Chapter 59: Trapped at the Base

The road from the Light Elf village to the base wasn't a proper road—it was more like a roller coaster ride for the Earth vehicles.

"Don't wander around this area. It could be dangerous!" Wayne Peng warned us as we approached the base. The outer perimeter was surrounded by several layers of barbed wire, and only the innermost area had a simple wall to block the view. Wayne Peng gathered us together and led us through the main gate.

At the entrance, there was a guard post. As we passed by, we saw tanks and armored vehicles slowly rolling out, likely heading out on some military mission.

"Sixth Reconnaissance Team, I'm the captain! We have a few local residents with us who wish to visit, and our recon mission was successful. I need to report the details to my superiors immediately!" Wayne Peng saluted the guard and identified himself.

"Sixth Team, huh? So, you've been out for two days, haven't you?" The guard checked a logbook, then had Wayne Peng register our names. He gave us a quick glance before continuing. 

"The enemy has been restless lately, so the entire base is now on lockdown. The command center just sent out armored units to the surrounding areas for special deployments. Bringing locals back at this time might be a bit tricky…"

So, it's really about to turn into a war? I hadn't expected things to escalate this quickly. Wayne Peng exchanged a few words with the guard, then came over with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, but we've received intelligence that the Empire's army is about to launch an attack. I'm afraid the base tour we promised can't happen right now. However, you can stay in the shelter we've built—it offers basic food and lodging, though I'm afraid you won't have much… freedom. We'll have to wait until the situation stabilizes before discussing anything further."

The shelter was a temporary refuge for the Empire's people who had sought asylum. For safety reasons, it wasn't located inside the base but in a corner of the outer perimeter, with special control measures in place. Since the number of people there wasn't large, the area was small and supposedly close to the main gate—just a short walk away.

"No freedom? Are you saying we'll be locked up?" Adrian frowned deeply. Although Wayne Peng had been quite polite, the underlying meaning was clear.

"We helped you out, and this is how you repay us? We were promised a friendly visit!" Mia found her initial suspicions confirmed and wasn't about to let it go. Even Reed, who was usually quiet, showed some doubt on her face.

"I'm really sorry! We didn't anticipate this situation. These are the rules, and in times of war, we have to follow them. The shelter isn't a prison—you're still our guests, as long as you don't try to leave or cause trouble," the female translator chimed in, trying to calm us down. I understood that the Earth army was being cautious—after all, we weren't their people, and until they fully trusted us, they were being quite reasonable.

"Maybe we should just stay here for a few days?" After a long silence, Reed stepped forward and made a decision.

"No way! My duty is to keep you safe. How can I let these people, who don't even know magic, lock us up? Besides, even if we're just ordinary people, we shouldn't be treated like prisoners!" Mia was almost jumping with anger, struggling to keep her true identity hidden.

"You're not prisoners! We really do come in peace! But this is an emergency, and we have to treat all outsiders according to protocol," the female translator repeated, though her words didn't change the fact that the situation felt a lot like being prisoners.

"If we can't tour the base, why not just send us back the way we came?" To be honest, I didn't really want to stay here either—not because of being locked up, since we weren't ordinary humans and could leave if we wanted. My main concern was not wanting Adrian to find out about my connection to Earth. If we stayed at the Earth base too long, I might slip up and reveal something.

The reason I agreed to come with Mia in the first place was because I didn't trust her being here alone. If she misunderstood the Earthlings even more and a conflict broke out between them and the angels, the consequences would be something I, as a former Earthling, didn't want to see.

As for Reed, her motives seemed simpler. She was just curious and eager for a chance to observe how the Earth army would handle the Empire's counterattack. When two completely different civilizations collide, it's a once-in-a-lifetime event. Even if the situation was slightly different from what she expected, it didn't interfere with her plans. If she could stay at the base, she might witness something truly significant.

"The base is on lockdown now, so leaving freely isn't an option. Without approval from higher-ups, even we can't leave. And since you've seen our defense setup, we have to enforce security measures to prevent any information leaks. It's best to wait until this crisis is over before leaving," Wayne Peng responded to my suggestion with a wry smile, making it clear that returning the way we came wasn't possible either.

Great, now we're stuck here!

"I can understand their concerns, and they do have a point. Rules are rules. If we're not going to be harmed, maybe it's okay to stay for a few days…" Having served in the Astralrealm Kingdom's army, Adrian sympathized with Wayne Peng's situation and surprisingly didn't take my side.

"Alright, you're in charge!" On the other hand, Mia, who had been ready to fight, gave up before she even started. Without any real say in the matter, she sulked and decided to go along with whatever was decided.

"How did it come to this?" I felt a wave of frustration. Sure, we could probably break out of here if we tried, but I didn't want to create unnecessary conflict with the Earthlings, especially since they were from my old country, H-country. Besides, I wasn't sure how well we'd fare against their advanced weapons. No one wants to get shot at, even if they think they're strong.

"You look worried. Is everything okay?" Adrian, as perceptive as ever, noticed my unease and quietly asked if we should consider another plan. "Could it be related to that country they mentioned, H-country?"

"Kidding! There's no way I'm scared!" I quickly denied it, not wanting to raise any more suspicion.

"Fine, let's just stay. I'm only worried about losing my freedom—it's just inconvenient, that's all. It has nothing to do with that H-country place." 

"Well, when you put it like that… I guess it's no big deal," Adrian seemed to accept my explanation, smiling gently.

"Good, it looks like we're all in agreement now!"

From Wayne Peng's perspective, we probably didn't have a choice anyway. They were just being polite by letting us decide for ourselves.

"Welcome to the Earth base! We'll report your help to our superiors and get your restrictions lifted as soon as possible!" Wayne Peng said as the base gate opened again, guiding the Sixth Recon Team's vehicles inside. Ahead of us, a large, rectangular building came into view.

"That must be… the portal, right?"

It wasn't hard to guess what was inside that building. The Earthlings had carefully enclosed it to prevent anything unexpected from coming through from the other side.

"We call it the Gateway to the New World! Because this place really is a completely new world for Earth!" Wayne Peng explained with excitement, though his face suddenly showed a hint of confusion.

"But what's strange is that it appeared right where my high school reunion had an accident a few months ago…"