Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 528: The Edifice Collapses

Due to the ringing from before, the battle outside the Senate had temporarily stopped. From here to Hope Square, the citizens and city guards dazedly stood in their spots as if they had yet to recover from their previous state.

Apart from the injured’s instinctive groans, the area was so quiet that even the wind could be heard.

Gaius didn’t give them a chance to sink back into madness. He held a loudspeaker and shouted, “My fellow citizens, soldiers, Elder Varro controlled the consul by colluding with the Salvation Army and the Anti-intellectualism Church in an attempt to purge the Elders who are on your side. Fortunately, thanks to the Kalendaria’s blessings and the heroic spirit of First City’s founders, we were given an opportunity because of your timely demonstration. Now, they have been killed or controlled. The sun has appeared above First City again!”

As the new consul announced this to the citizens and soldiers, his most trusted Reformist Elder led his two attendants to the Senate’s dungeons.

Varro was locked up there. He should’ve committed suicide out of guilt.

Upon hearing Gaius’s words, the gathered citizens finally recalled what they were doing and what they wanted to do. After that, they cheered.

In contrast to them were the Subhuman Guards positioned in various parts outside the Senate. Some of their faces were ashen, some couldn’t help but tremble, and some of their bodies tensed up.

Gaius didn’t give the citizens a chance to express themselves freely. Worried that they would take the opportunity to make an even more excessive and crazy request, he directly said, “I’ve already been elected consul by the surviving Elders. I will lead people who are willing to dedicate themselves to the citizens to investigate the traitors’ properties and return the fields you lost!”

Without him needing to say anything else, most of the citizens shouted excitedly, “Gaius!”

“Gaius!”

“Gaius!”

Superintendent Alexander frowned. This reminded him of his youth—the former consul, Oray, also received such enthusiastic support from the citizens and soldiers.

Alexander stood behind the window—a distance away from Gaius—and cast his gaze outside. The excited faces and fanatical eyes made him feel like he had returned to the past.

As his gaze moved, Alexander saw his stunned daughter and Zennaga lying in a pool of blood, his fate unknown.

He quickly turned his head to his attendant and guard and said, “Quick, save Master Zennaga.”

He had a deep relationship with the Crystal Consciousness Church. Although he had already Awakened the abilities of the corresponding domain before having faith in Subhuti, he definitely wouldn’t let go of the opportunity to establish a solid relationship with the Crystal Consciousness Church when such an opportunity presented itself before him.

“Your Excellency, will it trigger a riot if we go out now?” Alexander’s attendant asked worriedly.

The current situation was only a temporary calm; it still looked very fragile. Smoke might rise again from any accidents.

Alexander fell silent and cast his gaze at Gaius. Whether we can stabilize the situation and restore order is of utmost importance for this newly-appointed consul.

As Alexander hesitated, he saw his daughter walk toward Zennaga from the corner of his eye. The people around them ignored this scene as if she didn’t exist.

Phew… Alexander heaved a sigh of relief and said to his attendants and guards, “You can wait a little longer. Prepare the first-aid kit.”

The Senate building was equipped with these items.

At this moment, Gaius made a further promise. “After we purge the traitors’ influence and have a harvest of the fields we return to you, we will continue expanding outward. We will use First City’s guns to expand, giving more land to First City’s citizens!”

As the citizens cheered, Gaius glanced at the Subhuman Guards around him—who were either standing or lying down. He lowered his palm and loudly announced, “All those who relied on the traitors and helped them shall be captured and be given a fair trial! I’ll give those who have done lesser evils and are willing to repent a chance. I shall send those among them who are sinful or unwilling to repent to meet the Kalendarium!

“Alright, citizens, you may return. Wait for your fields and jobs. Leave the capturing of criminals to the city defense forces’ brothers and sisters. As you saw, they are on your side!”

