Chapter - 5899

Upon hearing that Morgana intended to sever Victor Steel's left hand, Aemon experienced a fleeting moment of surprise but chose not to speak up on Victor's behalf.

He realized that whether it was to instill fear in others or to reassure herself, Morgana needed someone to assume responsibility for the situation.

If a mistake were made and no one took accountability, others would likely blame Morgana, seeing it as her poorly conceived trap that had backfired, causing the enemy to shift their attack from Nigeria to Morocco.

By cutting off Victor Steel's left hand, Morgana would be indicating that Victor had failed in his duties and was facing punishment for it.

Morgana also needed this act to comfort herself, reassuring her that the blame fell on Victor and not her.

He quickly replied, "Rest assured, Lord Mirren, I will notify the Three Elders immediately."

As he spoke, a thought occurred to him, and he added hastily, "Lord Mirren, this individual is mysterious and extraordinarily strong. Even if we deploy the Nigerian Cavalry Guards, they may not be able to confront him successfully. Could we send the Three Elders to investigate? If we find him, we might be able to neutralize this threat once and for all!"

Morgana shook her head. "If he is in Morocco, it might not be too hard for the Three Elders to locate him and eliminate him. But what if he has already fled Morocco? What if they can't track him down? The more pressing issue is that Nigeria has been compromised. If the Three Elders go to Morocco, they could easily become targets themselves. Exposure would only lead to bigger problems later."

Morgana continued, "This man is both clever and ruthless. With his strength, even Gideon Alastair would find it difficult to contend with him, let alone Jarvis Delgado. Jarvis fell victim to close-range artillery in Cyprus, which shows this individual is strong yet practical, capable of adapting to challenges. If he sets an ambush in Morocco, losing a few cavalry guards might be manageable, but we can't risk the Three Elders facing casualties—it simply isn't worth the danger."

Reflecting on the loss of four marshals, Morgana felt a sharp pang of grief.

Training high-level experts requires substantial effort. The deaths of three and the disappearance of one had inflicted serious psychological trauma on her.

In her opinion, allowing the Three Elders to go to Morocco was unwise. Even if they managed to find the enemy, exposing them could leave them at a severe disadvantage in the future.

Furthermore, if the enemy launched an ambush and the Three Elders were struck by artillery, wouldn't that result in catastrophic losses?

Yet Aemon interjected, "Lord, the enemy may have sensed our fear. He clearly understood we were trying to set a trap in Nigeria from thousands of kilometers away, yet he still dared to attack us in Morocco. There are numerous forces stationed in Morocco, making it difficult for him to mobilize quickly. If the Three Elders act swiftly, they might still capture a crucial opportunity and achieve a decisive victory!"

Aemon elaborated, "Additionally, that individual must have learned about the significant blood change from the cavalry guards stationed in Morocco. He undoubtedly knows that once the blood change is finalized, his chances of causing unrest at the entire station will significantly decrease. Therefore, he may hesitate to attack any of our stations in the future. If he manages to escape this time, capturing him again will be far more difficult!"

Morgana fell into thought.

Typically, individuals possessing great physical power are not particularly meticulous.

Having navigated the world for over three centuries, Morgana had not encountered worthy opponents since killing Lucius Clark at the Eternal Mountains. Strategically, she often felt outmatched.

She had been under persistent attack from Charlie in the shadows, which was causing her considerable stress. The certainty that this individual was both elusive and powerful, possessing seemingly endless lethal methods, weighed heavily on her.

While she had taken countless lives, she never considered using close-range artillery for assassinations or employing a helicopter rotor to decapitate someone.

Such tactics were far from the methods one would associate with a monk.

It seemed utterly unethical.

Yet her opponent was shattering all conventions—yesterday it was close-range artillery, today it was a helicopter, and tomorrow who knew—it could even be Soviet Katyushas. Deep down, Morgana was harboring a growing fear of this enigmatic man.

However, Aemon had presented valid points.

Even though they had just lost a city, seizing this opportunity could turn their defeat into a victory.

If they managed to capture this enemy and eliminate him, the issue would be resolved for good.

Should they miss this chance, tracking him down again would be much more challenging.

After a moment of contemplation, she conceded, "If the Three Elders go together and proceed with caution, there should be minimal risk. However, sending them out now would yield little benefit. Even though Morocco isn’t vast, expecting them to thoroughly search the area with just the three of them would be naive. For now, the Three Elders should remain stationed in Nigeria. Along with the Cavalry Guards, I want Victor Steel to deploy all personnel from the Tiger Camp of the Right Military Governor's Office to Morocco. Once they arrive, they must spare no effort. I want complete clarity on how our enemy arrived, how they departed, and their next movement. If we locate the enemy or the remaining personnel in Morocco, we will immediately inform the Three Elders to mobilize. We will assist the Three Elders in neutralizing all adversaries—every single one we can find!"

