After taking an hour-long food break in Trost District, Kuklo’s party split from the artery to enter a side road. Passing through multiple checkpoints, they continued to head north. The security seemed almost too rigorous, perhaps because they were headed to the factory city. Kuklo saw no regular citizens, only soldiers and the men and women they guarded.
Glancing at the patrolling soldiers, Kuklo noticed their gear and muttered, “High alert…”
Unlike the soldiers stationed in Trost District, these troops seemed on edge, ready to strike the moment an enemy appeared. They carried short swords on their waist that must have been made of Iron Bamboo, and even shouldered carbines. Ammunition surely filled the horses’ saddlebags. Even the Garrison troops in Shiganshina District on watch for Titans didn’t appear as tense as these soldiers.
“Speaking of strict, how about those checkpoints?”
As Cardina pointed out, the soldiers manning the checkpoints were so heavily armed they seemed ready to start a war. While the town gates were like sieves despite being guarded, the personnel here were scrupulous in their inspections. Once, Kuklo and Sharle had purchased false identification from a merchant to escape from Wall Sheena; it was doubtful that the same trick would work along this route. It went without saying that any attempts to grease a soldier’s palms were likewise bound to fail. Merely approaching a checkpoint would be out of bounds if Jorge weren’t with them.
“The factory city is practically an armory. Its loss could imperil the nation’s very existence,” the instructor explained. Judging by the airtight, heavy security, they’d already faced an incident along those lines.
“It’s singlehandedly responsible for everything from the development to the manufacturing of arms,” agreed Cardina. “This is the only place where Iron Bamboo and Iceburst Stone can be processed.”
On top of that, a mint was located in the city. Cultists or anti-establishment groups occupying it would be a grand debacle.
Humans are scarier than Titans…
While the Titans were absolutely ridiculous monsters, their lack of intelligence made them easy to manage. It certainly helped Wall Maria maintain its proud reputation of being indestructible. Meanwhile, humanity’s intellect made up for its powerlessness. A good example was Elena, the cultist who let a Titan into town without needing to destroy the wall. It explained the military’s excessive defense measures for the factory city.
But thanks to that, Sharle can live there safely.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Kuklo stared ahead of him. The road went gradually uphill, and he was starting to feel cold from the slightly increased altitude. He did not know the factory city’s location, but taking convenience and secrecy into account, it was most likely in the outskirts of Wall Sheena. The chilly and clear air reminded Kuklo of the harsh days he spent living in a shed.
Not that they’ll ever turn into fond memories… Still, Kuklo wouldn’t be who he was without the experience. If a stroke of luck had freed him from the shed, he surely would have ended up dying on some nameless street. In that sense, even his days of abuse at the hands of Xavi Inocencio, Sharle’s older brother, seemed meaningful to him.
“Eh, another checkpoint? How many more are there?”
Cardina looked fed up, but Kuklo was unperturbed. Though certainly irritating, the body searches were as noninvasive as possible thanks to Jorge’s presence. The increased number of checkpoints also proved that they were nearing their destination.
I can meet her soon.
Kuklo felt a slight quickening in his chest.