Chapter 957: Chapter 957: Fulfillment
The story does not end with the departure of a group of people.
Players who have visited this world have already left their footprints here and even established their continuity.
For example, the lovely Alyssa.
She lives in the fairy tales of every survivor in Giant Stone City and the residents of the refuge, like everyone’s child.
That is not something that doesn’t exist.
As Spielberg once said, the miracle of Giant Stone City was never the non-existent Pol, but everyone who held a torch to dispel the darkness when the night came.
However, it must be admitted that people were not so brave and kind from the start, and naturally, not every child could be as lucky as Alyssa.
The goodness in people’s hearts can turn the cage-like giant walls into castles in fairy tales, and the evil in their hearts can easily turn those castles into dark and sinister dungeons.
The only comforting fact is that this dungeon can only trap the ones who built it, but no one else.
That is also a cold, harsh reality.
The builders of the dungeon will ultimately rot in its deepest depths, just as those who planted the Red Soil and those who consumed it will ultimately be buried in that bloody history.
This is a story written long, long ago in the blizzards outside Lowell Camp, and it has cycled over and over again.
No one is an exception.
Being the first to leave may not necessarily be a tragedy...
...
Mammoth City.
The flames of protest are still boiling, burning even more fiercely due to Niyan’s death.
Laxi has returned to Mammoth City with his elite forces and Niyan’s body from the front lines, but what greeted this victor was not flowers and applause, but stones and rotten eggs.
An officer, unable to bear the humiliation, shouted hysterically at the young people in front of him.
"You heartless bunch... What wrong did Laxi do to you? Where were you when we were gnawing on black bread and nutrition paste in the front-line trenches? You were sitting in the cafeteria, eating snow-white noodles and chunks of meat as thick as my fist! You cry out to overthrow this and that, have any of you ever fought a Weilante? Are you as hungry as we are? Forget kindness today, and you’ll all suffer tomorrow!"
His shouting had no effect and was quickly drowned out by louder voices.
"Don’t change the topic! We don’t eat that much, and we’re eating the rice for the millions of residents of Mammoth State! We owe nothing to your general, and we’re naturally speaking for the residents of Mammoth State! And it’s not for you to say we are ungrateful! The wronged souls beneath the Tasang River Dam, the ones who died in clashes, they’re all standing here watching you!"
Both sides have their points, and both represent a degree of justice.
That’s precisely why this is almost an unsolvable situation.
Politics is everyone’s business, and it’s also the art of compromise, but some things that should have been done long ago are precisely what Laxi’s authorities are least skilled at.
Besides, there isn’t time.
They’ve allocated almost all their skill points to the military tree, even unlocking exoskeletons that Poluo Country hasn’t, and even repairing Conqueror No. 10 was no problem for them.
If it were up to the Family Meeting to resolve the problems, it would undoubtedly lead to a conclusion that the vast majority of Poluo people would be satisfied with, even including the bodies washed downstream.
But for Laxi, even if they hadn’t bombed the dam, today’s situation would still be inevitable.
To put it bluntly.
This carpentry work was never meant to be done by a blacksmith.
After dealing with external enemies, they either need a leader with better means or be replaced by an authority with better means.
Absek wasn’t boasting, if a fight were to break out, he has a victory chance of at least seventy percent. It’s not his fault that the United Federation wasn’t united; it’s the cards he’s been dealt with, and the fact that he can keep this clay idol from being swept away by the great flood is his skill.
As for Absek’s own issues and limitations, that’s another story.
In the crowd.
Students from Poluo Country were watching the show from the sidelines.
The riots in Mammoth City have nothing to do with them, who came from across the border.
Even though Tiandu is now also being grilled on the fire, at least the flames haven’t reached their butts, right?
They just watched from afar, never getting close, and occasionally cheered on both sides.
After all, not all students sent by Absek for studies were serious students; among the recommended slots, there were some "street roamers" wandering the alleys.
These people might worship technology and say a few coaxing words, but deep down, they look down on those doing scholarly work.
This is precisely what Niyan despises about Duke Garava, they are all the same kind of people.
With a candy ice pop in his mouth, Gale, in flared pants, licked it slickly, rested a foot on a stone block, and smacked his lips as he spoke.