At this moment, the citizens had no time to taste the sweetness of such an operation. They didn’t feel an inflated sense of conceit. Since they had obtained Gaius’s promise and had achieved their goal, they were very willing to contribute to First City’s restoration of order to their hometown.

They responded to the call and retreated in the direction of Hope Square, leaving in batches.

Of course, not everyone was like this. Some citizens stayed behind to search for their loved ones—who had rushed ahead and whose outcomes were still unknown.

Gaius then ordered the city defense forces, “Split into three groups. One group shall help the injured and clean up the square. The second group shall escort these Subhumans to the dungeons and await trial. The last group shall go around the city informing your colleagues. I’ll give you a list of the traitors that have to be eliminated.”

This included at least two Mind Corridor-level Awakened. They spelled grave danger to the subsequent stability, and Gaius wouldn’t accept their surrender.

Upon hearing Gaius’s words, the eyes of the surviving Subhuman Guards instantly became bloodshot. They wanted to resist and carve out a bloody path, but they felt despair and lost their courage when they thought of the countless Mind Corridor-level Awakened here.

Death was certain if they resisted. If they waited a little longer, there might still be a chance.

One city guard after another entered the Senate. With the help of the surviving Elders, they tied and cuffed the Subhuman Guard members.

Mor—who looked like a monster with his bulging eyes—lowered his head and trembled as he was escorted to the dungeons below the Senate.

He wasn’t too afraid of death; most of the Subhumans he had met when he was young had failed to live to his current age. He was only reminded of his children. The youngest of them had just learned how to walk, and she loved to talk. Every night, she would chat with Mor or Mor’s wife for half an hour before sleeping. She would spout nonsense most of the time, and the two adults would only laugh and echo her words.

A scene that almost seemed palpable rose in Mor’s mind: the community’s door blasted open by First City’s citizens; humans transforming into bandits and storming in. Not only did they level and raze the area, but they also didn’t let any Subhumans off. They would throw children to the ground heavily and sell some of them to slave traders.

The thought of how his children might suffer such pain, how they would cry and shout without their cries answered, or how they would be sent to the mines or factories—toiling day and night—made Mor’s heart ache.

He walked slower and slower. Suddenly, he turned around and kneeled down, facing Gaius. “Consul, please spare us! We were only following the orders from above! I-I’m willing to be your slave!”

At some point in time, Mor—a muscular man—had tears and snot all over his face.

Upon seeing this, the other Subhumans kneeled down as well, hoping to use their status as the Elders’ slaves to exchange for their families’ safety.

Gaius fell silent for a moment before saying, “All of you will receive a fair trial. Perhaps there will be a chance for you to work to offset your sins.”

With that said, he ignored the Subhumans and cast his gaze at the Golden Apple Zone. He planned on having a good chat with the existences who supported him and had returned from the New World.

He believed that in such a situation, a promise to ensure vested interests could be exchanged for sufficient friendliness.

…

Golden Apple Zone, 9 Emperor Street.

Asus received a call.

The voice on the other end of the line was very anxious—he only said a few words before quickly hanging up.

Asus seemed to have fallen into a nightmare.

Father contracted the Heartless disease all of a sudden… Most of the Conservatives’ Elders have been eliminated… Gaius has become the new consul… The city defense forces are about to eliminate the traitors’ accomplices… Asus suddenly shivered and rushed into his secret chamber.

He brought some hard currency and the useful items he had accumulated over the years and quickly left the villa. After that, he went straight to the garage and got into a bulletproof black car.

The car’s trunk had some weapons and ammunition, as well as the latest military exoskeleton.

During this process, Asus had no intention of informing his butler, servants, and bodyguards.

The servants had sensed an anomaly and had hidden far away. This resulted in Asus seeing a rather deserted and inexplicably dilapidated scene when he drove out of the consul’s residence.

…

The Old Task Force’s jeep was driving away from the Golden Apple Zone.

Shang Jianyao suddenly said, “Old Ge should like this harvest very much.”