I, the undead, save the world with the dolls

Zion Canyon is a breathtakingly beautiful area. Meandering rivers, lush grass growing along the cliffs and banks, and wildlife abound. When the wind blows through the canyon, the cool, moist air, laden with moisture, is refreshing.

Of course, it cannot be said that this place is safe. The wild animals here are also dangerous. There are lizards as big as a person and large poisonous bees hovering in some places. There are also bear-like creatures called monsters wandering in the mountains.

Giant mantises and giant moles are also must-try species. However, these wild animals are still not enough to be hunted by people who have firearms and master hunting methods.

In comparison, other humans armed with automatic firepower and sniper rifles are more dangerous enemies.

Led by the native who called himself Tracker Shadow, the postman team bypassed the dazzling mountain roads and went all the way down to the bottom of the canyon.

The river water is so clear that you can even see the mud and fish swimming below. This river is called the East Virgin River, and the indigenous tribes living here rely on this river to provide clean water for their tribes.

Shadow led the postman team from the shallow part of the river towards the depths of the canyon. The postman's boots stepped on the shallow river, splashing water.

Large murals painted in various colors occasionally appear on both sides of the canyon. The smooth, dry rock walls are the perfect canvases. As you pass by these murals, Shadow will enthusiastically explain their origins.

"These murals show the Dead Horse tribe's victories over other tribes, most of which occurred after Joshua arrived."

The postman looked up at the painting on the rock wall. It was a picture painted with red and white paint.

On the left is a human head wrapped in what appears to be a bandage, with its eyes represented by red paint.

Next to the human head, there were several corpses lying on the ground painted with white and red paint, and some had lost their heads and their necks were painted red.

The postman speculated that the patterns with a red line painted in the middle of the white paint should represent the repulse of the White Legs Tribe.

After all, the abstract patterns painted on the faces of the White Legs tribe look like this. Perhaps this is how this indigenous tribe, which has no written records, records its history.

"So Joshua Graham is quite respected here? He's even been featured on a mural. What kind of person is he?"

"Oh, well, I'm sorry, I can't reveal anything. Joshua said that people coming from the south must see him first." Shadow shook his head, failing to let the postman's trick succeed.

They stopped talking to each other. Cas complained that the river made his boots heavy and slippery. Ariana didn't complain at all, but just scanned the surroundings quickly.

Following this shallow river and bypassing several bear traps buried in the water, the postman team, led by Shadow, arrived at the camp of the Sima tribe.

It wasn't a large camp, filled with many indigenous people dressed similarly to Shadow. They lived in simple huts built from animal skins and wooden branches, several of which were clustered together, with a large stone bonfire in the middle.

There are many cement blocks left over from before the war placed next to the bonfire, which are used as chairs.

When these natives saw the postman, they were a little surprised and gathered together to talk in a low voice, but Postman No. 6 always felt that the other party was surprised by his height.

The postman took a quick look around and felt something was particularly strange about the place.

"Where are the old people and children? Why do I only see young and middle-aged men and women?" the postman asked Shadow.

"They are not here. Okay, first, go see Joshua. He is in the Angel Cave in front." The shadow was still concise and pointed to a deep cave in front with a torch at the door.

"Angel?" Ariana had heard people discussing strange religious beliefs while spamming in the Griffin chat room recently.

The word "angel" literally means "messenger of the Son of Heaven." In the East, it refers to a messenger sent by the emperor (Son of Heaven). In the West, it refers to a messenger sent by Jesus or something else.

By the way, the original meaning of God is the Emperor of Heaven, which means "the most honorable one in heaven". Later, missionaries who went to the East simply used "God" to translate the word GOD.

Is Joshua trying to portray himself as an angel? That feels strange. Ariana couldn't help but wonder what Joshua's identity was. Could he be some strange religious figure? New Canaan, it seems, seems pretty religious, too.

Cass and Postman No. 6, who lacked religious knowledge, didn't think anything of it. They just nodded and followed the shadow into the cave.

The cave was quite dark, and the only lighting was provided by torches placed everywhere and the light coming from the hole in the top of the cave. Before the postman team had gone far, a serious-looking native woman came to block their way.

"Hello! ￥%! Joshua Graham*＆%?" The native woman blurted out a few words, but the postal team only understood the first word "Hello" and Joshua's name.

"Ah? Joshua? Yes, yes, we are looking for Joshua. Can you tell me where he is?" Postman No. 6 tried to understand the words of the woman in front of him by guessing.

