CHAPTER 499: CHAPTER 249: AFTER 160 DAYS AND NIGHTS_3

Si swam over to the egg with its small snake tail, tapping the crystal-like eggshell.

"I can feel it... The egg is about to hatch."

BANG!

Hearing this, Jason shot up, his chair clattering to the floor.

He quickly ran over, touched the egg by the fire, then turned to Si and asked, "Really? You’re not lying to me, are you?"

Si hurriedly waved its little tail, saying softly and weakly, "No, no, it’s true."

Just then, Matilda swam over, gently scooped up Si, and placed it on her shoulder.

She extended her four arms, placed them all on the egg, and pressed her face against the shell, closing her eyes to sense it closely.

"’It’s soon. The life inside has already formed. She’s accumulating energy; she’s about to come out of the egg,’ Matilda whispered, her eyes still closed."

Hearing this, Jason’s expression grew excited.

"’Is it finally going to hatch?’"

This egg had been with him for three years. Was it finally going to hatch? Thinking of this, Jason felt a surge of excitement.

"’Is it now? What should I prepare?’ He was already fumbling for words."

Seeing Jason’s excitement, Matilda covered her mouth and chuckled. "Not so fast. Even if she’s accumulating energy, it will still take some time. Don’t worry."

Hearing this, Jason calmed down and nodded.

"’Your child is coming out, Jason,’" Pororo joked with a laugh.

"’Haha,’" Jason chuckled, not refuting it.

Previously, he might have refuted it, but after years of such teasing, he himself had grown used to it.

He couldn’t help but touch the eggshell.

It was finally going to hatch.

"’Is there a baby inside?’"

"’Is the baby finally coming out?’"

"’What will it look like?’"

The group of Puppet Girls, dressed in maid outfits, fluttered their wings around the egg, chattering with questions.

"’I don’t know what’s inside either,’ Jason replied with an awkward smile, hearing their questions."

Alka shook his head in amusement and stood up. Addressing the others at the table, he said, "It’s about time. We should get going too. The snowstorm outside is about to stop."

By now, the snowstorm outside had subsided considerably, with only a gentle breeze carrying flurries of snow.

After finishing their meal, they took the coats and scarves hanging nearby, put them on, and disembarked from the ship one by one.

As they disembarked, five Puppet Girls in form-fitting black attire slipped out from the shadows and appeared on their shoulders.

The group wasn’t surprised by the sudden appearance of the Puppet Girls on their shoulders; they were already accustomed to it.

Thick-soled boots trudged across the snow-covered plains, each step leaving a deep footprint in the snow.

No one carried anything apart from their clothing. The huge excavation tools and associated constructs they once slung over their backs were no longer needed.

A Mirror floated in front of Alka. He watched the figures reflected in it as they made their way through the snow.

"’Is it still that group from a few days ago?’ Juanlu asked, walking over."

Alka nodded.

"’They really are reckless,’ Pororo remarked, looking at the scene within the Mirror."

Alka said nothing more but shrugged. The Puppet Girl on his shoulder turned to look at him.

"’Yi Yi, take your squad and shadow them.’"

"’Yes, Captain.’"

At his words, the Puppet Girl on Alka’s shoulder leaped away, swift as an arrow, disappearing into the shadows of the nearby undergrowth.

The Puppet Girls on everyone else’s shoulders similarly vanished.

These Puppet Girls were Yi’s subordinates, Puppet Girls specialized in tracking, reconnaissance, and sentry duties.

They had undergone specialized assassin training, and even the materials of their construction were chosen to complement these abilities.

These Puppet Girls were ordinary members, so their strength was above Five Spirals but below Six Spirals.

Lucilia’s strength was at the Nine Spirals level, and her Vice Captain, Ling, was also at Nine Spirals.

The squad leaders in the second echelon were at the Seven Spirals level.

Consequently, these ordinary members were weaker than Six Spirals.

However, Lucilia had only recently advanced to Nine Spirals and had not yet fully stabilized her power at that level.

Once she fully stabilized her power at Nine Spirals, the strength of these members would likely solidify at Six Spirals.

The strength of all members was intrinsically linked to that of their leader.

"’If they insist on being reckless, what are you planning to do?’ Julia asked, walking behind them."

"’If they are reckless, then naturally, they’ll have to pay the price,’ Alka said quietly."