Entering the shantytown, Kiana found the situation even worse than she had imagined.
The densely packed shacks were mostly built from waterproof tarps and discarded wood. People moved through them, completely ignoring the dangerously rickety structures swaying overhead. Along the narrow ditches, piles of rotting, spoiled garbage accumulated, emitting a nauseating stench.
Yet, despite this appalling environment, the people here seemed completely accustomed to it. They built fires and cooked here; they supported their families, young and old, by scavenging in the ruins. In densely populated areas, there was even a small marketplace set up for exchanging goods.
If not for the squalid conditions, it was almost indistinguishable from the bustling inner city.
As outsiders, Kiana and Ren's appearance immediately attracted attention. Some averted their gazes, others eyed them maliciously, but most radiated strong hostility.
Like fireflies landing in a garbage heap, no fly would consider them kin.
"Don't go near those outsiders; they bring disaster. If you don't want to become like the God-punished, stay far away."
Leveraging his language comprehension, Ren caught some interesting snippets. Not wanting to waste time here, he headed deeper into the settlement.
The further in they went, the cruder the shacks became. Finally, a distinct dividing line cut across the shantytown. He knew he'd found the right place.
Corpses. Everywhere, corpses infected with Honkai.
Outside the shacks, pale bodies stuffed into burlap sacks were piled along the paths. These were the deceased with no family. More numerous were young children struggling to drag sacks containing their parents' remains towards distant burning sites.
The intense visual impact brought Kiana face-to-face with death in a way she hadn't experienced before.
She held her breath, her teeth grinding audibly. Her fingers, gripping Ren's hand, turned white from the force.
"Everyone living here... is infected," Ren squeezed her hand gently, trying to help her relax. "Honkai infection isn't immediately fatal. With the inhibitors developed by Schicksal, most infected individuals have a chance of survival, as long as the infection isn't too severe."
"If the inhibitors are effective, why are so many people dying here?"
"That's why we're here." Ren remained calm, not out of coldness, but because he knew anger solved nothing.
Compared to the uninfected area, the atmosphere here was even more deathly still. Even as the two walked past infected individuals, few bothered to look up.
"Their eyes hold only grayness and numbness. They've already accepted their fate." The oppressive feeling suffocated Kiana. Powerless, all she could do was try not to look too closely and follow Ren's steps forward.
Just as she thought the rest of the path would only hold more dying patients, loud chatter erupted from ahead. They exchanged a look, quickened their pace, and soon reached another exit of the infected zone.
"Wash away your sins! The divine salvation medicine, blessed by the gods! Last dose!"
Upon arrival, they saw large crowds kneeling on the ground, foreheads pressed to the earth, worshipping in one direction. Compared to the severely infected deeper within, these people's infections seemed much milder. The object of their worship... was a military truck.
On the truck bed, an old man dressed in religious attire sat, holding a syringe.
"It's an inhibitor!" As a former Valkyrie, Kiana recognized the object in the old man's hand instantly.
"The gods' blessings are only given to the most devout believers! Offer up your value to seek a chance to remove your sins!"
After speaking, the old man gestured. Mercenaries armed with weapons surrounding the truck produced plates and walked among the kneeling crowd.
As they approached each person, the kneeling individual would quickly rise and place their offering on the plate. Some offered food, some money, some even... a severed limb.
"Please, I..." Some with severe infections started pleading as soon as they placed their offering, but were immediately struck on the head with a rifle butt, collapsing bloody to the ground.
The strange collection ritual continued until one boy looked up. Silently, he placed several US dollar bills onto the plate.
The old man on the truck's expression shifted. He subtly made a gesture. The other mercenaries understood, pretending not to see.
Since the believers were all bowing low, no one knew what others had offered. Once the ritual ended, the old man theatrically closed his eyes and recited a few lines in an unknown language, as if praying.
"The gods are merciful! One among you has offered a gift that pleases... the gods! Grant the holy medicine to that child!"
Unsurprisingly, the boy who offered the US dollars became the sole lucky recipient. As for everyone else's offerings...
Sorry, things given to the gods couldn't possibly be returned.
This boy was, naturally, the one who had guided Ren earlier. He was clever too; the moment he received the medicine, he turned and ran. The next second, the crowd, eyes bloodshot, surged after him like a tidal wave.
As for the old man and the mercenaries, they simply sneered, loaded the money onto the military truck, and drove off into the wasteland.
However, no one noticed that about a kilometer behind the departing truck, two figures followed unhurriedly.
About an hour later, the truck reached its destination.
In the midst of the boundless wasteland stood an enormous villa, appearing like an oasis in the desert.
More importantly, the villa wasn't just surrounded by thick, reinforced concrete walls; it also featured numerous densely packed watchtowers. Beyond that, there was even a complete airship docking base.
Its scale was comparable to a small town.
Clearly, this wasn't just a villa; it was a military fortress.
It was hard to imagine someone could construct such a massive building outside the core city.
As soon as the truck arrived, the checkpoint immediately conducted inspections. Only after confirming everything was clear was it allowed to enter. Through the temporarily opened gate, Ren faintly saw the words "South Asia Honkai Relief Association".
Besides the text, there was also a large Schicksal organization logo, indicating this was a subordinate organization under Schicksal's control.
"Looks like this is the so-called Relief Association. But it doesn't seem that simple."
By now, Ren had noticed many strange devices positioned around the villa.
"Those are Honkai Energy detection towers." Kiana, having been chased by these very things before, recognized them instantly. "If we use Honkai Energy, we'll be discovered immediately."
Ren naturally wasn't afraid of these detection towers. As a Herrscher, no number of enemies posed a problem. But the issue was, they came here with Kiana to investigate. Attacking directly was an option, but it would defeat the purpose.