By the time Ke Lan arrived at the outskirts of the East 9th District, Maginot's troops had completed the initial blockade of the East 9th District. Roadblocks were set up at the entrances and exits of several blocks. Soldiers armed with live ammunition formed a human wall behind the blockade. Further behind them were highly mobile tactical mechas equipped with riot control equipment such as high-pressure water cannons and tear gas launchers.

As soon as Ke Lan got off the car, a young officer with the rank of major came towards him.

"You should be Mr. Ke Lan. My name is Ashkani, and I am the person in charge of the blockade of the three blocks in the southern part of the East Ninth District."

The two men shook hands briefly, and Major Ashkani took Ke Lan through the interface and walked to the front blockade line. Ke Lan noticed that there was a big gap in the equipment of the soldiers on the front blockade line and the outer blockade line: the soldiers on the outer blockade line were all carrying non-lethal weapons such as riot shields and high-voltage electric batons, giving people the feeling that they were carrying out tasks such as suppressing riots and maintaining public order.

Once inside, not only were their weapons replaced with large-caliber fully automatic firearms, they also wore heavy power armor, and the mechas they were equipped with were all special models for annihilation warfare and positional warfare. They were configured completely in accordance with the specifications for fighting against the indigenous creatures of Alpha Star. Not only that, Ke Lan also saw several non-commissioned officers with special "injection guns" hanging under their shoulder armor, and the ammunition used by this uniquely shaped weapon was syringes filled with active cells of flesh-eating worms.

"Was it also your team that led the last operation in District 9 North?" Ke Lan suddenly asked.

Major Ashkani was slightly startled, then nodded and said, "Yes... We are the most experienced troop in the garrison in dealing with 'that kind of thing'. We have always been responsible for carrying out tasks related to this aspect."

"If they are all veterans, there shouldn't be any trouble... It seems that Maginot understands the seriousness of the matter..." Ke Lan thought to himself.

"Right in front of us is 'Kabukicho Ichibangai' in the East 9th District. The name was taken from a very famous red-light district in Japan during the old era. This is arguably the most densely populated area in the East 9th District: restaurants, bars, dance halls, KTVs... Most of the commercial entertainment venues in the East 9th District are concentrated here, with an average daily traffic of more than 20,000 people... But when we got here, we didn't find a single person - not only tourists, but even the operators and staff who live here have disappeared." Ashkani said to Ke Lan.

Ke Lan looked forward and saw that, just as Major Ashkani had said, the entire street was empty. Many of the buildings with neon signs had long been deserted. The large posters and light boxes of various shapes that could be seen everywhere seemed to testify to the street's former prosperity.

But now... "It looks like a ghost town," Ke Lan said.

"After the blockade was established, we sent a reconnaissance team to the interior of East District 9..." Major Ashkani paused and said bitterly, "But they disappeared soon after they entered... Even the communication was cut off."

"How many people are there in the reconnaissance team?" Ke Lan asked.

"Twenty-two people, all elites with experience in dealing with several 'such incidents'. All of them are equipped with power armor and special injection guns, plus a 'Bloodhound' mecha... But until their communication signal disappeared, we didn't hear any gunshots or explosions." Ashkani said.

A team of 22 people, plus a mecha, disappeared without any sound... This situation is really too weird. Even if these people were swallowed by a bottomless swamp, at least there would be a few bubbles...

The "such incidents" that Ashkani mentioned were naturally referring to special incidents involving the Seeds of Corrosion or heretical sects. In addition, all members of this team were equipped with power armor and injection guns. Even if they were attacked by the Seeds of Corrosion, they would not be completely without any resistance... But now, let alone resistance, they couldn't even fire a flare.

"Is it possible that this team hasn't encountered the enemy yet...but the communication signal has been blocked?" Ke Lan thought of a possibility and spoke immediately.

"Even if they didn't encounter the enemy, they should have reported to the frontline headquarters every five minutes. If they found that there was a problem with the communication signal, they would not continue to advance deeper... and now, it has been almost half an hour since their signal disappeared."

"Before this, there was nothing unusual?"

"No, when they made their last routine report, they had already walked two-thirds of the way to Kabukicho Ichibangai. Apart from not seeing a single person, there was nothing unusual." Ashkani shook his head.

"...I suggest you call General Maginot right now and ask him to send more people over. I think this matter is more difficult than we thought." Ke Lan said.

"Other troops are gathering... but since they have never encountered such an incident before, they need to undergo temporary training and sign a confidentiality agreement. Besides that, the Security Bureau should be arriving soon..."

As soon as Ashkani finished speaking, a team of DAS agents in dark gray uniforms appeared in the field of vision. The leader of this group was precisely the woman who had "dealt with" Ke Lan and the others in the exile camp.

"Tsk, what a narrow road for enemies to cross..." Ke Lan sighed inwardly, while Ashkani immediately ran towards these people.

"Commissioner Victoria, I didn't expect you to lead the team yourself..." Major Ashkani said with a hint of awe, "This is Mr. Ke Lan, the special consultant of the Soma Consortium, and also General Maginot's... uh..."

Major Ashkani paused for a moment when introducing Ke Lan's identity to her. After thinking for a while, he finally found a not-so-appropriate adjective: "...an informant of General Maginot."

"Oh, it's you?" Victoria glanced at Ke Lan, obviously recognizing him. "I haven't settled the score with you for the last time you used violence against our investigator."

"Acts of violence? Is that true?" Ke Lan began to play dumb. "Could it be that you are too busy... and remembered it wrongly?"

"I remember correctly." Victoria's tone was calm, but there was an irresistible pressure between the lines... Ke Lan even had an illusion: this woman would pull out a gun and "execute" herself in the next second.