Chapter 962: Season of Revival (3/3)

Chapter 962: The Season of Revival (3/3)

Gael suddenly let out a carefree laugh, returned to sit on the bed, and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

"Then there's nothing to fear... At worst, when I come to power someday, I'll slaughter this lot to the last."

Watching this sunny, cheerful youth utter such bloody words, Nayak smiled and nodded.

"That will be your affair."

Night fell, and a commotion stirred beneath the dormitory building for international students. Soldiers armed with rifles suddenly surrounded the place.

Gael, who had just fallen asleep, was yanked from his bed by a soldier, his ruddy complexion instantly turning pale.

"It wasn't me—"

Nayak, held by another soldier, frantically signaled him with his eyes, hinting for him to shut his mouth and keep his head down obediently.

Gael stopped pleading at once, his face ashen, and let the soldier drag him off the bed.

The two soldiers who had come to make arrests did not interrogate them; they simply led them downstairs with murderous intent and lined them up with other students from the Brahmin Kingdom.

A group of half-grown children in pajamas stood shivering in the cold wind.

Though this was a subtropical region, the winter breeze still carried a chill.

The officer in charge wasted no words, merely glancing at Meng Jie standing nearby and speaking coldly.

"All the students from the Brahmin Kingdom are here. Take whoever you want; the rest will be sent back where they came from."

Yokale's Eleventh Thousand-Man Corps had already opened fire across the Tasang River, and all official and civilian exchanges between the two sides had ceased.

Including joint educational programs.

Spotting Principal Meng standing among the soldiers, the children's eyes reddened, and they cried out pitifully.

"Save us, Principal!"

"Principal Meng!"

"Please, save us!"

Looking at these young children, Meng Jie felt a pang of sorrow—they were the fruits of his and Niyang's labor.

"Come with me, all of you. I'll take you to study in Dawn City... Stay out of this muddy business!"

Some ran over.

Seeing that the soldiers did not open fire, a dozen more trickled over, but still about a hundred remained where they stood.

Among them were undergraduates and preparatory students. Some, like Gael, had fathers serving as officials in the Celestial Capital and had no choice but to return. Others, like Nayak, had parents still hoping they would come back to take up official posts, or had too many ties they couldn't leave behind.

Nayak seemed to have foreseen this day and showed no surprise. He simply embraced Gael beside him and patted his "good brother" on the shoulder.

"Don't be too nervous. Principal Meng is probably here with the Alliance to pick us up. Shava will surely let you leave safely—you can trust me on that."

Gael couldn't help but shiver.

"Take care of yourself... Come back anytime you miss home."

Nayak smiled and nodded.

"You too, take care!"

After bidding farewell to the reluctant Gael, Nayak hastily said goodbye to other familiar classmates, then strode briskly toward Principal Meng Jie.

There was not a trace of hesitation in his heart; he could already see the fate of most of them—

This was likely the last time they would meet; there would be no chance to see each other again.

...

[On January 2, 215 of the Wasteland Era, the first Human Conference concluded. Abusek returned to the Brahmin Province, landed at Golden Garon Port, and stayed secluded in the Brahmin Kingdom's embassy there without stepping out.]

[On the evening of January 4, Gopal led the Gray Wolf Army to escort Commissioner Shahrukh into the Celestial Capital. "The Butcher" Pikli, a chiliarch, led the citizens of the Celestial Capital in lining the streets to welcome them!]

[On the morning of January 8, Zayed entered the Celestial Capital and delivered a victory speech on the counteroffensive against the Southern Legion. That same day, the Gray Wolf Army surrounded the Legislative Assembly. Sava, the second-in-command of the Family Council, spoke at the assembly, declaring the abolition of the grain consumption tax and issuing a cat ban, calling on families to mobilize and cull all domestic and stray cats in the city.]

[At noon on January 10, the Committee formally announced the resolution to impeach Abusek. Shahrukh delivered his inaugural address, assuming the positions of Supreme Commissioner and Grand Commander.]

[At noon on January 11, Gopal, the commander-in-chief of the Gray Wolf Army, was appointed by Shahrukh as the First Marshal of the Brahmin Kingdom!]

[On January 13, a sudden incident occurred at the medal ceremony! Gopal pushed aside Shahrukh's hand and pinned the medal on himself!]

[On the morning of January 17, Shahrukh, the Grand Commander and Supreme Commissioner of the Brahmin Kingdom, was arrested by the Celestial Capital Guard! It was rumored that during his time in Snake Province, he had secretly colluded with the Southern Legion and participated in the snake grass trade!]

[On January 18, the Committee released its latest research report, reaffirming that the grain consumption tax was an unjust exploitation but should not be overcorrected. Instead, it could be extended to other non-essential goods such as cloth, livestock, spices, and fuel—a benevolent act that would "turn the rich man's hair oil into the poor man's cooking oil."]

[On January 20, Grand Commander Shahrukh confessed! He admitted to colluding with the Southern Legion! Sava, the second-in-command of the Family Council, convened another meeting, re-emphasizing that the Family Council was merely a disaster relief agency representing families in supervising the Celestial Capital Federation, and invited Abusek to return to the Celestial Capital to take charge!]