"I think the officer is right; these little rascals from Mammoth City have nothing better to do. I didn’t eat as much even when I was in Tiandu! Damn, speaking of which, this popsicle is really sweet, I must take a popsicle machine back to Tiandu."
His father was "Butcher" Pickle, a hero of the Tiandu Defense Battle!
Even though he’s also a student, as for these bookworms who only know how to take exams, he simply looks down on them.
The boy who was forced to accompany this military officer’s son gave him a sidelong glance, smiled faintly but said nothing, then returned his gaze to the physics book he had brought.
His name is Nayak, merely 15 years old, and he falsified his age by a year to get past the university entrance threshold.
As for why he falsified his age, the reason is quite simple.
Because the entire education reform was merely Absek and the Alliance’s wishful thinking, a castle in the air.
Tiandu will not hold major exams anymore, at least not for a long time, because they simply aren’t necessary.
The laws of everything have their operational patterns, but once missed, the ladder of destiny is truly missed.
As for how he saw through these things?
That should be credited to Mr. Niyan’s newspaper, compared to "National Daily," which works tirelessly like a megaphone, the factual "Survivor Daily" provides some useful information.
There are geniuses everywhere, and Poluo Line is no exception, especially with a much larger population than other provinces, it’s inevitable to produce one or two rare anomalies.
Nayak wouldn’t consider himself to be that anomaly like Gale, but when it comes to talent and IQ, he still has a bit of confidence.
Students sent to further their studies from Poluo Country were either descendants of the former noble families or descendants of the Ten Thousand Leaders, except his family for generations were farmers facing the Red Soil, probably needing to count back to the Prosperity Epoch for any notable personages.
That leads too far away.
Anyway, relying on leftover books that his illiterate father scavenged from the market, he managed to get almost perfect scores in arithmetic and virtually perfect essays, catching the eye of Kaba Committee Member, leaping through the dragon gate and changing his life’s destiny.
Therefore, while Gale looked down on them, Nayak similarly, deep down, looked down on the person beside him, who couldn’t even compare to an eleven or twelve-year-old preparatory student but was forcefully pushed into the university.
Even though he well knew, it’s like the ice pop machine Gale mentioned, "resource waste that every society must experience for development," a perfectly equal approach would turn Tiandu into a place like Mammoth City.
However, even so, he was still quite optimistic about this guy’s future development.
As for the reason, it’s simple, because this guy is sufficiently stupid, ignorant, and arrogantly conceited, practically a reincarnation of the West Winds Witch Todd!
If he hadn’t been born several years later, he might have been shocked that this guy was practically the reincarnation of the old Witch Todd!
Actually, think a little bit and it’s inevitable Laxi would fail, and the same goes for Absek.
Whether the final civil war breaks out or not, it would end the same, and the odds are there won’t be a war.
But they can’t be blamed for that.
The wins and losses in the casino are a matter of mathematical law, unrelated to luck or character.
And the casino has just opened, the gamblers are still exploring, technically everyone is on equal footing. Naturally, the early starters have the advantage of initiative, while late starters have the stability of caution.
But despite this, history doesn’t end here; the real drama is just about to begin.
Nayak calculated, after Zayed and the people around him run their course, half of the fortune should be gone by the second generation, another half by the third, leaving only a quarter.
By then, unless a feudal empire bigger than Poluo Country comes to their aid, or if some internal issue forces the alliance to compromise with vested interests.
But that is impossible, as the Weilante people’s growing pains will be resolved even faster.
After the army explosion, that Emperor Salen might already be the peak of the Eastern Empire, and the alliance won’t make any compromises outside of the rules because it will only delay their victory.
They are meant to go further distances, but the way they go is different from the academy.
Nayak dubbed his set of "crooked and evil theories" as Civilization Studies.
Mammoth University does not have this subject, all of the theories are deductions he made during his spare time using limited information, based on scientific methods to forecast the future with the lifespan of humans as the unit.
The price of five generations paid in one day would of course be heavy, perhaps impossible to pay at all, but if looked at from the height of civilization and stretched to 200 or 300 years, it is entirely acceptable.
