Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 198 Dragon Soaring Army (Thanks to the new alliance leader for the sad and heartbreaking story)
“Never mind,” Bernadette said. “Didn’t you say we were all going to gather today to watch the news?”

"Yes, that's true..." Blood Lord had long ago requested the entire group to gather, and even Zhou Chen and Qin Mei were temporarily released, all gathered in front of the LCD TV screen in the living room.

It is to witness today, the historic moment when the Imperial Army's Dragon Sho Army arrives and garrisones Edo.

In the past two years of military parades, the Dragon Soaring Army has been widely recognized as an elite branch of the Chinese armed forces. Blood Lord knows that the vast majority of the resentment crystals held by the imperial court are used to strengthen the Dragon Soaring Army.

Although these soldiers cannot become reincarnators, they have been equipped with all the weapons that non-reincarnators can use.

Blood Lord didn't consider himself a good person, but he genuinely respected these soldiers. Moreover, the land they were about to set foot on held profound significance!
By this time, Zhou Chen and Qin Mei had received basic treatment. They knew that the Blood Lord wouldn't kill them, but he had to punish them severely before arranging their future. Everyone could see this, so few people mocked them.

Wu Ge sat down next to Zhou Chen and whispered, "Brother Chen, don't worry. My godfather has told me that the punishment has been carried out. You can find a way to make merit in the future, and then everything will be fine."

……

On the television screen, all the world's media outlets flocked to the Edo Special District, this magical realm.

Blood Lord truly admired these reporters; coming here to conduct interviews was almost no different from being war correspondents.

Everyone knows that this day will be an unavoidable page in the history of the 21st century, and everyone is witnessing history firsthand!
Tokyo Bay was shrouded in a thin mist, the sea breeze was cool, and the waves gently lapped against the pier.

In the distance, a massive steel behemoth slowly sailed into the port—the Zhenming aircraft carrier, the core combat force of the Longxiang Army's current garrison.

"This is the Zhenming!" Wu Ge was also quite excited. It is one of the three largest aircraft carriers in the navy!

Soon, through drone aerial footage, one could see that on the aircraft carrier's deck, Longxiang Army soldiers, dressed in dark blue combat uniforms, had golden dragon patterns on their shoulder patches that gleamed in the sunlight.

They stood solemnly like pine trees, their eyes sharp and focused, without making a single unnecessary movement.

People from Edo and journalists from various countries had already gathered on the shore, their cameras and microphones aimed at this historic moment.

Now that the disaster of the walking fish landing has finally passed, the people of Edo are placing their hopes on the Dragon Sho Army.

However, they also had their doubts.

Being stationed by troops is a common occurrence for ordinary people.

But it remains to be seen whether the two countries, separated by a blood feud, will truly do their utmost to protect the people of Edo.

"This is the Dragon Soaring Army?" Takamiya Yui, who had arrived at Tokyo Bay early that morning, whispered to his wife, Takamiya Mai, "It's even more impressive than what we've seen on TV..."

Gao Gongmai held her husband's hand tightly and said, "Don't be too optimistic. I grew up in Okinawa and I know exactly what foreign troops are like. Do you think the Beijing government would be more lenient towards us than Washington? There was a girl in my high school who was murdered and her body dumped in the wilderness. When it was discovered that the murderer was a genuine American, she didn't receive any real punishment."

Takamiya Yui remained silent. He had a great-uncle who was of mixed Japanese and American descent, but his father was unknown. However, everyone knew how his great-uncle came to be.

Although she had heard that the Imperial Guards of Yanjing were known for their strict discipline, with a saying that "even women and children would fight with the royal army for the right of way," Gao Gongwei felt that such propaganda was perhaps a bit too exaggerated.

But to be honest, things couldn't get any worse than they are now.

Living in Edo, escaping was virtually impossible, as evidenced by the countless corpses that littered the city. He and his wife had only recently come to truly understand this, and thus decided that as long as the Dragon Soaring Army soldiers could genuinely rid Edo of those terrifying and bizarre creatures, they would tolerate them, even if they were just like Uncle Sam.

As the Zhenming slowly approached the shore, a steady command came through the aircraft carrier's loudspeaker:

"Longxiang Army advance force, prepare for landing!"

