"There's not enough water."
At ThindiWendy's words, the expressions of everyone gathered in the conference room became serious.
Tochka. A fortress of heavenly beauty. A perfect fortress where one soldier can defend against a hundred enemies.
However, the fatal drawback of this fortress is that there is no place to get drinking water in the immediate vicinity.
ThindiWendy spoke again.
"The number of refugees flocking from all over the empire is enormous. "Even if we have plenty of food, I don't think it will be enough to distribute drinking water."
"Can't I buy it even if I pay more?"
"There is still money left. Although I have used up almost all of my wealth, there is some assistance from the bourgeoisie. "But right now, there are no properties for sale."
ThindiWendy shook her head in response to Camus' question.
Dolores opened her mouth in a worried tone.
"The Germans from Leviathan keep cutting off supply routes, so drinking water is not arriving. If things continue like this, we will be annihilated by famine before the war even begins."
80% of humans are made up of water.
The amount of water stored in the human body is approximately 50L.
Even without any action, your body breaks down fat and creates about 0.25 liters of water.
In this way, the time a human can survive without drinking water is approximately three days, and after that time, ascites fills the stomach due to dehydration, and life is threatened.
"I think all the people of the empire have gathered. "A lot of people came."
"This is all because we spread the Ark story well. … … But have I done too well?"
Everyone nodded at Bianca and Tudor's words.
'Fire and water will only avoid this place, and only here will true salvation be achieved.'
The place where the land of salvation exists in the new Book of Revelation.
Dolores, the 'Saint of the Night', created a new oracle at the religious level and spread it among the people.
Refugees who abandoned their homes following these words gathered inside Tochka Fortress and formed a huge group.
Of course, those who ignored the oracle and those who did not believe did not come.
Those who walk at night made great efforts to send such people to the nearby highlands.
"At least I've been able to hold on so far because support is coming from many places… … "It's no longer possible."
Even Thindi Wendy of the world raised both hands and feet.
Until now, many people other than those who walked the night had been sending support knowingly or unknowingly.
'Bissamo' led by Lovegood of Themiscyra, graduates of Colosseo such as Gordon and Underdog, the entire staff of Colosseo including Principal Banshee, the Balak clan of the Western Jungle, Mozgus of the Quo Vadis family, Adolf of the Morgue, and the Bourgeois family. Guardians from all walks of life, such as Damien and Isabella of the Baskervilles, sent food, water, troops, and other personnel, so the refugees of Tochka have been able to live a better life than before despite the inconvenience.
But now things have changed.
As the civil war in the empire gradually intensified and the Leviathan family grew in power, there was a disruption in the supply of drinking water.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to handle all the refugees filling the vast Tochka Plateau.
"Even today, there was a fight between refugees over drinking water distribution. "The vigilantes are maintaining order, but I don't know how long it will last."
Camus' voice was serious.
Dolores also opened her mouth with a serious expression.
"Judging by the remaining drinking water… … Is it about four days when you save and cherish it? "After that, it's really over."
In the end, there is only enough water for four days.
If we consider the time humans can endure without water, the duration we can survive is about a week.
Everyone in Tochka only has about a week left to live.
In the end, everyone's eyes are directed to the highest table in the conference room.
ThindiWendy, Camus, and Dolores, the top leaders of the Nightwalkers, also paid attention to a spot higher up than him.
Bikir.
There was a man there who always had an expressionless expression, so you couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Eventually, Bikir's mouth opened.
"Hold on."
People reacted differently to those words.
Camus just nodded as if he understood, Dolores thought about how to persuade the others, and Sinclair tilted his head as he thought about how to hold on.
ThindiWendy just sighs with an expression that says, 'Here we go again.'
At that time, Piggy, who was next to me, asked in a cautious tone.
"Bikir. We all believe in you. But among the refugees gathered, there are probably many who are not like that. I don't know what to say to them. "You can't just tell them to hold on, right?"
"But all I can say is to hold on."
Bikir opened his mouth.
It was a decisive tone still filled with confidence.
"You guys did a much better job than I expected, so I was able to gather a lot of people. Because of that, it was my misjudgment that my expectations were slightly off. But if you wait a little, everything will be resolved naturally. "I can promise you that."
"… … "Aren't you saying this because it seems impossible to wait just that little bit?"
The person who suddenly joined in from the side was a Chihuahua.
He became Bikir's faithful aide and spoke bitterly towards Bikir.
