Chapter 002 207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP14UpeO4W1
Still, Many Many Years Later207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlW1ldo9jQ9
Duanmuh Shannchyuan sat pensively on his bed. He tried to digest slowly the extraordinary things that Linqhwu Jiannjyh had just told him an hour before.
Currently, he was sitting alone in the room. About forty-five minutes earlier, Chioulin Yeujow had left the room. The young man told Shannchyuan to rest to recover his body condition.
It's not that Shannchyuan didn't want to sleep. He knew that he really needed a lot of rest. But he had a hard time closing his eyes. Linqhwu Jiannjyh's story was one of several things that stuck in his mind.
He looked around him. The room was actually very comfortable. If he could calm down, then surely he would feel very lucky to be in a place like that.
Shannchyuan didn't know if the place he was in was a prison. From another perspective, one could say that he was in a grith, a sanctuary. A safe hiding place, yet so lonely.
While Shannchyuan was still in a restless state, there was a knock on the door. Shannchyuan was silent. He was too lazy to talk. The room door opened. A man came inside and immediately sat on a chair that was right next to Shannchyuan's bed.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty!"
"Good afternoon!"
"I understand that at this time, Your Majesty may not be able to recognize me."
"Right. I don't know who you are."
"My name is Senyuan Dahher. I am the director of this hospital."
"Good afternoon, Director Senyuan."
"Is Your Majesty unable to sleep?"
"Except for a few things, I can't remember anything. Do you think I can sleep peacefully realizing that I forgot a lot of things?"
Senyuan Dahher smiled. "I understand. Your Majesty must be feeling uncomfortable with this situation."
"Anyway, thank you for visiting me."
"Is there anything Your Majesty would like to tell me?"
Shannchyuan stared at the person.
Things like this should have been very clear.
"Mr. Chioulin seems afraid to say much," said Shannchyuan.
Senyuan Dahher smiled again. "He is indeed a very careful person. Your Majesty can ask me about things that Your Majesty wants to know."
Shannchyuan nodded. He didn't immediately ask. He was worried that Senyuan Dahher was just making small talk. There was a chance that he would answer Shannchyuan's question with a roundabout answer. After being silent and thinking for a while, Shannchyuan opened his mouth again.
"Can you tell me a little about the history of the New World Rescue Committee?"
Senyuan Dahher's face changed slightly. Although he tried to remain calm, Shannchyuan knew the person would also be very careful when answering such a sensitive question.
"Didn't Your Majesty speak with Mr. Linqhwu Jiannjyh about this?"
Shannchyuan realized that everyone would have guessed that this was the principal topic he would discuss with others. It was possible that Senyuan Dahher thought Shannchyuan was going to match Linqhwu's and his answers.
"I was only in his room briefly. We did talk about that, but he didn't have much to say."
"All right, Your Majesty! I don't know how many things Mr. Linqhwu has explained to Your Majesty. So I will explain this from the beginning."
"Go ahead," said Shannchyuan.
"Thirty years ago, the Great Emperor of our New World died of old age. Shortly after the late emperor's funeral, the crown prince suddenly disappeared. No one knew where the crown prince disappeared to. But to no avail. The Crown Prince seemed to have disappeared into the bowels of the earth."
Shannchyuan felt his pupils dilate. The fact that Senyuan just revealed was indeed very interesting.
"One hundred days after the disappearance of the crown prince, things got even worse. One of the late emperor's cousins came forward to calm things down. He crowned himself emperor. He said that he was only a temporary emperor. When the crown prince returned, he would step down and pass the throne to the crown prince. "
"But apparently he didn't want to come down after the crown prince returned?" Shannchyuan asked.
"Crown Prince never came back," Senyuan Dahher said in a bitter tone. "There were rumors that the crown prince had actually been killed. These unfounded rumors spread fast. Many suspected that the new emperor was actively involved in the incident."
