Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

Page 164

"What exactly are you trying to do?!" Lelouch was starting to lose control.

"Ha, calm down, calm down. Lelouch, if you want something shrouded in darkness to progress more smoothly, you'd better find a quiet place to take this call, okay?"

……

After turning left and right, I arrived at a tree behind the teaching building. There was no one around. Hmm, that's fine.

"Okay, what do you want to say?"

"Sigh, where should we begin? How about we start with the Tower of Babel?"

"The Tower of Babel?"

"Hmm, I want to see: 'Lelouch vi Britannia hereby orders, die!' Cough, those words should have come from your mouth, right, Lamperouge? Uh, or should I just call you Britannia? Making a group of soldiers commit suicide with a single sentence, there are probably very few people in the world who can do that... Ah, but don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone about what you did. I just want to know, are you familiar with ZERO?"

"Hmm, not bad, so what?" The implication was quite clear—they knew about the Tower of Babel, and back then, besides the Black Knights, were there any other people who would be treated like this by Britannian soldiers? You can't hide it from them.

“I have a great interest in and high expectations for the Black Knights. I think what ZERO wants to do is definitely not just to cause another Black Rebellion in Area 11.”

"So, you're very familiar with ZERO?"

"Well, I did look through some footage from the first public appearance of the Black Knights. 'The Black Knights appear when the powerful slaughter the powerless; we will make the strong fear us and the weak crave us.' So, Lelouch, in this world, who are the powerful who wantonly oppress others, and who are the weak who are oppressed? I think the answer to this question seems to inadvertently reveal which city on the North American continent the Black Knights are ultimately targeting."

"Perhaps you are making baseless guesses? sir?"

"Speculation is of course pointless, but that doesn't mean my call was meaningless. Excuse me, have you heard of anything that's been making headlines in the Tokyo Concession's city hall since the Tower of Babel?"

"Oh? I'd like to hear it." Actually, the boy knew in his heart that General Toudou and the others had already said it.

"In the City Hall, there's a gateway to another world for Britannia, a world where the weak are still oppressed and conquered by the strong. Of course, I don't think the Black Knights are omnipotent gods; cowering in a corner of Area 11, they're probably too far removed to save the injustices of that other world. So what I mean is, if the sensible Zero understands how to use such slogans to win over the hearts of the weak, then surely he also understands that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

"A survivor from another world is helping a righteous hero whose future is uncertain. Sounds quite selfless, doesn't it? Perhaps, sir, you should know..."

“I should be aware of the issue of building trust between us, right? Well, in that case… there’s a hotel building called NETO in Moriya City, northeast of the Tokyo Concession. Its neon sign is still there. It shouldn’t be hard to find. I’ll go there at 19 p.m. the day after tomorrow, with only one attendant. I also hope to see members of the Black Knights there, even if ZERO isn’t there.”

"Then how can I..." Before he could ask more questions, the phone was hung up, and Lelouch could only swallow his inexplicable anger.

"Oh? Class is about to start. Who are you contacting?" Looking up, the familiar green-haired witch reappeared, dressed in a school uniform.

"CC? Hmm, okay, let's use the same trick as before."

"Huh?" She looked at the boy with a puzzled expression, not quite understanding what his expression of being safe meant.

Chapter 193, Section 263: Reaching a Consensus with Black (Part 2)

The continuous rain in winter is very unfriendly to Japan.

What's more, the 11th District is a completely unrepaired wasteland? The shops and porch lights on the streets were destroyed in the war years ago. Stones and mud have driven away everything with a warm color, leaving only the streetlights, which are not so cold and ruthless. But even they are only maintained by the relevant departments of Britannia on the main roads to ensure safe passage between the various concessions of the 11th District.

This hotel, named NETO, was clearly not fortunate enough to be located on the main road.

"Hiss... It's so cold..."

