Chapter 379: War and Chaos (End)
The old commander's face hovered in the center of their vision, spouting the same advice they'd heard countless times: "What you must be most wary of on the battlefield isn't the subtle attacks, but the unpredictable mind control of outsiders. It's the hypnotism of the Fallen, the emotional contagion of the Scourge, and the mental pollution of the utopian demons. The subtle attacks can only destroy a squad or a battalion, but if a soldier's thinking is influenced, it will lead to the demise of an entire army."
"But if the enemy has infiltrated our midst, maliciously attacking your spirit in the name of freedom, how can we protect ourselves? How can we guarantee the safety of our thoughts?"
Trek said grimly, "Only with a firm will, my comrades. Only by arming our minds with a resolute will to fight can we maintain basic rationality and protect our families."
"We are the Jingsha City-State, not Shura Island. Our army has never had warlords or factions, only soldiers defending our country. Our disputes always focus on how to fight and how to fight, not how to escape war or how to evacuate the front lines.
There is no path to reconciliation in the war we face. We have thousands and thousands of families behind us. Therefore, the military camp of the Jingsha city-state will always have only one ideology and one faction, and that is to fight the heretics to the end! ”
The old commander's roar was like thunder. The soldiers who were awakened by his scolding could hardly stand up straight. Some of the old soldiers even burst into tears.
Chuck waved his arms like a grumpy general and cursed at the screen without any dignity: "Yes, Jingsha is a country of equality, and everyone has the right to choose, but the Jingsha military camp can only have one ideology!
Those who disagree with this line of thought can rest assured. No one will force you to fight. You can go to the fields to farm, or sell balloons at the amusement park. If you feel this place is no longer safe, there are still plenty of places on the ferry, so you can go somewhere outside the city-state!
"But after making the decision, please take off your uniforms and give me all your numbers—"
The camera in the water curtain gradually zooms out, allowing people to see the scene around the podium.
It was filled with people, everywhere. Treemen, orcs, puny animals, old humans, so densely packed they filled the entire scene, almost too numerous to count.
There stood the manager of a small bookstore, a restaurant cook, a band conductor, a gardener selling flowers—these were the "ordinary people" who were so familiar to the citizens, the people who lived beside them. They took out their former medals, donned their military uniforms and caps, and shouted with their former superiors.
"——The veterans are still waiting to go to the battlefield!!"
After just a few breaths, the peaceful pulse was drowned out by the shouting.
Families lost in the past once uttered such cries, ancient ancestors once roared a similar cry. As if inspired by the spirits of the departed, the warriors living today roared the fury that flowed deep within the blood of the forest dwellers.
"Fight to the end."
“Fight to the end!!”
·
At this point, the dispute over the second lineage came to an end.
Under the current captain's dedicated efforts and the inspiration of the old commander's return, the entire camp united once again. The rusted Iron Crown of Thorns once again shone with a dark glow.
“Some things are better left to the locals,” Velvet concluded.
The bartender had also changed into his military uniform to watch the fight today, leaving only two patrons in the small bar, enjoying themselves. Ji Huaisu, eagerly selecting his sweet wine, asked, "Are you actually treating the ring match like a press conference? You're taking advantage of everyone's attention to spout off news and stun them, then you raise your hand and reveal the truth, and that's it."
"This also requires the soldiers' cooperation. The second round was quite dangerous, and the atmosphere almost turned into a mourning theme," Velvet said. "If there's no way to change the situation by the end, Captain Trek will have to adjust the theme of the speech, using the names of our fallen comrades to play up the sentimentality and then point out the mind control. Fortunately, Kong played well."
"You actually asked Lao Cui to write two sets of manuscripts..."
"I had him write six sets."
Ji Huaisu gave a thumbs-up: "Not bad, worthy of being a black-hearted female boss! But why does Lao Cui's words have such a great influence?"
"Because Jas Trek was once the most powerful person in Thorns, his position as commander-in-chief clearly shows how highly Thorns valued him. If he hadn't accepted the judgment after the war to shoulder his responsibilities, the city-state's current situation might not be what it is now," Velvet explained. "And in the politics of the long-lived race, ups and downs spanning decades are not uncommon. Trek, demoted for 20 years, is like a senator on Earth who's been out of office for two years; his power remains, waiting for a comeback."
Ji Huaisu nodded and said thoughtfully, "But I have to say that Lao Cui's choice back then was not wrong... Someone has to take responsibility, otherwise what will happen to public opinion? Insisting on staying in office would only have exacerbated the conflict."
“Who knows?” Velvet smiled. “It’s better to focus on the present rather than the past.”
"Will we be able to defeat the independence forces interfering behind the scenes in one fell swoop?"
"I'm afraid not. In fact, up to now, we can only roughly speculate on the existence of mind controllers, but have no way of knowing for sure what their methods are. Pariman is far more advanced than us in this regard, and it's unknown how effective conventional actions will be."
Ji Huaisu sighed, "Old Cui took a considerable risk to speak like this in public..."
