Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

He could kill merchants, but he couldn't destroy desire. Besides, there was nothing wrong with that. He didn't have any more advanced ideas to destroy another kind of thought. Rather than letting ignorance and backwardness replace it, he might as well join directly.

"And who are you?"

"First Platoon, Company 1, Titan Armored Battalion, 1st Division, Kazdel National Guard..."

"Wait, soldiers!?" Mercenaries are one thing, but regular soldiers are another. Manan scanned the street and his surroundings. Damn it, he went out without a weapon!

"Now, during their vacation, they come to watch games, travel, and do odd jobs to earn some tips. Isn't that normal for Ursus?"

Kobel delivered his prepared explanation, which was so perfectly normal to the Ursus army that even Pegasus was speechless.

However, its nature remains the same. Whether it's a business association or a supervisory committee, one of them must have chosen to introduce foreign forces, which has crossed their bottom line.

"Our security mission is actually quite simple: protect our important personnel. By the way, bringing regular army guards into the city shouldn't be a problem, right?"

No problem at all, there's absolutely no issue, as long as the number of people isn't too large, for example, they only have one platoon.

"A platoon?"

"Hmm, two cars..."

Marna breathed a sigh of relief. Two cars in a row was indeed a normal security measure for foreign dignitaries. As for why it wasn't Kazimierz's people... he himself found the question ridiculous—who the hell could trust your people?

Who owns the most notorious assassin group in all of Terra? What if the two groups start fighting and one tries to shift the blame elsewhere? We're all seasoned veterans; there's no need to tell jokes like this!

"This is the first time I've ever seen Ursus soldiers like you..."

"This is also our first time in Kazimir. By the way, we are indeed Ursus people, but we are not Ursus soldiers. We are the army of the New Kazdel Republic," Cabel corrected this minor error.

"So, your appearance in the Lower City was because..."

"I can't say..."

“Sorry, it’s an occupational hazard.” Marna gave up on asking further questions.

The official reason given by Kobel and his group for being there was that the Minister of Commerce of the New Kazdel Republic had come to discuss the power upgrade project in Kazimir. They had already demonstrated their capabilities in the renovation of the old town of Lungmen. The new Originium generator was not only cleaner but also more efficient, requiring less Originium fuel and having lower maintenance costs.

Of course, the merchants wouldn't let this opportunity pass. They had already prepared the bait and cast their lines. Even if the fish from the Linguang family didn't take the bait, it wouldn't be considered a complete failure, right?

At the very least, they are genuinely discussing this business project, and Kazdel is waiting for this project to take off—as the first shot in the arm for the new nation.

Just count how many mobile cities Terra has, and you'll know how big the market is. Nobody can feel at ease with a country that doesn't have a pillar industry, right?

As for what devastating impact this will have on mining farms and the traditional energy industry, that's not something Lao Xia can decide.

Besides, primitive accumulation of wealth is inherently bloody; it's either self-sacrifice or the sacrifice of others—someone has to get hurt. If no one gets hurt, then the only option is to exploit the Star Alliance's equipment. But the end result is that skipping class might be fun for a while, but making up for it will be a nightmare!

[PS]

Yesterday I saw someone arguing about the original novel, saying that the power plant could only be built when the four cities were united. I'm not saying you can't mention the original novel.

But can't you use your own brain instead of a broken record? If there are only power plants during the triennial joint state of emergency, are they not used or not generated at all? What generates electricity? Love? Fundamentalism has reached an absurd level.

Chapter Twenty-One: A Tribute to Courage

Chapter 21

"Ladies and gentlemen, today marks the ninth time the Red Pine team has stepped onto this field. Can they achieve an unprecedented ten-game winning streak? Let's wait and see!"

"Alright!" Sona put on her helmet, and her teammate bumped fists with her. "Even though we can't win and can only draw, we still have to show the spirit of the infected!"

Infected individuals can participate in competitions to earn the title of Arena Knight. However, prior to this, no infected individual had ever actually achieved it.

Since no infected individuals were able to make it to the finals, they either suffered heavy personnel losses and were eliminated in the semifinals, or they were forced to succumb to the pressures of reality and join the businessmen's ranks, becoming mere tools.

However, this is not absolute; there will always be someone who manages to reach this entrance, just two steps away from the titled knight.

The Red Pine team is one of them. After receiving assistance from Talulah, they, who were new to the underground competition, actually stood here with a dazzling record of eight consecutive victories.

"What a pity..." It's a pity that we can't have a ten-game winning streak and a grand slam, because we can't win this game. It's not just because we need to help the Merchant Alliance team get into the top four, but also because we can't steal the limelight from that Rinko family's Pegasus.

The little pony always believed that her glory came from her own hard work, which was certainly true.

However, her efforts and abilities were no match for the help her family provided; in other words, the fact that her efforts were rewarded was the greatest help the world could give her.

