Both Alice and Sniperbowlegend appeared perfectly fine to Gabriel's relief, which meant there had not been any altercation while they were inside the eastern base.
A part of him had truly been worried, while another part believed Alice could handle herself. Although she was a spoiled brat, one thing Gabriel liked about her was that she was very capable and always got the job done.
Paired with someone with strong work ethics like Sniperbowlegend, they formed a powerful and effective duo. This mission had been bound to succeed even before it began.
"So how did it go?" Gabriel asked calmly.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed the other key members of Broken Dawn approaching from different directions. Sophie was there, along with Scarlet, Cassie, Lily, Bunny, Ragnarok99, and Samantha the necromancer.
Alice nodded and began. "The map was accurate, and we were able to memorize it perfectly. As for the hierarchy there, it is also as accurate as the baldy described."
Gabriel nodded. The sole reason for this mission had been to confirm Geoffrey's words, because even if he was telling the truth, there was always the possibility that things had changed during the short period he was away.
"About the ammunition, there are indeed twelve armored tanks and crates of ammunition which, according to my estimation, should be enough to equip all their men with some leftovers," she said, a grim expression on her face.
Calm. Gabriel's expression remained calm. He had already seen through this situation, so he was neither shocked nor tense like the others.
"Go on. Was that all?"
This time, Sniperbowlegend spoke. "There's something else. It seems the eastern camp is preparing to launch an attack on the Broken Dawn camp. We noticed several movements that suggest this."
"Sir Broken was indeed right. If we had waited any longer, they would have brought the fight to us," Ragnarok99 muttered under his breath, his eyes flashing as he stared at Gabriel with admiration.
"Yes, there's more," Alice suddenly spoke in a much more serious tone, capturing the attention of everyone present.
Gabriel narrowed his eyes, sensing the weight of what she was holding back. He briefly pondered to himself.
What kind of information could make this brat this serious?
"I met someone," Alice revealed. "A top official of the eastern camp."
Surprise flickered in the eyes of the others. After all, the mission had clearly been to avoid engagement. Yet she was standing here unharmed. How had a top official, one who was undoubtedly Hero Rank according to Geoffrey's information, let her leave just like that?
Believing there was a reasonable explanation, Gabriel urged her on with a subtle nod.
"Go on."
"Her name is Lin Xueyi. She's from the Tianlan Kingdom. I met her inside the warehouse where all the ammunition belonging to the eastern camp was stored." Alice paused before continuing. "I didn't reveal myself to her, but she somehow managed to get behind me before I even realized it."
Hearing this, none of the others blamed her or thought her incapable. After all, not only had the other party stepped into Hero Rank, Alice herself was only Level 50.
She was not an anomaly like Gabriel, whose physical strength and attributes far exceeded that of an average Level 50.
"She claims that she wants change in the eastern camp and is willing to work with you."
"Why isn't everything fine over at the eastern camp?" Cassie asked.
Disgust shone in Alice's expression. "No, it's not. The guards, from the refugees all the way to the top powerhouses, are all a bunch of perverts who can't keep their hands to themselves."
That was not exactly new. The pattern was already clear. Out here in the wilderness, humans tended to unleash their darkest desires.
Kairos and Bai Young had been similar. It was no surprise that his big brother's camp was the same.
"That woman has the same goal as us. She dislikes the injustice against women and wants change. She wants a base where everyone is treated equally," Alice concluded.
This was the structure of Gabriel's base. Everyone was equal. The only thing that differentiated anyone was strength. Even within his guild, most of the strongest members were women.
Alice, who was naturally displeased by the actions of the eastern camp, clenched her fists at her sides, her irritation clearly visible.
"How did you know she was telling the truth?" Ragnarok99 suddenly asked, voicing the doubt shared by several others.
"What if this whole thing is a plot to lure us in and attack us?" another added with a frown.
"We can't just blindly work with this person. It could all be a fabricated story."
"Alice has unique skills," Gabriel said, interrupting the voices. He looked at her, silently asking for permission to reveal more. When she nodded, he continued in a firm voice. "She can tell when someone is lying or not. Which means this Lin Xueyi person was telling the truth."
Gabriel already knew this. After all, she had used this skill on him before. His words erased any remaining doubt.
The murmurs died down almost instantly.
Alice straightened slightly, her expression firm as she met the gazes around her. There was no arrogance on her face, only certainty. She had never liked exposing her abilities, but moments like this demanded it.
"I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't sure," she added calmly. "Lin Xueyi wasn't acting. Her disgust was real. Her hatred for how the eastern camp operates was genuine. And more importantly, she wasn't afraid."
Sophie folded her arms beneath her chest, her eyes narrowing in thought. "A top official willing to betray her own camp isn't something we can ignore. Especially not one at Hero Rank."
"Or desperate," Samantha muttered from the side, her pale fingers brushing lightly against the spine of her grimoire. "People don't take that kind of risk unless they believe the system is beyond saving."
Gabriel exhaled slowly.
"This confirms it. The eastern camp isn't just a threat because of its weapons. It's rotten at the core. And since they're making preparations, it's high time we move out. No more waiting."
"Yes, Guild Leader!" echoed all the subordinates in unison.