The landing craft were lowered, and the first batch of Longxiang Army soldiers stepped onto the Tokyo Bay dock in Edo.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, the sound of their boots hitting the ground like war drums, each step seemingly calculated with utmost precision.

Countless journalists quickly snapped photos, capturing this historic moment. Some professional overseas news agencies even assigned military advisors to educate their reporters on military ranks.

Leading the advance team was a senior colonel, his gold star insignia on his shoulder straps gleaming, his face resolute, and his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

He is Zhao Zhenguo, the supreme commander of this garrison—commander of the Longxiang Army Eastern Theater Task Force. He will hand over military defense responsibilities to government officials of the Edo Special District and officially establish a garrison there.

Following closely behind was the special operations brigade, whose soldiers wore digital camouflage and were equipped with QBZ-191 assault rifles, the metallic gleam of which shone coldly in the sunlight.

Next came the armored infantry company, where soldiers carried individual combat systems, and the night vision goggles and tactical headsets on their helmets indicated that this was a highly information-based unit.

On the shore, officials—including Edo Special District Chief Administrator Kenichi Morita and several government personnel—stepped forward and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle: "Welcome to the Dragon Soaring Army!"

Zhao Zhenguo returned a standard military salute, his voice steady and powerful: "The Longxiang Army is ordered to garrison the area. Please hand over the defense duties! Our army will ensure the safety of the Edo region."

Kenichi Morita nodded, his gaze sweeping over the motionless soldiers, and he thought to himself, "This unit... is truly remarkable!"

Morita knew perfectly well the level of his own self-destructive team.

To reassure the local people, Long Xiangjun held a small military parade at the dock.

The soldiers marched in perfect unison at 112 steps per minute, the sound of their boots pounding the ground like thunder, shaking the hearts of every onlooker. Their arms swung at perfectly synchronized angles, as if guided by invisible threads.

Following closely behind were the ZTQ-15 light tank and the ZBL-08 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, their steel tracks rumbling across the ground. The dragon insignia on the turrets symbolized the glory of this unit.

Next, there was the drone formation: in the sky, the Wing Loong-3 reconnaissance drone flew low, and the high-definition camera under the wing slowly rotated, showing the world the technological strength of the Longxiang Army.

"This...this is truly breathtaking!" a journalist from Paris murmured to himself, snapping away furiously with his camera.

Gao Gongwei looked at the soldiers and was shocked. He recalled the military parade organized by the "King of Knowledge" before. This was worlds apart. It felt like an insult to the Dragon Soaring Army to even compare them.

"As expected of the royal army of Yanjing!" Gao Gongwei watched intently. "With them maintaining order in Edo, A-Wu, I feel like there's hope for our future!"

This was the first time in five years since Edo fell that Takamiya Yui's eyes had shone with hope!
His wife, Gao Gongwu, couldn't help but nod: "Yes, look at these Longxiang Army soldiers—they don't even glance at each other."

According to the provisions of the Potsdam Agreement, the garrison locations of the Longxiang Army were strictly defined:

The Ryusho Army Eastern Theater Command was established in the core Edo area to coordinate relations between the stationed troops and the local government. The aircraft carrier Zhenming will be permanently stationed in Tokyo Bay to ensure maritime deterrence.

Meanwhile, three mechanized infantry battalions were stationed in the Kansai region to ensure regional security, enabling them to support the Heian-kyo (Kyoto) government and form a mutually reinforcing defensive network.

Blood Lord saw on television a reporter explaining the Dragon Soaring Army's discipline: soldiers are not allowed to enter residential areas alone, all outings must be in groups of three, and drinking alcohol is prohibited. Violators will be dealt with according to military law.

"That was exhilarating, so satisfying!" Wu Ge pumped his fist. "This is the first time our army has ever stationed itself in Area 11!"

Wu Ge's use of anime-style language, though somewhat childish at the moment, is quite fitting.

Blood Lord nodded and said, "However, although it was exhilarating, the casualties of this Dragon Soaring Army will probably be heavy. The imperial court has invested heavily to stop the continued spread of memes in Edo."

“That’s not very satisfying!” Long Cang said. “Why should we sacrifice the Dragon Soaring Army to protect…the people of District 11?”

Although Long Cang is Thai, he really doesn't have a good impression of Area 11.

