Empire of Shadows

Chapter 18: Legionnaires' disease (plague)

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Finally, accompanied by those annoying flies, we went to the military camp. After being properly settled, the army was stationed there directly, and Carsent took several division commanders to the city lord's mansion, and I became a free man for the time being.

Coming out of my own room, I hesitated as I touched the dozens of coins in my pocket. What should I do? Leave? But I am unfamiliar with the place and I don't know what dangers I might encounter. Stay here? Maybe after a few days when the reinforcements arrive, I might be sent to the battlefield again. That would be too dangerous.

I stayed at the door for a long time, but I still couldn't make up my mind. Forget it, I'll go to the city first. Besides, the reinforcements won't arrive that soon, and if I want to find a chance to escape, it's better to escape when the reinforcements arrive and they are not prepared. At that time, they are busy preparing for war with the Senke Federation, so how can they have time to take care of me

"Hanlong, you are still in the room? I thought you were out! How about going to the street to ask for information?"

Hughes's appearance made me startled. Wasn't he accompanying Carson? Why was he here? To get information? What information? Suddenly, I had a flash of inspiration and immediately knew what was wrong with me. Damn it, I am now a Xia tribe member of the Kastark Empire, and I am playing the role of a traveling merchant affected by the war. Now I should be worried about my companions.

"Yes, so I just packed up and prepared to go out for a ride, but I didn't expect you to come. What's the matter?" I came to my senses and immediately went up the fishing rod.

"It's nothing serious. I just came to give you something. Look at your own equipment. What does it look like? It's just like a deserter on the battlefield. Well, this is the official leather armor for swordsmen of the Empire. I think you won't look bad in it. At least you won't lose face for our 103rd Legion if you go out like this." Hughes didn't see anything wrong with me. He just pointed at my sack clothes with a funny expression. But it's true. To be honest, I don't know where Cook and his men found the sack clothes for me. It might even be taken from a dead person. When I thought about it for the first time, I felt a chill. Plus a few days of hard work, it was simply indescribably miserable.

I weighed the bag in Hughes's hand and knew immediately that there might be something inside, but I didn't ask. I would know after I opened it. After thanking him profusely, I thought about where I could find a place to take a shower, otherwise I would always feel itchy all over.

"Yes! By the way, the commander asked me to tell you that when you leave the barracks to inquire about the news of your people, you should take a few guards with you. Now this city is full of refugees who have fled from between Custer and Wasteland City, including many criminals, soldiers and robbers. So this city is not safe now, and there are crimes, murders and robberies everywhere. The commander has nothing to say to you, haha!" Hughes, who was turning to leave, seemed to suddenly remember something, and turned back to remind me again. But because of his words, my interest in going out to the street was almost thrown into the trash can. . . . . .

He found a pond to wash himself, then changed his clothes, put on his sword and dagger. Well, he still looked like that, so it wasn't so embarrassing at least.

Calculating the time, it should be two or three in the afternoon. I touched my stomach and walked to the canteen of the military camp. Although the meal time has passed, who am I? Now I am the favorite of the legion commander, unless that Y doesn't want to mix with the rest...

Unable to bear the loneliness and fearing for my life, I took a group of soldiers to the streets. Damn, how great would it be if I had a computer with internet access? Then I wouldn't have to worry about anything, and I wouldn't feel lonely even if I was locked up for a year. But there was nothing in the barracks...

In order to find someone I knew, I went to the 223rd Corps to look for Cook Mike and Kanan, the two people I knew first. However, except Kanan, they were all out. Kanan had something to do and couldn't accompany me, so I made a wasted trip and finally returned home disappointed.

As soon as I walked to the entrance of the military camp, I felt a wave of irritation. This was not a city, but a huge refugee camp. There were countless beggars gathered at the entrance of the military camp, and many of them were starving like African refugees. The ground was full of garbage and feces, and even at this time close to winter, there were still flies everywhere.

"How could this happen? Is there no one doing anything about it?" Seeing all this, I was terrified and immediately shouted to the soldiers at the gate of the military camp.

"Sir, there's nothing we can do. They didn't attack the military camp. We can't just expel them without any reason, right? Besides, they are also civilians of the empire..." Hearing my unfriendly tone, a man who looked like a squadron leader immediately explained to me, but it sounded like he was blaming me.

"Sir, although this is the Eastern Territory, the city lord here was sent directly by the empire. And when our army arrives here, apart from taking over the city defense and some military affairs, our army has no right to interfere in any affairs of the city." Seeing that I had a bad look on my face, another officer immediately interrupted the squadron leader and explained to me.

"Damn it, that's not what I meant. I just know that if we let those people die here and rot here, then we might all be doomed! Damn it, don't you know that this will cause malaria and plague?" Looking at the bodies that were already dead and even began to rot, I couldn't help but raise my voice, and even the refugees looked at me.

"Sir, what are malaria and plague? What are these diseases? Are they serious?" an officer asked in confusion.

"It's a highly contagious disease, usually caused by too many dead bodies and long-term decay. Many of them are caused by war..." Maybe they don't have this disease or this name here. But since I don't know much about this disease, I can only give a rough explanation. But before I finished speaking, I found that the faces of the soldiers present changed, and many of them even turned green. It's hard to imagine that these people who are not afraid of death would be so scared after hearing my explanation.

"Army~~Legion~~Legionnaire's disease~~~~~~" After a few officers squeezed out a few words from between their teeth, many soldiers even dropped their weapons with a bang, which shows the powerful effect of this so-called Legionnaires' disease.