During unhappy moments, just think about the United Human. The Prosperity Epoch spans two stars, whereas the Wasteland Era nearly died out, yet is about to rise again.
It’s said that the newly born space elevator is steadier and faster than the old one and even cheaper in cost. If it explodes one day, it won’t be as harmful as the previous one.
Honestly speaking, he does not care about the rise and fall of dynasties; these are things he casually came up with during his spare time.
He thought it through before leaving Tiandu, he won’t be the decaying leaf, but the seeds to the future.
As for going to the moon, it’s merely to say it in terms his father can understand.
"Hey! Look quickly! Those people are about to fight! Do you think Laxi will massacre them all?" Gale pulled the bookworm next to him, excitedly pointing like watching a cricket fight.
Nayak did not look at the horror on the street, he just shot an indifferent glance at the over-excited fellow.
The officers were right; these foolish kids would face consequences, though it had little to do with ingratitude, but more with lack of skill.
Nonetheless, taking pleasure in the suffering of others is not noble and his consequences might arrive even faster.
Yet he didn’t bother to teach this guy how to accumulate virtue and instead said after thinking.
"Do you believe in science?"
Unexpectedly came a nonsensical counter-question, Gale was somewhat deflated by this bookworm.
But without his boisterous friends around, with no one else to pass the time, he shrugged and said.
"I do, technology is so powerful, it would be nice to grab some back. Besides, you should study hard, people like you are well-read; we might need you in the future."
Nayak chuckled.
"Certainly, I haven’t misjudged you. The unfinished business of fathers must indeed be inherited by promising young talents like yourself."
"Heh, naturally, my old man may have a knack for fighting, but not for reading, can’t compare to me."
Thinking the guy was buttering him up, Gale couldn’t help feeling a bit conceited, selectively forgetting that this bookworm’s father was the mud-stained person he looked down upon, just thinking of him as a top scholar.
If memory serves, this guy was even the runner-up in the Tiandu exam!
Although Gale had openly said "only idiots take exams," when actually recognized by an intellectual, he couldn’t help but smile broadly, just like his father who liked female students.
Proudly, he couldn’t help the urge to show off, he squeezed his eyebrows at Nayak and said.
"Tell you something that’s not really a secret; my father is part of the Family Meeting! Don’t mind that Absek collapsed, even if my father’s superior fell, there’s nothing to worry about! I say, don’t bother with the alliance in the future, just join me, if you fancy a female classmate, I’ll promise you with a word, won’t I?"
It’s too easy for him.
Soon Gopal will enter the city, her family lives in Tiandu, letting anyone starve is just a matter of him writing a letter.
This wasn’t even his idea, but rather revealed by a female classmate asking for his help.
As expected.
Nayak smiled slightly, saying softly.
"I appreciate your kindness, but don’t celebrate too soon. Even if your father lets Gopal into Tiandu, at best he gained a chance to stand anew, and will face some second or third ordeal... of course, this can be avoided."
Gale frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Nayak didn’t explain, leisurely speaking.
"Nothing really, just reminded of an old saying in the alliance, knowing the times makes a man outstanding, and... when heaven assigns a great responsibility to a person, it first starves this person. It means basically this: to succeed, first go mad."
"As such, I recommend you two alliance books called ’Thick Black Theory’ and ’Outlaws of the Marsh,’ more useful than what your father gave you, and better reads. When undecided, unclear, or troubled, flip through them, you might find inspiration."
For now, start with these two, and in the future perhaps add ’Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ depending on the situation.
Yet character must first be shaped, then a broad perspective nurtured, can’t reverse the order.
Otherwise, you turn fuel into slag; unusable failures have no place on the stage, what he needs is a stage-ready waste.
According to psychological theories mentioned in alliance books, a person’s character forms during childhood, and in adulthood, it is gradually remodeled by society as they age, once nothing suppresses it anymore, repressed nature bursts forth like a released spring.
He must mold this guy’s character, let him inherit the family business and become the next Witch Todd, or even more twisted, shocking all surrounding kindly little mice... only thus could the Poluo people be saved.
If the enmities of the last generation are unresolved, then resolve them in this generation.
Zayed?
That guy indeed is smart, but even the smartest has a day when he can’t wield the knife.
