix was alarmed at first but then turned confused. Theobold's meaning was seemingly implying that he was allowed to seek revenge, but he needed his permission for the green light.

"D-Does that mean–"

Before Felix could continue his question, Theobold merely nodded his head and turned his attention back to the monster wave.

"Vanessa's identity is too special, so unless she's separated from Nathan, I cannot afford to offend the people in Chronosworth City. At the very least, we must not be involved in anything related to Vanessa." Theobold calmly explained.

Theobold had long known someone was targeting Vanessa, hence he managed to arrive swiftly at the Horology Restaurant as soon as the incident was over.

It was because he had been informed beforehand when he was allowed to show up to avoid suspicions.

He didn't mind covering some of the evidence, but he would definitely not allow himself to be involved in the conspiracy that would take Vanessa's life.

After all, he would be foolish to bear the repercussions from the Chronosworth City.

Meanwhile, Felix seemed to have understood Theobold's meaning. It wasn't that he was not allowed to seek revenge, but it must be done when the target was alone, and not with Vanessa.

"I understand, Commander Theobold," Felix said solemnly, making a salutation.

"If you understand, then why are you still here?" Theobold asked irritatingly, his implication being to tell him to begin spying on what Shi Tian and the other two women were doing.

Felix didn't bother saying anything else and quickly left the scene, flashing off a sinister grin.

'Hmph, Nathan, you're mine.' Felix clenched his fist and exclaimed inwardly. Since all he needed to do now was to separate Vanessa from them, then everything should be easier now.

However, little did they know, Shi Tian was spying on them from afar.

"Would you look at that, Vanessa!" Shi Tian chuckled in amusement. "You're now our lifesaver apparently."

"Hmph, I'm glad you know it." Vanessa held no shame and proudly accepted the compliment, even crossing her arms to show her haughtiness.

"Though this was all thanks to Mary's effort in the end. Otherwise, we wouldn't have known what they were planning to do." Shi Tian turned his attention to Mary.

"Meh, it was just a tool that Mechanist Isaac had created, and it would have been a waste to let it rot." Mary shrugged her shoulders.

The drone was used to spy on Theobold, but it was thanks to a camouflage tool that Mary had installed in the drone that allowed them to hide their presence that allowed them to get close to them without being detected.