20demayo Chapter 52 The Terrified Nobles
Chapter 52 The Terrified Nobles
Chapter 52 The Terrified Nobles
[Paramecium: Cocolia? I know!]
[The ordinary-looking young man playing with ashes: Hey, don't go! —]
But Kiana didn't reply for more than ten seconds, so she probably already started taking action.
[The strongest carbon-based life form of the 7th century: Although I don't know the situation in her world, Anti-Entropy must be some kind of force in her world, right? Is it really okay for her to go alone?]
[North of the Galaxy: That's what I say, but as you can see, Kiana probably hasn't thought about this in her current state. Hopefully, nothing will go wrong.]
[The ordinary young man who does nothing: Just wait. If anything goes wrong, the chat group will post a task. You can help then. I have something to do, so I'm logging off now.]
Inside the solemn council chamber of the Great Guardians, the long table was filled with upper-class nobles from Beloberg.
The air was so heavy it seemed you could wring water out of it, and every gaze directed at Bronya was filled with scrutiny, suspicion, and even undisguised hostility.
Jepard stood solemnly behind Bronya with his Iron Guards, their expressions tense, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Bronya sat upright in the main seat, her youthful face displaying a composure beyond her years.
She had just clearly and logically explained the current situation: the star core crisis had been resolved, the rift had disappeared, the snowstorm was about to subside, the passage between the upper and lower city areas was about to reopen, and there were preliminary reconstruction plans.
However, she was not met with applause or support, but rather with a suppressed silence, followed by a barrage of sharp criticism.
"Miss Bronya," an elderly nobleman with white hair and beard began, his voice drawn out, "you say the star core is resolved, and the rift has disappeared? Where's the evidence? Just that mysterious golden light from before? That could have been a harbinger of some unknown catastrophe!"
"The Great Guardian has yet to show himself. How can we believe this isn't a charade orchestrated by you all?" His words were like poisonous thorns, precisely provoking the sensitive nerves of the other nobles.
“That’s right!” another elegantly dressed middle-aged woman chimed in, her tone scathing. “Rebuild? Easier said than done! Those miners and vagrants in the lower city have been accustomed to filth and chaos for centuries. Letting them up now will only bring plague and crime!”
"Not to mention how many resources it will take to rebuild? Belloberg's wealth is not meant to fill that bottomless pit!" Her words represented the shortsightedness and selfishness of a considerable portion of the nobility, who only cared about their own interests.
"And that one—Mr. Chen Feng?" A sharp-eyed young nobleman pointed his finger at Chen Feng, who was sitting quietly behind Bronya, as if he were resting with his eyes closed.
He sized Chen Feng up and down, his eyes filled with disdain and suspicion. "So he's the one who resolved the crisis? A complete outsider of unknown origin, someone I've never heard of before?"
"Lady Bronya, you say he's an envoy of the Guardian?" This is unheard of! Lord Cripper of the Guardian has been silent for centuries; why would he suddenly send an envoy? How can we trust his identity and motives?
Questions arose one after another, directed at Bronya, and the nobles of Chenfeng exchanged glances, some openly and some covertly, the air thick with distrust and resistance.
Jepard's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles white. Had Bronya not given him a stern warning beforehand, he would have almost shouted at her.
Faced with the overwhelming doubts, Bronya took a deep breath, her amber eyes showing no panic, only an icy calm.
She slowly stood up, her gaze sweeping over every noble present. Her gaze seemed to carry a tremendous weight, gradually quieting the noisy council hall.
"I will answer all your questions one by one." Bronya's voice was clear and powerful, echoing in the silent hall.
"You will soon see with your own eyes the evidence of the disappearance of the star core and the rift—the snowstorm is receding, and the sun will shine on Beloborg once more. As for Mother..."
When Cocolia was mentioned, Bronya's voice wavered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "She was exhausted from protecting Beloberg from the erosion of the star core and is currently resting and recovering."
"Her safety and will are beyond question, and no one should use this as an excuse to attack her!" Her words were resolute, silencing any malicious speculation about a "coup."
"Our fellow citizens in the Lower City are also citizens of Belloberg! Separated for centuries, their suffering and resilience are far beyond what you, sitting by your warm fireplaces, can imagine!"
"Opening up access, integrating the upper and lower urban areas, and jointly rebuilding our homes is a historical inevitability and the only way out! Resource allocation will be governed by fair rules, and the opportunities and prosperity brought about by reconstruction will far outweigh the 'losses' you all worry about!"
Bronya's voice carried an undeniable determination, directly refuting the nobles' narrow-minded regionalism.
Finally, her gaze fell on the young nobleman who was questioning Chen Feng, then turned to Chen Feng, her eyes filled with absolute trust and respect.
Chen Feng, who had been resting with his eyes closed as if he were detached from the situation, slowly opened them.
Without any earth-shattering display of power, he simply raised his right hand casually, palm up, fingers slightly spread.
Buzz!
An indescribable, weighty, and rock-solid force quietly spread out from him.
The solid floor and walls of the council chamber seemed to resonate with it, emitting a deep hum.
Then, a scene that everyone will never forget happened.
Chen Feng's palm faced the huge floor-to-ceiling window of the council hall, making a loose grasp as if he had grasped an invisible thread.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—!
In the distance, from the direction of the permafrost ridge, came a deafening roar, as if the heart of the earth was pounding!
The sound pierced through the distance of space, clearly reaching the ears of every nobleman, shaking their very souls.
"Good heavens! What is that?!" The nobleman near the window screamed in disbelief.
Everyone rushed to the window in terror, only to see an unimaginably huge steel shadow rising from the ground on the distant horizon!
It stands tall and imposing, its grayish-brown metallic body reflecting a cold luster in the thinning snow. Its massive mechanical joints emit a dull, thunderous turning sound—it is the legendary ancient guardian weapon, the Creation Engine, built by the first Great Guardian and long since dormant deep within the Frozen Ridge!
At this moment, this colossal creature is taking heavy steps, ignoring the obstacles of mountains and rivers, moving towards the city of Beloborg at a seemingly slow but actually astonishing speed! With each step it takes, the earth trembles!
"What, what is this thing?!"
The nobles were terrified, and many collapsed to the ground, thinking that the end of the world had come.
However, Bronya and Jepard remained calm, their eyes filled with shock and awe.