Why it never ends

Chapter 1218 Inspiration
Below the podium, Turan and Rico's pupils constricted almost simultaneously.

Zoe, standing nearby, frowned and asked Endy, "What did she just say? What Freedom Front?"

Endai was equally unsure, and after recalling for a while, she was still a little uncertain: "As...As what..."

“Askia,” Victoria lowered her voice, “is a wasteland in the former Third District that was once ravaged by chelation disease.”

"Is Jane from there?" Zoe asked, then immediately denied it herself. "No, I remember she came from some kind of convent."

At this point, Zoe and Enda looked at Rico and Turan in unison—the two of them had been in the same reserve base as Hershta in the past, so they should know what the place name meant. However, both Turan and Rico were focused on the podium, as if they had lost all interest in anything else.

Hershta's speech continued.

"We have talked about the benefits of freedom as a gift. Now, let's talk about the price each of us has to pay to maintain this freedom."

“My dearest friend, Lieutenant Donna, who ultimately gave her life to protect the peace of our habitable land, once said that justice does not fall from the sky; it is paved with sweat and blood. If none of us reward the good and punish the bad, the order we expect will never exist.”

Justice, freedom, equality, dignity... every beautiful word in this world comes at a price. To obtain them, we cannot rely on good luck or anyone's charity; it requires you and me to take concrete actions every day to fight against those enemies who plunder and trample on them.

"You need to dedicate your time and your limited energy to public affairs. You need to be present, listen, think, and learn—not just learn to recognize and write your own name, or describe facts in simple words, but also master basic job skills and learn to distinguish between facts and speculation."

"Your name will be made public, your opinions will be recorded, and the responsibilities you assume and the results of your actions will be made public. You will be subject to supervision and inquiries. This means that you will be responsible for every point you make and cannot go back on your word or carelessly overturn your previous statements."

"All of this will become the new discipline, but for a true fighter for freedom, it means nothing. Because they are always more restrained than ordinary people, they have stricter self-discipline, and they are willing to take greater risks—for the well-being of more people, they always unhesitatingly give up their own limited comforts, and their happiness—the mark they left on this world—will belong to hundreds and thousands of those who follow. Some of us are destined to be inspired, to follow in their footsteps, and embark on the same path."

"Their ideals, their beliefs, and all the price they paid—including their deaths—will become the banner for those who come after them. And every time I gaze at this banner, I hear a voice say..."

Hershta lowered his gaze slightly, paused for a moment, and then raised his head again.

"...She has completed her mission and given everything...Now it's my turn."

"Whatever we demand: petitions, consultations, proposals, accountability, reconsideration, appeals, elections, recalls... whoever enjoys these rights shall bear these costs."

"Whoever is willing to dedicate their time, energy, and responsibility to public affairs is a member of our front. Whoever is willing to accept oversight and oversee others is upholding this freedom."

"Just like the AHgAs work stations of the past, the Askia Freedom Front will be composed of mercury needles and ordinary people. 'Many Women's Farm', as the first base and contact point of the Askia Freedom Front, will open for registration, nomination of representatives, drafting of charters, and public voting next Thursday."

“Lairin and Silei will serve as temporary scribes in charge of the registration. Their contact information has been posted on the bulletin boards outside the palace and at the farm entrance. You can check them yourselves after this gathering.” With that, Hester crossed out the last line of the outline and addressed the crowd again.

That concludes my remarks. Do you have any further questions?

The audience fell silent.

Zoe wanted to ask Aschia about her background, but before she could raise her hand, she heard a soft sobbing sound. She and Endy looked in surprise at the source of the sound. Turan, who was sitting on the far side, had her head down, and the upper half of her face was hidden under her wide-brimmed military cap, so her expression was not visible.

Zoe then looked at the farm laborers who had followed Hesta—all of them looked serious, as if every word Hesta had just said was relevant to them.

Zoe let out a breath, somewhat puzzled, and immediately felt there was no need to ask now, since the question wasn't very important to her.

In the ensuing silence, Stella suddenly stood up from the crowd and clapped enthusiastically. Because she kept her eyes fixed on the podium, Zoe couldn't see her expression.

But then, Turan stood up as well. She took off her hat, and Zoe immediately saw the tear tracks on her face—in the sunlight, Turan's eyes were calm yet ardent, almost solemn.

More people stood up one by one, and the scattered applause from individuals immediately turned into a warm wave. Zoe also stood up in the wave, and she saw more than one person wiping away tears—Stella, Simona… even the young police officer Clara standing in the last row had tears in his eyes.

Zoe moved closer to Victoria: "Did she tell you beforehand that she was forming this Freedom Front?"

“I guess so,” Victoria clapped, “but I only found out an hour in advance.”

"Is this compliant?"

“It’s become compliant even though it’s not compliant.” Victoria glanced at Zoe and whispered, “Didn’t you hear what she said? Office 5 agreed, and the cabinet of the District 12 United Government also gave her the green light, so this matter is basically settled.”

“I still don’t understand, what’s the point of setting up a separate organization?” Zoe said. “Won’t we still have to spend time coordinating with the United Government? And it sounds like there’s even more to do.”

Victoria did not answer, but looked at Hershta on the podium with mixed feelings.

The applause continued for a long time. In the crowd, Boheng slowly lowered his hand. At this moment, he recalled his conversation with Hersta in the city of Grenob, and finally understood why Hersta had implied that he should not be subservient to others.

...So she was doing the same thing.