She will become a Radiant Knight, not only because she herself wants to be one, but also because the Knights' Council needs a Radiant Knight, a guardian hound who stands on the side of knights and closes the door to all competitive knights from the lower classes.

From the moment she stepped onto this arena, she had unwittingly become a tool in the struggle between the Merchants' Union and the Knights' Association.

How far she can go is almost irrelevant to her own will and desire. The reason why the Knights Association requires them to lose the next match is to allow this team, which is not very strong, to enter the finals and face the Lin Guang family's team.

“But…we won’t lose!” Sona’s eyes hardened. They would not only slaughter those knights in the upcoming matches, showing them that this bloody rule, while giving them an opportunity to play with the lives of the infected, would also force them to pay the price with their own lives.

If the lives of five knights could change the rules of this bloody gladiatorial combat, then Sona and the others wouldn't mind getting their hands stained with blood.

As for whether any "accidents" might happen before the final, Coach Ivan said that they should just focus on the competition and he would figure out a solution.

If the Knights Association didn't have absolute confidence in the strength of that fledgling young knight from the Nearl family, they would definitely have chosen to change the rules of the arena.

The Business Federation has never been a big fan of the bloody gladiatorial rules and prefers a more thorough commercialization and entertainment.

After all, without permission to kill, it would be easier for the infected at the bottom to rise to the top, and entertaining knight stars could further undermine the traditional chivalric spirit.

What if something can't be stigmatized? Then make it entertaining! Sona and her team's opponents are the star team launched by the Business Federation.

To be honest, Granatti's exact words about how they made it to the semi-finals were: "I don't know how much money they bribed the organizers, because while these people do have some skill, their main strength is their excellent appearance."

"One charge, and I can take down at least half of the enemy's men!" The dual-wielding fast attacker spat, his molten sword gleaming faintly.

To be honest, the molten weapons were almost banned, but Talulah and the Merchant Guild argued that since knights could wield their staff weapons and amplify themselves with Originium Arts, then using molten weapons was justified.

However, the centurion's armor was indeed banned. But it wasn't completely confiscated; the Red Pine Corps could still wear it for their usual protection.

Otherwise, if it weren't for the fact that this armor set was truly unmanageable, they would have already run into trouble with their eight-game winning streak.

"The only place they can cheat is on the field, and on the field, they can't use any obvious methods. If you're afraid of that, you might as well go home and farm." Ivan's words still echoed in her ears. "Red Pine Team! Victory!" Sona shouted.

"That's really great... so energetic. I haven't seen such a vibrant competitive knight order in a long time." Manan sat on the bench, watching the broadcast on the television screen in front of him. "They should be able to make it to the finals, right?" He seemed to be asking himself, or perhaps asking someone else.

"Who knows, but they shouldn't lose..." Kerber was watching the broadcast while holding a cup of hot coffee. After all, this was a team invested in by Miss Talulah, so they were considered one of their own.

"I noticed their equipment is very similar to yours?"

"Because they're all produced by the same company..." Köbel shrugged, which wasn't entirely a lie; they were indeed produced by the same company.

As for which company it belongs to, that's another matter. "Titan Industries, they manufacture all our equipment." "Never heard of them." Indeed, no one had ever heard of that name.

“You’ll soon hear it often…” Kerber tilted his head to the side, and Marna gave a wry smile. “Yes, you’ll soon hear it often.”

This power grid upgrade project was supported by Titan Industries. As a lackey of the Business Federation, he was sent to monitor the situation here.

Meanwhile, they also learned that Kobel and his team were there to protect the engineers conducting on-site surveys. They heard that some important figures were inspecting the area, and they mentioned that some important figures were there.

"Hey Platinum, does it really take you this long to go to the bathroom?"

"Nothing's going to happen anyway..." Platinum, who knew the inside story, glanced sideways. "It's just a formality, so let's make it as easy as possible..."

"Hmm, paid time off, sounds great, right?" Kerber asked with a strange expression, while Platinum's eyes lit up, but he didn't say anything.

"Would anyone really be foolish enough to launch a surprise attack here?" Marna felt that something was amiss, but his information channels were strictly monitored by the Federation.

Therefore, he couldn't guess. He could roughly guess that it might be some kind of scheme by the Federation, perhaps to seize the right to speak and the moral high ground, or to create the illusion that the Knights Association hired thugs to attack and destroy the city's power industry.

Marner didn't see anything wrong with this. First, would the union really allow the power plant to be destroyed?

Secondly, if we are easily swayed by such tricks, then the Knights Guild truly deserves to die, and similar clashes have occurred in secret before.

However, what he never expected was that the Business Federation's target this time was not the Knights Association at all, but him, or more precisely, his niece and the entire Lin Guang family.

In the midst of the power plant terrorist attack, what could be more surprising than discovering the esteemed Radiant Knight himself?

