053. Preparing for Advancement
Sisron led the Bermudes soldiers into the Palace of Surut, broadcasting live just in time to announce to the entire nation and the world that Grand Duke Gamos and his cronies had been eliminated. The provisional military government formed by Bermudes now declared control over the country.
Henceforth, the Duchy of Grant, enslaved by the Frost-Plated Republic and the Gulan family for 527 years, officially became independent and was renamed the Republic of Grant.
The situation was not optimistic. While the remaining soldiers loyal to the Grand Duke either fled or surrendered, the battle left the city in ruins, depriving many people of their workplaces and jobs. The citizens needed comfort, but more importantly, the sky remained filled with the ominous clouds of Calamity.
The battle might not have directly affected many civilians, but if the barrier generators were not activated soon, everyone would freeze to death.
When Li Aozi flew back to the city in search of Alexia, he realized upon landing that no one came to care for him. Instead, Alexia, who had just fallen to the ground, was immediately taken away by Bermudes soldiers to the field hospital for treatment.
"This is how it should be." Li Aozi wasn't upset at all; he even nodded in approval.
His charisma was extraordinary, equivalent to 'love at first sight' for humans. Even Professor Abyss, who hated him with a passion, would not dislike Li Aozi much when faced with his current 100 points in [Charisma].
The people of Grant had no time to flatter or curry favor with him. Defeating the Grand Duke and dealing with the aftermath shattered the psychological shackles holding them back, awakening their sense of independence.
Li Aozi glanced at his quest:
[Settlement Conditions]:
A. "Children of the Volcano"—Overthrow the comprador group of Grant and help the people of Grant reclaim power and rebuild the republic.
B. "Buried in Azure"—The greatest obstacle to the rebellion is the rulers of the old world. Kill Grand Duke Gamos Luvinci Grant (Completed).
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"Buried in Azure" was completed, but he still needed to help the people of Grant reclaim power to complete the entire "Roar of Freedom" quest.
Defeating the Grand Duke awarded him not only a large amount of experience but also a random reward granted by meeting Settlement Condition B, which Li Aozi was in no hurry to open.
On one hand, he was currently stuck at the last mutation requirement, needing another four to five hours before he could advance to Beta-tier. He had accumulated experience, but for now, it wasn't of much use, and he couldn't find any skills he needed to upgrade.
On the other hand, Li Aozi felt that his luck strictly adhered to the law of conservation.
Based on his recent experiences, if he opened a good reward now, then the Omega Energy he awakened next and his mutation options generally wouldn't be very favorable.
He really wished someone else could take his bad luck, but unfortunately, this guy didn't have that specialty.
As for Settlement Condition A "Children of the Volcano", it wasn't difficult to complete.
According to the quest description, the foundation for the people of Grant to reclaim power and rebuild the republic—Alexia had already laid it for them. All that was left was to clear away some obstacles, eliminate the remaining troops, and gain international recognition of the Republic of Grant.
Li Aozi's previous social events had already garnered attention from the Red Arrow Empire, Zhenxu, and Tianhuan. Now, international issues weren't much of a challenge; clearing domestic obstacles would allow the fledgling republic to stand firm.
At this point, his connection with Barnam came into play.
When Li Aozi found Barnam, he was standing in front of a car hood, directing personnel through a computer and map.
For the Bermudes soldiers, who mostly had driving school education, managing a city was a bewildering task.
This poor college graduate, Barnam, who had been an overseas salesperson, suddenly became one of the most educated individuals in the entire republic. As a top student from the Frost-Plated Republic, his excellent learning ability allowed him to assist effectively in government affairs. Conveniently, he also had some knowledge of human resource management.
"Heh heh heh, come here, come here." Li Aozi beckoned to Barnam. "I have something to tell you, Barnam. Do you know about the colonialists trained by the Frost-Plated Republic?"
Barnam put down the documents in his hand and nodded:
"I've heard of them."
Half an hour later.