"And then, there was resistance against the emperor?" Shannchyuan asked.
"Actually, it wasn't resistance, but the people only demanded that the government be transparent in explaining the results of the investigation into the disappearance of the crown prince to the public. However, the government responded to this demand with repressive measures. They even arrested people who questioned this."
Shannchyuan shook his head at this statement. "Is the situation really that terrible? Was there a riot or something like that?"
"The situation is actually not that bad. There was no rioting or disorder in society. But the arrests were continuing. It's not even just the people who question the matter of the crown prince's disappearance who were being arrested, but people who question the decisions taken by the emperor during his reign, was also arrested."
"So basically the government is acting very repressively against the opposition. Yet nothing ever happened to the people who are submissive or apathetic?" Shannchyuan asked.
Senyuan Dahher nodded.
"Five years after the new emperor ascended the throne, someone has appeared against the emperor. This person who called himself 'Zero Cloud' went underground. No one knew his true identity. He wrote a manifesto which was clearly a criticism of the emperor. The emperor was furious. He ordered that Zero Cloud be immediately captured and dragged before him."
"And they all failed to capture Zero Cloud?" Shannchyuan asked.
"That's right, Your Majesty. In fact, this movement was growing. Many parties support Zero Cloud. Both secretly and openly. Five years after Zero Cloud issued its manifesto, it formed the New World Rescue Committee. The committee comprised seventy-three members. Zero Cloud was the leader of the other seventy-two members of the committee. Each committee member led organizations that aim to oppose the empire. Each of those organizations had millions of followers."
"So there are seventy-three organizations that aim to overthrow the emperor?"
"There are only seventy-two, Your Majesty. At least, that's what I know. Zero Cloud didn't directly oversee any organization."
"Are all those members of the committee loyal to Zero Cloud?"
"I don't know, Your Majesty. But there is sufficient evidence to suggest that even they, the committee members, do not know Zero Cloud's true identity."
"Have they never met in person? No big meetings attended by all committee members?"
"As far as I know, nothing like that had ever happened. Between one committee member and another committee member had never met in person. They communicated with each other through their subordinates. It was to prevent committee members from being caught by the imperial troops."
"Had their men never been caught?"
"The imperial troops were very formidable. They always managed to catch people who they suspect were members of organizations that oppose the empire. But those people who were caught were very loyal to their leader. They were not afraid of death. They didn't even say anything when the imperial troops tortured them. So the identities of the committee members were never revealed. The emperor never knew who the figures opposed him were."
"That's amazing!" Shannchyuan shook his head.
"Each organization has a unique structure. However, in general, there are basic similarities. They implement a cell system so that if one cell is caught, the other cells will remain safe because each cell does not know about the other cells. What differentiates between the organizations is usually the size of the cells. There are organizations where each cell has tens of thousands of people, there are also organizations where each cell has fewer than ten people."
"With such a way of struggle, it's no wonder that they finally succeeded in overthrowing the empire," Shannchyuan said.
"They've only managed to kill this new world's great emperors. They haven't been able to overthrow the empire at all. The proof is that until now there is still emperor. Your Majesty is still in front of me."
"Ha ha ha!" Shannchyuan laughed. "You're absolutely right."
Senyuan Dahher smiled. His face didn't look as stiff as before.
"Then what was the situation after they succeeded in expelling the emperor from the palace in Tianjing?"
"You mean the security situation or the situation of the committee members?"
"Regarding the identity of the committee members, of course."
"When they are in power, their identities are still very mysterious. Until now, out of the seventy-three people, only twenty-seven committee members whose identities are known. Nine people voluntarily came forward in public, while eighteen other people had their identities exposed by other parties. The second most powerful person in the committee, the deputy chairman of the committee, was the first to admit his identity."
"Mingju Tsaehorng!" Shannchyuan laughed.
Senyuan Dahher nodded again.
"Of the eighteen people whose identities were dismantled, only nine people have admitted it. The other nine people were not willing to give any comments."
