Chapter 1 The Procession
The marching crowds, the angry shouts, the burning flames, the fervent atmosphere.

Golan's flag fluttered in the billowing black smoke.

"We demand the truth!"

"Oppose the tyranny of Golan!"

"Hand over all personnel related to the Ming Moke Organization!"

"Step down! Step down!"

The square in front of the Golan State Building was packed with people. Countless faces were twisted in anger, countless signs were held aloft, countless arms waved wildly, and the chaotic roars pierced the sky.

A line of fully armed guards stood in front of the State Building, their faces stern, holding riot shields to form a cordon, enduring the crowd's pushes and impacts time and time again. The muffled sound of collisions rang out frequently.

Shattered glass, empty shells, crushed cans, banner covered in footprints—the ground was littered with debris. Bonfires burned, scattering snow-like flying ash. The blackened scorch marks on the ground mixed with solidified blood, emitting an unpleasant and pungent odor.

Because of the Ming Moke Organization's repeated attacks, the Golan State Building had continuously strengthened its control, which countless people once believed to be true. But later, insiders exposed that the actions of Ming Moke were actually authorized by the Golan State Building. When these tricks were exposed, fierce resistance erupted among the people of Golan. Countless citizens felt they had been tricked and took to the streets to protest and demonstrate. This situation had been going on for many days.

Public opinion was surging, and the Golan State Building could no longer withstand it, unable to control the situation. At this time, a group of civilian resistance forces demonstrated in front of the State Building, directly challenging it. No high-ranking official was willing to show their face in the midst of this crisis.

In the crowd, Sean's thin and emaciated body was bumped from side to side, but his hands tightly gripped the flagpole, holding the Golan flag high, shouting slogans with the crowd until his voice was hoarse.

His hair, unwashed for days, was matted and oily, reflecting a greasy sheen. Veins stood out on his neck. His young, handsome face was twisted and contorted, looking haggard yet excited.

"Sean… Sean!"

The surrounding shouts were deafening, almost drowning out his own voice. It wasn't until the sound of someone calling his name gradually approached and repeated it seven or eight times that Sean vaguely heard someone calling him. He turned his head towards the source of the sound.

He saw a short, stout youth pushing through the crowd, shouldering and arching his way forward with difficulty. Sweat dripped from his fleshy face. He held a small package in his arms, followed by several other youths of the same age, struggling to squeeze to Sean's side.

"Mag, what are you doing here? Didn't your families object to you participating in the resistance march…"

Sean stared at the stout youth with wide eyes, his face full of surprise. Because he had been shouting for too long, his throat was torn and painful, and his voice was extremely hoarse.

These people in front of him were his neighbors and childhood friends, his usual buddies. But because their families strongly objected, these buddies were unable to participate in the demonstrations organized by the Golan civilian resistance.

Only Sean's family members had died early, and no one stopped him. So, with a surge of passion, he spontaneously participated in the demonstration.

"Hey, we snuck out."

Mag grinned and opened a slit in the package, revealing a slightly chipped green military canteen and several bags of instant food. There were also some sports protective gear such as wrist guards and elbow pads.

Without asking for Sean's opinion, Mag hung the package strap on Sean's body. Then, without explanation, he snatched the Golan flag from Sean's hand.

Sean instinctively tried to grab it back, but he couldn't shake Mag's steady and powerful grip. Unable to retrieve the flag, he couldn't help but wonder, and asked in confusion:

"What are you doing?"

"What else? Of course, I'm here to wave the flag and shout for you. I'm almost suffocated by the stench of your sweat. Look at you, how long have you been resting? Don't worry, we'll hold the line here for you, save your spot. You go eat something and rest for a while… Waaah! Protest tyranny!"

Mag's tone was matter-of-fact as he took Sean's place, raising the flag high and shouting excitedly with the crowd.

"It's too chaotic here, you didn't need to come…" Sean said helplessly.

"What are you talking about? If you can come, why can't we? Who doesn't want to contribute to Golan? If our families weren't keeping such a close eye on us, we would have joined you in the march long ago." Mag pretended to be unhappy and said loudly, "It's precisely because it's so chaotic here that we have to come and take care of you. Don't we know what kind of stubborn temper you have? You get carried away with enthusiasm and don't think about the consequences. With that little body of yours, aren't you afraid of being crushed by others? If we don't come, what will happen if you're in danger?"

Sean's lips moved, and he hesitated, "But your families…"

"Alright, alright, why are you talking so much nonsense? You know how to worry now? Why didn't you worry about yourself first?" Mag patted Sean's shoulder hard with one hand and said casually, "You dared to come, so what do we have to be afraid of?"

