Raising the Banner of Rebellion.
As the subtitle popped up in the live stream system, the hearts of everyone in the chat room leaped into their throats.
Initiating a coup, altering Belobog's century-old structure, granting its people the right to pursue life—this was the first step toward saving this frozen world, and the very goal Bai Heng and Bronya had been striving for.
Now, the time had finally come to put this plan into action.
[On a serene, sun-kissed day, gentle sunlight spilled across the icy earth. Though it failed to melt even an inch of the permafrost, it brought a faint warmth. On such a peaceful, radiant morning, the long-laid plans between you and Bronya were set into motion.]
[A force of nearly a thousand soldiers marched in a grand procession into Belobog's Administrative District. In the past, such a spectacle would've been spotted immediately by the patrolling Silvermane Guards, who would've reported it to Qlipoth Fort.]
[But that didn't happen. With just a few exchanged glances, as if some unspoken agreement had passed between them, the guards stationed there smoothly let the army through.]
[Your forces took control of every key passage in the Administrative District, seized the supply depots, and even replaced all the guards at Qlipoth Fort with your own people.]
[To be safe, you also had someone temporarily block off several routes to the front lines, preventing Guardian Captain Gepard Landau from bringing reinforcements back from his defensive post.]
[Everything was accomplished in near silence—not a single shot had been fired from your army's rifles thus far. Such was the precision of your planning.]
[After all this was done, you and Bronya led a small team into the Guardian's residence, where you came face to face with the 18th Supreme Guardian, Cocolia.]
"You've come."
As she watched the team burst into her residence, Cocolia's deep amethyst eyes showed no trace of panic—instead, they held a faint, almost amused glint.
Her composure made Bronya tighten her grip on her rifle, and beneath his iron mask, Bai Heng's brow furrowed slightly.
"My daughter, there's no need to be so tense. No matter how meticulous your preparations, don't you find it a bit… unusual how smoothly everything has gone?"
"Rest assured, I know why you've come, and I will give you a satisfactory answer. But before that… let's talk."
[Belobog had been under Cocolia's rule for years. Though you'd kept your preparations well-hidden, faint whispers had still reached her ears. From these traces, it wasn't hard for her to deduce your intentions.]
[Unexpectedly, she hadn't taken any countermeasures against your actions. Instead, she'd allowed events to unfold, waiting here alone to meet you.]
[In a calm, almost gentle atmosphere, Cocolia began to explain everything.]
[She knew she hadn't been a worthy Supreme Guardian. She was aware that she was stacking everyone's futures together, pushing a crumbling Belobog ever closer to the cliff's edge, waiting for the city to plunge into ruin. But there was a reason for all of it.]
[The Stellaron, the Cancer of All Worlds. Cocolia had pored over the research documents left by the Architects, learning of its deep ties to Nanook the Destruction. She also knew that where Destruction's iron heel tread, new life could also emerge.]
[Gambling on that hope, she accepted the Stellaron's promises, yearning for a new world yet to come.]
It was as if a long-buried secret had finally been spoken aloud. Cocolia let out a long, slow breath, then offered a bitter smile.
"But… you've shown me that a thread of miracle still exists in this world. Qlipoth's divine blessing… Your faith and efforts have brought a blessing to this frozen land, one it hasn't known in over seven hundred years."
"It makes me curious… What would a future look like, one not doomed by the Stellaron's promised destruction?"
As she spoke, Cocolia unpinned the Supreme Guardian's insignia from her chest and gently placed it in Bronya's palm.
"I will step down as Supreme Guardian and return the right to pursue hope… to all of you."
[It felt less like a coup and more like a negotiated peace. But regardless, the outcome was a success. Cocolia handed the emblem of the Supreme Guardian to Bronya and declared she would publicly resign from her position.]
[Before being escorted under guard to the palace reserved for her confinement, Cocolia paused beside you and whispered something only you could hear.]
"Consider it a word of advice. Do not assume that the crises facing Belobog are merely the Eternal Freeze and the Fragmentum. The sickness plaguing this city runs far deeper, and in much darker places."
--+--
It's… over?
Bai Heng stared blankly at the subtitle that had just flashed across the screen.
He'd expected the coup to be earth-shattering, explosive—an all-out conflict.
He'd even prepared himself for an epic three-hundred-round showdown with Cocolia. He'd mentally drafted several scenarios where he'd sacrifice himself right here, just to make 'Rand Duck' weep and wail.
But instead, not only did Cocolia put up zero resistance—she'd willingly stepped down?
Was this really the same Cocolia he remembered? Or had the impact of 'Preservation' been so powerful that it made this Stellaron-hardened Guardian see the error of her ways?
And what did she mean by that last remark?
Were there even deeper issues within Belobog? The dwindling reserves of geomarrow? The Stellaron? Or some other hidden threat?
Bai Heng was thoroughly puzzled. Because of his involvement, the simulated storyline had diverged significantly from the original. Much of what was happening now went beyond what he knew.
Whatever. He'd just have to keep simulating and see...
Finding no answers in his thoughts, Bai Heng turned his attention back to the unfolding simulation.
[The success of the coup brought a smile to Bronya's face—one that had been absent for far too long. She could already envision Belobog moving toward a brighter future. But you couldn't shake the feeling of unease left by Cocolia's parting words.]
[Late that night, you went alone to the palace where Cocolia was being held. There, she revealed the deeper darkness lurking within Belobog:]
"It's the Council of Elders. Their influence extends throughout Belobog's entire economy. They can set the price of a loaf of bread on a whim. They've even formed a… symbiotic relationship with the common people."
"Uprooting them will inevitably bring bloodshed and outrage. Do you think Bronya is capable of making that choice?"
"The rebel—Bai Heng."
There, in the confines of the palace, Cocolia not only revealed the identity of the man behind the iron mask—she also posed a challenging question to him.
--+--
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.