Chapter 596: The Sinai Peninsula
A Chaotic Land
The Sinai Peninsula, a triangle of land connecting Africa and Asia, isn't huge, covering about 61,000 square kilometers. The climate is hot and dry, with little vegetation; nearly two-thirds of the area is desert.
Unlike the Earth of his previous life, the Sinai Peninsula in this world belongs to neither Egypt nor Israel. It's a lawless territory teeming with illicit trade.
If you have money, you can buy anything here: firearms, drugs, smuggled goods, and even women, children, and slaves.
The indigenous people of the peninsula are the Khandaq people, said to have a history stretching back over five thousand years. In ancient Egyptian times, they forged a great and legendary nation. For unknown reasons, their king vanished, and Khandaq ceased to be, leaving behind only the struggling Khandaq people.
The peninsula only holds two cities: Arish in the north, near the Mediterranean, and Sharm el-Sheikh in the south, near the Red Sea.
Their first stop is Arish.
More a transit hub made of markets than a city, Arish is dirty, chaotic, and run-down. The roads are pitted, garbage is everywhere, and on every corner, you see "security personnel" armed with AK rifles.
These "security guards" are really just thugs working for local warlords, ignoring petty crime. Consequently, it's a haven for thieves.
Their arrival drew many eyes. Diana sensed the attention and looked toward Luke. He said nothing, walking up to a guard, and handing over a card.
"Tell Qayim his guests have arrived."
Qayim is the city's ruler, commanding over fifteen hundred armed men. The guard was hesitant, but seeing Luke's group wasn't ordinary, he eventually called the mayor's office.
Soon after, three Jeeps drove up and stopped. A strong, bald sergeant with a scar on his left cheek walked over to Luke and spoke with a hint of respect.
"Mr. Darnel Lucio?"
Luke handed over a seal of authorization. The sergeant glanced at it, instantly saluted,
"Hello, Mr. Lucio. Welcome to Arish. The General has been waiting for you for a long time."
He then opened the door and invited Luke to sit in the front passenger seat.
The bald sergeant, named Joriyah, is Qayim's top executioner. Seeing him, the petty criminals hiding in the shadows paled and ran away immediately.
Luke and Joriyah took the front Jeep, and the others followed in the second. The group drove in a grand convoy toward the mayor's office.
The security in Arish is appalling. They saw violent clashes even on the main roads, with vagrants and drug addicts being common. Seeing all this, Barbara couldn't help but mutter,
"This city is so weird."
Derek, a museum staff member beside her, replied in French,
"Fifty years ago, Arish belonged to Egypt, then it was occupied by Israel. Now it's no man's land."
"You mean..."
Derek glanced around and whispered two words: "Warlords! Terrorists!"
Barbara's mouth formed an 'O.'
"How does Mr. Lucio know people like this?"
"Who knows? He said he was British, but he's likely lying." At this, Derek grew worried. "What concerns me most is his real identity. He might be an antiquities smuggler."
Barbara fell silent, her eyes showing deep worry. Diana reassured her,
"Don't worry. We'll be fine."
"Whoever he is doesn't concern us. Our goal is to find the underground ruins. Once we locate them, our mission is complete."
A Clue and a Trap
At the mayor's office, they received a grand welcome. Mayor Qayim himself attended. His words were so respectful and humble that if they hadn't known his reputation, they wouldn't have guessed this plump man was the notorious Demon of Arish.
After lunch, Qayim began to gather information about the underground ruins, while the rest of the group was escorted to the courtyard, accompanied by "security personnel."
Diana seized the chance to slip into Luke's room.
"How do you know Qayim? Are you two—"
Luke laughed, shaking his head. "Don't jump to conclusions. I have a friend who's a warlord in neighboring Palestine. Qayim can't afford to cross him, so he has to follow my orders."
"Is that reliable?"
"I'd call him a subordinate rather than a friend."
Diana: "..."
"Alright, forget about that for now," Luke said, changing clothes. "Let's go shopping. Maybe we can find a clue."
Diana couldn't argue. After disguising herself, she left the mayor's office with Luke. They didn't take any security, walking hand-in-hand through the market like a couple.
Despite being poor, Arish's market was rich with goods: high-end electronics, common clothes, perfumes, jewelry, antiques, paintings, ivory—everything was available, though the sources were dubious.
They wandered for a while, stopping at a shop selling ancient artifacts.
Luke picked up a sculpture inscribed with ancient Egyptian script.
"How much for this?"
"One hundred thousand."
"U.S. dollars?"
"Yes, dollar!"
Luke smiled and shook his head, putting the sculpture down. As he looked around the shop, his eyes brightened when he saw a long spear hanging on the wall.
"A Khandaq spear? Where did you get that?"
The big-bearded owner said impatiently, "Do you want to buy it?"
Luke picked up the spear for a close examination. "I'm very interested in the history of the Khandaq people. If you can take me to a Khandaq tribe, I'll buy the spear," he paused, adding, "for double the price."
The owner's face lit up. He was tempted but still suspicious.
Luke opened his bag and showed the cash inside. Seeing this, the owner didn't hesitate.
"I need a deposit first."
"How much?"
"Ten thousand."
Luke threw a wad of cash on the table. "That's ten thousand now, and another ten thousand when the job is done."
"It's too little. Not enough."
Luke picked up the cash. "Then never mind. I'll find another guide."
"Wait!"
The owner chased him, snatching the cash from Luke's hand.
"We agreed on twenty thousand U.S. dollars. You can't go lower."
"This is your territory. I wouldn't dare default on the payment."
The owner snorted, closed the shop, and got three camels from the neighboring rental. The three of them mounted the camels, left the town, and headed south.
The geography of the Sinai Peninsula is truly harsh. Soon after leaving the city, the greenery turned into a barren desert. All they could see were steep rock walls and dry yellow sand.
After traveling a dozen kilometers, the three reached a rock cave. The owner told them to wait and rode his camel into the cave alone.
Diana said darkly, "Something feels off."
Luke's voice was chilling. "That's exactly what I'm looking for."
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