Chapter 336 Blood Smoke and Thorn Flowers Bloom (1)

A long, long time ago, Jingsha was still a small tree.

The world at that time was much simpler than it is now. Zhulong had just become the sun, and the World Tree blossomed in the sunlight. Its seeds floated in the wind, spreading branches and leaves all over the world, spreading the concept of peace and love.

Jingsha was a fortunate seed among countless ordinary ones, fortunate to have befriended friendly exotic beasts and fellow believers willing to protect him. He took root and grew in a corner of the secret realm, uniting with his followers to repel repeated invasions by the outsiders.

After the great battle that made the mercenaries famous, the warriors returned to the tree to drink and celebrate their victory. The day after the party, they discovered that flower buds had grown among the dense branches of the sacred tree. The tree had been given the opportunity to grow further because of the people's support.

This blossoming will determine the city's future direction. Will it become a paradise hidden from the world, or a secret realm of harmony? The sacred tree never makes this decision on its own; it leaves it to the citizens. It's up to everyone to decide what kind of city they want to live in.

Whether locals or mercenaries, whether humanoid or beastly, the citizens spoke freely beneath the tree. Their personalities varied, their desires diverged, and their words often conflicted. However, no real conflict arose, for those who shared the sacred tree's hardships shared a simple, kind heart.

After a long discussion, they finally reached a consensus: to carry the will of the World Tree and become an open, inclusive, and equal city. They also decided that no one should suffer the hardships they had experienced, and they would become the forefront of the righteous path, a wall of life that protected all beings.

This goodwill and unity allowed the Thorns to blossom, and from then on, the Thorns became a true power. They honored their covenant and continue to fight for themselves and all living things. To this day, citizens still remember the ancient story, announcing the results of their annual vote after a three-day celebration, participating personally in the city's future, just as their ancestors did.

This is the origin of the "Jinghua Festival".

Unconsciously, another year has passed, and this year's Jinghua Festival has begun. This also means that -

"The annual super overtime is about to begin." said Trek.

The conference room was filled with the howling of ghosts and wolves. The expressions of the Divine Guards were as devastated as if the city-state was about to collapse. The Squirrel team shouted for everyone: "No!!"

Cui Ke comforted him, "It's okay, it's okay. We will definitely arrange compensatory leave for everyone after the holiday..."

"Captain, I'm listening to your nonsense! I still haven't received last year's compensatory leave!!!"

"I still haven't taken my vacation from two years ago..."

"I don't want to celebrate the holidays, please let me go to work as usual!!"

The third team was filled with a deep sense of pessimism from top to bottom, forming a stark contrast to the clamor of gongs and drums outside. For the diligent Divine Guards, the Thorn Blossom Festival was the most difficult three days of the year, as a three-day holiday would overwhelm the entire city-state.

Drunk driving is commonplace, thieves and robbers have the ideal environment to commit crimes, those with political differences take advantage of the situation, impulsive crimes by those who are corrupt are routine, not to mention the outsiders who harbor evil intentions and pollute the country... If ordinary holidays are nightmares, then the politically-charged Jinghua Festival is simply hell!

Trek gulped down his cold drink and said, "Come on, everyone, cheer up. The captain will work overtime with you guys."

"This isn't a question of work enthusiasm, but rather the objective difficulty of the task, Captain!" Team Rabbit screamed. "With so few people, how are we supposed to handle this massive outbreak of crime across the entire Pulse Sequence? Especially since our Pulse Sequence has unique rules, and this year's environment is so unique, we desperately need divine support!"

"I've already fought for the divine power allocation quota, but it's still this much." Trick pretended to cry, "I'm sorry, everyone. Captain, I'm really not very popular. Even with Master Jingsha's generous allocation, the total amount is still not as much as the Fifth Meridian next door..."

"Captain, you should clean up your slovenly appearance before you try to improve your popularity!"

"As compensation, I will use my personal connections to find a solution for everyone."

Trick pulled the stern-faced Li Ke in from outside and said, "This is my old friend, Ms. Li Ke. She's honest and reliable. You can use her as a squad leader."

"Dad, just wait and go home to cook for yourself for the next week," said Li Ke.

"You're dragging your own daughter into overtime, you bastard!"

"Then please include Ms. Riko in the battle force and rearrange the team. I'll let you know if there are any further personnel expansions. Happy Jinghua Festival~"

"I can't be happy at all!!"

Despite his daughter's glare, Trick left the meeting room and wandered over to the door of a secret room on the third floor. The formation set up by Huan Ge was still operating smoothly, making it difficult for him to detect the presence behind the door.

"It looks like we're going to have to deal with this in a short time..." Trick muttered to himself, "The best man I can use can't be pulled out."

Honestly, he still hoped Chu Hengkong could function normally. With someone so capable and active around, the overall situation would be much more relaxed. But Chu Hengkong was currently busy upgrading his metamorphic point level to level 4. Given his current state of mind, success would be difficult in the short term.

On the other hand, if he hadn't encountered the chaotic attack in the Great Library, this kid probably wouldn't have been so eager to break through. Had a chance event once again led to an undesirable outcome? It was also because of the chaos that the mushrooms disappeared. If a few mushrooms were lost in that chaos, even a dead tree wouldn't have noticed.

It is hard to tell whether it was accidental or malicious, and it is precisely because of the accumulation of such incidents that people feel uneasy.