Aemon recognized Morgana’s decision as the wisest course of action. While the Three Elders were undoubtedly powerful, their years of seclusion had left them out of touch with modern society, particularly regarding the use of contemporary technology for tracking individuals. They might lack the necessary skills for finding someone. Deploying the highly trained Cavalry Guards and the superior Tiger Guards for the investigation made more sense. They were seasoned warriors equipped with comprehensive military training, making them comparable to agents—a perfect fit for reconnaissance.

Despite the 3,000-kilometer distance separating Nigeria from Morocco, should an enemy sighting occur, air support could arrive in mere hours. Thus, the Three Elders could act as precision-strike backups, ready to deploy as soon as a target was identified.

Without hesitation, he replied, "You’ve thought it through extensively, Lord Mirren. I will relay the orders immediately."

Aemon first communicated the directive to the Three Elders.

Given the necessity of punishing Victor Steel first, he instructed the Three Elders to sever Aemon's left hand and remain in Nigeria on standby. After Victor's punishment was completed, he would convey further instructions.

To ensure Victor Steel’s safety, Aemon specifically requested that the Three Elders seal his meridians and nerves before proceeding, allowing for medical treatment of his wounds afterward. Although Victor’s left hand would be irreparable, at least he would not endure pain.

Upon receiving the order, the Three Elders quickly halted their retreat.

Meanwhile, Victor Steel anxiously awaited Aemon's response, unaware of the punishment that awaited him from Lord Mirren.

Lieutenant General Leo Grant, who had been summoned, also grew increasingly anxious as he awaited news about the situation in Morocco.

Suddenly, someone rushed in with a report: "Governor, the Three Elders have emerged from their retreat and are approaching!"

Unaware that the Three Elders were coming specifically for him, Victor Steel anticipated, "It seems the Lord intends to call the Three Elders back."

Leo Grant nodded in agreement, "Given our failure to capture the enemy, reassessing the situation with the Three Elders makes sense."

Just then, the Three Elders entered, pushing the door open.

Leading them was Balin, the strongest among the Three Elders. Upon entering, he immediately sized up Victor Steel and asked with a hint of exasperation, "I hear you've found yourself in a difficult situation?"

Having grown familiar with the Three Elders during their time in Nigeria, Victor Steel had served them diligently and earned their recognition. Their satisfaction with his commitment made the order to sever his hand a bittersweet task.

Upon hearing the direct inquiry about his mistake, Victor hurriedly responded, "With all due respect, Elder, the enemy did not target Nigeria; they attacked another one of our bases. The truth is, I couldn't prevent it..."

Balin nodded, glancing between Victor and his left hand before remarking, "If I remember correctly, you're not left-handed, are you?"

Victor, puzzled, replied, "No, why do you ask, Elder?"

Without another word, Balin seized Victor's left wrist and stated, "While I greatly admire your efforts, I cannot disobey the Lord’s orders. Please don’t take this personally."

With that, Balin focused his reiki into two distinct streams. One enveloped Victor's left wrist, completely numbing it, while the other formed a razor-sharp blade that swiftly sliced cleanly through Victor's wrist.

Victor felt no pain at all. Just as confusion settled in, he glanced down to see his left hand detached, lying beside him, having left behind a perfectly smooth cut.

Thanks to the energy shielding, not a single drop of blood escaped from the wound.

Victor's expression went pale with shock, and he exclaimed, "My... my hand... Great Elder... why would you do this?"

Balin responded calmly, "The Lord has decreed it. As the commander-in-chief of the allied forces, you are no longer fit to lead. Today, I have severed your left hand as a lesson in humility, so you may avoid the same mistakes in the future! Additionally, I have sealed your blood vessels, nerves, and meridians with my energy. While you won’t feel pain, your left hand cannot be reattached."

With that, he added, "You've been spared your life, so you should be grateful!"

In that moment, Victor Steel felt deeply wronged.

This trap in Nigeria was neither his design nor his mission. It was the Lord's plan, and his involvement stemmed only from operating in familiar territory.

The enemy’s failure to engage should fall on the strategist, not him. Why was he being punished with the loss of his left hand?

While his wrist bore no sensation of pain, his heart felt as though it had been cleaved. Here he was, a high-ranking general, reduced to a disabled being with one hand! Was he merely a scapegoat for the Lord? Was he expected to express thanks for being turned into a martyr? It felt utterly ludicrous!

Despite the whirlpool of resentment and injustice boiling within him, he dared not speak out against it. Instead, he knelt respectfully and stated with deep remorse, "Your subordinate... your subordinate is grateful to the Lord for sparing my life!"