CHAPTER 63: | CHAPTER 063 | THE FORTIFIED COLONY OF CAMBRIDGE BAY

A day later, the airship docked at the airport of the fortified colony of Cambridge Bay. Several workers guided the travelers into the airport, ensuring their luggage and belongings were dutifully delivered to them. Even then, the passengers who dared to enter the fortified colony could be counted by hand.

There weren’t many people who dared to travel into the northern fringes of the New World.

Damien walked through the passageway leading to the exit of the airport, holding a briefcase in his right hand while strapping a duffel bag on the other. Beside him was Hecate, who was also strapped with a duffel bag of her own. Inside their bags were necessities for several weeks.

It was needed since none could be sure of their duration in the northern fringes. It may take a moment or longer than expected. It was better to be prepared than not be ready for whatever challenges one would face.

Leaving the confines of the airport lounge, Damien and Hecate saw a black-suited man waiting in front of the building with a black SUV behind him. Seeing the two of them, he waved his hand and called out. "Operatives from Block 7, right?"

"Yes, you must be Devon of Block 5. The two of us will be relying on you to keep us up to date with the investigation." Damien shook hands with the black-suited man, the two of them maintaining a professional smile.

"It shall be done. How about we head to a motel first? It is the best of Cambridge Bay." Devon suggested as he opened the rear doors of his SUV. Hecate nodded in agreement while Damien continued smiling at him.

The three of them rode the black SUV into the fortified colony of Cambridge Bay. Hecate sat at the rear and gazed through the tinted windows of the vehicle. There was snow everywhere, as though the northern fringes were trapped in a never-ending winter.

"I was excited to see the famous members of Block 7. I heard that the seventh Division easily subdued the dump that was New Janus. I shouldn’t have expected less from the strongest of humanity herself." Devon muttered while driving through the cold road.

"Taking care of our house is to be expected. You know how Miss Alastair dislikes unwanted rats roaming around every corner of her home." Damien replied, staring at the snow-covered buildings and the winter-coated people roaming through the icy streets.

"Anyway, do you have personal thoughts about the investigation? The Abominable Cult. How dangerous are they? Are the missing villages connected to them in some way?" The black-suited young man didn’t hesitate and bombarded the intelligence officer with a few questions.

"Personal thoughts about the investigation, huh? I’m currently working with the Sheriff of Cambridge Bay. He’s a trusted elder, knowing the ins and outs of the northern fringes. If you want my thoughts about it, the only thing I can think about is how the hell those cultists did it."

"Missing villages... Transporting such a large number of people isn’t easy. It was bound to attract attention, but no one noticed until it was all too late. I heard that it wasn’t the local authorities that reported the missing villages. It was a frequent traveler who reported it."

Devon gripped the steering wheel tightly and continued. "The Abominable Cult is dangerous. They might appear like small-time cultists, but they are far larger than they look. I don’t know how many of the local authorities are compromised, so I decided to report everything to the SIGIL Headquarters."

"That includes the possible relation between the Abominable and the dead Aberrant in the mountains." It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the designated motel. It didn’t look any special, but it was better than anything within the fortified colony.

"Without a doubt, the missing villages are connected to the Abominable. I don’t know why those villages disappeared, but I heard rumors about a group of mountain bandits affiliated with the Abominable Cult. And you know what surprised me the most?" Devon parked the SUV and glanced at Damien.

"The so-called mountain bandits have their headquarters situated within the fortified colony. I don’t know where, but it seems that the local authorities are much more amiable with them than expected. I think that the two of you should be careful."

Damien and Hecate nodded in understanding as they stepped out of the SUV. Before they closed the doors of the vehicle, Devon gave his final remarks. "Pretend to be normal around the locals, but don’t trust a single one of them. Who knows what kind of crazy sh*t happens in this colony."

With that, Devon continued on his way and left the two of them behind. Damien gazed at the reception office of the motel while Hecate stared at the empty buildings scattered across the street.

The two of them entered the reception office, where an old lady waited for them while reading through a newspaper. Noticing the entrance bells chiming, she glanced at the two visitors and raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t think this snow dump would attract travelers of any kind."

"Every place has its own interesting perks. I heard about how beautiful the mountains here are, especially during dawn and dusk." Damien responded with a smile, earning a grunt from the old lady. He paid her a couple of dollars to stay within one of their double rooms.

"Enjoy your time here. However... Be cautious when hiking the mountain trail nearby, you don’t want bandits capturing you and asking ransoms from your family." The old lady warned, earning the nod of Damien. "Thank you for the warning, ma’am. We will keep that in mind."

"Alright, don’t forget to not attract attention. Your lover over there already looks like the flames moths would be attracted by." The old lady snickered after handing them the key to their double room.

Hecate tilted her head in confusion while Damien angled his fedora before leading his junior to their room. While traversing through the hallway of the motel, the black-suited young man glanced at his partner and questioned. "What do you think of this place, Hecate?"

The crimson-haired girl looked at him for a moment before answering. "This place... It’s desolate. Empty of people, other than some random workers and garrison soldiers. I wonder how the governor of this colony is running it?"

"Could be the subsidies of the Federation. This fortified colony is the only one in the northern fringes of the New World. Its location is strategic as a reconnaissance outpost of the northern region. However, from the looks of it... This place only has a skeleton crew."

"The governor probably gave up trying to make this place work. After all, who would want to live in a cold wasteland where food could only be delivered monthly from the Federation? It carries a risk that most wouldn’t want to take." Damien proposed as he entered his key into the doorknob.

The front door of their double room unlocked, prompting them to enter it. The interior wasn’t bad. It was adequate and could be the best within the fortified colony. After locking their door, the two familiarized themselves with the room they would be staying in for a couple of days.

"What if the reason was something else? According to Devon, the mountain bandits have made themselves a headquarters within the fortified colony. It appears that they and the local authorities are in collaboration. But for what exactly?"

Hecate questioned while sitting at the edge of her bed. Damien glanced at her and thought about her words. "You’re right. Accepting it directly without confirming the information ourselves wouldn’t do the investigation justice. Though we have to focus on the missing villages."

"After setting down our belongings, I’m planning to visit the police station of the fortified town. Devon should be there, directing the investigation effort. Want to come with me, Hecate?" He asked his junior, who shook her head and replied. "I planned on roaming the fortified colony."

"I want to check every nook and cranny of the place before heading to the police station. I’ll report everything I discover, Damien." Hecate muttered while Damien nodded in understanding. "Alright, I’ll wait for you at the station."

After laying down all of his belongings, the black-suited young man stepped out of the double room and walked towards the police station in the distance. It wasn’t that far. Only a few blocks away from the motel. Strolling through the snowy streets, Damien noticed the abandoned buildings along the way.

The fortified colony of Cambridge Bay was barely working. He was wrong about it being a skeleton crew. The whole place was barebones of anything. It might as well be an abandoned colony where soldiers were stationed by the Federation.

’This doesn’t look good at all.’ Damien thought as he continued his stroll into the snowy streets of the fortified colony. It didn’t take long for him to arrive at the Cambridge Bay police station. The building didn’t look that different from the ones before it. The structure merely had lights to signify that someone was using it.

"It makes me wonder if the Federation was getting miserly with its subsidies or the governor of the fortified colony wasn’t hiding his embezzling ring anymore." Damien sighed to himself and stepped into the police station. He opened the door, causing a bell to chime.

Meanwhile, Hecate continued observing the abandoned buildings across the streets. Her gaze narrowed as she could sense something or someone observing them from a distance. It was intricately hidden, much better than the ones she had seen in New Janus.

"It seems that things are about to get complicated."