Life Game In Other World
Chapter 1268: Dawn Sea and Morning Light (End of Copy World/Extra Long - Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 1268: Chapter 1268: Dawn Sea and Morning Light (End of Copy World/Extra Long Chapter Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"That ’faction,’"

Viko’s gaze narrowed slightly, "Is it the one in the Gray Stone Palace?"

"Yes, our old president. Although he is aged and often silent,"

Christos let out a soft sigh, "His eyes still see, his ears still hear. He actually knows everything that is happening in the Federation, and also everything happening in Dawn City.

"At the age of thirty, he stepped into the center of the Federation, becoming a congressman. His entire life revolved around that Gray Stone Palace, until he eventually took the seat within the palace himself."

Listening to Christos’s words, Viko fell into silence.

After a brief pause, he spoke softly, lowering his voice, "The Gray Stone Palace has never been satisfied with the Order Church, but they have no means to completely eliminate it.

"So it’s not that the Gray Stone Palace supports us. Rather, it’s that they need us to help them overthrow the Order Church together."

He raised his head, looking at Christos, "That’s why they gave an early ’hint’ to Dawn City."

Then, he let out a faint chuckle, "But Minte City didn’t get the hint—it’s just a small, peripheral town. In their eyes, its life or death doesn’t matter.

"Suote didn’t get the hint either. Even though Suote has done so much for them, when faced with a direct confrontation from the Order Church, they decisively abandoned him.

"And the hint given to Dawn City was aimed at the Legion Commander, not you. Because you might have died instantly during this upheaval, but the Legion Commander would survive,"

He turned to glance at the ruins outside the window, "They don’t care if Dawn City’s city government has problems or if the Order Church’s actions cause chaos and slaughter. They simply make a move, hoping to seize the opportunity to topple the Order Church."

"Strictly speaking,"

Christos spoke calmly, "They do care about us, but they don’t necessarily recognize us."

Viko paused, then realized the meaning in Christos’s words. He spoke softly, "They are deliberately allowing the Order Church’s actions? The Order Church’s attempt to overthrow Dawn City’s city government would inevitably offend the Legion Commander, making him a potential ally for them. So they chose to ’hint’ the Legion Commander."

He looked at Christos, "If luck favored them and the Legion Commander had enough contingency plans—or even managed to return in time—perhaps he could have interrupted the Order Church leader’s angel promotion ceremony.

"So their original plan was for you and the Order Church to mutually destroy each other, leaving them with the spoils of war?"

He furrowed his brow, "But they bet everything on the Legion Commander. What if he didn’t return or failed to act against the Order Church? Do they trust him that much?"

Hearing his question, Christos gazed at the greenery beside him, then spoke softly after a brief silence, "They understand the Legion Commander well and likely believe in his capability."

"But in the end, the Legion Commander couldn’t make it back..." Viko hesitated, realizing something. He spoke softly, "The Legion Commander likely knew from the start—his ’crisis sensing’ had been disrupted."

He looked at Christos, "Did the Legion Commander already understand their plans from the beginning?"

The answer was hidden in plain sight; Christos had implied it from the start. The Legion Commander had sensed abnormality in his ’crisis sensing.’

"I’m not sure,"

Christos shook his head. "From my exchanges with the Legion Commander, it seemed he hadn’t grasped the whole situation initially, only sensing that someone was plotting against Dawn City. So he adopted a method the Gray Stone Palace hadn’t foreseen,"

He spoke softly, "Disrupting fate—allowing fate to choose someone who might change the outcome to participate in the event, engaging in this ’struggle’ from the beginning in an unconventional way. He likely paid a significant price for this method, which delayed his ability to remove obstacles and return to Dawn City swiftly, but it introduced variables to the situation."

"Suote was the chosen one?"

Viko caught on, then asked with some doubt, "Did the Order Church fail to notice the Gray Stone Palace’s movements? Didn’t they realize that such actions would offend Dawn City and the Legion Commander?"

"Of course they noticed,"

Christos replied calmly, then glanced at the sky, "But according to the Legion Commander, the Order Church Leader had his own ace up his sleeve. He had gained support from the Divine Being. He likely believed he was destined to become an angel, and as long as he achieved that, all problems would cease to exist. So he was willing to gamble."

Hearing this, Viko sighed softly, "The Federation doesn’t have any gullible players, does it?"

He looked at Christos and continued, "But in the end, Suote brought an end to the Order Church. So, it seems, the Legion Commander won?"

"From the outcome, it aligns most with the Legion Commander’s expectations," Christos shook his head, "But even the Legion Commander didn’t anticipate the sequence of events unfolding as it did, nor that Suote could eliminate the Order Church leader. That ’variable’ proved to be far larger than anticipated."

He paused, withdrawing his gaze as his eyes fell on a playing card encased in a frame on the table. Speaking softly, he said, "The trajectory of this incident has always been determined by the true orchestrator of the ’board.’"