Yamashita emerged shakily from a street corner in the distance, slowly making his way towards the hotel ruins. Wearing glasses, a woolen hat, and a scarf, his coat wrapped tightly around him, he held an umbrella in one hand and a newly lit lantern in the other—the distinctive emblem of the Black Knights was hastily drawn on the red cardboard with a brush dipped in black ink. Without this gleaming object, he would probably be mistaken for a down-on-his-luck office worker before the fall of his kingdom.

"Did you see anything?" Clark's voice came through the earpiece connected to the phone.

"Uh, no, sir... Ouch, this is awful, I'm freezing! I should be indoors watching my computer at a time like this..."

"Was it too hot from the car's air conditioning? Take off your hat and scarf!"

"No, no, no! I know I was wrong! I won't complain anymore... Sir, have you gotten off the bus? Where are you? I can't see you."

"You should be watching the Black Knights. Focus."

……

When they arrived at the hotel entrance, Shan Xia took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Hey! Is there anyone there?"

After shouting several times in alternating Japanese and English, two people in black uniforms appeared out of a window on the third floor of the hotel.

"Hehe! The Knights! The Black Knights!" Yamashita exclaimed excitedly, even speaking his native tongue. "I... I've come to find you! Lord ZERO knows!"

Do you have any weapons with you?

"No, no! Look, I'm really here to find Lord ZERO on behalf of our boss! We agreed to meet here!" After waving the lantern a few times, the two men in black exchanged a glance, then told him to wait where he was and went inside first.

"Hey?"

After a moment of stunned silence, a large hole in the hotel was suddenly filled with white light, and from below, one could vaguely see a figure in a long black robe appear there, accompanied by two armed guards.

"ZERO! Is it really you? Lord ZERO!" He was so excited that he didn't even want to open his umbrella anymore.

"Hey! You!" a guard shouted at him, "Where is your boss! Where is the person who came to talk to us?"

"He...he's here..."

"Didn't you come here to mess with us?" The guard thought he had fallen into a trap and prepared to take ZERO into the house.

……

"Excuse me, everyone, this building is so tall, it's not easy to climb."

When everyone turned around, they saw a man wearing a black coat, a black top hat, and holding a black umbrella emerging from the top of another hotel across from the NETO Hotel building, which was almost completely collapsed. He was also leaning on a red and white cane with some blue on it, and was at the same height as ZERO and the others.

"This guy..." the guard said, a little flustered, "when did he get there?"

"Oh, sir, you..."

"Shut up, Yamashita. What you just did was childish and shameful..." The new guest was wearing a skull mask, and his voice was similar to the one Lelouch had used on the phone earlier. "Stand there and watch. Okay, Mr. Zero, may we begin?"

"It's an honor to meet you, guest who wishes to remain anonymous." The voice beneath the black cloak was exactly the same as the one with an overwhelming presence on television.

"It's an honor to meet you, lone champion of justice, ha." Clark, hidden in the skull face, sneered. "Do you know why your Black Knights are so petty and despicable? I guess those guys watching that black luxury car parked outside can finally take a break? Sigh, I thought you'd follow me the moment I stepped out, or at least have sharp eyes when I infiltrated. Sigh, your tracking skills are probably no match for your rear-end collisions?"

“Sir, I don’t particularly appreciate your time-wasting sarcasm.” ZERO’s tone was calm, completely different from the clenched teeth of the guard beside him. “What you know is indeed quite unexpected, but I hope you can demonstrate something truly befitting a champion of justice.”

“OK, ZERO, I don’t know what you think.” If you look closely, it seems that ZERO’s hand is constantly fiddling with something in front of his collarbone. “Do you want to know why many of your Black Knights’ operations in Area 11 have ended in failure recently? You really need help. Britannia is your enemy as always, but enemies are not static. They will always have their own new ideas.”

"I have a question for you: When justice can only be exercised in a clandestine manner, can it still be called justice?"

“Ugh, this is outrageous.” Clark was a bit troubled; ZERO was completely ignoring his words. “So, to reiterate, sir, what is your definition of justice? Is it justice based on a goal or an outcome, or on a process?”

