The Emperor’s Angel of Death

After getting off the train, the three arrived in a very ordinary neighborhood in the Middle Nest. As soon as they left the station, Hayes saw the station set up by the Ministry of Military Affairs with temporary containers. Many people were queuing here, using enlistment notices, death notices, and other materials to obtain the qualifications to exchange for death benefits, but it was only a qualification. Because Hayes heard that the compensation process was very long, and the commander-in-chief of the expedition seemed to have set very high standards. But many people think that it is too cumbersome and troublesome, requiring a lot of procedures through the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Therefore, many people prefer to choose lower standards but can get immediate cash compensation.

As Hayes walked through the crowds near the station, he saw a middle-aged couple communicating with a yawning clerk from the Ministry of Military Affairs. When the clerk saw someone coming, he looked as if he had been robbed, his whole face exuding a stench.

"What's the matter?"

His voice was so lazy as if he was chasing flies.

The man in the worker's uniform nervously took off his hat, bowed slightly, and said sadly:

"My son is fighting on the front line."

"Yeah, so what?"

"He didn't come back."

"It seems he is lingering in some scenic spots."

"He sacrificed."

"Oh?"

"We are here to collect the pension."

"Who is your son?"

"His name is Martinus Fahr."

"Well, let's assume he is indeed dead, how do you prove he is your son?"

"He is my son, you can check the population registration form."

The clerk's mouth almost pursed into a line, but he still took out the data pad, pretended to flip through it a few times, and then said:

"There is no record of your son in the conscription records?"

"How could that be?"

"Then where is the enlistment notice? This is evidence, did you bring it?"

"No, our son was almost forcibly conscripted. He left in a hurry, we didn't receive anything."

"Then I'm sorry, you can't get the pension."

"It shouldn't be like this."

The man's wife immediately pleaded, but the clerk didn't seem moved at all.

"Let me tell you, I have seen too many scammers like you. Either homeless people on the streets steal an identity to try to defraud the Empire's subsidies, or lazy bottom-nest scum fabricate a son out of thin air."

"But he is indeed my son!"

"My son is a warrior loyal to the throne, you can't insult him like this."

The man immediately became a little agitated, which attracted the attention of the surrounding guards, who gradually walked over.

"Sir, we are in a difficult situation now, and we have two more daughters to raise, please give us some pension, we at least have to give our son a decent funeral."

"It's shameful to swindle with the sacrifice of a martyr."

"You actually!"

Before the agitated man could do anything, two guards holding shock batons appeared on both sides of the clerk. Their activated weapons emitted crackling sounds of electricity. The woman immediately pulled her husband, shaking her head with tears in her eyes.

"Get out of here! Otherwise, we'll arrest you as fraudsters!"

Hayes, who had watched the whole process, was already furious. Between gritted teeth, his right hand unconsciously pressed against the hidden pistol on his lower back, but Jialinna held him down.

"Hayes, don't be impulsive."

However, the clerk's arrogant attitude also aroused public anger. People around him also cursed, forming a huge momentum, and even the two guards subconsciously stepped back.

Finally, under the huge pressure of public opinion, the clerk had to compromise.

"Then, then, then, do you have a death notice?"

"Yes."

The man's trembling hands carefully took out a thin piece of paper from his pocket. The clerk took it and glanced at it, then said helplessly:

"Without an enlistment notice, you can only receive half of the standard pension at most. Here, this is the voucher, go to station number nine to handle it."

After casually writing a line and stamping it, the clerk threw the small piece of paper into the man's hand.

"Leave quickly after you're done! Next!"

The couple could only leave helplessly in a hurry. Hayes felt very uncomfortable, and Andina on the side also complained:

"Those bastards, when you didn't come back a few days ago, I asked several times, and they all said they were still counting, or some nonsense like 'currently missing.' Death notices are flying all over the place, and I don't even know if you're dead or alive."

The three then left. Hayes followed the address and, after asking a few people, came to a three-story cement building. This was the most ordinary residence in this neighborhood, but in the eyes of the bottom nest, it was already a very luxurious building.

The mahogany door was tightly closed. Hayes walked to the window and looked inside. He saw a woman preparing lunch under the dim light. She looked to be in her forties, with a black shawl draped over her shoulders, so peaceful and kind.

Then Hayes walked to the door and rang the doorbell.

"Coming soon—"

Soon, the door opened. The woman was stunned for a moment, then noticed the casual clothes Hayes was wearing, and then looked at the two ladies behind him, who were dressed more neatly and looked like people with some status.

The woman's expression immediately became a little nervous, maybe she thought they were from the Empire's agencies.

"Hello, Madam, my name is Hayes, I am Rongge's comrade-in-arms."

Hearing Rongge's name, the woman's face instantly turned pale, and then her eyes began to turn red.

"Who is it?"

At this moment, another man's voice came, and then a man in a sweater, with slightly gray hair, about fifty years old, walked down the stairs.

The woman turned around, choked up and said:

"It's Rongge's comrade-in-arms—"

"Ah."

The man was stunned for a moment, then walked over and shook hands with Hayes.

"Hello, my name is Joffrey, are you really Rongge's comrade-in-arms?"

Hayes turned around, took an expedition manual from Jialinna, and handed it to the couple.

After they opened it and looked at it for a few seconds, their faces and hands trembled with sadness. Mixed tears flowed from their slightly closed eyes. Finally, the woman couldn't bear it any longer, covered her face and knelt on the ground, crying bitterly.

"Rongge, Mom is sorry for you Mom, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"

Jialinna and Andina quickly went up to help her up. The man also kept wiping away his tears. He didn't even have the courage to see the end. After closing it, he choked up and asked Hayes:

"Rongge finally—"

"Rongge, he sacrificed like a hero. He was my bravest, most sincere, and most selfless comrade-in-arms."

Joffrey nodded, wiped away his tears with the back of his hand, and then hugged his wife.

"Liz, Rongge is our pride."

The woman shook her head vigorously, crying:

"We pushed him to the battlefield! We killed him! Rongge! Woo woo woo—"

Then, she reached out and grabbed Hayes's hand.

"Rongge where is Rongge's body?"

Hayes lowered his head slightly, then took out a dog tag that was only half-burned from his pocket. Looking at the dog tag, Rongge's mother was stunned for a moment. After realizing something, she stretched out her trembling hands and grabbed it in her hands.

"Rongge, don't be afraid, go home, go home—"