"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold." Blood Lord uttered these four words: "In peacetime, I would rather than anyone here wish for this Fusang Island to sink into the Pacific Ocean, and for all 100 million of its inhabitants to die. But times have changed. If Area 11 were to fall completely, it would pose a huge threat to our territorial waters. The deaths of these inhabitants are not a pity, but they must become our breakwaters!"

Meanwhile, in Area 11...

Many Edo residents were worried about the arrival of the Ryusho Army—after all, it was an unfamiliar army, and no one knew what they would bring.

But their doubts were quickly dispelled.

The soldiers of the Dragon Soaring Army would even queue properly when shopping at the supermarket, never cutting in line. The area around their garrison was well-protected; even thieves dared not approach. Furthermore, the Dragon Soaring Army organized medical teams to provide free health checkups for local residents and even helped repair long-neglected roads. Even the local yakuza of Edo spoke highly of them. As night fell, the lights of Tokyo Bay were reflected on the water.

On the deck of the Zhenming, Zhao Zhenguo gazed at the unfamiliar city with a deep look in his eyes.

"Commander, everything went smoothly on the first day of the garrison's deployment," the adjutant reported.

Zhao Zhenguo nodded slightly: "Remember, we're not here to conquer, but to 'garrison.' This garrisoning is intended to cooperate with the local Edo reincarnators. Faced with memetic contamination, our two countries must set aside past grievances and become allies. If we can win over some outstanding local reincarnators this time, our plan to launch the global expedition to the [Zoo Ghost Stories] instance will have a much better chance of success. Especially since our enemies are not only memes, but also the Old Nuclear Organization."

“Yes,” the adjutant said. “The old nuclear organization will do whatever it takes to release the meme of the Zoo Ghost Stories.”

They all knew very well that human civilization had reached its final end. This path was destined to lead to endless despair and death.

Of all the Ryusho Army soldiers who set foot on Edo soil, probably no more than 10% were able to successfully return home, and possibly even fewer.

In the dead of night, an eerie silence permeates the streets of Kabukicho in Shinjuku.

The third patrol squad of the Dragon Soaring Army cautiously moved through the alleys, their QBZ-191 rifle magazines already loaded with special demon-slaying bullets obtained through the reincarnation system, and the gun bodies were engraved with evil-suppressing runes.

These bullets can be used by non-reincarnators without consuming SAN points. Of course, their power cannot compare to the firearms used by reincarnators, but that's unavoidable; otherwise, they wouldn't be standard issue for the Dragon Soaring Army. After all, ordinary bullets are useless against the curses of ghosts. And reincarnators can't possibly leave the memetic-contaminated area and come to Edo.

This is also the most troublesome problem for the imperial court. Otherwise, they would have incorporated the official reincarnation team into the Dragon Soaring Army and dispatched them to Edo long ago!

"Stay alert," Captain Chen Feng ordered in a low voice. "According to intelligence, there have been multiple sightings of the 'Faceless Courtesan' in this area."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of a shamisen suddenly came from around the corner ahead.

The team members instantly tensed up, pointing their guns at the source of the sound—

A woman dressed in a gorgeous kimono walked out slowly, her figure graceful, but she had no face.

Where facial features should be, there was only a smooth, pale expanse.

"Fire!"

The demon-slaying bullet whistled out, but mysteriously hovered in mid-air the instant it touched the courtesan's hem.

The courtesan raised her sleeve and flicked it lightly, causing the bullet to change direction and shoot back! The two team members had no time to dodge, and blood splattered from their chests.

"Retreat! Find cover!" Chen Feng roared and threw a talisman grenade. The explosion's spiritual light temporarily forced the courtesan back.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter came from the other end of the alley. A tall, handsome young man tore open the curtain of the convenience store and walked out, carrying half a human leg that had been eaten.

"Shuten-dōji." A new recruit trembled as he held up his tactical tablet. "Thermal imaging is ineffective! Switch to Spirit Vision mode!"

The next fifteen minutes became a lifelong nightmare for the squad.

The faceless courtesan's sleeves can extend infinitely, and any team members who get entangled in them will turn into paper dolls within three seconds; Shuten-dōji's claws bring a bloody gust of wind with each swing, and concrete walls crumble like tofu.

When the support troops arrived, only Chen Feng and two seriously wounded soldiers were left standing back to back inside the talisman barrier, with several corpses scattered around them.

"Fire!"

