Evening.

The convoy traveled about twenty kilometers before stopping. The group found shelter in a village in East Africa, where the village chief arranged for them to stay at the local inn.

Although Dar es Salaam is not far from First Town, considering the special status of these "talents," they did not travel quickly.

By evening, the villagers had already started to build fires and cook. Thin wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys as the sunset painted a brilliant Red Sea across the sky, spreading the glow of the setting sun over the vast, crisp countryside.

"What a breathtaking scene!" Arman couldn't help but exclaim at the sight.

These past few days in East Africa, this was the first time the assistance group had witnessed the countryside here. Upon leaving Dar es Salaam during the day, they saw nothing but wilderness, occasionally spotting animals by the roadside, affirming the rumors of East Africa's sparse population. Now, finally, they saw fertile fields and villages.

Without exaggeration, the sparsity of East African settlements is astonishingly extreme. Due to East Africa's conducive environment, most places within the East African kingdom are suitable for human habitation. Hence, villages and towns are scattered, and there is a substantial amount of undeveloped land between these settlements, which might be forest or grassland, allowing animals to thrive naturally.

It's not feasible for East Africa to spend every day dealing with these wild animals, so they simply left them be, only ensuring safety near their living areas.

It feels somewhat like Australia being surrounded by a massive army of kangaroos. However, in comparison with Australia's and Canada's similarly vast areas during that period, East Africa fared much better, especially as the number of immigrants continued to grow significantly.

The Australian desert is vast, while Canada mainly spans arctic borders, making them unsuitable for human habitation in comparison to East Africa.

The natural conditions in the Far East and the United States can be compared to East Africa, but in terms of land resources alone, East Africa has the upper hand, especially with its arable land potential surpassing the two countries.

Anka Village, where the assistance group stayed, is an important node on the highway from First Town to Dar es Salaam. It is centrally located, with a high volume of goods and people moving through. The facilities are relatively complete, with several inns, serving as a resting stop for immigrants and transport teams heading inland.

The continuous inland migration is why, despite early development, the East African coastal population growth is relatively slow. The East African interior acts like a bottomless pit, absorbing incoming immigrants. Anka Village not only undertakes agricultural development but also facilitates immigrants heading inland.

Anka Village is a large village with more than a thousand households, larger than many provincial capitals in the East African kingdom's Zambian region, with a greater population.

It is more like a town than a village, with a highway passing through its southern side, and fields to the north of the village.

The fields are planted entirely with rice, and it's currently harvest season. The golden rice has mostly been harvested, leaving stacks of straw scattered around.

For many in the assistance group, it was their first time seeing rice fields, as the members are predominantly northerners, most never having seen rice.

To the assistance group, Anka Village left an impression of being clean and tidy. The village layout is very rigid, almost like a transition point for immigrants, appearing as if measured with straight lines, but with a stronger sense of life than expected.

Arman: "This place seems quite similar to the Far East, especially with all the adobe houses that look almost identical to those in the Far East. The only difference is the presence of German-style public buildings in the village."

Robert: "During the initial colonial development, due to insufficient production of bricks and cement, the buildings in many newly formed villages were relatively crude. Now, with the kingdom's building material production capacity improving, at least in the Central Province, plans are in place to renovate the original adobe houses. It's expected that next year, all our village residents can live in safer, more spacious, and comfortable new houses."

The village chief of Anka Village, Robert, was among the earliest German immigrants to arrive in East Africa. He was one of the initial mercenaries involved in the campaign against the Sultanate of Zanzibar, but now Robert is considered retired. As an old German, he is older than Arman, the former leader of the mercenaries.

Amid the growing development of the East African colonies, Robert believes East Africa holds much potential. Unlike some of his comrades who chose to retire back in Germany, he had his children move to East Africa, starting a new life here with his family.

Robert's vast experiences, along with his long-term work in East Africa, allow him to recount the history of Anka Village and the East African colonies with ease.

Arman: "His Majesty and the Crown Prince have always prioritized people's welfare. Although East Africa may not be wealthy, the living standards of the common people here are higher than in other parts of the world."

Robert: "That's precisely why I decided to stay in East Africa. The world is unstable, and Europe, in particular, is tumultuous. The German region has a history rife with wars, so I believe there will be more major conflicts in Europe in the future. War is one of the greatest disasters for ordinary people. Furthermore, I completely trust Prince Ernst's credibility. His promises to us, the old guard, have largely been fulfilled."

The "old guard" Robert refers to are the mercenaries who established the first colonial settlement in East Africa. Ernst personally saw them off on the ships to East Africa, ensuring all contractual payments, including salaries, bonuses, and pensions, were fulfilled. They even received annual support for their families back in Germany, so Robert has complete trust in Ernst.

Given Ernst's young age, the future of the East African Kingdom under his rule appears bright for the coming decades. As for more distant futures, well, Robert figures he would have long passed by then. He has committed the rest of his life and the future of his descendants to the East African Kingdom.

This isn't due to Robert's naivety but rather reflects the trust most German commoners of the time had in the nobility, especially those with good reputations. This trust was particularly strong in rural regions. For instance, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, despite intense ethnic tensions, the majority still supported the Habsburg Royal Family, regardless of their nationality.

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