Surging From a Withered Spring

It's working. Those two didn't lie to us...

Hm? Where did they go?

NOW!

RUN FOR IT!

It's alright, Mi Fu. We gotta save Tangtang first.

......

I am here to pay my last respects to a fallen friend.

You do not believe me...

Don't push her too hard. We should have faith in her.

Yeah, Tangtang won't abandon the Stockade... And those who followed Ruan Yi are probably in a total mess right now.

Let's leave. We need to report the situation here to Mi Fu and Tianshi Zhuang. And then...

Ardashir!

You did this to him!

How do you regard me at this moment?

Pretentious? Cunning? Cruel? The malevolent puppeteer behind it all?

However you perceive me, I shall accept it all.

We are now on opposing sides. Everything I say will be taken as feeble excuses.

When two factions steeped in hatred can scarcely understand each other, what hope lies between predator and prey, or creator and creation?

Forgive me, Endministrator. I will continue to oppose you, and those you care for may become my targets.

However, please do believe that...

...every action I take is for the survival of Civilization.

I ... I don't know what to say to you... I thought I was ready, but...

Gimme a bit more time... I gotta clean up Big Bro's mess ... and help my Fam back in the Stockade.

Sorry, Darkmask. You helped me out so much, but I kept breaking my promise...

Didn't toast you back? *Sigh*... I'll just tell you the truth, Darkmask. Chief gave her orders. She does not want to see anyone.

She said if anybody comes asking, get them to help. And that means gathering at least ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine Redjade Ginseng.

That, or grab a gong from the warehouse and bang it as loud as you can while walking round the Stockade, shouting: "Fire the fiery flare! Tangtang the Supreme Chief, come meet us here!"

And if you're sincere enough with the noise you make, Chief Tangtang will be there to give you a kick or two.

Please don't make it hard for me. Nobody wants the Chief to plant her boot in our faces.

*Sigh*... Fine.

I can't tell you how, but I can't stop you from accidentally overhearing things.

Here goes. Someone actually saw the Chief recently ... near these parts.

For as long as I can remember, he loved and cared for everyone in the Stockade Fam...

It wasn't an act, I know it wasn't!

I just... I just don't know why he must drag everyone in ... and pursue his plan for revenge...

"Trust me. Because I'll always be on your side."

Or should I assume that our Chief forgot about the promise she made?

...I'm the Chief of Qingbo Stockade. I keep my word, never break it!

But ... but if he really changed ... or has been lying to me from the very beginning...

What should I do?

......

Endmin...

Don't worry. I'll handle this.

Hooo...

Yeah! Thank you... Endmin.

And if he's doing this for vengeance ... perhaps I'm responsible as well.

...Tangtang?

...I was adopted, but my Bro was a real son of my father.

Things were really bad at Qingbo Stockade ten years ago. People actually died from hunger.

My Bro and my father ... risked everything for me and everyone else ... by raiding a Wuling supply convoy.

A convoy raid is often just a scuffle! But the Tianshi... They were very affected by the disaster in the Exclusion Zone...

It was raining that night, and people could hardly see anything... Father accidentally got...

That was also when I got hurt in my eye...

It's been so many years, yet I knew nothing about how he felt... My Bro never left that rainy night.

Hey, Supreme Chief. Do you remember this?

This... this is my Tangtang Cert...?

I'm going to exchange it right now for a promise from you.

...I got it.

Darkmask! As the Chief of Qingbo Stockade, I gotta settle this business!

Let's go see him...

Ruan Yi's quest for vengeance, the conflicts between Qingbo and Wuling... Are they truly just aftershocks of that past disaster?

Endmin, are you still thinking about Ruan Yi?

What the hell are they trying to achieve?

Ruan Yi's fall made things worse for her, and for Qingbo Stockade as well.

...And we got Nefarith and Ardashir to deal with.

It's not for me to judge how vengeance can blind a person... It wasn't me who lost family or friends.

Ten years ago... The disaster coincided with the Polar Expedition. It was also the time when you last awakened, Endmin.

Tangtang may be in greater pain than she seems...

Ruan Yi's impulsiveness killed him and fractured the Stockade.

His actions hurt too many people, especially those who trusted and loved him.

There are times when protecting a loved one is more difficult, and far more noble, than unleashing destruction in a moment of rage.

But Nefarith was more than happy to manipulate his rage. She took over Qingbo Stockade without getting personally involved.

I knew very well how difficult things were for the entire Civilization Band...

Disaster pushed people to desperation. Plenty of tragedies like Ruan Yi's were reported throughout the Band.

But Ruan Yi chose to pursue vengeance — and ended up hurting even more people. I cannot sympathize with his actions.

The future we are fighting so hard for ... must not be built on a never-ending cycle of violence.

Please take good care of her, Endmin.

Look over there! Your drone should be able to reach that.

You... I know you. I saw the Younger Dame hanging out with you people.

...Some white-haired outsider. Even Big Bro doesn't dare cross him.

Told us he'll help, as long as we obey. That means we won't have to get ourselves killed...

Traitors? Are you talking about those who refuse to obey the Younger Dame?

Traitor's a really harsh word, friend. Everyone's free to think for themselves.

Not really... I don't want to get involved in their business.

I don't care who you're looking for. Just get out of here...

Hold on. Here. Take these. And don't tell anyone that you saw us...

This failed to impress the real big shot. It's useless to me now...

How dare he...? What made him think he knew what's best for me? How could he just bail out like that...?

He was scared ... right until the very end...

Maybe it's just me, Perlica, but Ruan Yi... I feel like he gave up at the final moment...

Tangtang ... we should go.

Can I be alone for a while?

We'll wait for you.

Why...? The rain ended so long ago... Why seek revenge when the sun's out...?

...I just hope that after today, the Stockaders and Wulingers can put that incident behind them.