"Isn't it frustrating for people around you that you keep the plan to yourself in the first place? You should also share it with people around you. No, to put it bluntly, there are only four days' worth of water left, so if you just wait and see, who would know?"
A few people around me were internally delighted by the Chihuahua's outspoken words.
But Bikir's attitude did not change.
"Can not help it. If you reveal your plan hastily, information may leak to the enemy. Also, since it is something that cannot be believed even if it is said, the allies may also be shaken. "I just hope that you can guess what I've done so far and trust me this time too."
"Oh, no matter how old you get, you still remain stubborn. Even though he looks young on the outside, he looks like an old man on the inside. So what are you planning to do with your marriage later?"
As the Chihuahua grunted, several women around him started shaking.
Meanwhile, Bikir had no choice but to lose his momentum a little due to the Chihuahua's continued nagging.
"… … Is the drinking water situation really that bad? So much so that you can't even last a week?"
"You saw and heard. Even now, the number of refugees coming in continues to increase. Four days were also optimistically set. "After about a week, there will be a lot of people here in Tochka who have died from dehydration!"
There are also limits to collecting dew or squeezing plant juice.
Perhaps something truly terrible could have happened before Bikir's idea of a solution was revealed.
"… … But it is true that there is no other way than to wait."
A look of sadness appears on everyone's faces after hearing Bikir's words.
Right then.
Minfin, who was in the corner of the conference room, carefully raised his hand.
"That boss… … No, Senator. "I have something to tell you."
When Bikir caught his gaze, he took something out of his pocket and placed it on the desk.
It was a small cage, and inside was something with blue wings flapping about.
Sinclair, who was next to Bikir, looked young.
"Is that a nymph?"
"you're right. "I barely managed to collect it the day before yesterday."
Minfin nodded.
He was once a searcher and is the greatest expert on the planet, having established the ecology of numerous monsters.
"Nymphs are monsters that only live in places where there is water."
At Minipin's words, a flash of light flashed in everyone's eyes.
Bikir also gave Minipin a wink as if telling him to continue.
Minfin said as best he could.
"I found this nymph on a mountain peak not far from Tochka. It's a high, steep rocky area and covered with trees, so it's hard to see what's above when you look up from below. "I thought I was going to die several times during the collecting process."
"Why do nymphs live there?"
"Of course it's because there's water there, right?"
Minfin continued speaking almost with certainty.
"It looks like there is a volcanic lake on that mountain peak. "At the bottom of the crater."
Suwon area. There may be a lake hidden on a low mountain peak on the other side of Tochka.
"There's a 99.9% chance there's a lake there. "It is also a clear and clean freshwater lake."
"… … hmm. "Then why wasn't it discovered until now?"
"I also saw traces of nymphs and tracked them for days and finally managed to collect them. I almost fell to my death dozens of times. "If a professional gatherer like me had this much trouble, other people wouldn't have even dared to do it."
After hearing Minipin's answer, Bikir rested his chin and thought hard.
It was not known before the return that there was a water source near Tochka Fortress.
It seems to be a butterfly effect caused by collecting mini pins as a consignment.
'If this is true, this is great information.'
Bikir also recognized the value of this information.
Camus, who was looking at the map, said with a serious expression.
"It's not that far away. Looking at the terrain, I think if we blow up the bedrock well, we could create a waterway toward Tochka."
"Looking at the size of the crater, it looks quite large and wide if there is a water source. "I think there's plenty of water."
"Nymphs live only in large lakes with a lot of water. "There's a lot of potential."
Dolores and Sinclair also had the same opinion.
Bikir also nodded.
Minipin is a talented person who was selected and selected during his time in the Imperial Capital, so he also trusts Vikir.
Bikir thought for a while and then nodded.
"good night. Let's change the plan a bit. First, let's take control of the water source at this point."
Bikir, who is extremely conservative when it comes to changing plans, made an unusual decision this time.
A temporary solution. Just enough drinking water to last about a week is enough, no more, no less.
When Bikir's decision was made, ThindiWendy smiled brightly, looking at peace with everything.
"I finally see a way out! "I will support you with all my might!"
The others also all look determined and eager to go on a journey to find drinking water.
Right then.
"emergency! emergency! emergency!"
An urgent report came from the sentry in the watchtower outside the window.
"The Leviathan clans are attacking from the front! "It is an infinite number!"
It was a report that instantly overturned the excited atmosphere caused by the discovery of the water source.