The Penguin Logistics messenger wrapped his thick coat tightly around himself, traveling via various modes of transportation along the scorched earth of the Ursus border, which had been plowed by artillery fire, delivering supplies back and forth.
Ever since the young new emperor ascended the throne, the frequency of Ursus launching external wars had decreased significantly. However, internally, the Infected and non-Infected had started fighting each other.
Perhaps this country simply couldn't live without war; if they couldn't torment others, they would torment themselves.
The messenger sighed with emotion, then continued on his journey and threw himself into his work.
It was precisely because of the war that they received so many orders for munitions and living supplies. Penguin Logistics did business fairly with both warring parties, and not many people dared to intercept this company's goods—there weren't many logistics companies with the guts and strength to profit from war. If someone blindly angered that penguin with a deep background, what would everyone eat?
Therefore, Penguin Logistics' messengers were able to shuttle through the vast territory of Ursus, concurrently delivering and gathering information at Denji's behest.
Relying on the financial resources accumulated from a few house raids, Denji had also bribed some informants and intel brokers to spread rumors of the Chainsaw Killer throughout Ursus.
Although these urban legends were terrifying to the people of Lungmen, they were nothing to the common folk at the bottom of Ursus society: the workload from a single casual deployment of the Reunion Movement or the Patrols was enough to keep this Lungmen killer playing catch-up for quite a while.
Ursus was just that terrible.
In Denji's eyes, if devils were to be born in this world too, the devils representing war, famine, death, and various military weapons would all be born on the land of Ursus, or in the regions of other countries bordering it.
He spread these stories purely to let Reze know this single piece of information: he was in Lungmen.
In the boundless expanse of snow, within the camp of the Reunion Movement's Sarkaz mercenary squad, the Reze that Denji constantly dreamed of was wearing thick winter clothes, eating salted potatoes with a somewhat familiar taste, and listening to the tall Sarkaz man beside her rambling on.
The Sarkaz wore a frayed cloak and looked thoroughly weather-beaten, yet he held a pen and paper in his hands, earnestly pleading with Reze:
"Tell me more stories about Pavel Korchagin, Reze. I really liked that famous quote you mentioned to the Ursus children before, and I also really like the attitude towards life reflected in this story. I want to write it down and tell it to the children in Kazdel when I go back."
In contrast to his appearance, this man was a rare intellectual among the Sarkaz, constantly dedicated to recording various books on Sarkaz history and culture so that this content wouldn't be lost in the flames of war.
However, Sarkaz history was simply too heavy, so heavy it was suffocating. Only from the mouth of this mysterious woman of an unknown race before him did the mercenary discover a genre entirely lacking in Sarkaz culture: inspirational literature.
Reze was currently practicing various magic tricks and juggling she had collected among the Ursus populace, planning to put on a few more surprises for their future reunion.
To Hoederer's request, she could only helplessly wave her hand:
"How could I remember it that completely? Besides, the cultural background might not even fit."
Unwilling to give up, Hoederer raised another question:
"Then could you introduce the military and industrial systems of your homeland again? Also, that position you suggested establishing in Reunion called 'Political Commissar'—I'm very curious about how specifically they should be trained?"
Reze finally couldn't help but sigh. She glanced around at the surrounding Sarkaz mercenaries, most of whom couldn't read a single word, and said to their leader—the Sarkaz man before her:
"Hoederer, your homeland is not like Ursus. No matter how corrupt Ursus is, it at least has an industrial foundation and an educational base. What about Kazdel?"
"Rather than pondering these overly ambitious things, I suggest you start with eradicating illiteracy first. Or, find a reliable faction to join and stay alive; only then can you talk about the future."
Reze's advice was very practical.
Because of her past experience being used as a test subject, she had once intensely hated her motherland—that increasingly hegemonic nation deviating from its original intentions.
But when she arrived in this otherworldly nation that closely resembled Tsarist Russia, and understood everything happening here, she began to realize again: her motherland still had many redeeming qualities.
Reze started to rethink and review the experiences of her motherland's birth, but she had no interest in reattempting that path in Ursus.
In a world where kings and generals truly were a different breed, doing so would simply be too exhausting.
She just wanted to find Denji and then properly be a pair of country mice.
In another corner of the camp, a young female Sarkaz mercenary codenamed W was boiling more potatoes while winking playfully at the fake Sarkaz beside her:
"Ines, look at that guy Hoederer, pestering another woman all day long. Aren't you jealous?"
Ines, looking heavily preoccupied, replied coldly, "Don't pick a fight. I don't want to argue with you right now."
Seeing that W seemed to want to say more, Ines shot her a glance and said:
"Besides, when you first met that girl, weren't you also hovering around her every day?"
