Wilderness outside Dawn City

The man in military uniform lowered his gaze, focusing on the palace ruins now reduced to rubble before him, the dense corpses of animals lying around, and the few staggering figures standing among them, calmly saying, "So, have you achieved your goals?"

"Yuluns," the leader among the figures pressed his chest, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, raised his gaze to the man in military uniform, "your injuries aren’t any better than ours, why persist here?"

"I stand here not to persist," the man in military uniform calmly glanced over the few in front of him, "I am merely telling you, I still have strength left."

He raised his hand, little red glimmers gathered in his hand, and the surrounding space rippled like waves, faintly revealing the blurred world beneath those ripples.

"The Netherworld has returned; large-scale war deaths will no longer cause undead calamities," one of the figures standing upright raised his head to look at the man in military uniform, "Yuluns, we admit you are strong, but we hope you adhere to the promise made among Angels, not to participate in wars between Federation City States, otherwise, no matter how strong you are, you won’t withstand our combined attack."

"I can do that," the man in military uniform calmly withdrew his hand, looking at those figures, softly asked, "Can you do it?"

The few figures exchanged glances, "Of course, we can do it too, and we will also restrain others to do the same."

"I hope you can keep your promise." Upon hearing this, the man in military uniform withdrew his hand, his body instantly transformed into a bright light, disappearing into the sky.

The remaining figures also exchanged a glance and disappeared into the sky at the same time.

——

Ains

A noblewoman in a burgundy dress stood before that barren ruin, watching as machines cleaned the debris and swiftly filled it with new concrete.

"Isn’t anything supposed to be built here?" she turned her head to look at the young man beside her, softly asked, "Erect a statue, fix a tombstone, something like a little park."

"It’s said many citizens proposed doing that," the young man softly stated, "The Ains City Government initially planned to do so, but that was vetoed by the one in Gray Stone Palace, you know, in Ains, the one in Gray Stone Palace holds the most power."

"Was it the one in Gray Stone Palace who vetoed it, or was it you all who egged him on to veto it?" the noblewoman took out a cigarette from her pocket, sticking it in her mouth, and lit it with a lighter.

"We don’t need to do such things," the young man shook his head, looking at the figures gathering at the edge of the construction site, placing bouquets of flowers slowly, "After all, for something like a park tombstone, we don’t have to pay, if the people of Ains need it, then it should be built,"

He paused slightly, "The one in Gray Stone Palace didn’t completely veto it, just stated that Mr. Hawke’s meritorious deeds were too great, truly saved the city, a small statue tombstone wouldn’t suffice, he plans to construct a new national cemetery, then place Mr. Hawke’s tombstone at the entrance of the cemetery."

"Plan to delay it till after the war, right?" the noblewoman chuckled lightly, "Afraid that erecting a tombstone for Hawke now would incline people’s hearts toward Christos’s side?"

She removed the cigarette from her mouth, exhaling a smoke ring, "Petty-minded fellow, can’t even do superficial work, how did this guy become the President?"

"As you know," the young man lowered his head, softly said, "he wasn’t elected, nor was it by his own ability."

"So why did you come to find me today?" the noblewoman lowered her head, looked at the young man, softly asked.

"Mr. Mete has died, there are fewer people in the family capable of bearing the heavy responsibility, so the council sent me to find you," the young man lowered his head, softly said, "Now is a time of chaos, the family needs some pillars."

"Don’t they know it was I who passed the news to the President, using the President’s hand to kill Mete?" the noblewoman glanced at the young man, smiled, "Those old geezers, can they pretend they didn’t see all this?"

"Lady Medala, you’re joking," the young man lowered his head, softly said, "The council apologizes to you for Mr. Mete’s previous actions, they will keep his previous room for you if you are willing to return to the family, the shares and powers he managed before will also be kept for you."

"What a big temptation," the noblewoman drew a puff of her cigarette, sighed longly, "If it were before, I probably would have run to the council to bow and scrape to those old geezers,"

She gazed at the ruins before her, toward the setting sun at the city’s edge, "Sadly, I no longer need it now."

She turned around, facing away from the sunset, walking toward the fire-red sports car parked on the street beside.