"Everyone has a side that makes them different from others, and they all have things hidden deep in their hearts that no outsider knows. When the sense of justice deep in people's hearts resonates with outsiders, then they will follow justice, do what they believe is just, and accomplish what they believe is just."

"So, we should both put aside our defenses, open our arms to each other, and share the 'justice' in our hearts? Or, in your opinion, 'justice' is meant to be shared? Mr. ZERO certainly has a unique perspective."

Seeing that ZERO was silent, Clark cleared his throat.

"The Black Knights are a mysterious entity to the world, but that doesn't mean they know all the world's mysteries. After all, my very existence and everything I know is enough to astound one of you. Not only do you not know who I am or where I come from, but you also don't know that what I know and my stance are detrimental to Britannia."

……

ZERO remained silent for a long time, and Clark thought he had fallen asleep.

“You are indeed a very intelligent person.” He slowly lowered his head. “Then, sir, may we do something important to establish trust between us?”

"Ok?"

"I will remove my mask, as for you?"

"W-what?" The two guards beside him panicked. "Lord ZE...ZERO..."

"Hey, you two!" Suddenly a third guard came from behind and called the two of them away, leaving ZERO alone standing there.

"Oh ho ho, I got it, I got it. Shall I count to three, two, one? Shall we do it together?"

……

After Clark threw away the umbrella and took off the skull face and top hat, he stared in disbelief and saw that ZERO had indeed taken off the helmet-like mask. However, what happened next was unexpected.

"Wha...what the fuck?" Yes, he had initially thought it was that skinny boy he'd seen at school, but it turned out to be a little girl with long green hair? [PS: Hmm, how many years has this "little" girl lived?]

"Do you need me to take this off too?" The girl smoothed her hair, blinked her pale yellow eyes, and then pointed to the mask covering her nose and mouth. Her voice was completely different from the mesmerizing young man's voice she had heard before.

"Ugh, that's enough, damn it..." Clark was furious. He was still on guard, but when he took off his mask, it ripped off. "Lelouch, it seems Zero is someone else? Hmm, no..."

"Ahem, um!" Clark raised his voice, "That sound trick was pretty good, wasn't it?"

The girl didn't answer directly; instead, she placed one hand back on the small box in front of her collarbone.

"You must know what a voice changer is." The voice switched back to a male voice, perfectly matching the girl's lip movements. "It's very necessary, for personal safety."

"Alright, alright, it seems the Black Knights really are something else. I'm really curious what will happen when a bunch of people find out their leader is a sexy young lady."

“Dirty jokes are completely out of step with your previous display of wisdom, sir.”

“I understand. Since we’ve come this far, I won’t hold back anymore.” Clark wiped his mouth. “May I ask, beautiful Ms. ZERO, do you know what happened in Britannia before your Black Knights reappeared?”

"Does the fact that a large number of troops inexplicably arrived in Area 11, and then inexplicably went to other places, count as such?"

"Ha, I guess you got less than half right. Let me be more direct. District 45, you know? There are some very valuable things that Britannia obtained there. Do you want to know what those things are for? The bloody photos that have been making headlines in the newspapers and on social media lately, and the Black Knights who were recently executed by Britannian naval warships—do you think Britannia of the past could have done that?"

"So, Britannia has friends now?"

"He made friends, but he also made enemies, and definitely more enemies. As for these enemies... right now, he's a bit isolated in this world, and he really wants to make his own friends who will fight for justice."

"So, what does it take to become friends with these 'enemies,' and what can one gain?"

"Friendship needs a touchstone, and clearly, this time I'm the one throwing out that stone," Clark said, crouching downstairs and calling out, "Down the mountain! Is the bastard asleep?! Hurry up and get out the map I asked you to keep! Mr. ZERO wants to see it!"

"Oh oh oh!"

After the items were handed out at the foot of the mountain, two henchmen of the Black Knights ran up to them.

……

Above is a map of the area surrounding Tokyo, with several highways marked by thick red lines and accompanying text.

