Enforcer Manual
Chapter 564: Warm and Hospitable Locals_1

Chapter 564: Chapter 564: Warm and Hospitable Locals_1

"The Eye of the Federation’s" destination was a small town on the outskirts of the border of the Third Neutral Nation called Kansariel, which in the local prophecy bore the meaning of "Silk Road."

It was hard to imagine that the now closed-off Third Neutral Nation was one of the first neutrals to seek foreign trade. Before the Lunar Eclipse Sect became the state religion and took control of the country, the people who survived the third war had carved out a trade line through the radiation-infested soil to the neighboring countries.

This was the first stop on the entire border trade line.

The "Silk Road" once represented the best hopes of the people of the Third Neutral Nation for the restoration of pre-war prosperity after the war; their aspirations continued until the 30th year of the founding of the Third Neutral Nation, when a self-proclaimed savior who could help the nation reclaim its past glory entered the capital’s sacred and solemn council hall.

Archbishop Helifis, a name that was destined to be remembered by the people of the Third Neutral Nation and indeed the entire world.

Her arrival also marked the formal transition of the Third Neutral Nation towards a theocratic state.

In the subsequent policies implemented by the Lunar Eclipse Sect, the trade routes were hit harder than ever before. The Church defined merchants who spread anti-Church ideas as apostles of the evil gods. Their ideas, brought back from other nations, would shake the foundation of the kingdom. In response to the oppression from the Lunar Eclipse Sect, in the 37th year of the Third Neutral Nation’s existence, the Merchant Association and politicians dissatisfied with Helifis launched a two-year civil war.

The United Military ultimately fell to the inexplicable power of the Lunar Eclipse Sect followers, disintegrating into pieces, and the merchants became the lowest existence in the Third Neutral Nation.

They were strictly restricted by the Church, all their goods were subject to almost harsh scrutiny, and if suspected, they would be immediately taken for severe torture within the Church.

The remnants of the Merchant Association, forced to leave their homeland, reorganized over the subsequent years, thus giving birth to the embryonic form of the Barrosa Group.

Today, Kansariel is nothing but desolation, just like all the towns surrounded by radiation and mutated creatures, where residents live in fear, unease, and pain every day.

Before "The Eye of the Federation," emblazoned with the Ragus Foundation insignia, arrived over Kansariel, Song Lan finished reading the e-book about the town and the evolution of the Third Neutral Nation.

It is said that the author of the book was a veteran who had once participated in the "Merchant-Church War."

But Yeying’s view was starkly opposite to those words filled with pessimism. She had come to this town several times because of the tasks given to her by the Church.

Kansariel was not only the first stop on the border trade line but also the indispensable route for heretics fleeing the Third Neutral Nation.

The Church’s "Angel of Death" not only guarded the "mines" but also had the duty of hunting down the heretics. It was on this very town that she met Father Bruno, so Yeying’s memories of the town were happy ones.

The townspeople were warm and hospitable; whenever they passed through the town, the residents would treat them with enthusiastic hospitality.

They were still positive and optimistic, always filled with hope for life.

Contrary to the grand narratives in the e-book, Yeying spoke of many details of her interactions with the townspeople.

After spending some time together, Song Lan had sort of figured out Yeying’s temperament.

Although the girl could be ruthless, her nature was very pure; if you were good to her, she would respond with the same kindness. Hence, he had no doubt about the stories Yeying told.

As long as you don’t have conflicts with her on a doctrinal level, she would not reveal her claws and fangs to you.

"The Eye of the Federation" hovered above the town.

The three of them were almost pushed and hustled off the airship by the elites of the United Government and would be airdropped to the town. At the same time, the frontline troops had completed their assembly. According to the original plan, they would launch an air raid on the interior of the Third Neutral Nation in half an hour.

To prevent radiation contamination, he and Lu Xiang had no choice but to put on exoskeletal armor.

Yeying, however, was indifferent to the upcoming war. As soon as she landed, she took the initiative to act as a local guide, taking Lu Xiang and Song Lan to the home of a town resident she had mentioned in her story.

The family welcomed them as warmly as described in the story.

After seeing the faces of the townspeople, Song Lan developed a new understanding of the phrase "positive and optimistic."

The man who opened the door was the male head of the household, and it was nearly impossible to find one complete piece of skin on his face. When he smiled, one could see the unnaturally sharp fangs in his mouth.

He was clad only in a tattered short-sleeve shirt, and his exposed arms were covered with wounds that seemed like they would never heal.

Song Lan could guarantee with his own integrity that, should this middle-aged man show up in any city of the United Government, he would be mistaken for a zombie immediately.

This might have been a result of the town residents not having exoskeleton armor to protect their bodies from prolonged exposure to radiation, or it could potentially be the doing of the inscrutable Moon God consciousness.

For the electronic book that had just recorded the history of the Third Neutral Country also mentioned strange incidents that occurred during the "Merchant-Church Wars".

Many United Government soldiers, after being exposed to the moonlight, suddenly went mad and launched indiscriminate attacks on their comrades, and those soldiers who were subdued quickly developed symptoms of festering decay; and when night fell, they would even speak in some unknown languages.

Right now, Song Lan was extremely worried that the middle-aged man before him would bite him without warning.

However, they soon discovered that although the man’s appearance was somewhat similar to those influenced by the Moon God consciousness, he had retained his sanity.

He invited the three of them into the house, claiming that he was going to prepare Yeying’s favorite food to treat them.

The couple got busy quickly, and after about half an hour, a sumptuous "dinner" was served on the table.

In the meantime, Song Lan tried numerous times to comfort himself with the thought "these are all local specialties", but the food—some pitch-black, some blood-red, and some even squirming slightly when served—plunged his mood into a trough.

Even Lu Xiang, the gourmet, showed a reluctant face in front of the table full of food.

Only Yeying cheerfully tasted the local delicacies of Kansariel.

At that moment, Song Lan finally understood Yeying’s standard for "gourmet food".

As long as the food was edible, and plus the feature "easy to chew", that was enough for her.

Song Lan had no choice but to look towards the couple urging him and Lu Xiang with eager eyes, trying to discern some clues.

But from their firm and confident gaze, he reached a conclusion.

It was intentional.

This was not some kind of dark ceremonial ritual, but their everyday food—authentic local Kansariel cuisine.

Fortunately, just as Song Lan was pondering how to politely refuse the couple’s offer, a loud boom from outside saved them.

It sounded like the landing of an air-drop pod; it seemed as though the ground of the town itself was trembling with the arrival of the air-drop pod.

Through the window, they saw the townspeople scurrying back to their homes, and...

The soldiers who stepped out from the air-drop pod, clad in exoskeleton armor emblazoned with the symbol of guns and roses, carrying standard-issue rifles.

"Barrosa Group."

Lu Xiang said warily, identifying the identity of the newcomers.

Their relationship with the Barrosa Group was far from harmonious; just a few months ago, they had destroyed one of Barrosa Group’s branch bases over a dispute for control of a border trade route, which, for this "external" military contractor, was undoubtedly a massive grudge.

Moreover, judging from the equipment they carried, these elite troops were clearly not comparable to the garrison of the branch base.

Their exoskeleton armors were even more advanced than those equipped by the Expeditionary Army; just standing still, they looked like steel giants.

"We have to leave."

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