Viko’s gaze shifted to the playing card as well, staring at the ’K’ character in its corner.

After a brief silence, he turned back to Christos and said, "We still don’t know what Their ultimate goal is."

"Indeed," Christos nodded faintly, "But at least for now, They seem to share the same target as us."

"True, and many people have been influenced by Them as well." Viko sighed lightly and turned to Christos, asking with some confusion, "But the Legion Commander actually shared so much with you? Is this the treatment reserved for Dawn City’s mayor?"

"Most of the time, he was speaking and I was listening,"

Christos shook his head, "Previous mayors of Dawn City didn’t enjoy such treatment. The Legion Commander rarely takes the initiative to meet anyone. Unless Dawn City itself is endangered, he doesn’t really care about the mayor’s survival or death."

Seeing the curiosity lingering in Viko’s gaze, Christos pondered aloud, "Those words might have been some form of ’investment.’ Our performance finally caught his attention, prompting him to express his stance."

"It seems I, this reluctant and inexperienced mayor, still have much to learn." Viko listened to Christos’s words, then chuckled and sighed, "Without you explaining it, I wouldn’t even have comprehended these matters."

"Some of it stems from a lack of information,"

Christos smiled and shook his head lightly, "My understanding of Minte City certainly pales in comparison to yours."

"You’re joking. If you were in Minte City, you’d certainly perform much better than me. But," Viko looked at Christos and asked softly, "Did you cooperate with the Gray Stone Palace from the start?"

"No,"

Christos shook his head, speaking softly, "Suote’s elimination of the Order Church leader exceeded even the Gray Stone Palace’s expectations. Their most extreme original preparation was likely just the failure of the Order Church leader’s promotion ritual. They never anticipated his death occurring in Dawn City."

He paused briefly, continuing, "So even before taking action, they hesitated about targeting the Order Church."

"That explains Ains’s silence,"

Viko grasped the situation, "The stronger we seemed, the more they wavered, ultimately deciding to act with us?"

"Correct," Christos nodded lightly, "The early silence was hesitation, and the later silence was strategic—lulling the enemy into a false sense of security. From what I’ve gathered, the Order Church even concluded that the Gray Stone Palace wasn’t going to intervene."

"But they acted decisively, cutting through the mess swiftly. In a brief period, they uprooted Ains’s Order Church entirely and dealt heavy blows to financial consortia closely aligned with the church," Viko said, picking up Christos’s narrative, "That old president may be advanced in years, but his methods remain ruthless."

"Without their thorough cooperation, we wouldn’t have been able to purge the Order Church’s sphere of influence on such a large scale,"

Christos seemed to recall something, sighing softly, "This all depends significantly on Suote and the arrangements left by another individual.

"Without Yilan City, Nolanka Group, Wint City, and other cities and forces joining us, standing on the same side, Dawn City’s power alone wouldn’t have been enough to tip their scales."

"Indeed," Viko nodded faintly, then raised his head to look at Christos, "But now that the Order Church issue is resolved, are we next to face the Gray Stone Palace?"

After a bloody war and turmoil, both Dawn City and Minte City were in poor condition, desperately needing time to breathe and recover—and certainly unable to endure another round of chaos.

"Unlikely," Christos shook his head, looking at Viko with a smile, "This ’timing’ surprised everyone. The Gray Stone Palace wasn’t prepared for their own actions either. The lingering retaliations from the Order Church, both before and after their death, aren’t going to be easily handled. They likely lack the capability to trouble us in the short term."

Pausing for a moment, he said softly, "Suote must have understood this early on. This is what he left for us—arrangements that continue to assist us even after his death."

Upon hearing this, Viko’s gaze lowered, falling silent.

After an indeterminate period passed, he raised his head to look at Christos, his lips parting slightly before closing again.

"Do you still have questions?"

Christos caught his unsettled expression, asking gently.

"That figure in the Gray Stone Palace," Viko finally spoke, his voice low, "Must he remain our enemy?"

Viko knew his question held a trace of naivety, as though clinging to impractical fantasies about their adversary, a sentiment unworthy of a seasoned politician. Yet the question lingered within his mind.

Christos paused briefly upon hearing it.

"I don’t know,"

Ultimately, Christos offered no definitive answer. He appeared lost momentarily in old memories, speaking softly,

"When I was younger, I actually met that figure from the Gray Stone Palace. At the time, he was no longer young, preparing for his presidential campaign. I could sense a genuine desire in him to change the Federation. Many of my early ideals were influenced by him."

His gaze passed through the nearby window, falling upon the solitary silhouette of Dumel National Cemetery in the distance. "But once he became president, he sank into silence. I don’t know if he still holds onto his youthful aspirations. Even if he does, his path likely diverges from ours."

The empty hospital room returned to silence.

