then at horn of africa. border pink and black nation. its was hub of trade, lot of ware come and go. but along the way the other coastal settlements is empty, have yielded evidence of past urban centers and trade activity.its because some port after enviroment catastrophe are experienced siltation of the harbor, here a harbor gradually fills up with sediment, primarily silt (fine sand, clay, and other fine particles). This buildup can significantly reduce the harbor's depth and usability over time. and when trade route is changed because rise of fall nations over the world. pink nation build new city port. named Adulis.

As Vance, Sarah, Baker, and the others stepped onto the shore, while old buildings is buried on sands. one of pirate offered a final, unsettling grin. "Adulis awaits. May your fortunes be… kinder than some I've seen." With that cryptic farewell, the pirate ship reversed course, leaving the group stranded on the edge of a world they barely understood. Adulis shimmered in the distance…

"This is it," she murmured. "The heart of Pink Nation. What do you think our chances are of getting through?"

vance look at his watch "we must find my associated somewhere in adulis. he will provide us a place for lay low"

Sarah nodded, her eyes scanning the city for any signs of the associated.

"Alright, then let's get moving," she said, a hint of determination in her voice. "Time's a-wasting and the longer we stand here, the more likely we are to be spotted."

"yeah, baker are do your back is fine man? "vance glance at baker

Baker chuckled, still a bit groggy from his fall. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just the usual aches and pains from crashing into a dumpster. Nothing I can't handle." He stretched, cracking his neck with a loud pop.

alright 'vance nod and then look at others member of group " remember, pink nation see their female in high regard, do not look their woman directly on their eyes, keep your head down.. "

Sarah raised an eyebrow at Vance's words. "High regard, huh? Sounds like old-fashioned nonsense to me," she muttered under her breath. However, knowing how quickly things could devolve in different territories she begrudgingly nodded.

"Got it, no direct eye contact with their women. Head down," she repeated. "Understood."

vance unimpressed with sarah xenophobic comment"yeah, jackass. you.. now kinda queen in here "vance smirk

Sarah rolled her eyes, clearly not amused by the title.

"Great. Just peachy. I'm 'Queen' now, huh?"

Baker stifled a laugh, obviously enjoying this whole situation a little too much.

They entered Adulis, the city a cacophony of sounds and smells. Vance kept his hand close to his sidearm, his eyes scanning the crowded streets. "My contact frequents a local establishment," he said, leading them through a maze of narrow alleyways. "A place called the Golden Teacup."

The Golden Teacup wasn't a teahouse at all, but a bustling restaurant with tables spilling out onto the street. The aroma of spiced meats and strong coffee hung heavy in the air. As they approached, Sarah noticed a group of figures huddled in the shadows behind the building. They wore dark cloaks, and glints of metal could be seen beneath the fabric—cybernetic implants, perhaps, or weaponry.

"Mercenaries," she murmured, nudging Vance. "Behind the restaurant."

Vance glanced over, his expression tightening. "Just like us," he muttered, taking a sip from a flask he pulled from his coat. He didn't seem overly concerned. "This place is a hub. Mercs looking for work, information brokers, all sorts."

They found a table near the edge of the patio, giving them a view of both the street and the alleyway behind the restaurant. As they settled in, a man with a gas mask spoke up, his voice muffled. "I heard there's a big mess brewing in Central Asia. Is that what brought us here, Vance?"

Vance nodded, rubbing his beard. "That's part of it. But it's not just about the True Horde and the Red Nation. There's work to be found all over… from the legitimate to the… less so."

Sarah leaned forward, intrigued. "So, this place is a good place to find work?" She glanced at Baker, who was quietly observing the surroundings, taking in every detail. "Even the shady kind?" she muttered, more to herself.

Baker chimed in, his eyes narrowed. "Sounds like a lot of red tape too. I bet you have to jump through a lot of hoops just to get paid."

Vance sighed, his voice low. "After our failed revolution in Mexico… I need something bigger. I'm thinking…" He glanced at a tattered map of Central Asia pinned to a nearby wall. "I'm thinking of heading east."

Sarah followed his gaze. Central Asia. She knew of the turmoil and chaos that often plagued that region. A pang of concern shot through her. "Central Asia? You're serious? That's dangerous territory, Vance. You don't know what kind of mess you might stumble into there."

Vance intertwined his fingers, a glint in his eye. "Bigger game, bigger jackpot, I suppose."

