Late at night, in a remote corner of the icefield town, several figures gathered together, discussing in low voices.
"The Landing Site is heavily guarded. Just the outer periter has a large number of soldiers manning multiple checkpoints. Getting close probably won't be that easy for us."
"It seems it's impossible to infiltrate the Landing Site like we infiltrated this country."
"What should we do then, charge the checkpoints by force?"
"With just our own strength, I'm afraid we lack sufficient firepower."
"If we had a bishop to support us, perhaps..."
"The bishops have to guard against retaliation from the Suroman heretics. Their responsibilities are too great; they can't spare the ti. We can only rely on ourselves."
"Perhaps we could try to make use of the other people in this town."
"That is indeed a good idea."
After discussing for a mont, the figures left.
Shortly after, a person slowly walked out from the shadows.
Uenoshi looked in the direction the few people had left, her gaze cold.
"Bishop, heretics... are these followers of the Fire Thief Worship Cult?"
She pondered for a mont, then lted back into the darkness.
Early the next morning, as soon as the sky brightened, the town was already filled with a clamor of noise.
Too many people had entered the town these past two days; the houses were already insufficient. However, many people had co prepared, bringing high-grade sleeping bags and other thermal tools with them, sleeping outdoors at night.
It was just that this was the coldest month of January, and in a place like the icefield, with temperatures dropping dozens of degrees below zero at night, it was truly not easy for these people to willingly endure it.
Inside the town's only tavern, it was already packed to the brim. A young woman was sitting at the bar, loudly ranting about sothing.
"Everyone has traveled thousands of miles, enduring hardship to co from all over the world, isn't it just to see that alien with their own eyes? It's understandable that Xisiya and the Human Consortium won't let ordinary people ask questions, after all, it costs food. But why on earth won't they even let us take a look?"
"The lady is right!" soone chid in. "This alien lifeform was released by the Fire Thief. The Human Consortium, under the banner of all humanity, monopolizes the right to ask questions, and that's not enough? They even monopolize the right to witness it with our own eyes, it's downright hateful!"
"That's exactly it."
"The Human Consortium says they hold etings to discuss and pass resolutions on what questions to ask, but in reality, isn't it just a bunch of higher-ups closing the doors and deciding everything themselves?"
"Makes sense!"
The young woman's speech, bolstered by multiple supporters, drew cheers from the crowd in the tavern.
Regardless of each person's purpose for being here, they all had the need to see the alien intelligence with their own eyes. Moreover, it was very difficult for many people to make this trip. Transportation wasn't as convenient now as it was in the peaceful era.
Uenoshi was currently outside the tavern. Leaning against the wall, she could still hear the waves of shouting, a testant to the intense atmosphere inside.
She recalled the furtive discussion of those few people last night who were suspected to be Fire Thief Worship Cult followers, and guessed in her heart: "Using the power of the other people in the town... It seems they plan to incite everyone who ca here from elsewhere to head to the Landing Site together through words."
Would this affect the Troupe Leader's plan?
Uenoshi knew Guan Tong was currently at the Landing Site, looking for an opportunity to complete his question.
If the situation in the town would affect things over there, she needed to inform him promptly using the [Communication Scroll].
However, given the defensive strength of the Xisiya soldiers, even if everyone in the town combined forces, they might not be able to break through the defense line. And once conflict erupted, more soldiers would reinforce the area imdiately.
...Better to wait and see for now.
Just then, a burst of shouting erupted from inside the tavern.
She heard a group of people shouting: "Protest! Protest! Protest!"
Inside the tavern, driven by those with ulterior motives, the crowd shouted protests to express their dissatisfaction. However, while so shouted with their mouths, their eyes flickered with cunning, as if each had their own different sches.
At that mont, a bespectacled middle-aged man suddenly stepped onto a table, standing up high, and shouted loudly: "Everyone, listen to
for a mont!"
Soone had climbed high and called out, so the crowd gradually stopped shouting and looked over.
The initial few instigators were also quite surprised. They exchanged covert glances, not knowing what this bespectacled man, who didn't belong to their group, was about to say by jumping out.