"You can understand our language, wise outsider." The native seamlessly switched to English. "Joshua is in the highest cave. You must show some respect! Joshua is a great warrior. If you don't respect him, he will use electricity and fire to torture you."

Why does it sound like a move the commander would use? He often fights with lightning spears, but rarely uses fire. Could this Joshua also be an immortal? Aliana touched her chin.

It seems like only a powerful undead could easily turn the tide of battle, and yet they're still considered the strongest warriors. If he truly is an undead, then we need to request support. A powerful undead is no match for a humanoid...

"Oh, okay. Thank you for your advice. Of course I hate electricity and fire." Postman No. 6 said evasively.

"Haha! Interesting outsider! I wonder how long you can survive here." The native laughed dryly. After she finished telling the content, she went back to her place to work.

"Don't mind. After all, we don't want to lose Joshua... There are many people who value his safety." Shadow was afraid that the postman would get angry, so he hurried to ease the atmosphere.

"It's just a few words, no big deal." Postman No. 6 is broad-minded and generous, and he doesn't get angry over such a small matter.

Several people pushed and shoved their way into the cave. In the deepest part of the cave, there was a large space with a flat platform at the innermost part.

Along the walls were wooden shelves filled with various materials, and on the platform was a table and chairs, with pistols piled high on the table.

There was a figure sitting behind the pile of weapons. He removed the magazine of the pistol, quickly disassembled the entire pistol into parts, carefully wiped off the dirt inside, replaced the damaged parts, and then quickly reassembled it.

The man drew back the slide, making sure it was done, and placed the weapon beside him among the pile of pistols, neatly arranged like an arsenal.

He wore a clean shirt, a bulletproof vest, and jeans, and his face and arms were covered in thick bandages.

Joshua Graham, exactly as he is depicted on the mural.

189 Joshua Graham

"We should have warmly welcomed you on your first visit to Zion, but alas, the White Legs Tribe completely ruined our plans."

A deep, hoarse voice emanated from the bandaged face. Within the tightly wrapped bandages, only a pair of bright blue eyes looked at the postman.

"The White Legs seem to be our only visitors in recent times. However, I never expected anyone from the Mojave to come to this place. And you are a postman. Although you are not the guest I expected, at least I don't expect a whole caravan."

"I don't know what your relationship is like with the other members of the caravan, but I still want to express my sympathy to you."

"I pray for the well-being of every good civilian who comes to Zion, even if they are pagans. I do not discriminate against them. But we cannot expect God to have the same view."

The postal team members looked at each other. Ariana and Cass quietly pushed Postal Carrier No. 6 out, letting her ask questions and answer them. Ariana sent a message to Sun Yang, telling him that the postal team had found Joshua Graham.

"So, you knew we were coming a long time ago? Why did you say I was a postman?" The postman asked the question he was most concerned about first.

"The Dead Horse Tribe has many excellent scouts. Any life that enters or leaves the canyon will not escape our eyes."

"Okay. I came here with the Happy Trails caravan. They hoped to get in touch with the New Canaanites. But everyone in that caravan died," the postman shrugged.

Joshua did not stop moving his hands. While organizing his thoughts, he gently unscrewed the screws on the gun in his hand.

"Happy Trails. They were our good friends, as I recall. But I have only bad news. New Canaan has been destroyed, its citizens gone. It's all the fault of the White Legs and, of course, Caesar. The White Legs want to join the Legion. Caesar claims that the destruction of the New Canaanites will be the test they must pass."

"And all of this was almost entirely caused by me."

Joshua's blue eyes shifted from his gun to the tall, large postman in front of him. The postman was calm and didn't think much of it.

Ariana noticed that the person in front of her pronounced "Caesar" correctly (Caesar), not Kaiser. At least this showed that the cultural heritage of the New Canaanites had not been interrupted.

"The good news is that we can help you find your way home. Another Canaanite, Daniel, has drawn many detailed maps of this area. The bad news is that we can't help you now. There are still many tricky things to do," Joshua said frankly to the postman.

"Tricky? Tell me, Graham. I don't intend to return empty-handed. How can I help you?" The postman flexed his shoulders. Her desire to fight soared when she heard the White Legs were hunting her to prove themselves to the Legion.

"You're a good man, Postman, and I thank you. We've all been through dark times. In times like these, we usually pray to the Lord, but it's always good to have a friend. Daniel and I need some pre-war tools to help us navigate Zion, and philosophical tools will be invaluable if we need to evacuate."

"That's all? You're out of soldiers?" the postman complained. "We're a combat team. Killing the enemy is what we do best."