After winning everything, sooner or later he will spiral into hysteria like Lowell, anyone threatening his authority won’t survive.
Including Sava—who trails him always, a fellow only two years elder yet seemingly more innocuous than this "bookworm."
A "foster son" sits in the crown prince’s seat; he should clearly realize Zayed can never tolerate a legitimate heir, must act soft when necessary, won’t hesitate when the moment comes.
Possibly Gopal, the wolf who raised Zayed to the divine position, might be the first to exit.
Nayak isn’t anxious at all.
He enjoys reading newspapers and is youthful enough to eventually see on them what he eagerly expects.
But Gale, standing beside him, grew impatient with a puzzled expression, saying.
"Can’t you just read what’s in the book to me? I bloody hate reading books."
Nayak sighed.
The task ahead is arduous indeed...
Should this guy return to Tiandu, his pampered nature fearing he won’t last more than three episodes; what’s the use of a good ’seed’ if it doesn’t sprout?
Even resilient red soil took early wasteland era years of nurturing before starting harm.
Certainly can’t let this good sapling exceed Zayed, or else it’ll cost several more generations.
"You know... my dear brother, like this, I truly worry for you, you’re General Pickle’s only weakness, if you’re not a bit sensible, how can your father stand strong?"
"...Fine, helping people thoroughly, for you agreeing to look after my father, I’ll teach some classroom-unspoken ’popular knowledge’. "
After a pause, Nayak wearing an expression indicating some insider knowledge, closed the physics book in his hand to look at him.
"An exercise question, this one taught only once, remember it well, might save your life at a critical moment."
Hearing this, Gale immediately perked up, breaking into a cheeky grin.
"Well, tell me then."
He didn’t think this brainiac could teach him anything, but still found it amusing to listen to this guy talk, even more fun than messing around under desks with female classmates.
Just listen, right?
After all, idle time is idle time.
The stuff he lectured on maths and physics was boring as hell, but when he talked about strange, quirky knowledge, it was fascinating, always able to open his eyes wide.
Nayak stared into his eyes with a meaningful smile and began the counterattack as a farmer’s son.
It will be a century-long war for the Poluo people.
When the dawn breaks, perhaps no one will remember this moment—
A future soldier and a future scientist, launching their game of chance with the future in the unknown long night.
He wants to bet on hope for tomorrow, he wants to prepare for all possible contingencies, he wants to plant seeds on this dimwit that are more evil than the "Mortal Serum," and ensure that this carefully sown seed survives to the very end!
As long as one seed survives! This war will count as a victory for all on this land!
And if that’s the case, the heroes did not die in vain!
"I have Generals A, B, C, and D, I want them to watch over a flock of sheep for me, but I’m worried because the sheep are smart, and they are smart too."
"I know I’ll have to kill them all sooner or later, but the question now is, who do I start with..."
...
The farce continued into the night, and Laxi ultimately couldn’t bring himself to shoot his own people.
Firstly, the people were Mr. Niyan’s pride, secondly, even a tigress won’t eat her cubs; he had no kids of his own, those budding pillars were like his children.
If facing the Weilante people or people from the old Empire, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill, but when it came to his own people, he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.
He ran into someone who couldn’t handle a knife.
But it was precisely because of that his weakness was exposed to the enemy.
The vermin lying in wait suddenly leapt like hyenas smelling blood, wanting desperately to suck out his lifeblood.
"It’s easy to dodge an open spear, hard to guard against a hidden arrow..."
The provincial government courtyard.
Sitting in a chair, Laxi sighed, feeling just like the King Chu with flags stuck all over his body.
Absek liked reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms, while he enjoyed the stories before the Three Kingdoms; both were frequent communicators within the Alliance and exchanged privately.
Looking at the old moss-covered stone slabs, he suddenly remembered his most triumphant moment.
On that day, he entered the city, everywhere were shacks washed away, emaciated residents didn’t blame him, but instead lined up to welcome him into the city, grateful that a savior had finally arrived.
He was right here then, gazing down at the nobles trembling in fear before him.
"I’ve come here to do three things! You only need to know one!"
"From now on, Mammoth State has the prohibition of slavery! Whoever dares keep a slave, I’ll rearrange where his head should be!"