Sarah studied his face, trying to gauge his seriousness. His nonchalant attitude, despite the potential danger, put her on edge. "Don't you think you're being a little reckless, Vance? Bigger risk, bigger reward, sure. But if things go south…"

Vance nodded,

Sarah let out a sigh.So, he was being serious. She ran a hand through her hair, exasperated."You really don't have any sense of self-preservation, do you? Central Asia… it's a powder keg ready to explode."

After a moment of tense silence, Vance spoke again, his voice firm. "Our continent is no stranger to conflict. They just exaggerate things to divert world attention."

Sarah gave him a skeptical look. "Maybe," she conceded. "But the tension is real. And you… you're always chasing danger. One day, it'll catch up to you."

Vance smirked. "Speak for yourself, woman."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, returning his smirk. "I'm not the one casually mentioning Central Asia like it's a vacation spot."

Meanwhile, the other members of the group remained quiet, their thoughts drifting back to Mexico and the families they had left behind. Baker's gaze was fixed on a woman across the street, who was playing peek-a-boo with a baby in another woman's arms.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Sarah noticed the sadness in his eyes. She leaned closer, her voice soft. "Thinking about your family?"

Baker nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "Yeah… reminds me of my nephews."

Sarah placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. I worry about my family too. We have to believe they're alright."

Baker nodded, his expression a mix of sadness and determination.

"You're right. We've got to believe they're holding on, somehow. We can't let ourselves lose hope, not after everything we've been through."

The conversation drifted, the weight of their uncertain future hanging heavy in the air. Unbeknownst to them, their fate was already being decided elsewhere. Miles away, aboard La Buse's submarine…, The crew of the submarine observed the coastal city through the periscope, taking in the bustling activity and scant defenses. La Buse, a smirk on his face, turned to his crew and issued his orders.

"Look at that, lads. A city ripe for the picking! Scant defenses, a busy port...it's like they're begging to be targeted."

His crew murmured in agreement, grins creeping across their faces as they anticipated the raid.

La Buse's eyes gleamed with excitement as he continued, "We're pirates, not gentlemen. We'll take what we want and leave them in ruins."

He then turned to one of his crew. "Prepare the boarding party. We'll be attacking on both land and sea. Let's give them hell!"

when the crew ready to attack. la buse accountant step in on monitor. he adjust his glasses and tie before speak "its was sumbhajee protectorate, you cant just waltz in. i already found broker for our data chip we go from last deal. give up the attack"

La Buse's grin faltered as the accountant's voice cut through the air, calm and measured. "Captain," accountant said, adjusting his glasses, "I've reviewed the projected gains. An attack on Adulis would be…unwise."

La Buse turned, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "Unwise? We're pirates. 'Unwise' is our middle name."

"With respect, Captain," the accountant continued, his tone unwavering, "Adulis falls under the protection of the Sumbhajee Protectorate. A direct assault would violate our agreement with Jozen."

La Buse's jaw tightened. The mention of Jozen's name carried weight. It wasn't an oath of fealty, exactly, more of a pragmatic alliance. Jozen provided resources and a degree of legitimacy in exchange for adherence to certain…guidelines. "A little… unofficial business wouldn't hurt," La Buse muttered, glancing back at the city through the periscope.

The accountant simply raised an eyebrow. "Jozen's displeasure is…expensive. I've already secured a buyer for the data chips. The projected profit is…" He tapped a few keys on his console, displaying a figure on the monitor: 2 million credits. "Sufficient to cover our operational costs for the next two cycles."

La Buse stared at the number, his expression shifting from annoyance to calculation. He did a quick mental estimate. "And the potential haul from Adulis?"

"A maximum of 200 million, with a high probability of incurring significant losses, including potential revocation of our operating agreement with Jozen."

La Buse let out a long breath. The accountant's logic was irrefutable. He might crave the thrill of the raid, but he wasn't willing to jeopardize their long-term stability for a short-term gain. "Fine," he conceded, his voice laced with reluctant acceptance. "Call it off. But if that two million doesn't materialize, I'm holding you personally responsible."

“good "the accountant nodded. and end the call. then the monitor turn to usual anime dancing loop, the nearby crew then look at each other. until one speak " do we go back to mexico gulf then?"

La Buse let out a frustrated huff and turned away from the monitor. He knew the accountant was right, but that didn't make him any less annoyed.

He glanced at the nearby crew and considered their question. "Mexico Gulf...I guess. That's where we get most of our supplies, after all."

He then looked back at the dancing anime girls on the monitor, his irritation returning. "But seriously, can we turn off that crap?"

later. one of crew tasked to examine the datachips before attempt to sell it. among them its had title. “early day of zion”. the crew member look at each other. and shrug. he then use his vr helmet. then transport to the virtual reality.

