"No, Supreme Guardian Cocolia, this is not a rebellion—this is... revolution!"
As these words left Bai Heng's lips, he fearlessly stepped forward under the gaze of countless onlookers, his resolve as unyielding as iron, undaunted by the chilling frost of the spear in Cocolia's hand.
"Cocolia, let me ask you a question."
"As the Supreme Guardian, can you still envision the future of Belobog?"
Bai Heng's voice was remarkably steady, betraying no emotion save for a slight rasp.
"Of course I—"
Arrogance still clung to Cocolia's expression, but before she could finish, Bai Heng raised his voice, cutting her off.
"You can't!"
He spoke with fierce passion, his right hand sharply gesturing toward the citizens of Belobog standing behind him.
"Look at your people—their faces are filled with nothing but sorrow and grief. They can never be certain whether their lives will wither away before tomorrow even arrives!"
"Look at this city! The wounds inflicted by the Fragmentum are slowly eroding the very ground beneath our feet! The roars of Fragmentum creatures echo in our ears all day long, even haunting our dreams!"
"But! The cause of all this isn't the Eternal Freeze, nor is it the Fragmentum creatures—it's you, the Supreme Guardian!"
"That's right! Belobog may one day be swallowed by the Eternal Freeze, or perhaps eroded entirely by the Fragmentum. But no matter what end awaits us, it has not yet come to pass!"
"But you, Cocolia! Before that end arrives, you seek to strip us of our right to pursue a future!"
"Cocolia, as the Supreme Guardian, you are the plague rotting Belobog from within!"
The moment his words fell, Bai Heng pointed the axe in his hand directly at Cocolia.
Unlike the last simulation, here in this land of endless frost, Bai Heng was a hardened soldier. His eyes burned with fervent conviction, as if trying to sear through the biting wind and snow. His actions were like an arrow released from a bow—swift and without regret.
All of this was taken in by a young girl hiding timidly behind Cocolia.
Bronya Rand, Cocolia's chosen successor as Supreme Guardian, was still too young to discern whether the words spoken by this man were right or wrong.
But as the hardened soldier finished speaking, Bronya saw, for the first time, a flicker of 'uncertainty' on her mother's face.
And in the next moment, when Cocolia ordered the Silvermane Guards to aim their weapons at the civilians, Bronya realized that the mother she had always seen as perfect might not always be right.
[The man ignited the first spark of rebellion with his words and actions, but he clearly underestimated the corruption and folly of those in power. The moment the Silvermane Guards aimed their weapons at the protesting civilians, this rebellion was destined to end in failure.]
[The protest was easily suppressed. The man was thrown into prison, branded a 'traitor.' Perhaps, when the spring equinox arrived, he would face judgment.]
[Yet his efforts were not in vain. On that night of rebirth, his actions and speech planted seeds of 'Revolution' in the hearts of countless people.]
--+--
Watching the fading images and the descriptions appearing on the screen, the viewers in the livestream were filled with deep emotion.
--+--
Lumine: 「This story feels much heavier than the last one...」
Elysia: 「To save the land beneath his feet, misunderstood and unsupported, yet he still held firm to his beliefs and took action. Mr. Bai Heng in this world reminds me of a friend...」
Stelle: 「If I may ask... is that friend of yours... still alive?」
March 7th: 「What kind of dangerous thought is that!?」
Stelle: 「Just preparing myself mentally, that's all!」
Kiana: 「I suddenly miss the previous story. At least aside from the ending, it was mostly lighthearted and cheerful...」
Himeko: 「There's no need for such sorrow. Not all stories in the world are tragedies.」
Keqing: 「Speaking of which, Mr. Bai Heng was sent to prison... He'll be alright, right?」
Yae Miko: 「You can set your mind at ease on that. This story is clearly just beginning. Even if it's destined to be a tragedy, now isn't the time for it~」
Stelle: 「? Are you also a seasoned purveyor of heartbreak?」
--+--
While the livestream buzzed with discussion, Bai Heng's simulation continued to unfold.
[The uprising you ignited was easily suppressed. Though you had prepared in many ways, you never imagined Cocolia would directly turn against the people.]
[Because of this, you gained even more support—not just from ordinary citizens, but even some soldiers spoke out on your behalf. Soon, however, these voices quietly disappeared.]
[Cocolia did not put you on trial. In her eyes, the greatest punishment was to let you, who sought the future, helplessly watch as the end approached.]
[And so, you spent day after day confined in prison. In that dim, narrow cell, you could hardly even keep track of the passing time.]
[Yet even so, the fire in your eyes never dimmed. Your will never wavered. In that lightless prison, you honed your body day after day, clinging to the hope that one day you would see the light again.]
[Four full years passed. On this day, your cell received its first visitor ever.]
[It was a young woman dressed in the uniform of a Silvermane Guard captain. Her beautiful silver hair was tied into three sections cascading down her back, and her silver-gray eyes carried a chilliness.]
[You had seen her before and knew her name—Bronya Rand. On that night of rebirth when you started the uprising, this very girl had clung fearfully to Cocolia's side, her eyes full of trepidation as she looked at you.]
[Now, much had changed. Not only did she wear the badge of a Silvermane Commander on her chest, but her features had also grown more refined with time.]
[Under your puzzled gaze, the young woman removed her glove and extended her hand to you. Her cool voice echoed through the narrow cell as she said:]
"Traitor Bai Heng, will you join me in saving this scarred nation once more?"
Just then, a sliver of moonlight spilled through the prison window, illuminating the girl and casting her face in an almost ethereal glow.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.