"... Starting today, Mammoth State mandates equality!"
He remembered all that he’d said, including the final words "No kneeling," which scared those typically superior nobles witless.
Now those washed-away shacks have been replaced by new buildings, he felt he hadn’t mistreated the people here, yet still got hit by a rotten egg.
Thinking back, the ones standing in the street may not be the Mammoth City residents he knew.
But rather the ghosts drowned in the Tasang River, coming to settle scores.
"Arai Yang, are you there too?"
Laxi self-deprecatingly chuckled and took a gulp of spicy vodka, feeling the bitterness in his heart eased a little.
At this moment, a young officer came in, stood straight, and saluted.
"Report, sir! Captain Shaw has returned from the Grand Canyon! According to the telegram, he brought back a peace agreement with the leader of Poluo Country, Absek!"
The officer’s name was Udi, a member of the Assault Unit; since he’d entered Mammoth State, he’d been by his side, considered his most capable subordinate.
He placed the bottle on the ground and stood up.
"Prepare the car, head to the airport."
"Yes, sir!"
Udi saluted and turned to leave, quickly preparing the vehicle.
Laxi opened the car door and got in; the car started quickly, heading towards the airport.
The streets along the way were silent, with the occasional patrol of soldiers.
The entire Mammoth City was under lockdown.
Sitting in the car, Laxi turned to Udi and asked.
"How’s the investigation into Family Meeting going?"
Upon hearing this, Udi immediately reported.
"They have 21 strongholds throughout our city, mainly concentrated near the port area."
Laxi’s pupils narrowed slightly.
"How can there be so many?"
Udi honestly replied.
"They operate in tight coordination, expand toward Mammoth University centered around the port, and use unscrupulous methods to achieve their goals. As far as I know, they connect with various gangs and factions, sponsor student group activities, and provide eggs to staying families."
Laxi was momentarily stunned, speechless.
Just... this?
They live in the houses he built, take the eggs given by others, then turn around and oppose him.
He was instantly furious, sobered up from alcohol—this disgusted him more than being cuckolded.
But he was no longer the impulsive man he used to be, took a deep breath and quickly calmed down.
He thought of someone, Ah Xin, who once saw him off and sponsored him for a long time without charge.
He despised the dealings of those gang organizations, even warning Ah Xin not to expand business in Mammoth City, even though he’d just received sponsorship from the Assassin Gang.
And the guy wisely didn’t offend him, only did what he could.
However, Laxi didn’t expect, even without the Assassin Gang, there’d be Black Rat Gang or Rat Gang, or even called something like XX Labor Dispatch Limited Company.
He himself did labor dispatch and earned foreign exchange, how could others not mimic it?
Soon, someone would organize the people under him, establish a similar organization, or serve these workers’ organizations—like some Overseas Workers Mutual Aid Society.
And those people have natural assignments to copy.
The Alliance’s Workers’ Association had been trying to break through Mammoth City, but failed due to its style not being grounded enough. Those gangs could totally mimic it, eating the grapes and spitting out the seeds.
With foresight, it’d be better to let Ah Xin come...
Laxi closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
"We’ve completely lost control of the grassroots... No wonder such a big problem has arisen."
After saying this, he took out a notebook from his pocket, wrote this lesson down, and then put it back.
However, at that moment, an explosion suddenly sounded outside the car window, unknown whether it was a homemade bomb or something else.
The car glass shook violently, and soon Laxi heard someone shouting towards them.
"Revenge for the dead...!"
The person was probably shouting the names of those killed or injured in the conflict, but Laxi didn’t hear clearly.
Yet at that moment, the engine began to smoke, and the whole car crashed into the roadside.
The driver was knocked dizzy, wanting to check the leader’s condition, but found himself staring at the dark barrel of a gun.
He froze for a moment, his face changed dramatically as he wanted to explain.
"It’s not me—"
"Bang!"
A short gunshot interrupted his explanation.
Decisively, Udi shot the driver dead, pushed open the car, and protected Laxi as they got off the vehicle.
Gunfire echoed through the street, armed personnel with white fabric tied to their arms erupted into an intense gunfight with the nearby patrol team.
