Zalingei.
The capital of Darfur Province in the previous life, it lay deep in the heart of the Darfur Plateau. The East African Army took less than two days to formally move into this major Darfur town.
"Drive straight into the city center!"
At Farsheng's command, the Seventh Infantry Regiment swaggered into Zalingei's urban area.
Calling it an urban area was already showing respect to the local natives. Zalingei as a whole was not even as prosperous as an East African village. Limited by the climate, its population was only around three or four thousand, yet this was already the largest settlement the Seventh Infantry Regiment had encountered so far.
As for why they had moved so quickly, it was mainly thanks to the East African Army's mechanization. Faced with these steel creations, the local Darfur tribes did not even dare think of resisting. At the mere sight of automobiles carrying East African soldiers and weapons, their legs trembled.
"Allah bless us!" After seeing an automobile, a creation beyond his understanding, one follower of the Arab religion shrank back inside his house and secretly peered out through a window hole in the wall. Perhaps those cramped earthen homes gave them some sense of safety.
Some bolder Zalingei residents stood in the streets, their eyes filled with curiosity toward the East Africans and their automobiles.
"The houses here look much like those in other parts of the Sudan region, all earth-yellow. Still, they are built fairly neatly. This should be the most prosperous town in Darfur we have seen along the way."
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Farsheng gripped the handhold along the roof with one hand and spoke to the driver.
Military vehicles naturally offered little comfort, and Darfur's roads were practically no different from having no roads at