Definition: In this task, you're given a statement and three sentences as choices. Your job is to determine the neutral choice based on your inference from the statement and your commonsense knowledge. The neutral choice is a sentence that neither agrees nor disagrees with the statement. Indicate your answer as '1', '2', or '3', corresponding to the choice number of the selected sentence. If sentence X agrees with sentence Y, one's correctness follows from the other one. If sentence X disagrees with sentence Y, they can not be correct at the same time.
Input: Statement: This was especially the case after it found itself on the southern route taken by European merchants and missionaries of the 16th century. Choices: 1. It was on a route that European merchants were afraid to travel. 2. It was on the same route that European merchants used. 3. The area became influenced by the West from missionaries who traveled the route.

3