"I think they fear reprisals from the underground forces still loyal to the empire," Shannchyuan said.
"I think so, Your Majesty!"
"Then what about Zero Cloud? Mr. Linqhwu said that Zero Cloud later withdrew from the committee even after they came to power. Since the Chairman refused to lead, even refused to cooperate with the other committee members, Mingju Tsaehorng is the de facto leader of the committee."
Senyuan Dahher lowered his head. He then lowered his voice.
"I'm just a small person, Your Highness. I don't know what really happened at the top levels. Some say that Zero Cloud had a disagreement with the other members. Some say that Zero Cloud really didn't intend to overthrow the empire. He just wanted to get rid of the emperor who was actually less entitled to the throne."
"But do people know that Zero Cloud is no longer chairing that committee?"
"To be honest, I don't know if people know as much as I do. It's possible that a lot of people out there still think that Zero Cloud is still leading the New World Rescue Committee. We all shouldn't talk nonsense either. These things I'm saying it's just the result of gossip between lowly officials like us."
"Sorry! I didn't mean to get you in trouble," said Shannchyuan.
"Nothing, Your Majesty. It is my duty to serve, Your Majesty."
"You must be tired of having to explain this to me time and time again."
"No, Your Majesty. This is the first time."
"Since I've been in this place, isn't this the sixth time I've passed out and been unconscious for days? So before this, haven't I fainted and lost my memory five times already?"
"I have only been on duty here for one month, Your Majesty. So this is the first time I will explain what Your Majesty asked earlier."
Shannchyuan was stunned. "I hope the previous director doesn't suffer bad luck after taking pains to care for and serve me in this place."
"I heard that the previous director accepted the position of director of a hospital in the capital. So he received a promotion. Your Highness need not worry."
"I'm relieved to hear that." Shannchyuan nodded.
There was a knock on the door. Immediately after that, the door of the room opened. A person in military uniform quickly entered and walked towards Senyuan Dahher. His face looks tense. He whispered something into the director's ear.
Senyuan Dahher's face suddenly turned pale .
Ah! What's more bad news?
"Excuse me, Your Majesty. I have some urgent matters to attend to. Please excuse me," Senyuan Dahher said.
"Go ahead," said Shannchyuan.
The two people then walked out of the room. Their steps were very fast. As if there was something urgent in nature, which was waiting for them to take care of it as soon as possible.
More than twenty minutes later, Senyuan Dahher returned to Shannchyuan's room. He entered the room along with two nurses.
"Sorry, Your Majesty. There has been a development in circumstances that we did not foresee. We received an emergency order. We must move Your Majesty from here as soon as possible!"
"Move me where?"
"To a safer place."
"What's going on?" Shannchyuan frowned. His mind was filled with various conjectures.
"We cannot explain it, Your Majesty. At this time, Your Majesty must get ready quickly. In twenty minutes, the team in charge of escorting Your Majesty will arrive. The two of them will assist Your Majesty in getting ready." Senyuan Dahher pointed at the two people who had come with him.
"I only have twenty minutes to get ready?"
"That's right, Your Majesty. Now I'll go first."
"Wait a minute! Where 's Chioulin Yeujow?"
"He is attending to other business. Does His Majesty want him here?"
"That's right! I hope you can allow him to accompany me to prepare."
Senyuan Dahher looked at the watch on his wrist. "I'm afraid we have little time, Your Majesty. By the time Chioulin Yeujow arrives in this room, perhaps the team in charge of escorting Your Majesty will also have arrived."
"Can't you just let him go with me?"
"Sorry, Your Majesty. I don't have the authority to decide that."
"What about Linqhwu Jiannjyh?"
"What do Your Majesty's mean?"
"Is he going to be transferred to another place?"
"We are only ordered to assist with the transfer of Your Majesty. The other patients will remain here. I am truly sorry, Your Majesty."
