Fang Tong was the last to speak. Prior to his turn, Xiao Guang, Elder Su, and Zhenzi summarized the technological and specialized surveillance findings on their end. Li Ji, representing the military, reported on all the military reconnaissance concerning the Northwestern Base. Among the two hundred plus individuals led by Fang Tong, four or five representatives spoke as well. They addressed various circumstances and provided detailed accounts of every detail and observation within the base during the past month.
Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, Fang Tong took the floor. Despite retelling the sequence of events once again, he felt a bit nervous. As he stepped down from the stage, his palms were lightly sweating. Sitting in his seat with a poised military bearing, he exuded an air of professionalism. From a distance, Xu Dekai looked on with a faint amusement. This kid, he's still so shy.
"Comrade Fang Tong, we appreciate the efforts you've made to save us!" Wei, the one presiding over the meeting, succinctly expressed from the podium.
"Due to the lack of smooth information flow, some of the information may already be familiar to those present here, having been heard or conveyed in various ways. Today, we gather here to consolidate all the crucial information. Now, let's deliberate and determine our conclusions and responsive measures based on the existing information."
"If any of you present have additional thoughts, feel free to share them at any time. The more information we gather, the greater our chances of success in our rescue mission."
After Wei stepped down, discussions began among the attendees, each sharing their perspectives and opinions. The participants exercised restraint, maintaining low tones as they conversed. Some individuals remained unsure of what to say, scribbling down their thoughts with paper and pen.
The organizers of the meeting had thought things through thoroughly. Not everyone among the attendees possessed the skill to articulate their thoughts eloquently. Therefore, every participant was equipped with paper and pen. They could jot down their ideas and suggestions, handing them over to the staff present in the room. These notes would then be compiled and discussed by relevant personnel. Su Pei, the spirited young lady, was currently skipping around the crowd, collecting suggestions with enthusiasm. When she reached the front of Xiao Guang, he offered her a faint smile, despite his bandaged state, and gazed at her attentively.
"Brother, are your eyes feeling better?" Su Pei inquired.
"Mhm, much improved," Xiao Guang nodded. "The medicine you brought is refreshing and comfortable."
"That's great. Doctor Xu said you should be able to see light and shadows now. You might even fully recover within two months."
"Hehe, that's good."
"Even though you can still see everything, brighter eyes might unlock more superpowers."
"Huh?" Xiao Guang was a bit puzzled.
"When that time comes, don't forget to teach me, okay?"
Before Xiao Guang could reply, Su Pei hurriedly moved on.
About half an hour later, the gathered information was consolidated by Elder Su and a few others. They were in the midst of organizing suggestions and discussing changes in plans brought about by new developments. Meanwhile, many individuals who had been conversing in twos and threes gradually formed larger circles. The focus of discussion shifted from how to rescue people to who should be responsible for organizing everything.
Discussion transformed into argument, and argument escalated into quarrel. Soft-spoken words turned into loud retorts, and gradually, opposing sides began to clash.
Almost everyone joined the argument, each aligned with their own group and aspiring to establish their position. Previously, they had been members of separate teams that supported each other in times of difficulty. However, today's gathering brought together differing viewpoints on issues and the allocation of tasks.
The initial discussions had been polite. Su Pei and a few other girls listened with smiles as the men spoke eloquently. Some girls even whispered to one another, expressing admiration and shyness towards a few outstanding young men. But as time passed, they sensed the tension rising. Some of the girls grew worried and uneasy as the quarrel escalated around them.
The situation seemed to be spiraling out of control, lacking a strong leader. The natural inclination of the men turned the meeting into another battlefield.
Xiao Guang stepped onto the podium.
"I have a few words I'd like to share with everyone."
Xiao Guang's voice was slightly sharp but carried a low, mesmerizing tone.
"Could everyone please quiet down? Gentlemen, I'm asking you to quiet down. You're scaring the girls!"
Xiao Guang pointed to a few bewildered girls.
As people realized, they glanced at the girls beside them and began to understand.
"As men, we should apologize to them for our unreasonable behavior just now," Xiao Guang said, jokingly.
Embarrassment began to spread among the group, and some took the lead in apologizing to the girls. They then extended apologies to the opponents they had argued with earlier, gradually easing the tension. Su Pei and the other girls started smiling and motioned for everyone to take their seats.
Standing at the podium, Xiao Guang was joined by those who realized their mistake, such as Xu Dekai and Elder Wei. They walked up to stand below Xiao Guang, while those who had been arguing took their seats again and watched him in silence.
"Everyone has doubts in their hearts about how we can survive here. Everyone questions what kind of system we should establish to rebuild our home in this place."
"Capitalism? Imperialism? Feudal society? Slave society? Liberalism? Or something else?"
"In our world, we already had a complete system, a system that all of you understand and have grown up within."
"In that world, we had regrets, we had discontent. Because we are different individuals, we have disparities in abilities and awareness, and even differences in luck. So, no matter how perfect the system, it can't guarantee absolute fairness for everyone."
"Many people, people like us, came to this world carrying dissatisfaction from before. They seek opportunities here, aiming to turn things around, to give themselves an explanation. This is not wrong; everyone can have such thoughts, and every person who came here should have such a chance."
"The question is, what means will we use to cherish this chance? Violence? Conspiracy? Or any of the savage behaviors that have appeared in human history?"
"No, that's not acceptable. Humanity has endured too much suffering, and we, too, have faced too many difficulties. We left that world, no matter how well or how modestly we were living there, we might never be able to return."
"We left behind our loved ones, our friends, our familiar world. We sacrificed our comrades, lost family members, parted ways with friends, and our loved ones aren't here. We have nothing. Some of us stayed true to our principles, while others lost their way and betrayed. In just one short year, we've experienced too much; our organization has been shaken by storms."
"But still, we are together, protecting each other. When some chose violence and threats to create an evil empire, we stood up, opposed, and resisted."
"Here, we are building a new nation. We start from scratch, we construct, we develop. One day, the people on this land will have no wars, have plenty to eat and wear, and assist and love one another. They won't have privilege, bullying; everyone will have a chance, everyone will have ideals. When they speak of their ancestors, they will be moved, they will shed tears, they will be proud. They will remember and honor us, the ones who blazed the trail through difficulties, who took difficult steps. They will follow in our footsteps, guarding each other!"
"Now, some of our comrades are missing, their fate uncertain, and we can't contact them. Each of us is worried, and we need to devise a plan, unify our actions. We will use all our strength to rescue and protect."