"Normally, we'd send some people from the Dead Horse or Sorrow Tribe to collect it. But most of the pre-war buildings in this valley are off-limits to them. They won't go in," Joshua said, looking distressed. "Daniel is in charge of the Sorrow Tribe, and I'm in charge of the Dead Horse. I'm preparing for the battle with the Sima Tribe, and Daniel... he has other plans."

"I'll take this job for now. Oh, and the merchandise for Happy Path is sold out, so I'll give it to you." The postman took out some food from the big bag and put the rest on the ground.

"This is really... an unexpected surprise. I'll give you bottle caps at the corresponding price. Well, food, medical kits, ammunition, these supplies will be enough for a long time." Joshua touched his bandaged head.

"No, I don't need that. Just think of it as me trying to win your favor. By the way, who did you expect to come?"

"An assassin. Caesar never publicly promised it, but he knew I was alive. I've dispatched more assassins than I can count. I heard one of them was working as a courier in the Mojave. Usually, most spies who enter NCR territory meet the same fate, but it seems only this one survived."

Aliana, standing by, was very concerned about the mission. She grabbed Cas and said, "Cas and I are going to go look around and find some supplies. We won't go far. Postman, you go have a good chat with Graham first."

After saying that, she dragged Cass out of the cave, lest Joshua think they were just chatting and slacking off instead of doing their work.

Joshua, who had received a large amount of supplies, immediately asked the surrounding indigenous residents to come over and divide the things here. He counted and classified the supplies inside.

He wouldn't be very busy until he had counted all these things. After the problem caused by the supplies was solved, Joshua was in a much better mood and was more willing to listen to the questions asked by the postman.

"By the way, what would happen if I told Caesar that you were alive?" After the postman lost his teammates, he immediately started to let himself go.

"That would put both you and him in an awkward position. Caesar has been sending his spies and envoys to look for me, but he has never admitted that I am still alive. So even if you kill me, it will be useless; he will not officially admit it. And if you do that, it will be tantamount to admitting that I was not dead before, which means that Caesar has been lying all along. No, his life itself is full of lies, and he will die full of lies. Surrounded by lies, he has no way to escape."

"I see. Then where does your superstitious religious talk come from?"

"Religion? I'm a New Canaanite. We believe we are heirs to a tradition of spiritual values ​​passed down by our ancestors thousands of years ago. I have made a covenant with our Lord, God, and we respect all of His laws. In exchange, He promises us eternal salvation at the end of our lives. The Day of Judgment of the Lord will one day come. Until that day comes, we must obey His laws and continue the prayer for salvation to the best of our ability."

"That's why we trade and cooperate with other tribes. We provide more than just food and medicine. This precious spiritual wealth is our most precious and priceless treasure."

The postman made a face that said, "I really regret asking this stupid question," and then, as if figuring something out, he asked, "Hahaha! That's really interesting. Wait, you don't seem to be that religious?"

"I know this may be difficult for you to accept and understand. Deep in my heart, I believe that although I am a sinner, I have been redeemed. And I believe that there is something beyond the rocks, the air, and the water that surrounds us, waiting for us. I have been baptized twice, once in water and once in fire. Until I face the judgment of my Lord, I will keep this sacred fire in my heart forever."

"Ha, this statement does sound a bit religious. Forget it, how about telling me about your pistol? I can tell it's a good gun at first glance." The postman just made a sarcastic remark, and Joshua didn't even raise his eyelids.

"In the Great Basin and Colorado Plains, each tribe has its own specialized weapon. The White Legs wield the Storm Drum, a large submachine gun they excel at. They've used it ever since they raided an armory near Spanish Fork. The Dead Horses have their signature war clubs, and the Sorrowful have the incredibly powerful Yokai Fists."

"This .45 automatic pistol was designed and invented by my tribal ancestors about 400 years ago. Learning to master it is part of our New Canaanite rite of passage."

"Tradition, tradition is indeed very important. After all, how a person grows up depends largely on what he experienced in his childhood. And tradition will connect future generations with culture. No wonder those people don't like to let their children read books about the First Tribe. But as a New Canaanite, can you understand the culture of these indigenous people? What methods do you use to make these people listen to you so much?" After the postman made a series of sharp comments, he continued chatting.

"I was originally just a missionary, but now I'm just the leader of the Dead Horse Tribe. Although the people here seek my help on certain matters, my power is given by them. Daniel is the spiritual leader of the Sorrowful Tribe and the only connection between them and the people of New Canaan. He is with the Sorrowful Tribe now."

"Okay, before I figure out how to help you, I'll ask the most important question. What's the situation between the tribes here? You should know more about it."

