Chapter 44

This is an additional chapter for power stones

***

As the full-scale assault and capture of Ba Sing Se began gradually, Fire Nation soldiers and benders dispersed throughout the city, patrolling the streets to prevent or minimize potential sabotage by earthbenders, as well as to tackle the inevitable rise in crime within these slums. Captured robbers, thieves, murderers, and members of various criminal organizations were sent to mines and factories, providing us with labor units, reducing the number of criminals in the slums, and increasing the trust of the residents, who saw crime being suppressed on their streets.

The lower city was divided into two parts. The first part, the border area, was where the troops stationed at the wall to the middle city of Ba Sing Se were making all preparations for further assault while fortifying their positions to prevent earthbender raids from displacing us from our positions.

For two weeks, order was established in the lower city, and everything was stabilized. Preparations were made for defenses in case of a retreat, roads and locations for tanks and other armored vehicles were prepared, and siege weapons were brought in. Having captured the first ring and the lower city, it made sense to lay siege to the city because, without access to food from the farmlands of the outer ring, soon there would be famine in the middle and upper cities. The people here, as I had long noticed, were not like those of Stalingrad and would not tolerate such conditions, so they would likely surrender quickly. If not, they would soon lack the strength to resist. This time, they wouldn't last six hundred days... unless they unexpectedly had several farms or food sources in reserve... then it would be more complicated.

In any case, we decided to maintain the siege only as a last resort if none of the other plans worked.

For two weeks, I could say I rested and also assisted in combating crime. Not that I was a brilliant detective, but... a fisherman easily spots another fisherman, so to speak. Especially when you can use vibrational sensing and the sense of life. The latter I use constantly. Vibrational sensing, along with regular vision, though increasingly used, still tires me due to the high brain load. Sensing vibrations already gathers and delivers more information to the brain than sight and hearing combined, so using both vision and vibrational sensing, I get tired after about three and a quarter hours without breaks. But the duration is gradually increasing, and I'm getting used to processing such an amount of information. So, I'm already considering, after capturing the city, learning to perceive through another element.

But that's for later. Now, I had other matters.

Walking down one of the lower city's streets, I sensed some unwelcome guests. It seemed they were after my soul...

Ten minutes of quick movement later, I found myself surrounded by the Dai Li.

From their perspective, I was in a highly unfavorable position. On their territory, alone, against a large number of earthbending masters. They must know that fighting a large number of earth masters, even with Azula as a partner, was hard for me; they had to know, after all, they're a special service. So, from their point of view, it's natural to assume I was at a disadvantage.

However, a smile never left my face because...

Being alone, which I could feel well with no one from my side nearby, wasn't a minus... it was a significant plus for me since I had no need to hide!

Yet, no one rushed into battle, though I was already set for blood and ready to take control of theirs, but only one of them cautiously approached me.

"Mr. Garo, if I'm not mistaken?" the earthbender asked.

"Oh? Starting with a conversation? And here I was ready for a fight. Well, yes, I'm Garo, did you want something?" I asked him.

"Our leader would like to speak with you. We promise we won't harm you."

"Ah, yes, I'm going to believe that and happily skip to your boss unknown where! Find another fool! If he wants to talk, he can come to me; I'm not looking for a meeting with him. I hope you'll pass that on... hmm... you didn't attack me this time, so I'll pretend I didn't see you here, now go away before I change my mind!"

Without saying anything, the Dai Li agent stepped back, and they all began to leave.

The meeting with some leader of the Dai Li intrigued me, but not enough to rush headlong to visit him, especially alone. Who knows what traps they could use. Even if you're strong, you can be killed. The harder it is, the stronger and more experienced you are. Tuning into my senses, I continued my walk.

Three days later, I sensed earthbenders approaching again. And for the second time, it happened when there was not a single patrol nearby. Well, when I get back, I'll complain to Azula, and she can scold whoever's responsible.

This time, there were one and a half times more agents, and far more than one of them approached me.

A somewhat short, not exactly young man with a slight bald patch running from his forehead, hair tied back in a braid, a mustache, and a beard reminiscent of Ozai's, wore black clothing with golden trim along the edges and a long green robe that touched the ground... or perhaps it was just a skirt, I'm not sure.

I always preferred pants...

"Mr. Garo, I'm pleased to meet you. I apologize for not appearing personally last time; I did not anticipate your apprehension about being surrounded by Dai Li agents," he said, bowing deeply.

"Well, I thought it was a natural reaction. What do you want? Be warned, if what you've come personally to say isn't significant, I'll bury all of you here... though I might capture you alive first."

"I do not doubt your abilities, Mr. Garo. Unfortunately, many of my people have gone to the spirit world, not believing in your power. I'd like to discuss a potential collaboration with you..."

*****

"Why are you so pleased?" Azula asked me as I lounged on the bed in her room, where the rest of her team had gathered, with a very satisfied smile.

"Azula, I have good news. If everything goes as planned, tomorrow will be the last day of the city's siege!" I said, grinning even wider.

"Explain!" she demanded, freezing in anticipation, as did everyone else.

"In short, during one of my walks, Long Feng, currently the Minister of Culture and also the leader of the Dai Li, contacted me. He beat around the bush for a while, but eventually got to the point. He proposes to betray the Earth Kingdom and, with the Dai Li's help, open all gates for us, bring down the walls to the middle and upper cities, and assist us, asking only to retain his power."

"Really?" Mei raised an eyebrow. "And you agreed?"

"Great spirits! Mei, what's with you!? What a great day today is! You've spoken to me for the first time in a week!" I feigned shock, jumping off the bed and assuming a fighting stance, though my smile clearly indicated I was joking.

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny," Mei said slowly, watching as her friends laughed and I smiled.

"Well, seriously speaking, I agreed. I hope, Azula, you don't mind?" I asked the still-laughing princess, who waved her hand dismissively. "See, she doesn't mind. As for him - once we get what we can from him, I'll destroy him. It's not wise to leave someone like him behind.

He's power-hungry, charismatic, ambitious, quite intelligent and cunning, plus a capable earthbender himself, I suspect not a weak one. Sooner or later, he will start his own games, and we don't need that. Besides, betray once, and he'll betray again. No, keeping him alive is out of the question!"

"Alright," Azula concluded, stopping her laughter. "Then I entrust this matter to you, Garo. I hope everything goes smoothly. Ah, I'm already tired of being here..."

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