"Everyone! I am Louis. You may not know , but I am a mber of the Contact Delegation, and I was the first person to formally ask the alien intelligence a question!"
Contact Delegation? The first formal questioner?!
As Louis finished speaking, those newcors who didn't know Louis exclaid in surprise.
As for so people who had known Louis before, they nodded one after another, speaking up to corroborate his identity.
"What he says is true."
"This is a man who will be in history books in the future—provided there are still history classes to be had in the future."
After waiting for the crowd to quiet down a bit, Louis continued: "You all may have seen the news online. After the alien intelligence's communication mode was confird, we mbers of the Contact Delegation were kicked to the curb, forcibly removed from the Landing Site."
"Now my colleagues have all left, but I never left. Why? Because I'm just like you! I firmly oppose the Human Consortium, I oppose those barbaric Xisiya soldiers monopolizing the observation rights to the alien intelligence!"
"There's only one week left before the Fire Thief cos to reclaim it. No matter how many slogans we shout here, it won't change anything!"
Louis took a deep breath and shouted: "If you all have the guts, let's go to the Landing Site together! Right now, there are thousands of people who have co to this town from all over the world. With so many people joining hands and walking towards the Landing Site together, let's see if those Xisiya soldiers dare to block us or open fire!"
The few instigators were overjoyed upon hearing this. They never imagined soone would jump out and do their job for them.
Moreover, Louis, as the first formal questioner, had far greater appeal in this matter than they did.
As expected, after Louis finished speaking, the tavern imdiately erupted in a frenzy. People shouted loudly, soon unifying under a new slogan.
"To the Landing Site! To the Landing Site!"
...
A Xisiya official vehicle stopped at the Landing Site. A person got out of the car. Sigaochin walked over, carefully verified their identity, and then let them enter a recreational vehicle to wait.
"The new questioner," she said, walking back to Guan Tong.
"So soon. It seems the Human Consortium has new questions to ask."
"When do you plan to ask yours? There's only one week left before the rules end. Do you intend to drag it out until the last hour?"
"No. That would be risky. This puddle of alien black sludge's answer mode is to eat first, then answer. Cutting it close at the last hour, there's a chance it might not finish eating, or not have ti to answer before the Fire Thief reclaims it."
"That's true too."
"I want to wait a bit longer, let the Human Consortium ask first. If I ask now, it will only cause you a few more days of trouble, won't it?"
"......"
Sigaochin knew Guan Tong was right.
Although she didn't know what he ant by his earlier statent about "asking within a domain," she knew that as soon as he asked a question, the Human Consortium would find out.
The question itself might be hidden, but the feeding could not be hidden.
The consequence of Guan Tong asking now would be that the Human Consortium would learn an unauthorized person had asked a question, then demand the Xisiya soldiers on-site conduct a strict investigation, and might even implent more other security asures.
Avoiding unnecessary trouble—Guan Tong being willing to wait until the end to ask would indeed save a lot of hassle for Xisiya and for Sigaochin.
Moreover, Guan Tong had another reason he didn't ntion.
That was, he could observe the scope and capability of this puddle of alien black sludge's answers by learning the results of the Human Consortium's questions on-site, in order to judge whether his own question could be answered.
As for what question Guan Tong actually wanted to ask, Sigaochin didn't know. She had asked Yelanka, who also said she didn't know.
"No matter what question you want to ask, considering the safety of the Xisiya people, please act within your ans."
This was what Yelanka said to Guan Tong when she left the museum, and he had naturally taken it to heart.
"Questioning begins at ten o'clock. Everyone, start preparing."
At Sigaochin's command, the soldiers on-site busied themselves.
And just at that mont, her expression suddenly changed, as if she had received so urgent news.
In the secret channel Guan Tong was in, her voice urgently reporting to Yelanka imdiately sounded.
"Administrator, I have received word that over a thousand civilians from all over the world have gathered together, demanding to enter the Landing Site to observe the alien intelligence. These civilians are currently charging the outermost defense line. Please instruct us on how to handle this?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)