"Lady Medala!" The young man suddenly panicked, quickly shouted, "Where are you going?"

"To see the world outside," the sunset brilliance shone on the woman’s graceful body, flowing dress, she waved slightly, her fingertips gliding through the dreamy glow, "The Ellison family castle, is too small."

——

"The First and Second Mercenary Corps of the Nolanka Group defeated the Mercenary Corps Allied Forces centered on the Menshu Group in the southern wilderness of Vicat City, then dashed overnight to support Dawn City."

"The City Defense Army of Dawn City and the Mercenary Corps of the Nolanka Group launched a coordinated inside-out attack, crushing the Consortium Allied Forces, lifting the siege of Dawn City."

"It is reported that Gray Stone Palace issued an order to the two central divisions stationed north of Dawn City to participate in the battle, but these two divisions encountered stormy weather when moving south and were blocked by the City Defense Army of Keka City, failing to arrive at the destination on time."

"Ultimately, the Consortium Allied Forces were crushed, retreating to Monite City, hundreds of kilometers from Dawn City for a overhaul."

"The Mayor of Dawn City, Christos, held a press conference stating that President Skewis’s mobilization of the Central Army and Consortium Army to besiege a Federation city has already violated the Federal Constitution, according to the Federal Constitution, President Skewis should be convicted of betraying the Federation and stripped of his presidential position, with a re-election held."

"At the same time, Christos stated that the assassination case of former President Kemingda has yet to be clarified, but it is likely related to the current President Skewis, Dawn City has already requested the Federal Bureau of Investigation to partake in the investigation of the former president’s assassination case, seeking solid evidence of current president’s betrayal of the Federation."

"Gray Stone Palace held a press conference stating that there is a high suspicion of Dawn City’s involvement in assassinating the former president, Gray Stone Palace has also requested the Federal Bureau of Investigation to partake in the investigation, and indicated that Dawn City is completely controlled by a cult organization led by Christos."

"Gray Stone Palace indicated that the Federation’s attack on Dawn City is not for overthrowing the city government, but to eliminate Dawn City’s cult organizations and restore its normal operations."

"Wint City, Minte City, Kaye City, Yilan City, and several other cities held press conferences expressing support for Dawn City, hoping to arrest current President Skewis for betraying the Federation and hold a re-election."

"It is reported that many Senators and Congressmen of various cities have already pushed for the impeachment of the President within the Federal Assembly, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has also launched a deep secret investigation into the former President’s assassination case."

"The Vitland City Government held a press conference expressing opposition, stating that Dawn City is actually the disruptive factor in the Federation inciting a civil war."

"The Gray Stone Palace has not responded yet, but it is reported that more Central Army forces are being mobilized near Dawn City, and more Consortium Mercenary Corps are also moving towards the Eastern Federation."

"Wint City, Yilan City, and other multiple cities including Dawn City, have issued a joint statement demanding the President to halt the current troop mobilization, end the war trend against Dawn City, and wait for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s inquiry to conclude. Otherwise, they will together defend the Federation’s Order."

"Some commentators believe that the Federation is already on the brink of civil war, while others think that the civil war within the Federation has already started."

"The aforementioned is the complete report on this incident, exclusively covered by the Ains Post. Scan the QR code below or click the link beneath the video to visit our official website, and subscribe to related memberships for more in-depth analyses and reports."

——

New Netherworld

Bright radiance illuminates the vast fields.

A slender young man stands in the middle of these fields, lifting his head to look towards the distant mist.

In the mist that spreads out, a figure sitting on a high-backed chair seems to sit at the deepest part of the mist, occasionally visible under the glow.

"Erian?" A girl with freckles on her face steps out from behind the youth, raising her head to look at the figure in the dim mist, "You’re looking at that throne again."

She stands beside the youth, tilting her head to look at the high-backed chair in the mist, "Ever since this world stabilized, that figure on the throne seems to have never moved again. I tried to enter that mist before, but no matter how I walked, I would end up coming out from another direction, unable to enter. They all say the figure on the throne is dead,"

She turns her head to look at Erian, "But I think that’s impossible, after all, everyone here is dead already, dead is alive, that figure on the throne must still be alive!"

