Chapter 67: The Melody on the Battlefield
Added 2024-05-29 14:41:10 +0000 UTCLisa quickly walked out of the military tent, holding a walkie-talkie, and said, "Notify the guards at the watchtower to clear the area immediately. All the officers in charge must leave within five minutes."
"Act quickly. If there are any unrelated personnel when we arrive, you will all be punished! Where is my assistant? Go get me an electronic keyboard right away, and find two basic performance memory chips!" Secretary Xia roared.
Ever since learning of the existence of the Requiem, this old man seemed to have regained his vitality, immediately throwing down the cane in his hand and walking faster than a young person.
This was all Mike's request.
First, the Requiem is a military secret, so it must be kept as confidential as possible.
Secondly, the electronic keyboard is mainly for the sake of looking cool.
After all, beating gongs and drums is not very good-looking, especially on the battlefield.
Moreover, Isabelle said that in the past, her parents could use many different ways to perform the Requiem, and they could even hide the unique frequency in some folk songs, with the same effect.
Therefore, Mike chose the electronic keyboard to play the Requiem.
No need for a more advanced piano or drums, mainly because it's too troublesome.
Now time is pressing, and they can't get it in a short time.
The place they are going to now is the watchtower.
The watchtower is used as a temporary command center, where military orders are transmitted through communication channels to the officers and soldiers at the front, and it can also be used for observing changes in the battlefield or broadcasting to the entire army.
However, on the way, they encountered a group of senior generals from the City Lord's mansion.
They seemed to be descendants of the Smith family, who were previously suppressed in the logistics department doing some clerical work. Now that there was an emergency at the front, they were transferred to the combat position.
"Major Lisa, are you finally going to the watchtower to issue combat orders?" The blonde girl smiled slightly. Wearing a black cloak and a form-fitting olive green military uniform, she exuded an elegant and noble aura, rather than a sense of ruthlessness.
Even on the front line, she was still lightly made up, her makeup exquisite.
In comparison, Lisa had a simple, unadorned appearance, but her appearance and figure were no less than the other's, and her upright stature even dominated the other. Her demeanor was more imposing and ruthless.
"Yes." Lisa said coldly, "Isn't this what you wished for, Yuna?"
Yuna bowed slightly and said elegantly, "Thank you for your hard work."
"You shouldn't be saying that to me, but to the soldiers at the front line. Defending Holy Mountain is the responsibility of you Smith family. Now that you have failed in your duty, you have to let those soldiers pay for their lives. Don't you feel ashamed?" Lisa turned and left without any good expression on her face.
Secretary Xia also snorted coldly.
Until Mike, accompanied by his little girl, brushed past the female officer, there was no sign of any displeasure on her face, whether it was real or feigned.
After they had left, the officers around Yuna finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I was really afraid that Lisa would shoot us to death just now."
"By the way, even the Duke family people will compromise, huh."
"What else can they do? How long can Semin's Old General persist? To strive for that moment of fearlessness, they sacrificed their lives. Is it worth it? The Duke family people are not stupid, but they're not that stupid either."
Yuna turned and looked at their retreating figures as if she had shed her facade, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. "The young lady from Celestia City is so arrogant usually, but in the end, she still has to compromise, doesn't she? She talks so much about caring for the lives of the soldiers at the front, but in the end, she still chooses her uncle."
She chuckled lightly, "The Duke family people aren't completely brainless either, putting on this pretentious act, they can both let the soldiers go to their deaths and maintain their image..."
The officers didn't dare to say anything.
After all, these were two young ladies, and they didn't dare offend either of them.
One was from the holy Celestia City family.
The other was from the holy Avalon City family, which, although fallen, still carried substantial weight.
The reason why the two young ladies were fighting like this was ultimately due to the word "female rivalry"...
On the watchtower, after Isabelle had digested the memory chip, she revealed a somewhat bewildered expression. Her hands instinctively rested on the electronic keyboard, as if she had been playing this kind of instrument for many years.
Mike had also learned to play the piano when he was young but had forgotten it all as he grew older.
Now, a single memory chip had helped him regain his touch from back then.
"Mike, why are you bringing this young girl along? Aren't you worried something might happen to her? "Lisa didn't mind the young man bringing his sister, but this place at the front lines is far too dangerous. It would be better not to let family members join in the commotion.
Secretary Xia was already standing by, ready to record.
"Oh, this is the Requiem, it requires two people to perform. I've taught my sister for a long time but she could only remember a few bars, she's so slow. As long as I play the full piece, you can just record it."Mike said casually.
Isabelle looked up at him, slightly stunned.
Even if she was a bit naive, she understood.
Her brother was protecting her.