"It's always good to alert the public," Velvet said. "Be prepared. If we bring this matter to the forefront, it will mean a full-scale intensification of the conflict. I'm afraid that Parriman's countermeasures will be implemented soon."
·
Desperate Front, Imperial Mothership. Lord Burning River was meticulously reading a report.
"…Based on the current situation in the city-state, the following estimates are made. Since accurate probabilities are difficult to assess, they are simply listed in order of likelihood from lowest to highest.
1. The city-state successfully achieves independence, and the attempt to usurp power by the ideologies of exclusive love fails. The casualties of approximately ten billion intelligent beings will significantly impact the course of fate. The resulting new demons will cross the Second Abyss, following the path of cause and effect. After crossing time and space, they will arrive at the moment of the city-state's independence to devour the source of hatred, thus becoming the Seventh Outer Path.
This possibility is the "counterattack of the tide of fate" mentioned by Ji Huaisu in his battle with Ling Feng, which is the greatest crisis of Jingsha's independence that ordinary people are not allowed to understand.
The tide is the movement of the Sea of Illusions, and the tide of fate itself is the core mechanism of the Third Abyss. The Sea of Illusions is the convergence of countless desires, thoughts, and emotions, and every move of all beings is affected by it. Large-scale deaths will directly stir the tide, and the result is often the most terrible expression of "demons".
Warriors familiar with demons like Ji Huaisu and Ling Feng could naturally vaguely imagine the consequences of large-scale casualties. The imperial lords, having witnessed countless counterattacks, could simulate more detailed outcomes.
Ranhe continued, "The second possibility is that the Duai Thought Cult succeeds in usurping power, and after occupying the Thorns, devours another new demon, becoming the Seventh Outer Path... Although the Oracle considers this possibility even lower, I personally believe that the probability of success is greater."
In rare cases, this force can react upon the culprits responsible for the disaster, multiplying its harm hundreds or even thousands of times. The former archmage Vansalar's fall and ascension to godhood through demon slaying is one aspect of the causal flow of this tide. If the current Jingsha has become the source of mass casualties, it's naturally possible that it will follow this same path.
Naraka remained noncommittal: "The third point."
"3. Naturally, the city-state's independence failed. The Duai Thought itself was contaminated by the First Abyss, and the entire Jingsha city-state fell to the Black Moon's Son." Lord Ranhe put away the report. "Besides this, the probability of Jingsha's independence failing has increased by 10% compared to ten days ago. I believe your strategic direction is basically correct. We should indeed wait and see."
"Not necessarily." said the Everlode.
"May I ask for your opinion, Warmaster?"
"The allies within the city-state have assessed the capabilities of the Single Love movement, but they don't yet understand its true nature," Naraku pointed out. "Therefore, the current measures have failed to fundamentally impact it, and the situation has not fundamentally changed."
"I understand." Lord Burning River nodded slowly. "The new simulation report is expected to be generated in 2 hours and 31 minutes. I will carefully consider the route of advance."
·
In the Speaker's Mansion in Mansa Star Castle, the King replayed Trek's speech.
"Launching a surprise attack in full view of the public is truly her style." It chuckled and turned its head. "What should we do, Mr. Speaker? Judging by this momentum, a new vote is not out of the question."
Parriman closed his eyes in silence, not knowing what he was thinking.
"No problem. I was planning to use the second and fourth pulse sequences to buy time."
"I'm afraid the time we gained is not as good as you expected?" Wang Quan mocked.
It snapped its fingers, and the image in the water curtain changed, revealing the faces of the soldiers in the barracks after the duel. Those faces were filled with shame, guilt, and anxiety, and their eyes had become resolute after hearing Trek's speech.
"We should rethink..." "How can we put our hopes on outsiders?" "Someone must have influenced our thinking." "We should fight to the end!"
Wang Quan crossed his legs and sat down. "What should we do, Mr. Speaker? Even if we urgently activate the Great Lily of Mansa Star Fortress now, the situation will not change fundamentally. The risks of independence are known to the public. They will soon want to 'do it again'. You will soon be abandoned by everyone!"
"It doesn't matter," said Pariman.
He also looked at the water curtain with an emotionless gaze hidden by his iron mask. And at that moment, the soldiers' eyes changed.
Hesitation. Unease. Confusion. Flinching. His spirits, which should have been lifted after the speech and duel, now reverted to the same old ways, like a puppet being forced back by its strings.
"Or... think about it again?" someone said.
"Commander Trek is blaming the Speaker, right..." "But he is Speaker Parriman after all." "The Speaker always speaks for the public."
"How could the Speaker be...wrong?"
Wang Quan suddenly understood and applauded. Parriman lowered his head and stroked the mask.
"I've said this many times on different occasions, and I don't mind repeating it again."
"I am a vessel for 'public opinion'."
"My choice is the choice of the citizens of Jingsha."
"I never had to win over followers, because the seeds of victory were already planted 20 years ago. Their efforts were ultimately in vain..."
He pinched the mask and said slowly: "I alone am the entire independent faction."
Two updates today, then take a day off tomorrow~
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