After saying those words, Senyuan Dahher quickly left Shannchyuan's room.
Shannchyuan looked at the two nurses questioningly. He knew he would get no answer. The two nurses also looked confused. They also definitely did not know what was going on.
The two nurses helped Shannchyuan to change clothes. After they finished getting dressed, they put some of what Shannchyuan assumed were his personal belongings into a big bag. After that, they helped Shannchyuan into a wheelchair.
"What is your name?" Shannchyuan looked at the two nurses who had been helping him.
"Daoday Jeryee, Your Majesty," replied one of them.
"I am Gongcherng Lihkong," said the other nurse.
Shannchyuan nodded. "Thank you."
The two nurses bowed respectfully.
Not long after, Senyuan Dahher came back into the room. This time, two men who looked like soldiers accompanied him. They wore all black clothes. They dress like ninjas, people who are trained in martial arts, and use their abilities to attack or spy. The difference was, both men carry firearms. Shannchyuan could clearly see that there were pistols on the two people's waists.
"Your Majesty, these two are the commander and deputy commander of the team in charge of escorting Your Majesty." Senyuan Dahher pointed at the two soldiers who entered with him.
"My name is Longshern Liingchern," said the team commander.
"I am Chianshow Jiehduh," said the deputy commander.
Shannchyuan nodded towards the two of them. "Before leaving, I have one request,"
Senyuan Dahher looked at him with a worried look.
"Don't worry! I just want to talk to Linqhwu Jiannjyh before I leave."
Senyuan Dahher looked at Longshern Liingchern, as if begging for approval. Shannchyuan felt sorry for that person. As the director of the hospital, he should have the power to decide on trivial matters like that.
"But we must hurry, Your Majesty," said Longshern Liingchern.
"It won't take long," said Shannchyuan.
"Ten minutes?" Longshern Liingchern's voice sounded friendly.
Shannchyuan nodded. "I think that's enough! But I don't want to be disturbed. You can't come in to listen in!" He answered emphatically.
Senyuan Dahher's face changed slightly. Shannchyuan knew that his request this time might be a little difficult for them to grant.
"All right, Your Majesty!" Longshern Liingchern nodded respectfully.
Shannchyuan smiled. Senyuan Dahher looked relieved. The hospital director then patted the shoulder of Daoday Jeryee, one nurse who was there.
"Please take His Majesty to Mr. Linqhwu's room."
"Yes, Sir!" replied Daoday Jeryee. The nurse then pushed Shannchyuan's wheelchair out of the room. Then they immediately headed to Linqhwu Jiannjyh's room.
Daoday Jeryee opened Linqhwu Jiannjyh's bedroom door. He pushed Shannchyuan's wheelchair all the way inside.
"In ten minutes I will fetch His Majesty," said Daoday Jeryee. After that, he rushed out of the room.
The bed that was empty was now filled. Linqhwu Jiannjyh's roommate was already in the room.
"This is my roommate, Shannfu Wenren," Linqhwu Jiannjyh introduced the person who was lying on the bed next to him. Linqhwu Jiannjyh's roommate was a young man who was around twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty!" Shannfu Wenren immediately got up from the bed.
"You just lie there. I'm only going to talk a minute." Shannchyuan felt a little guilty.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shannfu Wenren bowed her body deeply.
"Do we often play chess together?" Shannchyuan asked.
Shannfu Wenren laughed. "No, Your Majesty. I'm not good at playing chess. So Your Majesty only plays chess with Teacher Linqhwu."
"Teacher?" Shannchyuan turned quickly to Linqhwu Jiannjyh.
"I am a teacher, Your Majesty," replied Linqhwu Jiannjyh.
"Ah! Your students must miss a teacher as good at chess as you."
"No, Your Majesty. They are usually happy if I don't come to teach." Linqhwu Jiannjyh laughed.
Shannchyuan joined in the laughter.
