The official entrance to the basement was located at the kitchen but the hideout could only be entered from a tunnel located half a kilometer from the base camp. Following the route the trio immediately reached the hideout which had a simple structure with three beds and a single table surrounded by four chairs.
The only source of light for them was an old oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. The resources such as food and water were delivered to them on a regular basis by another personnel from the Academy whose only job was to cater to the basic needs of the trio.
Once inside, Aria operated a small circular device located in the middle of the table. With a short buzz, a projection of General Fu appeared. The projection was so perfect that the serene eyes of the general were even conveyed with total realism.
"At ease!" Her voice reverberated from the device as she responded to the trio's salute.
"Reporting to the general, we have caught a bunch of traitors who were about to assassinate the person from the Academy. It is believed that the traitors have intercepted the message that the spy was about to deliver and might have even deleted it."
General Fu quietly listened to this and then proceeded to relay his orders.
"Understood cadet. I shall share a location with you, drop those traitors there and the Academy will handle the rest. After that, wait for your next orders and stay put where you are."
The general's projection vanished and a short blinking light appeared on the device. After he swiped his tactical watch on the device and a map was hurriedly downlinked.
"Okay, you heard the general. The location is not far from the base camp. We shall move when the night descends and if there are no problems the task would be completed in approximately three hours." Aria ordered and then operated his tactical watch before continuing.
"I have sent you guys the location of the drop zone. Let's get ready after we complete our dinner."
The duo nodded in understanding and Aria, he was having fun. After his training sessions within the capsules, his physical strength had increased to a level where he could easily defeat Orn with a single punch, although at the expense of the Primal Vital Force from his body.
But with the increase in his physical strength, he was now able to merge with a tiny fraction of his soul and the arsenal of weapons in his hands had thus increased.
-Knock-
A short knock sounded from the small window on the other side of the hideout, Dron immediately headed towards the source and gently pushed it open. There was a square carton placed on the other side, he picked it up and placed it on the table.
Unraveling the carton there were three boxes filled with military rations, three one liter capacity bottles and another box that was filled with dried rations and supplies in case of a mission.
The trio quietly gulped the food which was injected with minimal vital energy for their body's sustenance. After having their meal, the trio donned their military uniform of the base camp and Dron filled the only bag with medical supplies, food and water.
Just like that the trio headed towards the location as they carried the bodies of the people on their shoulders. Since the base camp was located in the desert, night time was a perfect camouflage for them and today there were even clouds shrouding the sky.
The trio reached the location without any obstacle. It was right in the middle of the desert; Aria immediately used the circular device to send a message to the general and the trio waited for a response.
Instead of a verbal response a small portion of the cloudy sky from above their location descended rapidly towards their location. The cloud seemed to ripple as it was revealed to be a stealth aerial transport; shaped like a capsule, it utilized the planet's magnetic field to travel without making any noise.
The transport gently landed in front of them and the cargo doors slid open as a ramp descended. A soldier dressed in the attire of the Academy alighted from the transport. His crimson collar along with a golden star on it, indicated his rank of Brigadier.
The Brigadier nodded towards the trio, just as Dron and Jasmine were about to head towards the transport Aria raised his hands. The senses of the Academy's cadets were already heightened that they were able to observe more clearly in the dark than a regular human.
Aria had already warned them to be alert as soon as he saw the transport descending. According to his conversation, he was just to drop those traitors at this location. The general did not mention anything about them having to drop it on a transport. If so, then the general would have informed them.
He had immediately activated the Detection system from Athenaeum sensing something wrong and sure enough, a Level-5 Brigadier had alighted from the transport. As a soldier with such a rank and strength would definitely be kept in check by the traitors. The general would not risk alerting them by sending such a person or else they would not be the ones that would be stationed in this base camp.
The duo immediately stopped by Aria's signal. Aria on the other hand gently placed the bodies he was carrying on the ground.
"Keep them safe. Our identity has been compromised, I guess." He quietly whispered to the duo as he gently stood up.
He calmly moved towards the Brigadier at a slow pace, his movements seemed erratic and strange. Standing in front of the ramp he did not salute the Brigadier instead raised his head.
"Who are you?"
When this one question reached the Brigadier he sighed and immediately understood that he was exposed.
"What a smart cadet! Marshal Seven indeed has good eyes."
Just then the Brigadier unleashed his strength as a phantom of a wheel baked with four different colored lights appeared behind him.