——

Ains – Gray Stone Palace

Tall, upright footsteps echoed down a narrow hallway, the shadows and light streaming through the windows weaving roads beneath his feet.

He passed through the interplay of light and shadow, the worn, dimly lit floor beneath him creaking, until he reached the hallway’s end.

The old, weathered door opened of its own accord.

His figure passed through, entering an office within.

The pristine marble desk and the elder seated behind it were reflected within his pupils. Gazing at the elder before him, he spoke softly,

"Nord Financial Consortium was unusually silent this time, only taking minor actions...

"Stars Pharma seems defiant, attempting some collusion...

"Nolanka Group is expanding across more industries, diverging from the traditional ways of consortia operation..."

...

"Christos’s support rate in Dawn City continues to rise. If trends hold, his odds of re-election are significant..."

...

The figure listed one observation after another, while the elder quietly listened, his frail visage seemingly asleep, appearing unaffected by the unfolding report in the otherwise echoingly hollow room.

After an unknown stretch, the figure’s speech abruptly shifted, "I visited Dumel National Cemetery."

"What did you think?"

The elder’s voice broke the stillness within the grand room.

"It’s done quite well,"

The figure replied softly, "There were many gathered there, and flowers adorned his grave."

Once again, silence permeated the empty office.

After another unwound pause, the elder spoke again—his tone carrying traces of wistfulness, "He was a noble man."

——

Dumel National Cemetery

Clutching a bouquet of pure white flowers, a short-haired girl walked along the winding footpath, gradually heading deeper into the green expanse.

She wasn’t alone; many accompanied her, most carrying flowers and treading through the same path towards the same destination.

The wind tousled the girl’s short hair, prompting her to lift her chin and appraise her surroundings.

Tombstones scattered loosely around the trails, modestly disorderly yet concealing an invisible order that imparted a subtle aesthetic.

Her gaze soon landed on a nearby figure—a blonde woman clad in a leather jacket standing quietly before a lone grave marker.

The figure seemed lost in somber reflection, accompanied by a young boy beside her, silently staring at the gravestone.

Even from her silhouette alone, the short-haired girl could sense that she was one of the world’s most breathtaking beauties.

A spouse? Or perhaps...

Nonetheless, blonde hair paired with undeniable beauty naturally stood as iconic traits...

The girl’s eyes subtly swept over the woman and child nearby, her mind briefly roused with associations.

Turning her gaze ahead towards the road, those idle thoughts slipped away as quickly as they came.

...

"What did you bring?"

"White chrysanthemums; my family traditionally uses them for funerals."

"Mine are white chrysanthemums too. It looks like everyone uses them. Is there some special meaning behind it?"

"In Dawn City, I believe white chrysanthemums symbolize respect. They’re often used to mourn heroes or those held in high regard. For more personal losses, some choose white tulips, though customs vary—Ains prefers yellow chrysanthemums, as they represent both respect and an homage to friendships."

...

Fragmented whispered exchanges floated freely within the crowd, while the short-haired girl continued on silently clutching her flowers.

She walked for an untold time, finally arriving at an open clearing.

Scattered statues stood like grave markers before her in this roomy domain.

The girl approached gradually, halting before the largest and most imposing statue.

Unlike the forward-facing poses of other statues, this colossal piece turned its back toward the gathering visitors.

Its garments lay tattered, stained and defaced with chaotic blood. It stood facing the heavens alone, shielding its people only through the solemn turn of its body.

The slim yet towering silhouette resembled a guardian giant amidst adversity.

The base of the monument bore a carved inscription.

[We cannot see his face, nor hear his voice. But we know—he is here, abiding with us.]

Beside this statue lay an immaculate gravestone elegantly etched.

[Suote Lynch]

[710–759]

The grave lay engulfed beneath a cascade of varied floral tributes, carpeting the stone’s footing thoroughly.

The short-haired girl gazed steadily at the gravestone.

With instinctive sharpness, her sight veered upon the stone mound behind it. She knew it stood vacant within.

’He hadn’t departed our tangible world outright; thus, leaving no true remains behind. Municipal officials merely unearthed scattered fabric fragments bloodied amidst debris—consecrating them beneath this site.’

Moments flashed, vivid reminders drawn throughout her travel upon overhearing broadcasts in transit.

Minte boasted an identically erected monument. Adorning its central plaza, within lay an identically vacant crevice.

"Do you think Mr. Suote can return someday?"

Nearby murmur flared lightly from the wilderness-scouting fellow, "His body neither fell unto fire’s embrace nor lay beneath soil. Eternally uprooted into obscure realms displaced indefinitely where peace denies reprieve claims,"

"Shh," cut another’s gentle intervention sharply anecdoting tales of reversal. "He must return—the finest talons blessed shall deliver divine routes ensuring Suote finds restoration paths deserving sanctuary."

The windy shrifts persisted softly bucklering those flowering mementoes preserved vigil-scattering harvested condolences.