Poorer Deserted City residents and those without savings from the Qi Mountain Tribe can first find a place to settle.
Ren Zhong thought silently in his heart.
Last time, the Deserted City residents here were dragged onto the Mengdu Groupâs airships like livestock. This time, they work diligently, filled with endless hopes for the future.
Last time, countless large construction machines leveled this place. This time, there are also many construction machines here, but they are building rather than destroying.
I did it.
I no longer have to say sorry to anyone.
"By the way, where are the citizens in the town? I havenât seen them much these past two days?"
Ren Zhong asked.
Ma Dafu shook his head, "Theyâre all hiding at home, afraid to come out."
"Oh? Isnât there no voting process? The Deserted City residents shouldnât hold a grudge against them, right? What are they afraid of?"
Ma Dafu smiled, "Perhaps they have a guilty conscience."
"Guilty conscience? Could it be that these people are still afraid to face the Deserted City residents? Is this reasonable?"
Ma Dafu shook his head, "Of course not, they are afraid of you."
Ren Zhong grinned, "Afraid of me? Itâs good if theyâre afraid. Itâs a good thing they still know fear."
Ma Dafu looked at Ren Zhongâs dark velvet pangolin skin sleeves, and then at his own.
He glanced at the central monitor behind him and said, "Letâs chat downstairs in the reception room."
"Alright."
After going downstairs, Ren Zhong looked around, "Where is Teacher Ma?"
"Went to the county to adjust his equipment."
"Oh. Old Ma, if you have something to say, just say it."
Ma Dafu took a sip of tea, "I can feel that youâre different from ordinary people."
"Of course, is it my extraordinary talent?"
Ma Dafu stiffened, "You do have talent, but Iâm talking about something else."
"What?"
"Letâs not talk about that for now. What do you think about my daughter?"
Ren Zhong decisively commented, "Chivalrous and brave, a heroine among women!"
Ma Dafu smiled, "Ma Xiaoling is not that young anymore..."
Ren Zhong was quick-witted, "Well, sheâs not that old either."
"Do you like her?"
"Uh... Old Ma, you this..."
"Iâm not young either."
Ren Zhong took two steps back, "Old Ma, itâs not that I dislike Teacher Ma, on the contrary, I quite like her. But our relationship is like siblings! You want me to sleep with a sibling, I canât do it!"
Ma Dafu was stunned for a long time, "Are you really not considering it for the sake of your offspringâs intelligence?"
Ren Zhong: "Uh..."
After a long pause, Ren Zhong chuckled, "To be honest, Old Ma, you really do have some self-awareness."
Ma Dafu rolled his eyes, "Ah, letâs leave it at that. It doesnât really matter. As long as sheâs happy."
"Thatâs true."
A moment of silence passed, and Ma Dafu suddenly asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Old Ma isnât stupid.
From Ren Zhongâs different attitude towards Deserted City residents and citizens, he gradually read many things, somewhat similar to himself, but seemingly further along,
This step made him feel uneasy inside.
Ren Zhong grinned, "Old Ma, have you ever heard of sympathy that goes no further than sympathy?"
"What?"
"Let me tell you..."
After a long time.
Ma Dafu, dumbfounded, fell into a long silence.
His face turned somewhat pale.
"Ren Zhong, do you know how the Nameless City disappeared?"
Ma Dafuâs voice was hoarse as he spoke slowly.
Ren Zhong sat up straight, "Iâm eager to hear."
A hundred years ago, the people of the Nameless City attempted to break away from the citizen system and establish their own social system for the Deserted City residents.
This was precisely why this once prosperous city of the Deserted City residents was wiped out in an instant.
The one who led the army to massacre the Nameless City was a direct ancestor of Ma Dafu.
This is also why the Ma Family has stood firm in Yangsheng City for years.
This event was erased from history but was captured on film by his ancestors and stored as a proud victory on a disk hidden in the family archives.
