Arknights - Hearts of Fortune collection

Pandora's box

The Senator's expression stiffened "Yes, as promised. Now, I need your word on our agreement," He looked at me.

Without a word, I discreetly nudged the briefcase towards him with my foot. "Consider it done," I replied.

The Senator looked at me before bending down to pick the briefcase. He checked the contents for a second before glancing one last look at me and left.

Ursus, in the countryside.

Can't say I've never riden in a military convoy. But alas, I am currently sitting beside General Kalinkov in the backseat of a military jeep through the uneven terrains of snowy, cold, Ursus.

It's unusually cold, even. I had to wear their military greatcoat just to stay warm coupled with the ushanka.

The driver just said something in Ursine and the General nodded. Guess we're almost there. Our destination is an originium mine which miners revolted and killed all the guards. Unfortunately for the miners, the Ursine military wasn't too kind in their retaliation. It's just they're reputation.

As the military jeep came to a halt, General Kalinkov and I stepped out onto the snowy terrain. Before us loomed the gaping maw of a cavernous opening, its sheer size a testament to years of relentless mining operations that had scarred the landscape.

Of course, not to forget the bodies of infected miners littered here and there, strewn across the snowy expanse were the lifeless bodies of the miners, their forms frozen in grotesque contortions of agony. The once white snow was now tainted by the dark stains of their blood.

General Kalinkov remained stoic, as was I. I've had my fare share of deaths in my life, and I'm sure the military general is completely unfazed by this. A cruel world, to be sure.

"Your men did quick work of them," I stopped to inspect a body. A man in his 40s, if I had to guess. Muscular, but has a lot of bruises.

General Kalinkov's response was curt, "Careful. They're still infected. Don't get too close to them." He cautioned.

"Ah..." I nodded and backed away from a corpse.

Upon reaching the cave opening, the General wasted no time in issuing orders to his men. For these past months, I've been supplying the General with firearms of his own. He now has a legion of riflemen under his command.

A valuable ally in Ursus I dare say. Especially with what Ursus is becoming with all the violence.

"We're gonna go in and head to the new area discovered by the miners, a new vein. I suggest arming yourself," he warned. "There's no knowing some survivor is going to stab you from behind with a pickaxe."

"Right, right..." Instinctively I reached for the holster of my handgun. "How far deep is it?"

"Deeper than we've explored before, that's for sure," He replied. "Try not to get lost."

A couple of his men went in first, followed by us and the rest of his men guarding our behind.

The cave was pretty large. Years of mining had its impact on the cave. The upper layers were essentially a big mineshaft that housed the miner's quarters and the likes.

Machinery dotted the cave here and there. Mostly cranes to pick up mine carts or something.

As we walked, the cave seemed to get narrower and narrower, but thankfully it only lasted a while before a wide opening presented itself. Whereupon we were blinded by the bright and shining veins of pure Originium separated from us by a large ravine. Up until now, our only light source is an old lantern similar to those used by the Iberian Inquisitors.