The "Courage Alliance" members moved to the farm in separate groups to avoid arousing suspicion. The farm owner was a man in his thirties named Simon. He had been a member of the city-state's Council of Twelve Elders but withdrew after the Illuminati seized control. He embodied the chivalric spirit and was strikingly handsome. Alena was immediately drawn to him, thinking to herself, "What a dignified man!"
The farm was quite rudimentary, surrounded by abandoned land. The "Courage Alliance" needed to build additional housing, but fortunately, they had sufficient funds and plenty of manpower. Within a week, they had constructed several simple wooden cabins.
One evening, Simon was chatting with several "Courage Alliance" leaders. Alena couldn't take her eyes off him; he reminded her of Norforth. Both men shared the same qualities—handsome, elegant, and charming.
"I deeply appreciate everything you've done for the city-state," Simon was saying. "You're not alone in this fight. Thousands stand with you—not just people from the city-state, but also those who have been persecuted and abandoned by the Illuminati, left homeless."
Collin couldn't help asking, "Why would the homeless rise up against them?"
"Before the Illuminati took control of the city-state, we dedicated a third of our resources annually to helping the impoverished. We built free hospitals and schools near the city-state. We protected the vulnerable, fought for the defenseless, and aided anyone who sought our help. We were brave knights, guardians of justice in this world. Though the Illuminati currently have the upper hand, they cannot extinguish our fiery resolve."
Alena listened, entranced, her face full of admiration. Truly worthy of being an Elder Council member—his words carried such passion.
Simon finished speaking and produced a flag from behind him—the city-state's banner. It featured a triangle with a small circle at its center. Inside the circle was a large X that extended to the sides of the triangle. Pointing to the flag, he explained, "You may not know that this design was created by a man named Ronnie. He was one of the city-state's founders, though few remember him."
When De Silva heard Ronnie's name, he nearly cried out in excitement. He had never thought his grandfather particularly remarkable, but hearing someone else speak of him suddenly made Ronnie seem much more significant. He felt proud to be a member of the Watson family and eagerly listened to what Simon would say next, suppressing his excitement.
"The circle represents flame," Simon continued, "and the X represents roaring fire—a symbol of unwavering belief."
Alena suddenly asked, "Have you ever met Mr. Ronnie?"
Simon smiled. "I wish I could have, but unfortunately, I'm not old enough."
Alena blushed, feeling she had asked a foolish question.
The "Courage Alliance" decided to establish this location as their base, naming it "Flame Farm." De Silva's new weapon, which had failed to kill a single enemy, now served an important purpose as an agricultural tool. With a swoosh, it cleared stones and weeds within a 500-meter radius.
Simon unofficially became the "Courage Alliance" leader. Alena listened to everything he said—she had conquered other men, but this man had conquered her. To prevent exposure, he had Alena confiscate everyone's communication devices. All external contact now relied on traditional methods. Nicola would take three team members daily to nearby towns for supplies.
One day upon returning, she discovered someone following them. "Could it be the Illuminati?" she wondered. Not daring to return directly to the farm, she led her three companions on a winding path. Just when she thought they had lost their pursuer, someone appeared in front of them.
It was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen. "Don't be afraid," she said. "Basali sent me."
Nicola asked cautiously, "What does she want?"
"She says she's identified the spies embedded in Alena's inner circle."
"Why didn't she come herself?"
"She's pregnant." The girl pulled out a piece of paper from her clothing. "This is the list. There are three names."
Nicola looked at it and recognized only one name—Caroline, the girl who had informed on De Silva previously. After the girl left, she returned to Flame Farm and handed the note to Alena, asking, "Do you think it's credible?"
"Whether it is or not, we can't use these three anymore."
What they didn't know was that De Silva was currently dating Caroline. When he heard his beloved was one of the three spies, he exploded in anger. "This must be Basali's plot. She's the real traitor."
"Brother, be careful from now on. Some things shouldn't be said in front of her," Alena warned.
De Silva shook his head. "I absolutely don't believe Caroline would betray us."
"Think about it—has she asked you anything suspicious recently?"
After half a minute, he replied, "She did ask where Afastin and the others went."
Alena pressed, "And how did you answer?"
"I said I didn't know. But that doesn't prove anything. Anyone who cares about Afastin would ask the same question."
De Silva was lying. Caroline hadn't asked that at all—she had inquired whether Daechir and the others were still in Eagle's Nest, and had asked where the other fifteen passages led.
Alena grew increasingly suspicious. Caroline and Afastin had barely met—what connection could they possibly have? Afastin spent all his time with Eve in Eagle's Nest, and the "Courage Alliance" members rarely mentioned him. She reasoned further: if this girl was a spy, then their location might already be compromised. The thought chilled her. She hurried to find Simon.
After she explained, he analyzed, "If our location were exposed, why haven't the Illuminati attacked? There are two possibilities: either the spies haven't transmitted the information yet, or the Illuminati are still waiting to gather more intelligence before acting."
"Regardless of which it is, how should we handle these three?" Alena asked.
"Separate them first, then interrogate them individually to determine what they know," Simon advised.
"I'll take care of it immediately."
Caroline and one other suspect proved cunning, skillfully evading Alena's questions. But the third suspect, a young man, confessed everything almost immediately. It turned out they hadn't transmitted any information yet—they simply hadn't found the opportunity. Alena didn't mistreat the three; instead, she confined them to a small cabin with two guards posted outside.
More than 500 kilometers away, in a luxurious villa, Basali lay in the arms of an obese man—a military officer responsible for Illuminati operations in Africa. Had Amandine been alive, he would have recognized the man as one of his former subordinates.