Marvel's Princess - Chapter 35
Victoria Hand stands tall and serious, dressed just like any other agent in a standard uniform of a white shirt and black bulletproof vest. Yet, at a glance, one could tell she was different.
She is intelligent and purposeful in her actions, associating only with individuals who hold value and are deserving of her connection. You could call her a refined egoist or say she represents the elite of the current American generation.
Bella has proven her worth, and, lacking any clear personal allegiance, and Victoria has categorized her as someone worthy of investment and continued observation.
Victoria Hand has extensive connections across academia, politics, and the military. She was a top student in university with many friends and is known as a prominent athlete, although whether she truly loves sports is anyone’s guess.
After graduating, she continued to broaden her social circle, not to the extent of someone like George W. Bush, who famously knew people everywhere. However, her circle was impressively vast nonetheless.
Bella, still somewhat naive about college life here, benefited from Victoria’s experiences and valuable advice, which could aid her future development.
After nearly a day’s arduous journey, the large group finally entered the Sapulpa Canyon the next morning.
Two hundred years of erosion had erased any trace of human habitation in the canyon, just as the Native American chief who had cursed the land had intended, returning it to nature.
The canopy of trees blocked out the sun, and wild grasses up to half a meter tall were everywhere. The arrival of the survivors and agents, numbering over a hundred, disturbed the peace of the canyon. Insects fled their homes as some dormant consciousness slowly awoke.
Agents weren’t here to harmonize with nature; the curse of the Native American chief was expected to activate on the night of the full moon. Before then, they needed to construct sturdy shelters to withstand the endless swarms of insects Bella had described.
There was some disagreement among the agents about the level of fortification needed. Some thought robust rooms would suffice, while others believed the camp should be built to fortress standards. Ultimately, Victoria Hand passed the decision to Bella.
“How large do you think the swarm will be?”
How could Bella know the scale of a curse, a magical phenomenon that defied normal considerations like food chains or climate conditions?
Bella pulled out her notes: “Look at this section. It’s what the missionary heard from someone else. He said the sky was completely obscured, and the Native Americans’—no, we call them Indigenous Peoples now—their blood reddened the rivers. After the colonists—or, well, the American pioneers—tried to convince the Indigenous Peoples to leave using civilized methods, they faced countless insect attacks.”
Having been corrected by Victoria before, Bella was very careful with her terminology. Publicly, one must be cautious with words, though privately, nobody controls your thoughts.
“This fortress can’t be too strong; if we completely isolate the unknown enemy, all our efforts will be in vain. But it can’t be too weak either, as all survivors, except for the bait facing the unknown enemy directly, will also face the swarm brought by the curse.”
The core message was simple: the defense shouldn’t be too robust nor too frail. It would be ironic if the Reaper didn’t get them, but the Native American curse did.
With modern machinery, constructing shelters in the canyon was quick. By evening, a moderately sized group of buildings had been erected.
The agents had generators for limited electricity, but water was scarce. They had to conserve resources, expecting at least two days’ stay, even though they could buy water from a nearby town.
Nobody was loud at this time; everyone was on alert, waiting for the unknown enemy’s approach.
Whispering was inevitable; under the threat of death, people could momentarily set aside their fantasies, but a large group in such a desolate place was bound to cause some stir.
Bella didn’t need to explain anything; with official personnel present, why should she bother? Let them handle it.
Indeed, Victoria Hand proved herself resourceful, dispelling the survivors’ doubts with excuses like “invisible killers can’t operate in the forest” and “the enemy can’t use high-tech equipment in complex environments.”
The nature of the Reaper wasn’t something to make known to the general public, and even for Bella, an insider, Victoria referred to it only as “the unknown enemy.”
To give the Reaper opportunities, the agents intentionally set many safety hazards in the buildings.
Frayed ropes, faulty electricals, unstable scaffolding—all kinds of death traps were deliberately prepared. From the Reaper’s perspective, the survivors were prey, but seen from another angle, the Reaper was also prey!
If the curse-induced swarm didn’t interact with the Reaper, it would be ineffective. But if millions of insects swarmed, they too would be overwhelmed. Balancing the relationship between the two forces and ensuring the Reaper matched the curse was a challenge for the survivors’ control.
“Records say the curse is triggered at the brightest.
Moment of the night by moonlight. Let’s set a few key points.
Bella wasn’t sure at that moment; the missionary’s notes were all hearsay, and anyone who had experienced the Native American curse firsthand was long gone. Who knew when the curse was strongest?
Victoria Hand frowned, experienced with the supernatural but feeling uncertain about the timing.
“We should prepare two plans,” she started.
“No need to complicate things. If you’re ready, I’ll initiate the curse myself,” Storm, who had been on the sidelines, stepped forward at this critical moment to resolve a core issue.
Storm, not appearing much older than her twenties, had always kept her distance, making it hard for Bella to approach.
But now was a good chance.
“I was the first to foresee the plane crash; I’ll be the bait,” Bella volunteered.
Victoria Hand didn’t agree. She preferred trained agents to act as bait while Bella and the other survivors stayed back.
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