The higher she is praised, the harder she will fall. Qingjin and Xuan Tie have already prepared two hidden arrows from Originium for her. The script has arranged three sets of events for her based on different developments.

If Manan intervenes in time, it will be because the Radiant Knight fought desperately against the knight thugs to protect the nation's large power plant, but was unfortunately ambushed and became infected. The Commercial Federation will do everything in its power to guarantee her status as a competitive knight and her title of Radiant Knight. Can the Knight Association object to that?

No, to object is to object to oneself. To not object is to tacitly approve that infected individuals can become knights, and to tacitly approve that competitive knights are not changed by bloodline, status, or origin.

If Manan hadn't intervened in time, it would have been a standoff between uncle and niece, each with their own stance and considerations. The Lightbringer family would be fighting amongst themselves, and no matter who won, the Federation would have won. If even the flawless Silver Spear Pegasus would be fighting amongst themselves, then this banner would be completely tarnished.

If Manan decides to sacrifice his niece, then it means that the Radiant Knight shamelessly attacked his opponent in order to obtain the title of Knight in the finals, accidentally triggering the generator and causing himself to be infected. The problem still goes back to the beginning: either banish and punish her to confirm this crime.

They can either change their stance and support the commercialization of the arena and continue to maintain their noble honor, family honor, or personal future as infected knights—it's a choice between the two.

Of course, there's also a hidden scenario: if the uncle and nephew team up and the ambush fails, then Kobel's squad will take action, and depending on the Knights Association's reaction, the story will unfold differently.

You could say they heroically perished alongside the terrorists, or you could say they colluded with outsiders to try and undermine the prestige of the federation. In any case, the dead can't speak out to defend themselves.

As for Silver Spear Pegasus, that's something Talulah promised. The Federation has a lot of faith in her ability to hold Silver Spear Pegasus back from attacking.

Of course, their actions were futile—if the Silver Spears and Heavenly Horses were a group of people who would disregard national defense for personal vendettas, then what other way could they possibly raise this banner again?

It's important to understand that even under noble laws, nobles who abandon their territories can only be stripped of their noble status. This is why, in the future, when the knights of conquest enter the city, the Federation is not at all worried. When they choose to sacrifice their own righteousness to protect this class and a certain family, it is nothing more than a dying struggle.

"Clang!" The shield tilted slightly, and the enemy's blade slashed across the shield's surface. With a backhand swiftness, she lifted the opponent's arm shield. She could have easily pierced the opponent's heart with her sword, but Sona held back and instead kicked the guy out of the circle.

On the other side, the fast breakers who went to seize the opponent's flag points used a variety of tactics.

To be honest, he could have torn through the opponent's fancy armor with his molten sword in the very first minute.

As a result, it took him ten times longer to use his agility to squeeze into the inner circle and engage in a fierce battle with the heavily armed enemy around the flag.

From an entertainment perspective, one side was a fierce attack as swift as lightning, while the other side was a thrilling and dangerous battle, almost igniting the atmosphere of the entire arena. The fact that the Red Pine team, a team with eight consecutive victories, was caught in such a fierce and arduous battle made the audience feel the pressure and the adrenaline rush.

Soon, the Red Pine team captured the first point, while their opponents also captured one. Now, both sides are fiercely battling around the third point in the center. "Bang!"

Sona deliberately loosened her grip on the shield, allowing the enemy sorcerer to knock the shield away, while she charged forward with all her might, crashing into the enemy's heavily armored body and knocking him out of the inner circle.

At this moment, only two people remained in the flag circle, and the match was down to its final minute. As long as they weren't eliminated, the match would end in a draw. Since the Red Pine team had achieved the most enemy kills, they would advance to the semifinals based on their victory points.

The same was true for another team in the same league. They were prepared to lose to Nearl. Compared to Sona and her teammates, who were still unwilling to accept defeat, this team was already used to this kind of thing.

Since both the Federation and the Knights' Association are vying to promote Nearl's pony for various reasons, let's leave it at that. Besides, that pony is really quite strong.

"Ding ding ding!" The bell rang, signaling the end of the match. The capture-the-flag game ended in a draw. Although Ivan and his team tried their best to secretly spread the news that they would not win the game, they also tried various ways to prevent the poor from betting.

However, many people still lost everything, while the federation made a fortune.

After all, even Talulah bet on a loss instead of a draw, so naturally no one would choose such a low-probability event.

However, they didn't know how much Talulah had bet, or how much the Federation would compensate her in other ways. After all, you can't expect someone to throw a match for you and then have to provide their own food.

The wealthy were paid in full, while the common people's money was split 30/70. Kneeling to beg for money was no problem for the members of the Federation; they were making money kneeling outside the knights' castles before they rebelled against the knights.

“Looks like you guessed wrong, they didn’t lose…” Kerber laughed, while Marner shook his head helplessly, “But they didn’t win either, did they?”

"That's hard to say. In any case, they've made it to the semifinals, isn't that something to celebrate?"