What used to be Mexico was now just a wasteland. The ruins of a village sat under a low sun, making everything cast long shadows. A little kid named Zion was hiding behind some barrels, his heart going crazy. He was too young to really get what was happening, but he’d seen some seriously messed-up stuff.

A gang of raiders—tech scavengers—had stormed the village. They set houses on fire, their shouts and laughter mixing with the crackling flames. They weren't there for a simple looting and massacre. They were after the data chips people had on the backs of their heads, shouting about a revolution or something. Stuff Zion didn't understand.

Zion was shaking, peeking through the gaps in the barrels as his neighbors were dragged out of their homes, their cries swallowed by the fire. His world was falling apart.

As the sun went down, the raiders did their thing, looting and pillaging. Zion felt a mix of anger and despair, but he stayed quiet. He knew it was the only way to stay safe.

Then, Warlord Wu and his crew showed up. They hit the raiders hard and fast. Zion watched Wu's warriors fight, their blades flashing in the dying light. For the first time that day, he felt a tiny bit of hope.

One of the warriors found Zion hiding. He knelt down, looking serious. "Well, look what we have here," he said. Wu, a bald man in a crimson exosuit with human skulls on his shoulders, came over. "Bring the boy to me," he ordered.

Zion stood in front of Wu, feeling both scared and impressed. "You're coming with me," Wu said. Zion knew he didn't have a choice.

Days turned into weeks. Zion was forced into the arena, fighting other boys for wu amusement. He learned to fight and dancing, adapting to his harsh new reality. But the memories of the village haunted him.

One night, after a particularly brutal match, Zion found himself in the center of the hall, half-naked and bruised. He glanced around, and his heart sank as he saw the victor of the fight being dragged away by Wu's vassals. The boy's cries echoed in Zion's mind, a chilling reminder of the darkness that surrounded him. It was a world where strength ruled, and the weak were preyed upon.

Zion's fighting skills improved, but so did the brutality around him. Wu planned a large-scale invasion to eliminate the remaining bandits. Zion became friends with another boy, Keith. They shared their struggles and dreams of freedom.

However, the arrival of the Amazonian mercenaries changed everything. Wu hired these fierce female warriors to bolster his forces, and among them was Lucy, a dark-skinned woman whose strength and beauty captivated Keith. As their bond deepened, Zion felt a pang of jealousy. He had lost his closest friend to the allure of love, and the rift between them grew.

The war continued. Zion led his fighters into battle. The tension between him and Keith escalated, culminating in an argument during a feast. In a fit of rage, Zion killed Keith.

The room fell silent, the weight of Zion's actions crashing down upon him like a tidal wave. Lucy's eyes burned with fury as she confronted him, but before she could challenge him, Wu intervened, furious at the chaos Zion had unleashed. The bond between the Amazonian mercenaries and Wu's forces shattered, and Lucy vanished, leaving Zion to grapple with the consequences of his actions

In the aftermath, Zion found himself at his lowest point. The guilt of killing his friend consumed him, and he swore off alcohol, vowing never to let it cloud his judgment again. The world around him felt darker, and he began to despise women, blaming them for the chaos that had unfolded.

But the guilt didn't lead to simple remorse. It festered, twisting into something darker. I should have been stronger. I should have been in control. He began to see weakness everywhere, in himself, in Wu, in the world itself. Power. That’s what I need. Power to prevent this from ever happening again. He began to see the world not in terms of right and wrong, but in terms of power and weakness.

Rumors of advanced technology on the east coast, technology capable of imbuing Dolls with personalities, reached his ears. If I could just… undo what I’ve done. The idea of reversing death, of controlling life and death itself, became an obsession. It wasn't about reviving Keith anymore; it was about proving he could conquer even death, that he could become something more than the man who killed his friend. He gathered a small band of loyal followers and set out, driven by this newfound ambition.

Seeking redemption, Zion heard rumors of advanced technology in a lab to the east coast, a place where data chips could turn Dolls into beings with personalities. perhaps he can revive keith back with his memory, With a band of warriors, he set out to find this lab, hoping it would provide him with the power he craved.

At the lab who hidden inside the mountain, Zion felt both excitement and apprehension. He hoped to find answers there. He met Wraith, a mysterious figure. Their meeting became a turning point.

The shadows of his past remained, but with Wraith's help, Zion saw a way forward. He was determined to rise from his past, to become a powerful ruler. He prepared to embrace both darkness and light, ready to make his mark on the world.