Whenever the Redemption Army conquered a farm, it dismantled the farm's existing structure.
Perhaps the Redemption Army believed that breaking up these farming settlements would scatter the people into small households among the fields.
But that was not what happened.
After leaving the collective farm, people would spontaneously band together again, forming a market town nearby.
Perhaps this was simply humanity's innate social nature.
After the Giantwood Alliance advanced into the Southern Region, it used the larger market towns as strongholds and brought them under its rule.
Once winter arrived, temperatures plummeted. Few soldiers stayed in the freezing trenches to endure the cold; many huddled in the market towns, looking for amusement.
The market town closest to Wood Farm was Number 363.
A month ago, it had still been on the front line, with large numbers of troops stationed there. But the Alliance had now pushed the front farther south, leaving this town safely in the rear.
Now, only a single Alliance squad remained stationed there, tasked with guarding a Wounded Soldiers' Convalescent Center.
Wounded soldiers brought back from the front would recuperate here for a while, while those with serious injuries were transferred to the Northern Region.
The place had been chosen because its surroundings were genuinely pleasant, with mountains, water, and pastoral scenery.
The higher-ups' decision to designate it a Wounded Soldiers' Convalescent Center had given the place an exceedingly frivolous atmosphere, filling the air with pleasure.
According to the old man at the town gate, all the prostitutes in the Southern Region had gathered here.
Compared to the battlefield, where everyone's nerves were constantly stretched taut, this place was a paradise on earth!
Some soldiers at the front even shot themselves just to come here and enjoy themselves.
The squad stationed here had long since been corrupted