With the support of exoskeletons, the latter steadily pushed back the former, yet still could not overpower the latter’s superior numbers and their integration with nearby civilians, retreating into civilian homes when overwhelmed.
He couldn’t believe someone dared to assassinate him on his own turf, much less expected to fight a security warfare at home. Laxi felt fury rush up to his head, wishing he could grab a weapon and start shooting those rats.
"They’ve rebelled... truly rebelled!"
"Leader! It’s not safe here! I’ve already called for reinforcements, let’s move to a safer location!" Udi shouted as he fired across the street, holding a pistol.
Laxi gritted his teeth and nodded.
"Lead the way."
Udi immediately obliged, protecting him as they ducked into a nearby alley, after several turns they finally distanced themselves from the gunfire’s alternating echoes.
The two seemed safe.
However, at that moment, Laxi suddenly stopped his feet, ceasing to run.
Udi, leading in the front, also halted his steps, looking back at the leader with a face full of surprise.
"What’s wrong, leader?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Laxi suddenly laughed aloud.
"Not wronged! Thrilling! No wonder you’re my personal guard, really fits my appetite!"
He said, his eyes bulging like copper bells, gazing at the dark alley like a torch.
"Rats! Your grandpa Laxi is right here! Come out if you dare to let me kill you thoroughly!"
That commanding presence resembled neither a general nor a leader, only a hero full of courage.
He stood in the alley like a god of death incarnate, even without thousands of troops behind him, still reverberating with thunderous echoes that dared not meet his gaze.
Udi looked at him in shock, his expression first astonished, then surprised, and finally turned cold.
"...How did you find out."
The words fell, and a group of men dressed in black, wielding blades and clubs, emerged from the alley.
Their sneaky demeanor really resembled rats squeaking in the gutter.
Vellante people left.
Spring finally arrived.
The season of revival came.
Their eyes flashed with ferocity, though afraid and even trembling, yet none retreated.
The family meeting had said, once they killed Laxi, the overseas business of Mammoth Nation would be theirs.
In the future, as long as the family meeting had a bite of meat, these gangs wouldn’t lack a mouthful of blood.
"What’s the use of all this nonsense, it’s you who incited those students, right," Laxi didn’t reach for his gun but drew his own blade, giving a cold smile to the betrayer Udi, "What? Not starting yet? Want to see if I can still wield a knife?"
"In light of the kindness of acquaintance, I wanted to give you a swift end, but since you don’t want it..."
Udi took a half step back, putting away the pistol in his hand, and waved his index finger forward.
"Fulfill him."
Father, mother...
The child has finally avenged you.
Having exacted his deep revenge, Udi felt relieved but couldn’t bear to witness the hero’s decline, so he closed his eyes.
The gang members discarded their pistols and rushed at the lone Laxi with a variety of weapons.
They charged towards the one who had repeatedly knocked Olet’s nose crooked on the battlefield.
"Kill!!!"
"Ahhhhhhh!"
They excitedly lunged forward, already impatient to gut their hero, and after a fleeting burst of white light, a familiar head rolled to the ground.
A head full of yellow teeth fell on the ground, its expression frozen in a final grimace.
The leading gang members were stunned, only under the bright moonlight did they see the army knife in Laxi’s hand dyed with crimson blood.
"Kill—!"
The thin shout of slaughter echoed in the alley, yet this time the shout carried the trumpet of an assault!
As though behind that one person were thousands of troops, as though the tip of the blade held the souls of countless ghosts and goblins!
Udi’s pupils slightly contracted, seeing Laxi’s fearlessly charging into the crowd, his trembling right hand unconsciously reaching for the closed gun holster.
The family meeting’s representatives consistently warned him, that was the one who murdered his family, never forget revenge, one day, it must be avenged!
He temporarily forgot, even if that guy was an enemy, defeating him was no easy task.
He was, after all, their imposing general, an adversary even their foes deeply revered.
He had a mission, just like he did!
Yet, unlike him who had nothing but hatred—
That guy made up his mind long ago, even if it cost his life, he would topple every single one of the thousand pillars weighing down on the Poluo people!
The thrilling slaughter echoed through the blood-soaked alley—
"Kill!!!"