Chapter 69: No-man’s-land

Sunday, July 19 [09:48 a.m.].

Since the surprise attack by Smilodon fatalis and the rest they took afterwards, nothing happened.

They encountered civilization long ago, leaving the sea of vast green forests behind to meet streets and plains.

They came across some ruins of abandoned houses and buildings near the magical forest.

Destruction since the ‘Great Cataclysm’ in Africa came in many forms.

Natural dungeons and temporary dungeons that overflowed. Letting out hundreds and hundreds of creatures that destroyed everything in their path was a major problem.

Cracks in the dimensional barrier could give birth to monsters, but that was not the worst enemy.

Nature could be resisted, and they could overcome the strength of the monsters.

Unfortunately, the corruption of those in power was not a simple thing to curb and that problem only grew as hundreds of thousands of ‘players’ arrived in Africa fleeing from other countries.

Governments faced constant conflict with ‘players’ until they collapsed a state, then in those ruins, other individuals fought to see who would take power.

And ordinary people suffered the constant consequences of these abuses.

At present on the African continent, only a few countries were still standing, and the others had already fallen, because the magic forest covered them or because former ‘players’ made their playground there.

However, in this chaos and in this situation, many people continued to live in these lands.

Clémentine, who had been in the passenger seat of the truck, could observe the situation.

As they got closer to Nakuru, they could perceive some villages and their inhabitants.

She had also noticed some mining areas and small forts with banners of known and unknown adventurer guilds from all over the world.

“Different as you thought?” asked Oscar, who was driving.

“Yes. I thought it was going to be a desolate land,” Clémentine answered truthfully.

Information from Kenya was almost nil.

Very few journalists were reporting what happened in these lands and, in a way, their news went unnoticed or was squashed under news of entertainment, discovery, and practically other more ‘flashy’ matters.

Clémentine had assumed that most of the former country in Kenya would be ruined and depopulated.

However, this was not the case.

In good or bad condition many people were to be found here.

“Some people stay here because this is their home, and this is their land. Others have already left long ago, heading for South Africa or Madagascar and even other continents,” Oscar reported as he drove.

Clémentine nodded.

Twenty years had passed since the ‘Great Cataclysm’ and because of all the chaos, the world’s population had dwindled, and those who wished to leave their lands had already done so long ago by migrating elsewhere.

While not everyone ‘awakened’ abilities and not everyone could improve either lack of talent or possibilities, the world changed from that moment on.

Monsters, magical beasts, or creatures represented both a problem and an excellent source of profit.

“Some guilds have settled in these places to get resources. In some natural dungeons, they may grow magical plants or just have some beast that had some valuable material and even dungeons that have magical materials. Because there are no countries that regulate dungeons, those resources are ‘free’,” Oscar reported, shaking his head.

Those who had strength were those who had a voice and a vote. That rule dominated the African continent and, for that reason, they considered this place no-man’s-land.

There were no regulations like other countries and the dungeons were either owned by those who arrived first or those who could take it.

“Big companies took advantage of obtaining these resources by taking dungeons for themselves and even taking over important mining areas. They offer minimal protection to the surrounding people, but that’s about it. If they find losses, they may retreat.” Oscar stated in a serious tone.

Maybe not everyone was like that, but most companies made those words generalized.

The African continent was chaos and at the same time a source of normal, as well as magical, resources in great abundance.

Sending out groups to get those resources and earning three times what they spent was very normal.

“Even some countries have expeditions here,” Oscar muttered and with a mocking laugh, he commented. “At least they kept up their appearances well and called them ‘support groups’.”

Hearing those words, Clémentine had an idea come to her mind.

“Colonization era,” Clémentine said, making her thought known.

The first thing that came to her was that era where ships would set sail to colonize the new world, taking land that wasn’t theirs and plundering resources for their own profit.

“That would be the best,” Oscar commented.

Realizing that she didn’t understand, he continued.