Trek took out his Holy Cup, a compass used to guide direction. He took a step forward, passing the secret room door and coming to the counter of the small bookstore.

"Give me a cup of tea~" he said with a smile.

The Poison Otter editor waved his paw in disgust, as if he had seen something dirty: "Go! Go! It's a holiday, get out of here!"

Trek poured himself a cup of herbal tea from the beverage machine and leaned against the sink. "Actually, there are some small things I'd like to ask the seniors for help with."

"I knew this bastard coming to visit during the holidays was up to no good."

"I'm waiting—to go out for the parade!" Manager Crucian Carp glared at the wreaths on his head. "If there's something—why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"The enemy's intelligence network is very powerful. Making arrangements in advance is a concern for potential targets," said Trick. "The environment is unstable this year, and I'm worried someone will take advantage of it to cause trouble. And if trouble breaks out in a large environment, mobilizing multiple locations simultaneously is the most difficult to handle."

[Where do you think the target is?] Big Seal interjected, holding up a sign.

"Of course, we diehards will bear the brunt of the impact... and then the fourth and fifth veins will follow."

"Fourth? We should care about the first one. Tian Ye is Parriman's base." Poison Otter frowned.

"The Tianye region has the largest population. While there are a large number of votes in favor, the 'majority' who don't pay attention to politics haven't taken action yet. Barring any unexpected events, they won't care about voting this year. If I want to exploit this issue, I'll start with this group of voters who are most easily influenced," Trick pointed out. "And with Gu Mu in Mansa Star Fort, any rebellion would be a smokescreen. If they really want to take action against him, our presence won't be of any use."

"Do you think the target is the 'silent majority'..." Dudu Otter pondered, cup in hand. "I agree with that assumption. Then I'll go to the amusement park."

"Want to go to the fields—me?" Bang Bang Crucian Carp stared with two big eyes, "I don't like eating fruit!"

"The dairy products over there are great, too. If everything goes well, you can ask Little Bee for a couple of drinks." Dudu Otter put on a small coat. "It's best if nothing happens."

“Unpaid overtime on holidays—what the hell!”

The crucian carp manager transformed into a gloomy cloud and floated out the window, carrying the otter. The big seal waved its paw and held up a sign, saying, "Looks like I'll have to lead today's parade."

Gulibo said worriedly, "Manager, you're going to block the road, right?"

[I can be a float] A large seal cricket pupa emerges from the pond, [and helps point out important locations]

"Thank you, senior." Trek took off his sunglasses.

The big seal hummed in response, and despite the current situation being dire, Trek felt a sense of relief. The prevalence of the bill had given rise to the voices of selfishness, but he knew that many citizens could distinguish between small profits and greater justice. Without this, Thorns would have fallen apart long ago.

He was about to head to the next scheduled location when the girl called out, "Uncle Trik, where's our work?"

Ji Huaisu leaned over the second-floor railing, looking at him, with Vander, wearing a grass skirt, on his head. Trick laughed, "Uncle, I'm a little embarrassed to let tourists work... But if you're interested in volunteering, come with me."

He pulled out his compass. The next second, the three of them appeared before a custom-made float. The float was shaped like a giant turtle, carrying a high-rise podium on its back. A middle-aged man in a suit and tie stood on the stage, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief.

"Senator Crozier," Trek greeted.

Crozier hurried over and shook his hand. "Captain Trek, thank you for your concern. This is..."

"This is Officer Ji from Huilong City. She'll be assisting with security for the speakers," Trick introduced. "Officer Ji, Councilman Crozier is a rare politician with a conscience these days. He plans to use the festival as an opportunity to gather more opposition votes."

Due to Jingsha's history of universal political participation, canvassing for votes during festivals is a common thing. However, in the past, it was mostly the disadvantaged groups who made a last-ditch effort, and there were few strong parties who spoiled everyone's fun at this time.

"Uncle, you are a good official." Vander poked his head out.

Crozier's forehead was sweating. He smiled bitterly and said, "Captain, you were just joking. Now that you're a politician, what's the point of having a 'conscience'?... You can only call it a sense of responsibility, fulfilling your obligations."

Ji Huaisu glanced at him and said, "Mr. Crozier, would you consider changing your clothes? They're not very clean now."

Crozier's collar was damp with sweat. He touched it, unconcerned. "It'll be rotten fruit soon. It's a waste to wear clean clothes."

"Wow, being a politician in a city-state is really not easy..."

Ji Huaisu gestured, signaling Trick to get back to work. Knowing his friend's daughter was experienced and didn't need any further reminders, Trick walked away relieved. As he left, he saw Crozier fiddling with a silver badge.

To be on the safe side, perhaps he should check the MP's belongings again...

When this thought came to him, Trek had already appeared in the command room of Team 3. He gave up the idea of ​​conducting a detailed inspection because Li Ke rushed towards him.

“Dad—”

"Take me there," said Trek.

Li Ke dragged him to the entrance of the Third Squad headquarters, where a black soldier stood. It looked like a child's chess piece blown up to adult size, meticulously crafted from the clothing to the joints. The only difference was that the spot where the eyeball should have been had been roughly gouged, and black blood like motor oil oozed from the eye socket.

"Please give this letter to the captain." The soldier's jaw opened and closed. "Please give this letter to the captain."

Trek took the letter from its hand. He opened the bright red envelope and saw a malicious message.

【I want to play a game with you. 】

(End of this chapter)