……

In the briefing room of the Edo garrison headquarters, Zhao Zhenguo slammed his fist on the projection screen.

The image freezes on a close-up of the remains of a fallen soldier covered by a white sheet.

"Murder rate 37%, serious injury rate 21%," the chief of staff read the report in a hoarse voice. "This is the legendary Night Parade of One Hundred Demons..."

All the Longxiang sergeants were looking at the "Meme Spirit Countermeasures Manual" in front of them.

The warnings marked in red were particularly glaring:

"When encountering the Slit-Mouthed Woman: You must answer 'You are beautiful'; when encountering the Zashiki-warashi: Immediately display children's toys; when encountering Enenra: Flamethrower use is strictly prohibited."

Looking at the list of the dead, Zhao Zhenguo suddenly asked his adjutant, "Have you heard of the Hundred Ghosts Parade in Muxu City?"

The adjutant was taken aback: "Is that the one who almost caused the entire Muxu City to fall back then?"

“Back then, there was a Level 4 Reincarnator named Yu Tianlun,” Zhao Zhenguo said, stroking his teacup, “who led his team of Reincarnators and made huge sacrifices to prevent the leak of the Hyakki Yagyō meme.”

He looked out the window at the overcast night sky and said, "Now I truly understand how terrible a disaster he prevented."

The next day, at the temporary medical station in front of Shibuya Station, Long Xiangjun medics were bandaging an injured old woman.

Suddenly, the crowd stirred, and someone pointed at the electronic billboard and exclaimed in surprise.

The screen was playing footage of the Shinjuku battle captured by surveillance cameras yesterday: the moment the faceless courtesan's sleeve wrapped around a soldier, the young man detonated a talisman grenade at his waist.

“That soldier…” The old woman suddenly grabbed the medic’s wrist, her cloudy tears dripping onto the bandage, “Why are you so brave?”

The medic replied, "I am a soldier (because we are soldiers)."

That afternoon, when the Longxiang Army patrol team passed by Senso-ji Temple, an unexpected scene unfolded—hundreds of ordinary citizens spontaneously stood on both sides of the road, some holding handwritten signs that read "Thank you, Longxiang Army," and some elderly people even knelt down to perform the most solemn dogeza bow.

"Long live Longxiang!" a girl in a high school uniform suddenly shouted in Chinese, followed by more hesitant but sincere Chinese: "Thank you!"

"Please save Edo!"

Long live the friendship between our two countries!

At this moment, Jiang Jin was watching the scene on the TV screen, which was frozen on the news replay of the fierce battle between the Longxiang Army soldiers and the faceless courtesan.

His fingers unconsciously traced Gao Lan's business card.

"Are you still looking?" Yu Tianlun pushed open the door and entered, carrying two cups of hot tea.

Jiang Jin didn't answer immediately, but pointed to the television: "The Longxiang Army suffered heavy casualties... They clearly had weapons they could exchange for through the Reincarnation System, yet they were still being overwhelmed by those monsters. If a Reincarnator could enter the battlefield, they could definitely turn the tide of the war!"

Yu Tianlun remained silent for a moment, then placed the teacup on the table, the steam from the tea slowly rising into the air.

“There’s nothing we can do about that,” Yu Tianlun said in a low voice. “Ordinary people, even if they have a Reincarnation Weapon, cannot use Reincarnator skills, which will greatly limit them in combat.”

Yu Tianlun recalled the Hundred Ghosts Parade instance from back then, his fingers tightened slightly, causing subtle ripples to appear on the surface of the water in his teacup.

"Guild Leader," Jiang Jin took a deep breath, "After Black Sparrow Pavilion gives you their reply, we'll head to the Lanruo Temple instance, right?"

Yu Tianlun didn't answer directly, but walked to the window and looked at the distant sky: "The Black Sparrow Pavilion is no benevolent group. Their sudden interest in Lanruo Temple must have some other purpose behind it. I'm actually testing them more to see how important this instance is to them."

The news on television was still playing, the camera switching to footage of Long Xiangjun interacting with local residents. Many people were even shouting "Long live Long Xiangjun!" Behind them, many people were waving the flags of both countries.

Watching this scene, Yu Tianlun thought about how he had given almost everything in that battle against the Hundred Ghosts.

He has no regrets about exchanging it for the peace of Muxu City!

(End of this chapter)