“Next Tuesday, at 10 a.m.,” Clark calmly recited the information on the map, “a group of former Japanese Liberation Front officers will depart from Nagoya, escorting them along the highway south of Gozaishoyama to the Osaka concession. Next Monday, at 11 p.m., a military train will depart from Tokyo for Sendai, carrying a batch of cutting-edge KMFs—presumably the Vincent type you’ve encountered before, the genuine articles, including shield generators that you might find very interesting. Then, tomorrow at noon, Britannia’s new friends from the New World will be executing a group of civilians in Narita City. Well, having said all that, I’m sure Ms. ZERO, as a champion of justice, won’t miss these opportunities to promote herself.”

"How can I trust the authenticity of what you've given me, sir?" The girl's eyes remained indifferent.

"Authenticity? I think you should learn a phrase from me: 'luring the snake out of its hole.' I know what you're thinking. These locations and events could actually be a good opportunity to wipe out your Black Knights in one fell swoop, right? But have you considered, young lady, that when I appeared near this hotel, your KMF forces hiding nearby—I mean, there might be some hiding there—wouldn't it be a piece of cake for them to take my life? And presumably, no one informed you that Britannian forces were approaching, right?"

"Hmm, you don't seem like bait, but only not right now. Once we've completed the task of gathering the information you provided, we'll completely trust you, and then you'll shed your harmless facade and reveal the true nature of bait?"

"Oh my god, that's enough. Miss, doing business is all about cash on delivery and trust. You've made me feel really awkward. Fine, fine, consider the map yours. We'll meet again someday if you want to see me again."

"In that case," he said, about to leave, when the girl called out to him, "Could you please leave your name for contacting me?"

"Me? Haha, since that's how it is..." Clark calmly put on his mask and hat, opened his umbrella, and slowly walked away with his cane, gently leaving behind his last words.

"Tokyo Concession, 46 Nevede Avenue, Recipient: Atlantic."

……

Watching that figure slowly disappear, ZERO should go inside now—or rather, CC.

"That's quite a difficult idea, young man." Entering a room, Lelouch, dressed in the black uniform of a member of the Knights of the North, was sitting there waiting. "So you want me to get soaked in the rain for you?"

"Ha, you should have been prepared. I told you from the beginning that the recording device is waterproof."

"Well, I recorded the audio beforehand, divided it into several parts, and selectively released a part during the negotiation. Then, when I took off my mask, I used my own voice and the recording together to deceive him, making him think that ZERO was a girl who used a voice changer. It's not a perfect method."

"Ah, do I have to demonstrate how to use GEASS to him like I did before it's enough?"

After exchanging a few jokes, the two began to exchange clothes.

"Let's get down to business. What do you think of what he offered?"

"Choose two out of three, not all of them, even if all three are solid intelligence reports. It seems this Mr. Atlantic will become our informant within Britannia?"

"At least he seems to trust you; it all depends on how you think about it."

“I think our journey in Area 11 is going to get increasingly difficult, until the new governor arrives, ah, Nunnally…”

“I think the most urgent thing right now is for you to remove these people’s GEASS.” When CC came in, she could see that all the guards who had been with her were standing there dumbfounded, as if they were possessed, completely oblivious to what was happening around them. “Next time you meet with Atlantic, I’m afraid you’ll have to bring in a different group of people to repeat the amnesia procedure.”

……

At this moment, in the black sedan returning to the Tokyo concession, Yamashita gripped the steering wheel tremblingly, watching Clark in the passenger seat, his hands constantly rubbing against the air conditioning vents.

"How's it going down the mountain? What are your impressions?"

"Ah... Lord ZERO is really..."

"Unexpected, isn't it? You didn't expect her to be a girl, did you? But speaking of which, the way ZERO talks..."

"Yes! It's just as inspiring as it is on TV!"

"W-what? Inspiring? My God, is the way you Japanese think all the time this strange? I got goosebumps talking to her... not from being chilled."