Golden Garon Port, Brahmin Kingdom Embassy.

Looking at the newspaper clipping collection he had made with his own hands, Abusek's face was filled with emotion.

"How times have changed... In just a few days, they want me back to take charge again."

These past days, with nothing to do, he had spent his time in this study drinking tea and reading newspapers. Finding no other occupation, he had asked for a notebook and pasted the day's newspaper headlines onto it, planning to compile them into a memoir when he grew old.

Anwo, sitting across from him, gave a faint, ambiguous smile.

"Maybe you should go?"

Abusek laughed and cursed.

"I may not be clever, but I'm not stupid either. And you, you sly fox—I thought I'd never see you again, yet here I am, living under your roof."

Anwo smiled faintly and said,

"The Grand Commander jokes... If I had truly carried out your order back then and cleared out that church, would you be sitting here chatting with me now?"

Abusek fell silent, his gaze drifting out the window as he murmured,

"Sin, sin... That wasn't my order. Wandering souls, don't come looking for me. And this matter can't be blamed on me—it was all Yanush's command. I gave it to you to handle because I thought your tactful approach would resolve it properly—"

"Spare me your nonsense. Dead men can't lift their coffin lids and crawl out," Anwo said flatly, glancing at the muttering man. "It's easy for you to walk away, but others have to stay and suffer."

Hearing the barbed words, Abusek felt a pang of pain. After struggling for a long time, he let out a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry about Isher... He was a good man. I felt as terrible as you did when I heard of his death, but you must have seen it too—he was determined to die. What could you or I do?"

Anwo fell silent as well.

That man could have escaped if he had wanted to.

But then again, if he had simply walked away, he wouldn't have been himself.

Abusek was silent too.

This was almost a dead end.

Even if he had never given Zayed that letter of appointment, the final outcome would have been no different.

Shahrukh would not have abandoned his backstabbing just because he lacked Zayed's support. The Eastern Empire would still have stepped in when it suited them. In the end, it would have been Abusek fighting Shahrukh, or someone else, and watching how long he could hold on with his obsession.

The Chief of the Great Rift had awakened him with a single phrase, making him let go of everything he had once clung to and climb out of the dry well that had trapped him.

Having led the Brahmin people to block the Southern Legion's invasion, his historical mission was over.

No one could accompany them to the end of history.

Having done his deed, he brushed off his clothes and departed, hiding both his person and his name—that was what he ought to do.

“……But I didn’t expect that with Sharuk’s scheming, he would be taken so easily.”

Looking at Abusayek’s melancholy face, Anwo took a sip of black tea and said.

“Nothing unexpected. Wasn’t Yanush also shot dead on his throne by a nobody like me? Ignore the maneuvering behind the scenes, take this matter out alone, and few would believe it either.”

“True enough,” Abusayek sighed lightly. “But this fellow was too clever for his own good, still dreaming of becoming my successor, treating me as if I were Yanush about to die, never thinking that from start to finish, we rats—outwardly united but inwardly divided—are all in the same boat. None of us can do without the others, and none of us can kill the others.”

Together, they were Yanush.

As for now, they are nothing.

The venomous snake has entered the Heavenly Capital, the cage has fallen, and not a single gluttonous rat can escape.

Looking at the photos on the clippings and those old friends with their wretched expressions, Abusayek felt deeply moved.

He did not feel sorry for that slippery fellow Sharuk—however he died, it was deserved; better he not die easily.

He only felt sorry for Sir Kabaha.

That fellow was nearly killed by Yanush; he had barely managed to save the old man from the blade.

That fellow scolded him fiercely, was not very smooth in his dealings, and held the scales too evenly, but anyone could see that in his heart he genuinely loved this land.

Now “Yanush” has returned; who knows how that madman will torment him.

Seeing Abusayek still lost in memories, Anwo coughed softly.

“……Don’t live in the past. Since you can’t return to the Heavenly Capital, what plans do you have for the future?”

He had heard that the Federation of Golden Gallon Port wanted to recruit this fellow, to take back the Heavenly Capital from the Family Council.

If Abusayek intended to take this path and continue in politics, he wouldn’t have to worry about the future.

Just follow this fellow.

Abusayek thought for a moment, then said something unexpected.

“I met many people at the Human Conference. If we’re talking about intelligence—not to boast—they truly are not as clever as you and I.”

Before Anwo could recover his wits, Abusayek continued.

“Boro Province no longer lacks clever people; rather, it needs some not-so-clever fools. I’d better not wade into this muddy water. Let the younger generation finish this unfinished game.”

“You’re just letting go like that?” Anwo looked at him incredulously, at this former Grand Commander.

But Abusayek smiled magnanimously.

“I’m done with it! Speaking of which, I’ve already made an appointment with Siwen, the representative of the South Sea Alliance, to go have a few drinks at their place in a while.”

Also, during the meetings, he heard those big shots say that once the New Era arrives, aerospace will soon become a hot industry.

The new track is already an open card; having participated in the Human Conference, he was fortunate enough to glimpse the “heavenly secret.”

Perhaps he could start a company, leading the clever people of Boro Province to do something more meaningful.

As for the company’s name, let it be “Abu Aerospace”!