Old Maâs father saw the video on the disk and fell into deep pain, leaving the family to come to this land, building Starfire Town from nothing.
Old Maâs father called his actions atonement.
After his fatherâs death, Ma Dafu inherited his fatherâs will, maintaining this small town and watching it decay, on the brink of collapse.
The head of the Demon Infant in Bone Valley constantly reminded Ma Dafu that a hundred thousand people were erased there silently.
Old Maâs melancholy stemmed from the worldview his father instilled in him.
He practically never felt happiness in his life, except for the day before yesterday.
Therefore, when raising Ma Xiaoling, Old Ma tried his best to preserve his daughterâs innocence, but perhaps he tried too hard, or maybe Ma Xiaoling was "uniquely gifted," naturally "without a heart."
Until Ren Zhong arrived, wiped out the Descending Demon Baby, changed Starfire Townâs fate, and brought peace to the hundred thousand wronged souls of the Nameless City.
Ma Dafu found relief, knowing that he was old and wanted to entrust someone with his burden, but he never expected Ren Zhongâs ambition to be so terrifying.
What Ren Zhong wanted to resist was far more than just Yang Bingzhong and Pu Cha.
He wanted revolution!
Therefore, Ma Dafu chose to reveal the long-buried secrets in his heart, hoping Ren Zhong would recognize reality.
After listening to Ma Dafuâs story, Ren Zhong also fell silent.
Ma Dafu: "Your talent is high, but no matter how talented one is, itâs impossible to overturn the world. There was the Ma Family in the past, and now there are others, probably even stronger! You will surely die! Will you still insist?"
Ren Zhong countered, "Do you know what the Mengdu Group has been doing recently?"
"Are you talking about them capturing Deserted City residents and sending them to labs?"
"Yes."
"I know."
"What do you think of it?"
Ma Dafu: "Those people are pitiful."
Ren Zhong: "The system on Source Star is flawed, and this is the root cause of the suffering. Someone must stand up and do something humane, the people of the Nameless City could, and so can I. This isnât called persistence, itâs called facing death without regret! Whatâs death compared to that? If thereâs no revolution, can we live forever? People must die. In oneâs lifetime, how one dies is not important at all! What matters most is how one lives! Whether one lives in a way that does not betray oneâs aspirations! No one can stop me! If one person canât do it, then ten people! If ten people canât do it, then ten thousand! If ten thousand canât do it, then all the Deserted City residents of Source Star! Including citizens like you, Old Ma. So, Old Ma, are you going to stop me, like your ancestors did? Iâll give you a chance to betray me."
In this "center of power" of Starfire Town, Ren Zhongâs revolutionary flame burned brightly for the first time.
Ren Zhong finally revealed his true face in front of Ma Dafu.
The spark of revolution finally gave rise to its first burning flame.
Ma Dafu was left speechless and dumbfounded.
He thought for a long time, yet shook his head and said, "This canât succeed, itâs meaningless, alas."
"Three months ago, when I came here, I was still a Deserted City resident with nothing. But now... If back then I told you I would achieve all this today, your answer would still be âThis canât succeed.â But itâs become reality. How do you know unless you try?"
"Humans must always seek a better path. Human systems wonât remain unchanged. The universe is so vast, with resources galore. The Nine Major Groups are already preparing to move out, there are stars and seas outside. They lack nothing. There is no absolute antagonistic relationship between high-ranking citizens and Deserted City residents. As for them needing brains, why canât they think of another more reasonable solution? Theyâve enjoyed too much wealth and material resources, yet now they even want to seize the bodies of Deserted City residents! Why canât they leave a bit of space for Deserted City residents to survive? Deserted City residents have no choice, I have no choice."
"Finally, is this system of exploitation and oppression, which fishes out the pond, correct? In my view, it is not a rational product of historical evolution, but rather a temporary shoddy shortcut. The whole Source Star has problems, and so it must inevitably encounter backlash."
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