"Actually, this is pretty good too," Erian gazes at the towering figure, slowly retracts his gaze, turns around, and looks at the girl beside him, smiling, "Why did you come over here again?"

"I just went to the city," the girl laughs, takes out the paper bag in her hand, and hands it to Erian, "Didn’t you say you opened a flowerbed? I brought you some flower seeds."

"Thank you." Erian extends his hand to take the paper bag handed by the girl.

"There are sunflowers, roses, and some flower seeds I couldn’t recognize. The sister in the flower shop directly gave them to me, didn’t charge any money." The girl stands beside Erian, excitedly describing.

"Thanks," Erian bends down, picks up a hoe on the ground, turns around, and walks towards the hillside behind him, "Didn’t expect you, being so young, to be so thoughtful."

"How can you say such things?" The freckled girl follows him, puffing up her face, "I just died early, got trapped here early. If we count from the date of birth, I am actually five years older than you, you should call me sister."

"Alright, alright." Erian nods lightly.

"Oh, I heard the new arrivals say," the girl walks on the road, quickly forgetting the previous matter, continues to speak, "Seems like there’s a war up there?"

"Haven’t they always been at war up there?" Erian says in a slow voice.

"It’s getting fiercer now," the girl puts her hands on her hips, trying to imitate the tone of a middle-aged man, "They say the President has gathered many people and started a war with Dawn City, many cities are drawn into it."

"Do many people die in the war?" Erian asks in a low voice.

"They all say quite a number," the girl shakes her head, gazing at the end of the sky’s sunlight, "But I don’t think it’s many. I’ve looked carefully, people dying of hunger, people dying of illness, there are actually more, just that they are too common, no one pays attention to them."

She stands with hands on her hips, looking at the sky, "Actually I think it’s pretty good here, here at least you don’t die of hunger, you don’t fall sick, just a bit boring."

"Even here you can ’die’," Erian gradually descends the hillside, speaking softly, "Those who died of hunger and illness, due to long-term torment, their souls are already very weak. They can’t stay long here, they quickly disperse, many who are excessively hungry, scatter on their way here,"

He glances at the girl, "Our kind, the initial ’sacrificed ones’, because we shared a bit of spirituality in the process of this world’s establishment, we almost have no tendency to disperse. But most people, here, will ultimately disperse."

"My dad died of illness, couldn’t afford the medical treatment, my mom died of hunger," the girl raises her head, looking at the sky, "Those gangs caught me, I originally thought they would sell me to a strip club, but didn’t expect to be sacrificed to the Church of the Grim Reaper. Thinking like this, I am actually the ’lucky’ one,"

She pauses for a moment, "Say, what do those big figures in the world above actually have in mind?"

"I don’t know," Erian pauses for a moment, turns back, looking behind him, a stretch of thick mist has become unusually heavy, the figure in the mist is almost obscure now, "Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn’t."

The girl also follows his gaze, looking at the thick mist, "That’s also an extraordinarily great figure. If there weren’t him, we might not even have souls now, not even a little warmth and freedom after dying from illness and hunger."

She gently sighs, "I heard them say that is God."

This time, Erian does not speak, simply retracts his gaze, slowly moving forward.

Soon, they cross over a hillside, intense floral fragrances follow the drifting wind, heading towards them.

"It’s my first time coming to your place, is it this fragrant?" The girl lifts her head to look ahead.

In the wind gliding under the sunlight, endless fields of flowers appear in her field of view.

She widens her eyes, dumbly gazing at the densely packed and colorful flowers, "These, these are planted by you?"

"Partly," Erian lowers his head and moves towards an adjacent cleared flowerbed, "There used to be some flowers here, I planted some myself, the flowers here grow quickly, very suitable for planting."

"You’re amazing," the girl flares open her arms, dashing into the engulfing flower fields, submerging her entire body in the rich floral scent. Standing in these flowers, she lifts her toes, spinning her body, her dress swaying open as well.

Erian lifts his head, glancing at the girl amidst the flowers, glancing at the fields brimming with flowers.

He lowers his head, gently scattering the flower seeds in his pocket across the flowerbed.