"Are you sure those kids are here? How on earth did they manage to sneak in? The inspection intensity in a place like this is no joke!"
Lemuen felt curious as she saw Jeanne leading the three of them toward a residential area and a school. According to the guidance of Revelation, the few Infected who couldn't find their way back were inside this very area.
However, a place like this was one of the most strictly monitored zones for the Infected. There were even periodic search operations; almost no Infected could hope to hide inside.
In particular, the intensity of inspections was most rigorous in these "middle-ground" areas. Because any Infected discovered here had no power to resist, the guards could take the opportunity to squeeze some money out of them. They weren't like the "poor ghosts" of the slums whom no one wanted to bother with, nor were they like the "lords" of the wealthy districts whom the guards didn't dare to provoke.
Ultimately, it reached a point where it wasn't just Infected sneaking in to hide; even those living there who were merely suspected of infection would be dragged out. Regardless of whether the infection was confirmed or not, the people here almost never saw anyone return.
Furthermore, the surrounding residents would help the military police monitor anyone suspected of being Infected, just to ensure that things wouldn't cause a massive scene during an arrest. Such a scene would lead to them being unable to sell their houses when they moved; the property prices around a location where an Infected was discovered would plummet, as no one was willing to buy a home near such a site.
"It's right here. They should be hiding somewhere and haven't moved. My perception has been pointing to one spot without changing. It seems their current situation should be safe."
Although Jeanne didn't know exactly how those few had managed to sneak in, in this situation, there was definitely someone helping them hide in the shadows, preventing them from being taken away.
Along the way, Jeanne and the others could see many people being roughly called out of their cars by military police to check for infection, with the police subtly implying that spending a bit of money would "resolve the disaster."
However, this matter was much simpler for Jeanne's group. When the military police saw the car Jeanne was driving, they didn't dare approach; they merely watched from a distance as Jeanne and the others entered openly.
As soon as those fellows saw Jeanne's car, they didn't dare step forward. A girl capable of owning a car of this grade at her age certainly had a background of no small influence. These guards were merely a bunch of ordinary civil servants; they had no intention of offending local bigwigs for the sake of their meager salaries. Otherwise, their superiors would definitely be the first to discard them—those bosses wouldn't sacrifice their own futures for a bunch of subordinates.
And so, under the assumption that an Infected could never afford such a car, Jeanne and the others brought Talulah—an Infected—inside with total transparency.
The trio entered the area. It wasn't as prosperous as the city center; by comparison, it looked rather ordinary. As night fell, many people in the surrounding taverns had already begun drinking. They even saw brawls breaking out in several places—the scenes were incredibly lively.
"What are they doing? Why are there so many mass brawls? Are the guards here really not afraid of something going wrong?"
Jeanne, visiting here for the first time, was quite curious about this scene. Along the way, they occasionally discovered groups fighting, and it seemed they weren't very old.
"It's an activity that has recently risen in Ursus schools, something called 'Student Unions' or associations. It seems to be influenced by the cultures of other countries. Brawls of this level aren't considered a big deal anymore," Talulah explained to Jeanne, as she was quite familiar with such scenes.
However, Jeanne still didn't quite understand why they would brawl for fun in their spare time. Was it an explosion caused by being suppressed for too long?
"Just treat it as local Ursus flavor. Anyway, I've heard that these people fought plenty of times before this, just without so many group-scale actions."
Hearing this, Jeanne wore an expression of sudden realization. If it was caused by the fierce and hardy nature of the local Ursus folk, then it made sense. At this moment, Jeanne understood why Revelation had guided her to park the car on the outskirts instead of driving in. In this situation, a single moment of carelessness could easily involve her car in the mess.
For safety's sake, they left Lemuen there. With the threat of a gun-toting Sankta, the students here would likely be a bit more "honest."
"Let's go. Those people should be hiding in the building ahead. Should we scout the path first? This doesn't look like anyone's home."
Jeanne looked at the building in front of her, unable to confirm for a moment what it was used for. Judging by its appearance, it should be a teaching building, a library, or something similar.
"Will bringing them out directly have a bad influence? After all, this is a public area. If someone discovers that Infected have sneaked in, it won't be a small matter."
Just as Talulah was considering the safety of the operation, they noticed someone nearby staring in their direction, observing them secretly as if highly alert to their arrival.
At that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out outside. Several figures wearing full protective suits and carrying weapons rushed toward them, looking quite ominous.
While Jeanne and Talulah were secretly on guard, they didn't expect the group to simply walk past them. This left them feeling a bit awkward; it turned out the target wasn't them.
"Move quickly. These people are here for the Infected. They must have received some information," Talulah whispered into Jeanne's ear while tugging at her sleeve. They noticed the team was heading toward that building. If they were a moment too late, those few Infected would be finished.
"Follow me!"
Jeanne grabbed Talulah and headed toward a specific spot, but it wasn't the direction one would usually take to enter the building. Talulah followed Jeanne with a head full of question marks.
Inside that building, a brown-haired Ursus girl hurriedly burst through a door and said to the people inside:
"They've come here looking for people. It seems your hiding place has been exposed. They've brought a team to arrest you. Get out of here, now!"
Inside the room sat several Ursus girls, but two of them had very obvious Originium crystals on their bodies. If one observed closely, they were subconsciously keeping a distance from those around them.
Upon hearing her words, the two Infected froze for a moment, and then expressions of intense fear appeared on their faces. They only wanted to come back and see their families; they hadn't expected it to be relatively easy to sneak in, only to find they couldn't get back out afterward.
"We understand, Zima-sis. Thank you for taking care of us during this time."
With that, the two of them hurried into a nearby trash chute. Following that chute would lead them directly outside.
Just as they were about to slide down, they heard Zima bidding them farewell from the side:
"Take care of yourselves. If anything happens, you can come back to find me. After all, you were once members of our club."