“No major country wants to colonize Africa. The two major countries in the Americas were stabilizing or improving. Europe, although united, has a significant concern against the demons of the Middle East. Asia has its own problems and Oceania has given priority to its islands,” explained Oscar to Clémentine, who was attentive and, with a sigh, commented. “With all that, it is already unbelievable that the Apicius Enterprise could make a place for itself in Africa. Where intelligent magical beasts are active alongside warlords.”

Clémentine agreed.

Managing to create Zerzura was a risky gamble and more so when, in reality, magical beasts were generally treated as walking materials.

For many, it was and still was more profitable to kill some creatures of the magical forest than to make deals with them, which produced grudges with those beasts and initiated conflicts.

Although within the border of Zerzura such hunting parties were punished, the magical forest was gigantic and in other places, some people wandered in to hunt freely.

Adding to that, mix ‘players’ and warlords... Being able to settle and raise a huge peaceful city was considered a milestone of skill and overall strength.

“Of course, it sounds incredible, but in the end, they made a bet and won it. It is now considered the highest performing company after the Cosmos Company,” Oscar commented and, with an enigmatic smile, added. “All with supposedly being a company focused on food production.”

Clémentine could see that Oscar wanted to imply that there was more to it than met the eye.

As the daughter of the owner of the Agmar Company, Clémentine understood that the business of that kind of multinational extended into too many areas.

“Are you finished with your report?” Alice, who was looking out the window, suddenly asked, and when Oscar coughed with a nod, she with a rather amused smile added. “I recommend you watch your words. We are now heading for the area of influence of forces under the Apicius Enterprise.”

Her tone was non threatening and her words made it clear that she wanted Oscar to make his comments there.

Clémentine realized Oscar sensed that, so he wisely shut his mouth.

“Aren’t we going to humanitarian organization camps?” Clémentine asked curiously, changing the subject.

Since the ‘Great Cataclysm’ and the subsequent American and European civil war, they reduced in importance human rights with the emergence of skill users.

Conventions that once had significant importance for countries lost some of their force when they no longer had the power to enforce their regulations.

Daring to talk to a psionic who could destroy a tank with his mind, or a warlord who was capable of unprecedented destruction about human rights and universal respect for rights, was foolish.

Let alone demons or players who had already lost the compass of right and wrong or were guided by another moral sense.

However, just as there were groups that caused destruction, there were also groups that protected and the new humanitarian organizations always had powerful individuals or heroes attached to them.

In a conflict like this one, there would surely be some such organization... That’s what Clémentine thought.

“Yes, there are humanitarian organizations present, but they are in the Apicius Enterprise’s zone of influence. The warlord, the ‘Somali Terror’, is not well known for respecting ‘neutrals’,” Alice reported, and looking down the road, commented. “You’ll have it all explained to you when we enter the city.”

There was a little more traveling to do before they reached the center of Nakuru.

******

Aurora, who was sitting in the back of the truck, looked at her holographic watch, reading the report that had been prepared.

The others were doing the same.

In Nakuru, there were three influences present in a small skirmish within the complex conflict between the two warlords.

The northern part of the city was in the hands of General Kavuri’s forces and the conflict was in the northeastern part where the influence of the other warlord began.

The eastern and northeastern area was under the influence of the forces of the Lord of Mombasa.

A central part of the city had no influence and was a conflict zone, while the southwestern part of the city was under the influence of the Apicius Company and a group of slightly renowned A-Rank heroes.

While the conflict was most intense in Nairobi, Kenya’s former capital, Nakuru was also within the war zone.

Armed militiamen, armored vehicles, and some tanks were something that was present in Nakuru, not to mention some skill users.

However, there was no heavy artillery or aircraft, which reduced the degree of the conflict and Aurora’s concern.

An A-Rank could take on a normal tank and everyday weapons, but a plane... Leaving aside whether it was possible to resist the impact force of a powerful missile, there was no way an A-Rank fighter could stop it.

Maybe Liam could hack it, or Akira, if she tried hard, could freeze it.

While they were S-Rank individuals, their powers had limitations and were more efficient in different scenarios.

Aurora shaking her head at those thoughts used her holographic watch to look around through the vehicles cameras.