As long as she wasn't the one performing the Requiem, she wouldn't be targeted.
They weren't worried about the intellectual property of the Requiem leaking out either.
Even with a recording, if it wasn't someone from the Afterlife Department, they wouldn't be able to learn it.
Because the frequency they hear would be different from the actual frequency.
Mike remembered watching a short video before he went into hibernation.
The video was simple, just a girl calling her cat.
But some heard "meow", while others heard "gurgle".
Very fascinating.
Anyway, the scientific conclusion drawn was like that, but it doesn't rule out some extraordinary factors like only those with the Afterlife Department's bloodline can perform it effectively. After all, this is a ridiculous world, there's still so much unexplored knowledge.
According to Mike's guess, there's only one way to learn the Requiem.
For example, right now, Isabelle is about to play the Requiem on the electronic keyboard.
You just need to remember the keys she presses.
It's all about rote memorization.
"Alright, let's begin then."
Mike said solemnly, "Just don't forget what you promised me."
Lisa raised an eyebrow, "When has the Lieutenant Colonel ever lied to you?"
Secretary Xia spoke in a low voice, "As long as the Requiem is truly useful, not only the branches of the Red Hegemon, even if we have to uproot the entire thing, it won't be a problem! I'll take care of it, you don't have to worry!"
Good!
Mike gave the young girl a look.
Isabelle obediently hummed in acknowledgment and gently closed her eyes.
As if she had fallen into the memory of the blizzard.
As her slender white fingers lightly pressed the keys, a sorrowful and meandering melody was played, like a winding stream being submerged by the snowstorm and freezing into ice.
It was completely improvised, without referring to any score.
Such a pure and clean melody, just like her empty heart.
Also like the snowflakes drifting in the blizzard, the cold winter.
As the melody progressed, the sadness flowed like the river water.
The rhythm was like her footsteps crossing the wasteland in search of her homeland.
The melody was like the tears she shed while enduring countless painful experiments.
Mike remained silent because he could hear the desolation and sorrow in her playing, probably because it was something her parents had taught her, making her think of her longed-for homeland and the experience of living in darkness worse than death.
Suddenly, Mike placed his hands on top of hers.
Clang.
Accompanied by a pressed piano key, a completely different frequency appeared.
As if in the cold winter, a tender green sprout had emerged.
Full of vitality.
The snow on the tundra melted under the sunlight, exposing the fresh soil.
The withered ancient tree regained its vigor, sprouting green leaves.
Mushrooms and bamboo shoots emerged overnight.
Cattle and sheep gathered on the grassland.
The piece Mike played was a piano piece he had learned before.
Grieg's "Spring" from Norway.
In just a moment, it added a rich burst of color to the desolate and lonely melody.
The world suddenly thawed, bursting with life.
Isabelle suddenly opened her eyes and looked up at the young man's profile.
Mike's expression was so focused, his body leaning down as if embracing her, giving her a touch of spring warmth in the cold winter, his playing lively and smooth.
The mournful melody and the lively melody should have conflicted.
But at this moment, the sorrow was drowned out by the liveliness.
The sunlight swept away the desolate world, bringing endless vitality.
"That's so beautiful..."
Lisa rested her chin in her hand, gazing at the brother and sister playing the piece, her eyes widening in surprise, the sparkle in her eyes mesmerizing, for a moment forgetting that she was still at the frontlines.
Even Xia quietly started appreciating the piece of music after simply pressing the record button, though the performance skills were not particularly advanced, it made up for it with its purity and cleanness.
The lively and melodious music echoed across the desolate battlefield along with the broadcast.
At that moment, Lisa suddenly stood up, holding her breath.
"It's working, it's working!"
Secretary Xia hurried to the window, excitedly exclaiming.
The dense aberrant tide on the wasteland suddenly erupted into a riot, the agonizing roars seemed to drift into the city with the wind. Upon closer observation through the binoculars, one could see their immortality being stripped away, their hardened armor shedding inch by inch, exposing the flesh and blood underneath.
The aberrants near the Blazing Wall were instantly burned into living torches by the flames.
The surging aberrants struggled and howled like tormented demons from hell.
Semin, standing alone at the frontline, heard the distant melody and saw a large number of aberrants lose their immortality, reduced to ashes by his flames.
Just a moment ago, it would have been extremely unwise for the soldiers to engage the aberrants in direct combat.
Because the aberrants in this evolutionary chain were impervious to weapons, possessing an extraordinarily formidable defense.
But now, the soldiers no longer needed to fear close-quarters combat with the aberrants.
For the aberrants' greatest asset had vanished.
Semin abruptly turned around and issued the order, "All units, attack!"
He roared, "Charge, kill, do it!"