Thud!
A Big Mom with pronounced crow's feet at the corners of her eyes watched as a headless corpse was automatically pushed in front of her. With a calm expression, she plunged the dagger in her hand deep into the corpse's chest, then carefully sliced along the edges of the heart before tearing off the bloody, transparent membrane and tossing it into a wooden barrel beside her.
A glance inside revealed a thick stack of them—a gruesome and horrifying sight.
Splatters of blood occasionally dripped onto her bloodstained apron.
The next moment, the now-useless corpse was slowly carried away by the conveyor belt beneath it, only to be replaced by another headless body with blackened, purplish skin.
Looking around, this was actually a large factory with seven conveyor belt assembly lines. Dozens of men and women stood on either side of the belts, diligently extracting Heart Membranes.
Around them, Army soldiers armed with heavy assault rifles kept a vigilant watch over the proceedings.
Huff—
"Nineteen down. Just one more, and I'll have exactly twenty thousand Beli!" The Big Mom grinned at the ghastly corpse before her.
This place had originally been a factory in Iwahato Station dedicated to repairing Steam Rifles and small Steam boilers. But now, it had been repurposed into a processing plant for Kabane Heart Membranes—an experimental project by the World Government.
After Crocodile and his elite force of a thousand Army soldiers cleared the Kabane infesting the city, they piled the corpses into the surrounding warehouses of this factory.
Then, they hired the surviving locals to work here.
It's worth noting that the Army didn't force anyone—they simply posted a notice:
Extract one Heart Membrane, earn one thousand Beli.
With these Beli, people could buy more bread, milk, canned meat, or even medicine for minor injuries and illnesses—all of which were originally Army supplies.
The higher-ups had promised that Beli would eventually become the nation's primary currency.
But the people remained skeptical of that last part. After all, over two hundred years of Shogunate rule had ingrained certain beliefs deeply.
Still, the immediate need for more food and medicine was undeniable, so workers flocked to the factory in droves.
At first, some trembled in fear at the sight of the Kabane. But once they realized these headless Kabane lay motionless on the conveyor belts, completely at their mercy, they quickly adapted.
For the people of the Land of the Rising Sun—who had grown up under the constant threat of Kabane just beyond the walls—death, corpses, and gore were far less shocking than they would be to those from peaceful societies.
This nation's people had a peculiar mindset:
No matter how familiar someone was in life, the moment they showed signs of a Kabane bite—or worse, turned into one—
No one hesitated to pull the trigger.
And if they themselves were infected? They would grit their teeth, place a gunpowder-filled Suicide Bag against their chest, and yank the cord—blowing their own heart to pieces.
Such was the resolve of the people of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Inside a temporary meeting room within the city walls...
The gentle Yomogawa Ayame, accompanied by Samurai Kurusu, was bowing her head to examine a document containing shocking contents. Across from her sat a sharply dressed man in black exuding an imposing aura, flanked by two similarly clad attendants standing with hands clasped behind their backs.
"So... this is what the World Government means. A regime ruling over 170 nations across another world..." Ayame murmured in disbelief.
Behind her, Kurusu's pupils trembled violently as he thought, "No wonder these people seem so strange—and impossibly strong!"
Meanwhile, the black-clad man opposite them studied Yomogawa Ayame intently.
They had thoroughly investigated this girl's background.
The eldest daughter of Kenshou Yomogawa, former head of the Yomogawa clan and Chief Administrator of Yomokawa Station. Niece to Muye Daoyuan, who held the high-ranking position of Senior Retainer in the Shogunate.
Now traditionally inheriting both her father's titles as clan head and station administrator.
The Chief Administrator position held the most prestigious status beneath the Shogun himself—equivalent to the daimyo lords of Imu's previous life's Japan, belonging to the upper warrior class.
Whereas Kurusu behind her represented the lower warrior class—the samurai.
"Now that you understand the significance of 'World Government,' allow me to introduce myself," said the black-clad man facing Ayame directly. "We are officials from the Administrative Department under the Government Affairs Office. I am Ranode, a Senior Director assigned as your advisor to guide your future governance—not just of this nation, but this entire realm we call the World of the Kabane."
"What?!"
The not-yet-twenty-year-old Ayame—merely nineteen—lifted her exquisitely Eastern features in shock, hastily explaining, "There must be some misunderstanding, Director Ranode! I'm merely Yomokawa Station's administrator. The Land of the Rising Sun is ruled by General Amatori of the Shogunate!"
"Address me as Senior Director Ranode, thank you," Ranode corrected sternly, emphasizing the distinction between senior and regular directors.
"Ah, my apologies, Senior Director Ranode!" Ayame quickly amended, prompting a slight relaxation in the man's expression.
"To return to our discussion—there is no mistake. We've decided to relieve Amatori Kokyo of his position as Shogun and appoint you, Yomogawa Ayame, as his successor. Is that clear?"
"This—"
Both Ayame and Kurusu stood utterly dumbfounded, the former covering her slightly parted lips with a pale palm in disbelief.
They never imagined hearing such treasonous words.
"You—you're truly rebelling against the Shogunate!"
"Rebellion?" Senior Director Ranode regarded her curiously before spreading his hands with a smile. "I believe 'assumption of authority' would be more accurate."
"From the moment we arrived in this world, everything—the Land of the Rising Sun we stand in, foreign territories, seas and skies—has naturally fallen under the World Government's banner. Amatori Kokyo simply didn't meet our standards."
Silence descended upon the room like a pall.
Finally, suppressing her terror while clutching her pink skirt with trembling hands, Ayame asked in a quavering voice, "Then... why me?"
"Because you are the first steward to come into our sight and successfully gain appreciation and recognition, you are fortunate," Senior Director Ranode said with a smile.
"Just fortunate?" Yomogawa Ayame responded with a bitter smile.
"Just?"
Senior Director Ranode admonished earnestly, "It seems you are still too young. You must understand that luck is something comparable to a miracle—do not underestimate it!"
"Hah—"
Ayame bit her lip and instinctively glanced back at Kurusu. Ever since Laskey had pointed out Kurusu's feelings for her at the station that day, the relationship between the two had become subtly strained.
At that moment, Kurusu noticed Ayame casting a pleading look his way and immediately gave her a firm nod, conveying his unwavering resolve through his gaze.
Seeing this, Ayame felt reassured and turned back to face Senior Director Ranode with determined eyes.
"Tell me, can the World Government behind you ensure that the people of the Land of the Rising Sun are well-fed, clothed, and able to live in peace without the threat of the Kabane?"