Zane's stance was clear, and the shop owner didn't try to stop him again. He turned and headed back to the kitchen to start making the ramen.
Zane took a seat at an empty table, the strange feeling in his chest still lingering. He knew that because of his earlier comment about not being a local, a few members of the Defense Force were still watching him.
These guys were more alert than expected.
"Hey, why are you Defense Force folks out eating this late? I thought the Defense Force had its own canteen. I have a friend in the Defense Force, and where I'm from, they're usually not allowed to go out during off-hours."
Zane didn't mind the awkwardness and took the initiative to start a conversation, as if this place wasn't the hush-hush Mars District but somewhere with a sense of harmony between the military and civilians.
And after all, it was just about food—not exactly a state secret. In fact, Zane had a vague idea of what was really going on.
After a few seconds of silence, one of the Defense Force members chuckled and replied:
"Haha, your friend must have it good. Our canteen? Thanks to a few bastards, the food there is damn near inedible. That's why we're out here spending money on a decent meal."
His gruff voice filled the shop. Since they weren't inside the Hollows, he was in standard uniform. With his laid-back personality, he came off as approachable.
"Careful what you say, man. Don't let the higher-ups hear you."
Another soldier sitting beside him poked him a couple of times with an unwithdrawn hand, lowering his voice in warning.
I told you to test the guy, not insult the officers outright.
"Tch, those bastards are all the same. You think I'm scared of some jerk with a title?"
The rough soldier snorted dismissively.
He shot his comrade a glance—What do you know? Talking like this actually helps gain trust. Besides, he meant what he said. If someone did find out, he could always play it off as just venting.
"Haha, that makes sense. Back when I was in school, the cafeteria food was just as bad… hard to describe."
Zane chuckled, casually "making up" his past. Not that it was entirely false—he'd experienced something similar before.
"Sounds like we've all been there. It's just that my family couldn't afford much when I was younger. Otherwise, I might not be in the Defense Force now—maybe I'd be sitting in the Public Security Bureau instead... eh, forget it. No point talking about stuff like that."
The rough soldier shook his head. His words rang true, carrying a trace of real emotion.
"Hey kid, if you don't mind, why not come sit with us? We've been stationed in Mars District for so long, we've almost forgotten what the outside world looks like."
"Running into someone from outside feels like fate."
Another soldier smiled and waved Zane over in a friendly tone.
Of course, Zane didn't refuse—nor could he. He confidently walked over and sat at their table.
"Ramen's up!"
A voice came from the kitchen as the uncle returned with a steaming bowl of ramen. He paused when he noticed Zane had changed seats, then placed the bowl in front of him.
Zane picked up the chopsticks, eyeing the soup full of red chili oil. He wasn't quite sure where to start.
Just as he was about to dig in, one of the Defense Force members asked curiously:
"So, where're you from, kid?"
Zane paused for a moment, then looked up and answered:
"From Janus District."
"Janus, huh? Not exactly close, but not too far either. Still, this area isn't exactly safe. You must've heard the rumors, right? What brings you here?"
It sounded like a casual question, but Zane could feel the others in the room quietly focusing on him.
So this is what they were getting at.
"Oh, come on, don't treat me like some regular civilian. Who in their right mind would come here for fun? I'm only here because of some gang business—got something to take care of at the other group's hideout."
"What? You guys planning to arrest me? That's not how things work in Mars District, right?"
Still smiling, Zane took a bite of the ramen, eyebrows twitching slightly. The flavor definitely made an impression.
He hadn't pretended to be a regular citizen—that would've been too suspicious. Instead, he'd posed as someone high up in a gang.
That made it easier to deflect suspicion.
"Haha, relax, kid. That's the Public Security Bureau's problem, not ours."
The rough soldier laughed and waved it off.
Another soldier beside him narrowed his eyes in thought. Janus District, huh?
He didn't know much about the outside world, but he definitely knew about the big incident in the Cretan Hollows. A lot of Defense Force members did.
The senior officers—already at odds—had been arguing even more fiercely ever since, and who knew where it would lead?
Zane's story made sense. Though New Eridu focused on its inner zones, after the Cretan Hollows incident, the Janus District Defense Force—previously tasked with Hollow affairs—had upgraded to a garrison after reinforcements were sent in.
So what Zane said checked out.
Soon after, the group warmed up to each other, relaxing and chatting more openly. The atmosphere grew friendlier.
"By the way, brothers, that person over there looks like they're Defense Force too. But you don't seem to know them?"
Zane nodded toward Soldier 11, asking softly.
"Oh, her? She's not from our unit. Just passing through Mars District to rest up. She's heading out tomorrow."
"And she's part of the famous Obol Squad. Way out of our league. Folks like us don't usually get to interact with people like that."
"Yeah, you probably don't realize just how elite the Obol Squad is. Let's put it this way—even our commanding officers treat her as an equal."
They spoke one after another, sharing what they knew about Soldier 11 with admiration and respect.
None of this was classified—the Obol Squad's reputation was public knowledge online.
Zane nodded, glancing thoughtfully at Soldier 11.
His current enemy was the Defense Force.
So... could he end up running into someone from the Obol Squad?
In his last life, he had been the one driving the Ethereals mad.
Maybe now the tables had turned.
...
Before long, the Defense Force members finished their food, paid the bill, said goodbye to Zane, and left.
Only Zane and Soldier 11 remained in the Hades Hotel.
Zane quietly savored his meal. He wasn't great with spicy food—but he loved it anyway.