W smiled and spread her hands. "At the time, I thought she was an expert bomb user! Who knew her demolition skills were something ordinary people just couldn't learn!"
Ines didn't reply, a shadow passing over her eyes.
Not long ago, she had secretly used her Originium Arts to pry into the Reunion leader, Talulah, only to discover a terrifying truth—behind that person, three shadows were coiled!
If it were just two shadows, it could be explained as a demonic possession.
What the hell were three shadows? Multiple personalities?
Ines couldn't figure it out; she only felt that Reunion was not a place to stay for long.
On the other side, having finally organized the notes in his hands, Hoederer couldn't help but ask Reze, "With so much professional knowledge, why don't you stay by Talulah's side and assist her in building Reunion? Why follow a bunch of mercenaries like us?"
Reze had finally practiced her magic trick to proficiency. Looking at the small flower she had conjured out of thin air, she revealed an innocent smile.
"I just don't want to be tied too deeply to Reunion," she answered casually.
Just then, a cheer erupted from the Sarkaz in the distance:
"The messenger from Lungmen is here! We finally don't have to eat potatoes every meal, and our equipment can be restocked!"
Reze immediately stood up and walked straight toward the messenger.
Those fierce Sarkaz parted a path one after another for this slender young girl—they had all witnessed scenes of this girl in combat and avoided her like the plague.
"Help me ask around, is there any news about Higashi, about chainsaws?"
Because she had landed in a country resembling Russia, Reze had always assumed that Denji would correspondingly appear in Higashi, an island nation.
The messenger paused for a moment, then immediately recalled Denji's instructions:
"Excuse me, is your name Reze? There's a man named Denji who has been waiting for you in Lungmen..."
As the name "Denji" fell into her ears, a smile of immense relief immediately curled upon Reze's lips.
She was deeply grateful to that man for helping her break free from her fate as a tool. As long as that man was still waiting for her, it was enough.
As for this organization where she had temporarily taken shelter and gathered intel, there was no longer any need to stay. Even though Reze sympathized with the people of this country, ultimately, she only wanted to be a country mouse, possessing no ambition to change the world.
But what she didn't know was: a Great Devil, ranking even higher than herself, had already descended upon this suffering-filled land.
In the tent of Reunion leader Talulah, two incredibly evil existences were fighting for control over this body.
Talulah clutched her forehead in agony, crouching on the ground, veins bulging at her temples.
Deep within her consciousness, the Deathless Black Snake was roaring hysterically: "You lunatic! Get out of her body right now! Do you want to destroy her mental domain?!" "The one who should get out is you!" another wildly arrogant voice sounded.
Immediately, Talulah abruptly raised her head. Several hideous scars materialized out of thin air on her face as she spoke in a frantic, excited tone:
"How could I bear to destroy such an interesting host body? Possessing the inheritance rights to two massive empires, and leading an ever-growing army... This is an absolutely perfect candidate to ignite boundless flames of war!"
The Black Snake's furious cursing exploded in the consciousness:
"Give me control of the body! When it comes to inciting wars, no one is better at it than me!" "Oh?" Talulah switched to a freezing cold expression, her tone terrifyingly calm. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
She slowly walked out of the tent. The moonlight fell upon her face as she looked upon everything that belonged to her.
"I am War itself."
Outside the tent, a Patrol member named Boris was kneeling, trembling violently.
He had been captured by Reunion not long ago. The Infected deeply hated the Patrols and were just about to execute him on the spot when Talulah signaled that she wanted him as her personal captive.
Talulah walked up to Boris, stopped, and looked down at him from above.
"You are my property now, correct?" Her voice was very soft, yet carried a bone-chilling oppressive pressure.
Boris nodded hastily, shouting incoherently, "Yes! Yes! I am willing to serve Lord Talulah! Loyal without equal, until death do us part!"
Talulah smiled. She reached out and gently placed her hand on the top of his head.
Boris's body jolted violently as an ominous premonition seized him. He originally thought that in the next moment, he would be burned to ashes by the Red Dragon's flames.
But a second later, there was only a crisp crack.
Talulah ripped his head off.
Warm blood sprayed out, dyeing her fingertips red.
From Boris's body, she slowly drew out a bloody Spinal Cord Sword.
It was just that this Ursus man was still too weak, and the third personality within Talulah's body hadn't fully recovered its power yet.
Gripping the sword, Talulah raised her head and gazed into the distance.
"This world fears war so much, yet this country thirsts for war so deeply... How wonderful, I have already comprehended my mission!"
"As long as I find the Chainsaw, and make him eat Death..."
"My ideal world will be complete!"
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