Chapter 371: Facing Destiny!
Chapter 371: Facing Destiny!
The motorcycle sped through one town after another. Aside from Becky's hometown, all the other towns they passed had signs of explosions or had been blown up at some point.
Some incidents were unclear, but others were evidently the work of tricking starving people into using Grice's fire, which then leaked gas and caused an explosion.
Fortunately, no one had died.
Unfortunately, not a single fire starter could be found, which left Sage both amazed and frustrated.
The entire kingdom was on the brink of reverting to a primitive state of survival.
Along the way, Becky narrated Grice's story, and it seemed that this man was even more hated than the king himself.
Becky, at the age of fourteen, was the first person in this kingdom to want to venture out to sea because he could no longer bear the hardships of life on land. He had even convinced a group of people to join him.
But their timing couldn't have been worse, as they soon encountered slave traders as soon as they set sail.
However, even before he ventured out to sea, Becky had been restless and discontent.
He used to be a fervent believer in Grice and had followed him for a while, hoping to help bring fire to the kingdom so that people could cook without relying on the king's orders.
Until that incident happened...
"I used to believe Grice wasn't a bad person, even though he was a bit foolish, always fiddling with test tubes, trying to create fire, and constantly rambling on about bringing new fire to the people."
"But later, I realized I was wrong. That guy did create fire, but it was toxic gas. After the disaster, I intended to escape with him, but he abandoned me, intending to make me the scapegoat for the poisoning incident while he went to the royal palace!"
"Fortunately, I wasn't deeply affected by the poison, and everyone knew that Grice was the mastermind, so they let me go. After that, I returned to the town and often heard news about that guy."
"He went to the royal palace several times, but King Ferngard turned him away each time. Grice wanted to join the royal court, but the king looked down on him! After that, Grice became even more relentless. It wasn't just poisoning anymore; there were also explosions!"
"He's not trying to bring fire to the kingdom; he's turning fire into a weapon. He's using our health and lives as bargaining chips to gain entry into the royal palace!"
Becky pointed to the city that was coming into view, and at the very back of the city, there was a huge mountain that resembled a gate. "Sir, that's the royal palace."
Their journey here hadn't been too long or delayed, and soon they arrived at the capital city.
The mountain range that encircled the Cloud Mountain Kingdom formed a shape that was thick in the middle and thin on the sides. From the thick center, it extended outward to both sides, leaving a small gap at the location where Sage's Death Harbinger had landed.
This thick mountain range was a masterpiece of nature, resembling a towering gate. In front of this 'gate' was a sizable city.
The entire 'gate' mountain range lacked steep slopes, and at its very center was a massive iron gate that separated it from the capital city below.
It was as if the gate were overlooking the outer city.
As the capital, this city housed one-fifth of the Cloud Mountain Kingdom's population, a significant proportion compared to the small towns that housed only a few thousand people each.
This scale should have indicated a thriving city, but now, as night fell, the houses lacked any sign of life, and the city looked desolate and gloomy.
Outside the gate, a crowd of emaciated people knelt, weakly banging their heads on the ground and pleading to the iron gate above.
"Great King Ferngard, please, let me start a fire. My daughter is sick, and she needs hot water to brew medicine. Without fire, I can't boil water."
"King Ferngard, I just want to drink a bowl of rice porridge. Please give me fire, just a little bit of fire!"
"Your Majesty, please show mercy!"
The crowd was endless, stretching as far as the eye could see. There were at least tens of thousands of people kneeling before the gate, their voices, despite their weakness, combined to create a loud and desperate plea.
Chapter 371: Facing Destiny!
"That's quite interesting."
Sage laughed, "That suspended gate leads to the royal palace? Living so high up, does he want to emulate those fools? Letty, blow that gate up, I want to see what's inside."
"Coming!"
Reinette jumped excitedly onto the motorcycle seat, extending her mechanical hammer and aiming it at the bounty gate.
"Shut up!"
The gate remained silent, but a voice sounded from the guard post below.
A burly man with twin axes emerged, accompanied by a group of figures shrouded in black cloaks, their bodies and faces hidden in the shadows. He shouted at the top of his lungs:
"We've said it many times before, if you want fire, then bring money to buy it! Do you think fire is something trivial? It's not something that commoners like you can touch; it belongs to the noble King Ferngard!"
"The king has already been very accommodating by allowing you to purchase everything, including fire, ingredients, and even the opportunity to become a chef if you so desire, as long as you pay the price!"
"But, but we don't have any money left, we have nothing. We can't even find work anymore. We can't afford to buy anything now. All we ask for is a little fire from the king."
"Just a fire stone will do, just give us three months, three months, and we will definitely research new cuisines and restore the country to its former glory." An elderly man with flecks of white in his beard pleaded.
"Restore? How dare you mention restoration?"
The twin-axe man sneered, "Only in a state of weakness would one use the word 'restore.' Do you think King Ferngard is a foolish and ignorant ruler? Or are you cursing the Cloud Mountain Kingdom?"
"No, no, I absolutely didn't mean that." The old man shook his head frantically.
"All of you gathering here, pressuring the king to give up his authority, isn't that also a form of cursing him? If the king listens to you, then he would be the foolish one!"
The burly man withdrew his twin axes, baring a cruel smile, "For those who go against the interests of the nation, I have the right to deprive you of your rights as citizens of the Cloud Mountain Kingdom. If you still refuse to leave, then don't blame me for what happens next!"
Within the jurisdiction of the World Government, losing the status of a citizen of an affiliated country meant being unprotected by the law, essentially no different from being a slave.
"Without that status, you have no rights, and no human rights."
The axe-wielding man strode towards the old man, his axes clanging together as he declared, "Then I'll capture and sell all of you!"
"You can't do this, we're just hungry, we just want a hot meal," the old man pleaded, backing away in panic. But hunger had sapped his strength, and he was no match for the burly man's speed.
"A meal? Your fate is either to be chopped down by my axes or to be captured and sold! I am the one who decides your fate now!"
Whoosh!
Just as the burly man raised his axe, intending to make an example out of the old man, a shadow flashed above his head, causing his hair to flutter.
Boom!!
A massive explosion rocked the iron gate, creating a large concave dent.
Vroom!
The sound of spinning wheels on the ground drew everyone's attention to a cloud of dust behind them, where a beast-like motorcycle gang emerged.
"Quite a lively scene,"
The leader, a white-haired man, released the handlebars but didn't dismount. Instead, he smirked and said, "So, let's decide your fate, shall we? I, too, can choose your destiny, and because I am strong, there are no options. Your only fate is to follow me and work for me; that is your destiny!"
"Face your destiny!"
(End of Chapter)
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