"There are three tribes here in Zion, four to be exact. You saw the White Legs on the way here. In this camp, you'll find the Dead Horses. In the narrows to the north, the Sorrowful Tribe. And finally, there are Daniel and me. We are the New Canaanites."

"Then the question is, why did the defeated tribe attack the caravan? Did they not prepare the necessary supplies when they attacked?"

"They attack anyone who isn't a member of the White Legs, especially caravans. They don't know how to fend for themselves, so they rely on robbery. But the reason they're here is simply to plunder us, all of us. They hope to join Caesar's Legion, and the only way they can prove their worth is to annihilate the New Canaanites and everything we protect."

"I roughly understand. To put it simply, it's just the bandits everywhere who stole the good equipment... I don't think it's that simple. Their training level is quite good..."

"They should have received a certain level of training. Those with the best talent and strongest combat capabilities would form professional teams to plunder supplies. So this isn't surprising."

"Then what about the language here? Why can't I understand it? Is this really American land?" The postman sat down cross-legged.

"Most of them don't speak English anymore. Hundreds of years have passed since the last war, and they've developed their own language. The Dead Horse tribe, we believe, was originally a refugee from a place called 'Reis' east of the Grand Canyon. They speak a Reis dialect mixed with the language of local travelers. Over time, the two languages ​​merged. I worked as a translator a long time ago, but it was difficult for me to keep up with the changes in the tribes' languages."

"Speaking of which, did anyone in this place know you before? Would you mind telling me the story behind this place?"

"Well, I met them before... before I returned to their midst. Although I looked nothing like I did then, they still remembered me in their hearts. I taught them how to hunt more efficiently, how to maintain weapons and pre-war equipment. When I returned, they expressed their gratitude to me."

"There's this connection involved, so why do you call the New Canaanites a tribe?"

"We wear more clothes than they do, we have more technology than they do. But we are still a tribe, a big, interconnected family."

"The Boneyard, Phoenix (these are locations that appeared in the previous game), New Vegas, these are just place names, metal and stone. Even if the people of New Canaan die, the tribe still exists. Even if the world collapses and there is nothing left, you will always have a home. Where there is a home, there is a tribe."

Joshua slowly explained his theory, and the postman was somewhat supportive of it.

"Well, dear Joshua Graham, do you mind if I ask you some personal questions? For example, about your past and your troubles..." The postman used his magical hand speed to eat a piece of party-dressed mantart to enhance his charm.

"Not now. Right now, I need you to concentrate on helping Daniel. After these supplies are counted, I will organize them and have the people of the Dead Horse Tribe send them to the Sorrowful Tribe. But before we find the navigation facilities, it is best not to discuss too deeply. Perhaps it would be better for us to talk about it later." Joshua refused righteously.

"..." The postman crossed his arms in dissatisfaction. This Mantat was not as great as the villagers boasted!

"Then I'll go look for it too. That one's called Shadow..." The postman brought over Shadow, the native who had been slacking off for a long time.

"Make good use of him. The tracker can help you avoid getting lost in this valley. He may lack experience, but he is fluent in multiple languages ​​and familiar with every pre-war building marked with taboos." Joshua gave a direct answer.

"Okay, little brother Shadow! Just follow me for the time being!" Postman No. 6 waved to Joshua and directly dragged Shadow out of the cave.

190 Character Profile

Unlike Joshua Graham, who spoke warmly of the welcome but was actually very reserved, the indigenous resident named Shadow was much easier to flatter.

In fact, after Postman No. 6 chatted with Joshua for a long time, the shadow lost his energy and no longer thought about what to say or what not to say.

After all, since their clan leader could talk for such a long time, he couldn't be a bad person no matter how you looked at it.

This mentality played into Postman No. 6's hands. She took the tracker, who was a head shorter than herself, on a whirlwind tour, chatting non-stop with Shadow. As they chatted, Postman No. 6 coaxed Shadow into spilling everything he knew.

"...Ah, Joshua, he has been the chief of our tribe ever since he returned to this mountain. A long time ago, he went to the civilized world and fought a war. It is said that the result was not very good..." Shadow chattered on and on as he poured out the news he knew.

After asking for a long time, the postman pieced together a rather vague life history of Joshua based on the information available.

Joshua was a native of New Canaan who, as he grew up, displayed a gift for languages, qualifying him for the work of a missionary among the native tribes.

One day, young Joshua met the present Caesar - Caesar turned out to be a member of the Followers of Apocalypse, otherwise his knowledge and insights could not be explained.