Sean was touched, and sniffed, "You guys, you're making me want to cry a little…"

"Come on, we're all brothers, don't say thank you and disgust me." Mag held up his thumb, puffed out his chest, and raised his eyebrows, "Don't worry, who told you to be our little brother? I'll protect you."

The other buddies laughed when they heard this and reached out to rub Sean's head. Among all his friends, Sean's body was known to be thin and weak, so Mag and the others usually took care of him, treating him like a younger brother.

Sean only felt a warm current surge in his heart, and his eyes warmed.

His relatives had died early, and his closest relationships were with these childhood friends, all like-minded and passionate youths. Feeling the kindness and concern of his friends at this moment, he felt that a new vitality had been injected into his originally tired body.

"…Okay, then I'll leave this to you. I'll go take a break nearby."

Sean pursed his chapped lips and nodded heavily, not continuing to refuse the kindness of his friends.

"Go, go."

Mag waved his hand indifferently and turned to shout excitedly with the crowd.

A smile appeared on Sean's face. He tightened the thick package on his body and was about to squeeze out of the crowd.

However, at that very moment, a sharp and piercing air raid siren suddenly rang out in the distance, quickly spreading throughout the city!

"Wuwuwu—"

Whether it was the demonstrating crowd or the guards in front of the State Building, they were all startled. The crowd instinctively stopped demonstrating, and the guards relaxed the force in their hands. Everyone looked towards the sky, their expressions puzzled and dazed.

"What's going on?"

Sean and his buddies were also startled, looking around, their faces full of confusion.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound came from far to near. Streaks of smoke suddenly appeared in the sky, falling from the sky and landing between the distant buildings.

Just as everyone was puzzled, the next moment, an ear-piercing explosion suddenly rang out!

"Boom!!"

The suddenly erupting shockwave swept through the streets and alleys like a howling hurricane. Wherever it passed, all the glass in the buildings shattered!

The pupils of the crowd widened, reflecting the approaching shockwave. The next second, the shockwave, carrying countless debris and fragments, suddenly struck, overturning the crowd in the square. Everyone was knocked to the ground!

Sean fell heavily to the ground. The remaining force had not dissipated, and he was dragged out several meters. His arms and legs were scratched and bleeding. A trickle of blood flowed from his forehead, blurring the vision in one eye. His brain was shaken by the impact, causing the world in his eyes to spin. His eardrums buzzed incessantly, and his chest felt tight and nauseous.

He looked up in horror and saw that the distant cityscape had changed drastically. A violent explosion had occurred, buildings collapsed, turning into ruins. Flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed, transforming into mushroom clouds.

"An… air raid! Are those missiles?!"

Sean's eyes widened suddenly, his face full of disbelief.

Panic instantly spread across the square, and all the demonstrators and guards revealed expressions of horror.

Just then, small black dots suddenly appeared in the distant sky. One after another, fighter jets flew in rapidly, heading straight for the Golan State Building, approaching the crowd's position at high speed, coming on aggressively.

Seeing this scene, the crowd suddenly woke up from their dreams, and screams pierced the sky.

"Run! Run!!"

"Enemy attack!!"

The crowd scattered and fled, unable to care about anything else. The protest signs were instantly scattered all over the ground.

In an instant, the square fell into a state of unorganized chaos. Many people were pushed and fell, instantly drowning in the crowd fleeing in panic, disappearing without a sound.

Sean was completely stunned, sitting limply on the ground with his mouth open.

Seeing that he was about to be trampled by the crowd, a strong force came from his shoulder, pulling him up.

He saw that Mag had already gotten up, covered in blood. He didn't know when he had approached, but at the critical moment, he pulled Sean up from the ground, pushed Sean's shoulder hard, pushing him out, his face full of anxiety, shouting angrily:

"What are you still doing? Run!"

Sean's brain was in chaos, a complete mess. The strong fear and the instinct to survive made him unable to think about anything else. He instinctively swung his arms mechanically, staggering and running for his life with the crowd.

It wasn't until he had run a long distance that Sean woke up from his dream and quickly turned back to look for Mag and his buddies.

But during the escape, everyone had been separated by the crowd.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"

More whistling sounds came from the sky. He subconsciously turned his head and saw fighter jets rapidly approaching the Golan State Building, the Rylan national emblem on their hulls reflecting a dazzling light.

One after another, short-range missiles were launched from the bellies of the fighter jets, dragging long tails of flames, accurately hitting the area around the Golan State Building.

Rumble rumble rumble—

Violent explosions rang out in succession, and the State Building instantly became unrecognizable, riddled with holes. Balls of fire erupted, illuminating terrified faces.

Before everyone's eyes, the Golan State Building collapsed with a roar, falling onto the shattered square, stirring up a large cloud of dust.

In Sean's pupils,

Golan's flag was burned to ashes in the raging flames.