Chapter 102: When in Doubt, Run

Brest was the iconic city-state of the Empire’s southern frontier. This towering stronghold rising from the yellow sands had once been fertile grasslands where the beastfolk thrived for generations. But after humans seized it through iron and fire, they cultivated the vast pastures into barren wasteland where not a blade of grass remained.

The former rulers of the plains—the beastfolk and demi-humans—had now become slaves bound in chains.

This city marked the natural boundary between the Empire and the beastfolk, yet human greed had never stopped there.

Back when the nobles planned to continue their southern invasion and fully annex the beastfolk territories, the iron hooves of the Church of Gluttony suddenly crushed through the Empire’s borders.

That unstoppable, terrifying force sweeping across half the Empire spread like dark clouds over Brest.

As a vital transportation hub connecting the Empire and the beastfolk, Brest was the core center where nobles reaped enormous profits from the s*ave trade and resource plundering—something they would never allow to fall.

Thus, Brest’s military strength far exceeded that of other imperial cities. The sharp edge once used for southern conquest had now turned inward for strict defense and outward for passive resistance.

Brest’s fame came half from the flames of constant war, and the other half from the s*ave trade that brought eternal disgrace upon the beastfolk.

After their defeat, the beastfolk were forced to sign unequal treaties, sending tens of thousands of their kin to the Empire each year as slaves—and Brest was the largest distribution hub for this filthy trade.

From here, s*ave caravans departed with chains and shackles, transporting beastfolk across the Empire—from noble estates to northern mines. The s*ave trade alone supported half the wealth of the Empire’s aristocracy.

This was a piece of meat soaked in blood and tears. No matter how fierce the wars outside became, they would never loosen their grip on this sinful profit.

“Those bastards! Tossing me around like a ball!”

A red-haired girl reined in her horse, her sword at her waist clinking lightly with the motion. Her crimson cloak cut a striking arc through the gray streets.

Anasha glared at the insignia of the Regulation Squad on her shoulder, her knuckles turning white from gripping the reins too tightly, fury nearly bursting out of her chest.

Behind her, her team members wore uniform attire, their expressions filled with suppressed dissatisfaction—yet none dared to speak. Everyone knew their captain of the second squad was in a terrible mood.

“First it was Ilien taking this crappy mission—only three days!” Anasha gritted her teeth, her gaze sweeping over the lifeless crowd on the streets. “Then she dumps the mess onto Nar. And what does Nar do? Just quits halfway, sends a ‘mission terminated’ message, and runs off to Falisa chasing after Tamiya!”

In the end, this hot potato everyone avoided landed squarely in her hands.

“Captain…” one of the members suddenly lowered their voice, pointing toward a stall at the corner. “Look at that person’s clothes… doesn’t she look like a Gluttony believer?”

“A Gluttony believer?”

Anasha instantly sharpened, all irritation replaced by alertness as she followed the direction.

In the crowd, a girl in a black cloak stood out conspicuously.

Perletti tilted her head slightly, staring at the steaming white bread on the stall, her clear eyes filled with curiosity—completely unaware of the strange looks around her.

“Boss, what’s this?” she asked, reaching out to lightly touch the edge of the steamer. The warmth made her blink.

After dropping her off at her destination, Xiao Lü had flown off on her own, leaving the rest of the journey to Perletti. Shielded by her cloak from the sand and wind, she had taken quite a while to reach the city.

She had never seen food this soft before—completely different from the toast she used to eat.

The stall owner, an old man with a wrinkled face, chuckled at her clueless expression. “You’re not from around here, are you, miss? This is white bread—the most common food in the city. Smells great, doesn’t it? Want to try some?”

“Try…?” Perletti froze, her lashes trembling slightly.

In her understanding, food was always something you had to pay for. She had never heard of tasting it for free.

Subconsciously, she touched the pouch at her waist—it was heavy with gold coins she had earned while working as a maid.

“Is it expensive?”

“Not at all! Two copper coins each—cheap and filling!” The old man held up two fingers and patted the steamer.

Two copper coins?

Perletti muttered inwardly. Compared to the toast she used to eat—which cost over twenty copper coins per piece—this was unbelievably cheap.

Thanks to Lierna’s power, any food she touched could become edible. Even with Feiye still unconscious, she no longer had to worry about starving. But ordinary food simply wasn’t filling enough—this whole basket probably wouldn’t last her a day.

Fortunately, the bottles of blood Ino had secretly given her were still inside her cloak. That Church leader… she really didn’t act like one at all.

A trace of warmth rose in Perletti’s heart. She casually took out a silver coin. “Boss, pack me ten.”

The old man’s eyes lit up. He quickly wrapped the bread in oil paper and handed it over. “Here you go! Come back if you need more!”

Perletti took the warm bundle and eagerly tore off a small piece, popping it into her mouth.

Soft and fluffy, with a faint wheat aroma—completely different from the toast she was used to. No hardened crust, only delicate softness. She couldn’t help narrowing her eyes slightly, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

“Strange… how do they make this?” she murmured.

Just as she was about to take another big bite—

“Stop!”

A sharp shout cut through the air like cold water poured over her head.

Perletti froze. The smile on her face stiffened instantly.

That voice…

Her heart skipped. Slowly turning around, the moment she saw the Regulation Squad uniform, her good mood vanished instantly—even the bread in her mouth lost its taste.

The Regulation Squad again!

Are these people dogs or what? Why do I run into them everywhere?!

Perletti rolled her eyes inwardly but swallowed the complaint.

She knew her current identity was sensitive—there was no need to cause trouble.

So she quickly adjusted her expression, putting on a harmless smile. Her eyes became as clear and innocent as a clueless young girl.

“Officer big sis, do you need something from me?”

Anasha leapt off her horse, her red cloak sweeping up dust as she strode forward. Her gaze was sharp as a blade, fixed firmly on the cloak Perletti wore.

“Where did you get that outfit?” she demanded, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

Perletti had already prepared for this. Her smile remained innocent, her tone casual as if stating something ordinary:

“I picked it up.”

“Picked it up?” Anasha raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. She stepped closer, her presence pressing down instantly. “Where did you pick it up? Speak truthfully.”

Perletti instinctively took half a step back, inwardly complaining about how intense this woman’s aura was. But outwardly, she remained calm, blinking innocently.

“It was hanging on a tree branch outside the city. It wasn’t torn or damaged, and it looked pretty sturdy… it would’ve been a waste to leave it there, so I took it.”

She tilted her head slightly, sounding a little aggrieved.

“Officer big sis… is there something wrong with this cloak?”