"What is it that Your Majesty wishes to convey?" asked Shannfu Wenren.
"I'm here to say goodbye," said Shannchyuan.
"Ah! Regarding that matter, I already know, Your Majesty," said Linqhwu Jiannjyh.
"How did you know?"
"This friend of mine overheard some people's conversation while he was in the laboratory."
Shannchyuan turned his head back to Shannfu Wenren.
"While I was lying on a bed in a room in the laboratory, I overheard the conversation of some technicians who were there. They said that they had heard that the imperial army already knew the position of this underground bunker that served as a secret hospital."
"So, that's what happened," said Shannchyuan.
"The technicians said they heard rumors that the imperial army was about to invade this place!"
"Wow! Turns out I woke up just in time!"
"That's right, Your Majesty!" replied Linqhwu Jiannjyh.
"Aren't you going to be transferred somewhere else?" Shannchyuan asked.
"We are nothing, Your Majesty. The rebel group will have nothing to lose if the imperial army manages to seize this place and free us."
Shannchyuan nodded. But in his heart he doubted the last sentence that Shannfu Wenren said. If these two people were just ordinary people, then the rebels had no reason to keep them captive in an underground bunker whose existence was top-secret. Shannchyuan estimated that the two people were also important people.
Suddenly, the door of the room opened. Longshern Liingchern, Chianshow Jiehduh, and Senyuan Dahher came rushing into the room. Their faces were very tense.
"It hasn't been ten minutes yet!" Shannchyuan said in a loud voice.
Senyuan Dahher suddenly kneeled in front of Shannchyuan.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty! There's been a change of plans. We have to get Your Majesty out of this place right now!"
Linqhwu Jiannjyh and Shannfu Wenren said nothing. They just looked at each other. Shannchyuan realized that meant the Imperial Army had almost succeeded in storming into the bunker. Most likely, they were trying hard to break into the underground bunker gate.
"Okay!" Shannchyuan nodded. He looked fixedly at Linqhwu Jiannjyh and Shannfu Wenren. "I'll go first. Take care of yourselves!"
Chianshow Jiehduh, deputy head of Shannchyuan's bodyguard team, pushed Shannchyuan's wheelchair out of the room. Outside the room, Shannchyuan saw one more person he had never seen before. That person was wearing the same costume as Chianshow Jiehduh and Longshern Liingchern. He bowed respectfully when he saw Shannchyuan coming out of the room. He was carrying a large bag containing Shannchyuan's belongings.
Senyuan Dahher, Longshern Liingchern, Chianshow Jiehduh, and the other person glanced at each other for a moment. Senyuan Dahher nodded. After that, they all moved away from the front door of Linqhwu Jiannjyh's room. Chianshow Jiehduh pushed a wheelchair down the hospital corridor. After arriving at the end of the hall, they faced an iron door.
"Your Majesty!" Longshern Liingchern made a sound while half whispering. "Now, we must do something that might make Your Majesty feel uncomfortable."
Shannchyuan smiled. "I understand!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Senyuan Dahher replied. The hospital director was standing behind Shannchyuan.
"But I have one request."
Shannchyuan imagined Senyuan Dahher's face would turn pale again as soon as the hospital director heard what he had just said.
"Please, Your Majesty, make the request!" This time, the answer was Longshern Liingchern.
"Throughout the journey that we will do, maybe I will ask a few questions. I want you to answer these questions honestly."
A moment of silence.
"Very well, Your Majesty! We will do our best to answer all of Your Majesty's questions!" Longshern Liingchern complied with Shannchyuan's request.
"Thank you." Shannchyuan nodded firmly. "Now you may do what you must do."
Longshern Liingchern took out a black cloth from the small bag on his back. Then he picked up another thing that looked like a ski mask but instead of the eye holes it had the ear parts.
"Ah! So I have to wear a blindfold," said Shannchyuan.
