Chapter 169 - 169: Inauguration (1)
"What… what are these people doing here?"
"Don't look them in the eye, they will eat you!"
"D… don't push!"
"What's wrong, mommy? They don't look scary? One of them even looks like daddy."
"Sshh. Keep quiet, do you want to get eaten?"
"..."
"Please do not mind our citizens, for some of them, this is the first time they are seeing people from the Village."
"Hm."
In the streets of the Pit's city, Eugene was currently being escorted by the old female general, Sasha; behind them were the hundreds of Locals and Prisoners, all walking side by side in lines.
The shock in the Prisoners' eyes was evident as they trailed across the City. Their houses and buildings were almost the same as what they have in the outside world; they could not help but wonder how something like this was able to be built here. Some of them have already spent years in the Encampment, and they would have never imagined that there was a place like this, waiting for them to explore.
But for some, regret suddenly crawled through their eyes. They remembered what that red-haired ex-guard said; about how they could have started a new life here, but instead chose to be greedy and attacked the Village as soon as they saw it.
But they could not help but ask themselves if they truly deserved to be here. Some of them started to tear up as they saw the faces of the people here. These people knew nothing about their pasts, they could truly start anew if they wished to.
The Locals, on the other hand, had nothing but awe in their eyes. Even though they were born inside the Pit, almost all of them had never laid eyes on the City. They could only dream what it looked like as their grandparents tell them stories about it…
...and yet here they are. None of them even minded the transparent stares of contempt that the City Locals were giving them, they just continued to stare at the tall houses; even the very street they were walking on was paved. They were as if a child seeing the world for the first time.
Eugene, who was leading them, was also the same. Boss told him that she would take the City, but to think that it would be this fast. She didn't even let him in on the plan as there might be spies in the Village…
...But to think she really did it. What kind of genius plan did Boss do for her to conquer the City just like this?
At first, Eugene thought that Boss would muster up all their people to attack the City, but all it took was 3 people… No… Of course, they were able to conquer the City-- The Ghost is with her, after all.
He could only show his surprise when an entourage of people from the City, led by an old female General, came to the Village unannounced.
At first, Eugene thought that Boss failed and that they had incurred the wrath of the people from the City. He couldn't help but remember the fear he felt seeing the soldiers from the City, but to his surprise, they were only there to escort them to the City.
Eugene, of course, still held a bit of resentment towards Boss for killing some of his men… but after knowing her history, he couldn't blame her for her ruthless actions. He couldn't help but release a sigh with the thought as he focused on listening back to Sasha.
Back at the end of the line, Gil and Cynthia were together, their eyes trying to search for the comrades they haven't seen for quite a while.
"I wonder where Van and Nisha are?"
"Little Boss should be here somewhere, just keep looking around," Cynthia said as her eyes scanned the people that were staring at them, "Still… I have to say, there seems to be a lot of people here that we could play with."
"Don't even think of harming the people here, Cynthia," Gil quickly said.
"Oho, you're already enrolling as a guard here? How loyal to your cause."
"I am serious," Gil muttered as he looked Cynthia straight in the eyes, "Whatever the Circle might have done to you outside for you to become like this… You have a chance to live a somewhat normal life here."
"...There you go again with your idealistic speeches," Cynthia could not help but sigh as she heard Gil's words, "I don't know how you're still holding on to your faith even after all of this."
"It's faith on people… on you, Cynthia. I do believe you can change."
"Uh…" Cynthia's steps instantly slowed down as Gil's words reached her ears. Gil's red hair reflected the sun, almost bringing fire in her light brown eyes; no lies or deception were hidden on his face.
After a while of staring like this, Cynthia could only shake her head, "You need to be careful, Gil. I might start to think that you're hitting on me."
"W… what!?" Gil could not help but stutter, "N...no. Y… your husband just died. It would be rude for me to…"
The two continued to walk as they exchanged words. Even further back to the line, however, someone was clicking his tongue listening to them talk.
"Tch, stuttering like that like some kind of teenager in love… disgusting," Gerald almost snarled as he watched Gil and Cynthia almost flirting with one another, "These Prisoners truly have no hope, almost as worse as beggars."
'...Aren't you one yourself?' Xinyan, who was walking beside Gerald, wanted to rebuke. But she did not really want to get into it with him again. A few days ago, she got into an argument with him; suffice to say, she lost.
Still, even though Gerald was a bit… not right in the head, he seemed to be one of the decent ones. He did rescue her, she thought, wondering how someone as young as Gerald was even here for.
But that wasn't important right now…
...Were they really meeting the Leader of the Locals so soon? She had been thinking of all sorts of plans to meet with the most prominent figure in the Pit but to think their meeting would be this soon-- she must really be consuming all of her luck.
A few minutes later, their group reached what seemed to be a plaza, and in front was a decently sized castle. There were lots of City Locals already standing idly by around the plaza, but as soon as they saw their group of Prisoners and Village Locals approaching, those in front quickly started dispersing.
Their stares of contempt were still obvious, but no one really cared anymore. This was a good thing though, Xinyan thought. This way, they would have a better view of the City's President. If she could convince the people here to go outside and fight the Circle, then she would have an army of thousands-- only with that number does she even have a chance to go against the Circle in this country. One could only imagine what kind of person was capable of vanquishing the owner of such an army.
And soon, a bell rang. Disrupting Xinyan's thoughts and drowning all the whispers that lingered in the plaza. All the City Locals then looked in a single direction, towards the balcony of the castle.
"People of Somerset!"
A loud voice then echoed throughout the whole City as a bearded man stood in front of the balcony. "With the passing of our former President, rises a new one…
...A stronger one! A usurper! One who vanquished our former President in the span of a single day!"
The City Locals clapped as soon as they heard the man's words. They have already heard that their new President killed the previous one, they would lie if they said they weren't excited. The former President obtained his seat from succession, it was nothing special.
But this time, their newly appointed President assassinated the former one… and not one of them even knew about it until the soldiers started scattering the news.
The former President was not really doing anything anyway, so most of them just shrugged their shoulders. But now… some excitement was finally being brought to their City.
"...May the new President live long and prosper!"
The people looking from below all clapped their hands as the man continued his introduction.
"Now, may I present to you for the first time…
…President Evans!"
The people's cheers and claps grew louder… but then all of it abruptly stopped. Silence filled their air as soon as the only thing they saw was a clump of hair moving behind the railings of the balcony.
"..."
"...What's going on?"
"Where's the new President?"
As the clump of hair moved closer to the balcony, they were finally able to see their new President's face… at least half of it.
They could only look at each other as their new President jumped to the top of the railings. At last, they could finally see him.
Their new President was looking at them from above. The sunlight shining upon his silhouette as his hair waved in the air.
Xinyan could not help but let out a stuttered breath as she looked up at the Locals' new President. She was expecting a gallant figure, clad in armor that held a certain aura of authority.
But the one in front of all of them right now was…
...just a kid.
"That's… the Leader of the Locals?"