Bermudes soldiers, fully armed, entered the underground shelter on Speya Avenue. As soon as they stepped onto the stairs of the civil defense structure, they heard a woman's hysterical roar from inside:
"I don't care about the rise of great powers; I only care about the dignity and happiness of small people!"
Several Bermudes soldiers exchanged glances, confirming with each other: they had come to the right place; the intelligence was accurate.
They didn't rush to open the door but recorded the voice with the terminal's recorder. They then heard the speaker inside passionately declare:
"Fellow citizens, the suffering you're enduring, the loss of your property, all stem from the shameless cruelty of those rebels. They destroyed your homes and shops. If it weren't for their extreme hatred of the Frost-Plated people, we would have become citizens of one of the four great nations. It's their fault that peace has been taken from us."
One person quietly pushed open the door a crack and aimed the camera at the crowd. He immediately focused on the well-dressed man on the high platform, speaking fervently with slicked-back hair and a powdered face—yes, the speaker with a voice similar to that of a woman was a man.
He looked benevolently at the people, his face, clearly injected with estrogen, showing an expression of 'I'm doing this for your own good':
"Oppose war, we want peace. The Frost-Plated people came with peace and goodwill. They built schools, factories, and gas stations for us, while our country's 'masculine men' only fantasize about proving their bravery through fighting and killing. How vulgar, how utterly vulgar!"
Bermudes soldiers quietly blended into the crowd, slowly approaching the man on the platform while two others moved to block the exits. An officer compared the man on the platform with the screenshot on his terminal, nodded, and confirmed:
"Yes, that's him, Chen Muci, the spokesperson of the Colonialists."
The 'man' called Chen Muci passionately exclaimed:
"In the Frost-Plated Republic, I can see boys with beautiful faces, and women can become high officials and business owners rather than being expected to give birth to boys. No, in the Frost-Plated Republic, girls are the treasures. Think about it, what's the point of extreme nationalism?"
"We should fully accept the governance of the Frost-Plated people, wear the white robes of the Frost-Plated Republic, and keep our hearts pure. The Frost-Plated people are civilized and respectable. During the centuries of their rule, we've had fuel for our cars, and our children can speak the advanced language of the four great nations, abandoning the primitive and backward native language of the Granters."
"Go to the Frost-Plated Republic and see for yourselves, my fellow citizens. The air is clear there, and people live with dignity. Even a dishwasher can live in a villa and enjoy free healthcare. We should embrace the baptism of advanced civilization, not live in squalor under the evil Grant national government. The Bermudes beasts only instill hatred and resentment in us, not realizing that without the Frost-Plated Republic, we wouldn't even have functioning cars."
"Good! Well said!"
Bermudes soldiers began to clap, and only then did the people notice that armed men with rifles had entered. Chen Muci, the man on the platform, remained unfazed. He raised his head proudly and even when the Bermudes soldiers approached, he walked forward arrogantly, puffing out his chest like a martyr, shouting at the Bermudes soldiers:
"What are you doing here?"
"The city has been taken over by our Bermudes forces. I'm here to inform everyone to go home and avoid gathering in large numbers," the lead soldier replied casually. "Mr. Chen, did you get your Frost-Plated green card? Do you need us to take you home or send you to the Frost-Plated embassy? You wouldn't be denied entry, would you?"
Whether or not Chen Muci had a green card was unclear, but his face turned green as he scowled:
"I'm giving a speech; this is my job."
"Well, then you're out of a job." The soldier smirked. "Take this gentleman away."
Chen Muci waved his hand in feigned anger:
"What are you doing? Are you arresting a progressive figure? This is discrimination! Persecution! Do you have a warrant to lay a hand on me?"
"Sorry, it's martial law now. The military calls the shots. If you don't cooperate, you'll be obstructing our duties, suspected of disturbing the peace, and illegally gathering."
Chen Muci trembled with rage, cold sweat streaming down his face, but faced with the dark barrels of guns, all his bravado from the speech evaporated. He pretended to stay calm, straightening his clothes and waving to the audience below.
"Don't worry about me. If my misfortune can awaken more people's consciences, then I'm willing to sacrifice myself for it."