Longshern Liingchern put the cloth over Shannchyuan's eyes. The black cloth was really thick. Shannchyuan could see nothing. After that, Shannchyuan felt that another cloth was put on his head. From the texture of the cloth against the skin of his face, Shannchyuan deduced that this second cloth was something like the ski mask he had just seen.
"Don't worry! I can't see anything," said Shannchyuan.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Senyuan Dahher's voice sounded.
Then there was the sound of a door being opened. The wheelchair that Shannchyuan was riding in then started to move. From the footsteps he heard, Shannchyuan deduced that the four people were still accompanying him.
The wheelchair didn't always move in a straight line. Several times they turned. Shannchyuan didn't try to remember the twists and turns he went through. He knew it was unlikely that he would return to that place again. So there's no point in remembering things like that.
They stopped at a place. Shannchyuan heard a sound like an elevator door opening. Chianshow Jiehduh, or maybe someone else, pushed the wheelchair forward. After hearing the elevator doors closing, Shannchyuan felt they were moving down.
Nearly two minutes later, the movement stopped. It seemed they had reached the floor they were aiming for. After hearing the elevator doors opening, the wheelchair moved forward again. About ten meters, the wheelchair stopped again.
"Sorry, Your Majesty!" Senyuan Dahher's voice returned. "I can only escort you here. Next, Commander Longshern will escort you to safety."
It turns out that Senyuan Dahher has to return to where we were before. I hope nothing bad will happen to him.
"Thank you, Mister Senyuan," said Shannchyuan. "I hope someday we can meet again."
"I hope so too, Your Majesty!"
Shannchyuan felt a palm gripping his hand.
"Farewell, Your Majesty!"
"See you soon! Take good care of yourself," said Shannchyuan.
After that, things became quiet. Faintly, Shannchyuan could hear the elevator door opening.
"Can I ask a question now?"
Shannchyuan didn't expect too much. It was possible that Longshern Liingchern was reluctant to answer the questions he raised.
"Please, Your Majesty!" Unlike before, Longshern Liingchern's voice sounded so loud.
"Have the Imperial Army managed to storm into the hospital where I was treated earlier?"
"When we left there, they had not managed to storm their way in. The last report I received said they were still trying to break into the entrance to the underground hospital."
"But have they made it into the bunker yet?"
Things were quiet for a few moments. It was about ten seconds later that Shannchyuan could hear Longshern Liingchern's reply.
"That's right, Your Majesty. The Imperial Army soldiers have already made their way into the underground bunker. But they haven't managed to break through the underground hospital entrance yet."
"Ah! So, only part of the bunker is being used as a hospital."
"That's right, Your Majesty!"
"So, where are we now?"
"There are several exits from the bunker. This is one of several other exits."
"So, what are we waiting for now?"
Before Longshern Liingchern had time to answer Shannchyuan's question, there was a noise coming from the front.
"We're all set, Commander!"
Shannchyuan heard another sound. Apparently, the noise came from a group of soldiers who had just come out of nowhere.
"Now let's get out of this place!" Longshern Liingchern answered in a loud and firm voice.
The wheelchair started moving again. This time, they moved quickly. Much faster than before. Shannchyuan could feel that they were moving uphill. The longer the road they walked, the steeper the incline. Until they finally stopped.
Shannchyuan didn't know exactly how long their journey would take. By his estimation, the journey through this ascending passage had taken between twenty-five to thirty minutes, from the time they had separated from Senyuan Dahher. They had not removed the rags and ski mask on Shannchyuan's head. So, the journey definitely won't end soon.
Suddenly, there was a noise. The soldiers shouted. Less than fifteen seconds later, Shannchyuan smelled something. Instantly, he felt so dizzy and weak.
What gas is this?
It didn't last long. Shannchyuan's head felt so heavy.
Oh! Am I going to faint again? If it's true, I hope I won't have amnesia again.
A gunshot was heard.
Hopefully, everything won't last too long. I'm so tired!
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