They were taking a detour to head to the section where the ‘neutral’ forces were located.

However, looking outside, one could sense the atmosphere of war.

Houses and buildings had their windows or doors closed, very few people dared to go outside and those that did were either refugees on the run or local militia.

Although they claimed that this area was under the influence of the Apicius Company and the hero group, in reality, unlike the warlords, there was no military support and therefore they could not control the entire area.

Aurora could make out some mercenary groups and adventurers walking around the neighborhood, and they were the only ones maintaining security, so that there was no chaos.

The conflict of the Lord of Mombasa and the Somali Terror had been going on for about half a year, but only lately had it escalated to this point.

After traveling for a couple of minutes, in the middle of such a place, they passed the area of buildings and came to a wasteland.

They then made their way to some buildings that were in the center and were surrounded by dozens of tents.

Among these groups were some people wearing clothes with the insignia of international voluntary organizations.

They were handing out food, providing medical aid and support.

The war had escalated quite a bit and with that, most of the infrastructure had either been destroyed or the roads cut off.

Unlike the Lord of Mombasa, who sent support and supplies, the Somali Terror forces were looting and destroying as they went.

Just knowing that fact simplified the objectives of both... Aurora could grasp it immediately.

The Lord of Mombasa was a humanitarian seeking the support of local militiamen and trying to establish his own power in the region.

The Somali Terror sought to destroy, loot, and pillage. He was a conqueror who made it clear that was what he had come for.

One was a conquering tyrant who sought to control with fear and the other was just a tyrant who used other elements to achieve his goals.

However, in the end, it was those in the city that suffered.

Much of both the constant skirmishes destroyed the areas of influence of both.

Which caused people to lose their homes and head towards the area run by the Apicius Company, where mercenaries and adventurers who had taken a neutral stance since the war began were to be found.

“There are too many of them,” Érica muttered at the sight of so many tents.

It was complicated for Aurora to determine how many refugees were in the tents, but with a simple glance, she guessed that it was between seven-ten thousand refugees making up this camp.

“Yes, most of these people will come with us,” Aurora replied in a serious tone.

Not all the refugees wanted to head to Zerzura City, which was two countries away from this place and over 3000 kilometers away -directly through part of the magical forest.

Others preferred to wait until the conflict was over or to go with other organizations to other, closer and safer places.

However, although risky, Zerzura was always in need of manpower and welcomed refugees.

Towns and villages always needed new people, from professionals to normal workers.

Increasing the population was costly due to assimilation and the radical change of environment along with economic support, but if successful, it could pay off in the long run.

Those were the reasons why Zerzura City supported these kinds of missions... That and the city were founded with refugees from different parts of Africa as its base.

The vehicles moved as the refugee gazes were glued to them.

Approaching the central area where there was a camp with dozens of trucks and different vehicles of all kinds, along with large and sturdy buildings as the center.

“This is the headquarters, a local adventurer’s guild, that lent its support. They affiliated it with the Apicius Company. That’s why the company is said to have its influence in the area,” Aurora reported, and feeling the vehicle stop, she stood up.

“We have reached our aim. I would like to give them a break, but tomorrow we will depart,” Aurora said over the comm system.

She was not only addressing her group in the truck, but the other groups in the different trucks.

Their goal was to leave tomorrow, and every minute was valuable... Aurora did not want to stay too long on this mission and was looking to leave in as little time as possible.

No matter how much she wanted to save people, Aurora had her mission and goal.

“Cardinal Brousseau, if you wish, you can help the refugees in need with your support group. High Priestess Xaali, please make sure with your group that nothing happens to them. Vazquez, together with your team, looks for information about the situation among your fellow adventurers. Captain Sadiya will take care of doing the same with the militia and locals,” ordered Aurora over the comm system and, looking at those present here, she stated. “This is Kenya, a war zone. A ‘no-man’s-land’. There are no laws, rights, or order. Be careful and exercise caution.”

There was no individual more dangerous than humans and in this place where there were no deterrents, it was common for situations to become dangerous immediately.