"Fidelius Charm?"
Alex nodded quietly to himself. Judging by Golden Snidget's reaction, it had to be true.
Since Golden Snidget couldn't lead them to the Horned Basilisk, it meant the snake was keeping secrets from him. That made approaching the club leader even harder.
Alex's mind raced with different ideas, but he copied Thunderbird's tone and shouted,
"Then what do you suggest we do? If we can't produce enough elixir for the next quarter, those few wardings out there won't just stand by, they'll come after you with everything they've got!"
Golden Snidget rarely showed frustration, but now his voice was low and heavy.
"I get what you're saying. But the breeding park can be rebuilt if it's destroyed. The once-in-a-lifetime chance to divide Germany? If we lose that, there won't be another one. We have to be patient. Thunderbird, I know you're anxious," Golden Snidget continued,
"but now is really not the time to act on impulse."
Phoenix, who was we'll-informed about the division bill situation, spoke up to reassure him.
"Golden Snidget is right, Germany's strategy has reached a critical point. If it succeeds, we won't have to worry about Fantastic Beasts anymore."
But then she glanced at Golden Snidget and added,
"That said, the club's crisis is very real. If we don't secure enough raw materials, the first thing we'll face is the club falling apart. Honestly, how much longer can our current supply of the elixir last?"
Though Phoenix was trying to ease tensions, she was essentially siding with Thunderbird to pressure Golden Snidget. Her approach was much more tactful than Thunderbird's blunt methods.
Golden Snidget, despite his years of experience, couldn't quite see through their subtle tactics.
Both of them seemed to be wearing tough expressions, clearly trying to extract more information from him.
Faced with this, Golden Snidget knew he couldn't keep dodging the question; otherwise, the two might turn on him right then and there.
He sighed quietly and said,
"Don't worry. We can guarantee the supply of the undead medicine for another six months. As long as we recover the missing magical animals or bring in enough new ones during that time, the supply can continue."
Thunderbird and Phoenix exchanged a glance and nodded silently. They accepted the answer.
Six months was enough time to either recover lost magical animals or gather new raw materials; it wasn't impossible.
"In that case," Thunderbird said, a bit irritably,
"we need to rethink our plan and find ways to increase income and cut costs. From now on, Golden Snidget and Phoenix, you'll be responsible for recovering those magical animals and handling Germany's strategic issues. I'll leave immediately for Northern Europe to try and open a transport channel for magical creatures as quickly as possible."
Both Golden Snidget and Phoenix nodded in agreement. Thunderbird's plan made the most sense.
Also, Golden Snidget interrupted,
"We can't put all our hopes on Northern Europe. Smuggling activities by the branches in other countries are expected to increase in both scale and frequency. Despite the difficulties, they have to take the lead now; this is a matter of life and death."
"It has to be done," Phoenix agreed with a nod, but then hesitated before asking,
"To keep the morale of the troops steady, shouldn't we allow them to exchange for a season's worth of elixir first?"
Hearing this, Thunderbird glanced over at Golden Snidget.
Golden Snidget, seeing their concerns, reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Even though he felt pressured by the two, he understood that this was a necessary step to maintain the army's morale.
Otherwise, once the troops discovered that elixir exchanges we're no longer possible at headquarters, the entire organization would collapse.
"Then we'll proceed exactly as discussed," Golden Snidget said, looking at both of them.
"When we negotiate with the troops, we must stay calm and never show any signs of doubt."
Both Phoenix and Thunderbird nodded in agreement.
It seemed Thunderbird had asked others to wait outside the park because they wanted to iron out the details beforehand.
Just as they we're about to leave, Thunderbird called them back softly.
"Recovering those magical creatures isn't easy, and reopening the transportation routes won't be simple either. But if, just if, the club still doesn't have enough raw materials next time, what will we do then? Still not enough?"
Golden Snidget glanced meaningfully at Thunderbird after hearing his words.
"What do you mean?" Golden Snidget asked, curious.
"Besides opening up resources, it's natural to cut costs."
"Controlling the production of the elixir might be another way," Thunderbird replied, his tone carrying a sharp edge, almost lethal.
"Control production? What exactly are you suggesting?"
Golden Snidget sensed the cold intent in his voice and began to piece together his thoughts.
"Except for the Sphinx and the Wretch, all the other warding need regular supplies of the elixir. If the supply runs out, we could consider cutting some of those expenses," Thunderbird said bluntly.
His point was clear: if some warding we're removed, the amount of elixir needed would drop, freeing up resources for others.
The club's tight supply was partly due to having too many warding.
Between the Horned Basilisk and the three Silver Wands, they we're using eight more elixir doses every quarter.
That's twelve bottles every six months, a significant cost.
"You mean get rid of some of the warding? That would be dangerous if anyone found out we we're turning on our own," Golden Snidget said, surprised.
Phoenix chimed in, "Are you sure you can do it without anyone noticing?"
From their questions, it was clear how ruthless these veterans were.
They didn't ask if Thunderbird would do it; they asked if he could do it without being caught.
In their eyes, the other warding we're just sacrifices, expendable for the greater good.
"As a last resort, this is the only way," Thunderbird said coldly.
"Losing one or two people would ease a lot of pressure. If we don't strike first, someone else will, and the target will change. If we stay too cautious, we'll miss our chance."
Thunderbird's plan made sense.
Phoenix nodded in agreement.
"I don't believe those others will just sit back. They've probably already used the mask to send messages and unite. You need to be careful."
Golden Snidget's heart skipped a beat as he heard their words.
The three of them sent the rest of the group into the park, not only to prevent any ambushes but also to communicate ahead of time and present a united front.
However, Golden Snidget knew the others weren't fools; they'd likely catch on to this and might even use the opportunity to make secret alliances among themselves.
He sighed inwardly.
After spending so many years at headquarters, his sense of urgency had slipped so much that even Thunderbird and Phoenix had to remind him to stay alert.
"I understand," Golden Snidget said.
"If anything changes, I'll reach out immediately."
By any change, he meant a problem with their elixir production.
If supplies ran low, they'd have to act quickly and decisively.
"That's the best approach," Thunderbird agreed.
"And you need to be extra careful lately; watch out for any plots against you."