A few days later.
Upper District of Belobog.
Administrative Plaza.
"Have you heard? The IPC executives have returned. They're at Qlipoth Fort right now!"
"Coming back only now is such a shame. So many big things have happened in Belobog recently, yet they had almost no sense of participation. They couldn't even eat fresh melons."
"What's there to feel sorry about? Those are Belobog's private matters — internal affairs! The Astral Express shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. Don't you understand the principle of not airing dirty laundry?"
"That's true. After all, the executives' goal is to save the planet, not to interfere in a single country's factional development."
On the plaza, people gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves while looking toward the slowly moving prison wagons.
Those once high and mighty people, dressed in glamorous clothes, now could only wear simple prisoner uniforms. Their faces were full of vicissitudes as they were bound in despair inside the small cages.
Five-star General Sampo Koski once said:
"I think you are guilty. It's not about what you think — it's about what I think."
Facts proved that under the strategy of arresting people first and finding evidence later, this method was truly effective.
Traces of those half-human, half-rift creature monsters were discovered in the secret breeding grounds of other noble families. They even possessed reason and had once assassinated Sampo while wearing masks!
How could that be tolerated?
Thankfully Sampo was flexible enough at the time. He twisted his waist into an unbelievable arc and used his butt to clamp the opponent's blade, narrowly turning danger into safety.
"Wow~ Baby, you're so amazing! So manly~~~!!"
While Sampo Koski, wearing a bright military uniform, proudly paraded with the convoy, a muscular hunk on the roadside caught his attention.
The man's face was flushed. Behind him was a tricycle loaded with blue watermelons imported from other planets.
He looked like a new small vendor.
But that magical way of addressing him made Sampo frown and quicken his pace.
"Damn it, walk faster!" he impatiently urged the accompanying Silvermane Guards.
That watermelon farmer's voice was far too recognizable — it was clearly the Silvermane Guard he had personally dismissed not long ago.
This damn gay guy!
"Baby, look at me! These are my new stock watermelons. They're really delicious. Come try one, come on~!"
The muscular man picked up a watermelon and rushed out of the isolation belt, sprinting toward Sampo.
"!!!"
…
On the open-air corridor of the upper levels of Qlipoth Fort, a black-haired man silently watched the scene on the plaza.
He nudged the elbow of the person beside him who was entangled with him. Entwined Edge nodded and quickly grabbed the camera hanging on him, taking several shots into the distance.
"Click— Click— Click!!"
Dan Heng: "…"
"Executive, these fruits were sent by Mother. Please eat some." From the other end of the corridor, Bronya slowly approached carrying a fruit platter.
Zeig picked up a banana, peeled it, and handed it to Dan Heng. With deep emotion, he sighed:
"Thinking back to the year 25,000 AD, you and I didn't need to worry about wearing clothes. We swung on vines together every day, with ambitions higher than the sky. No bananas could buy our friendship. You said you would pick bananas for me for a lifetime."
"…" Dan Heng helplessly took it:
"I think I've seen this meme online before."
Zeig then took another banana from Bronya's fruit platter, peeled it, and handed it to March 7th:
"I really miss the days 18,000 years ago when we picked bananas together. Back then we ate bananas every day and never had constipation problems."
"Yeah, I really miss it." March 7th took it and couldn't help sighing:
"But raw bananas can still cause constipation."
Zeig raised an eyebrow:
"There are ripe bananas too?"
Pela, who was following behind Bronya, immediately said speechlessly:
"You two should go to the zoo and submit an application form. I'll prepare tickets to come watch you."
Zeig took an apple from Bronya's platter, held it with his thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and slowly peeled the skin. He said melancholically:
"Although I used to have no fixed home and never had enough to eat, I still miss the days of picking bananas."
March 7th chewed the banana, her eyes reddening as she choked up:
"It's a shame that now I've evolved into a human, but you're still the same as back then."
"…"
"Are you guys sick? It's just eating a banana, why so much drama?" Pela took a banana from the fruit platter Bronya was holding and started peeling it herself.
"Hm? You're eating a banana?" Zeig put the apple — now covered in many small holes — back onto the platter and said sharply.
"What, intelligent beings can't eat them?" Pela said disdainfully.
"In the year 10,086 BC, we all used bananas to worship the gods. How can we allow you to blaspheme them like this?"
Pela frowned:
"Case solved. So you play Ape God!"
"Executive, what are your plans next?" Bronya asked quietly.
The three from the Express crew were indeed loyal. They said they were going to the Herta Space Station but eventually returned one after another.
"When will our museum dividends be issued?" Zeig raised an eyebrow.
At first they rushed over from the Herta Space Station precisely because there was such a good job.
Now that the museum had been burned to ashes, what was the point of them coming here?
Back then, to declare ownership of those cultural relics, Zeig had used many protective measures. Those cost quite a bit of money — a small investment.
Now it seemed the investment had gone down the drain.
Pela interjected:
"Oh, that… No need to worry. When Five-star General Mc… Sampo Koski raided the homes, he seized quite a lot of assets from those great families."
Bronya recalled the spoils and introduced:
"Trading those things with merchants from other worlds should earn a lot of money. There are also many lost manufacturing techniques among them. Belobog's future development will get better and better."
"Huh? Sampo? Raiding homes? Handing them over to you? He didn't embezzle any?"
Zeig's pupils dilated as if he had heard some earth-shattering news.
That was Sampo… Would he really be so selfless and leave all the good things seized from the great families to Cocolia?
If so, how could he still call himself big brother?
"He did embezzle, but not completely." Bronya said.
"What do you mean?"
"Halfway through embezzling, those captured nobles started counter-exposing Sampo's scandals. There were many unknown matters. Mother was furious after hearing them." Pela added.
Bronya added further:
"Then, to save his life, he voluntarily spat out what he had swallowed and demanded those people be executed immediately."
"No wonder those guys in prisoner clothes all have tape over their mouths!" March 7th suddenly realized.
…
On the plaza.
Strange sounds rang out.
"Slap— Slap— Slap!!"
The surrounding onlookers all covered their children's eyes, unable to bear watching.
"Scream! Scream louder! Don't you like screaming? Scream even louder!"
"Oh~ Yamete! Baby, I love this so much, right in public! Mmm~ Ah!!"