Xingtie, started with a guitar, and made a living by singing

"Plus, the destruction of the city wall caused such a huge noise that concealment is practically impossible. By now, a large number of people in the eastern region must have fled to the municipal district for refuge!"

Upon hearing this, Jeppard almost immediately followed up with another sentence.

"Master Guardian, please make a decision immediately! We can't sit here and wait for death any longer!"

"Immediately support the eastern region, carry out evacuation operations to ensure the safety of the people, and guide them to the available shelters in the administrative area in an orderly manner!"

It was not Cocolia who answered him, but Bronya with a solemn expression. She no longer looked restrained in front of Cocolia as before, but showed the true courage of the heir to the Great Guardian and immediately gave the order.

But, at this moment——

"Stop! This order cannot be carried out."

A female voice that was so cold that it was almost inhumane was heard, and Cocolia stopped them in a stern voice with an expression that made everyone present feel unfamiliar.

"Immediately block all routes leading from the eastern region into the administrative district. Not a single refugee can be allowed in!"

"Are you... planning to... abandon half of humanity?"

Bronya asked in an extremely stiff tone.

"—This is a necessary decision. If we allow a large number of refugees to flood into the inner city, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Cocolia's words caused everyone present to fall silent.

The one who answered on Bronya's behalf was a petite intelligence officer.

"...half of the current population will flood into the administrative district, but due to the last evacuation, neither supplies nor other resources will be sufficient to support such a large population. Civil war will inevitably break out over the resources left to survive."

Her expression became increasingly embarrassed, but she still tried her best to analyze.

“Even if we can ensure that the city does not cause chaos in the short term, we will not be able to do anything with just the limited territory of the administrative district.

If we completely lose the inner and outer city areas, these two important commercial and agricultural areas, I'm afraid that humanity will perish in the crisis of a city-wide energy and food shortage, without even waiting for civil unrest to break out."

"...Exactly. Just as she said, if we let those refugees in, Beloberg will only be destroyed faster.

The emergency supplies previously allocated to various shelters have left the administrative district with less than 30% of its food reserves, not to mention the sudden backlog of complicated demands that will only paralyze Krippleburg's municipal system.

At that time, those whose needs are not met will inevitably erupt into greater civil unrest, and Beloberg, the only remaining city of humankind, will truly be declared destroyed."

Cocolia's voice became increasingly cold.

"But... isn't that just a possibility? We can first open the cable car to the lower area to divert these people out. As long as we can temporarily support them with food distribution, so that we can send an elite team to subdue the Wind Demon Dragon..."

Before Bronya finished her persuasion, she was rudely interrupted by Cocolia.

"What you say is nothing but wishful thinking. Why do you think the people of the Lower District will unconditionally accept refugees from the Upper District? And why do you think that humans alone can resolve such a natural disaster?

More importantly, if there is even the slightest possibility of premature human extinction, we cannot allow it to happen!"

"But, those abandoned people——!"

"Enough! Bronya, make your position clear to me. I am the Great Guardian responsible for making decisions in the Supreme Will Decision Hall of Beloberg!

And you are just an immature heir, a deprived Silvermane Iron Guard acting commander! Stop being so arrogant as to represent the people! "

Cocolia scolded Bronya repeatedly, almost belittling her to nothing, but it was better than risking her pathetic self-esteem and losing her life.

If killed by such a dragon, one's very existence will be eroded, and the only thing left is the echo of the rift's wanton reconstruction.

She needed her daughter to be alive and accompany her to the new world. If she was not by her side at that time, Cocolia would definitely feel unbearable pain.

In comparison, it is only the most reliable way to sacrifice the lives of half of the people who will eventually become the cradle of the new world.

"——What are you still standing there for?! Go and follow the order!"

Cocolia looked at the silent iron guards beside her, her expression becoming even more solemn and cold.

As Bronya looked at her like this, all she felt was sadness and...determination.

“I don’t agree with this proposal.”

She spoke each word clearly, attracting the attention of others, including Cocolia.

"Bronya! How long are you going to continue this nonsense?! At such a critical moment, are you still going to disobey my orders and go against me, the Great Guardian who holds the ultimate power of decision?!"

Cocolia's voice suddenly rose, becoming even more piercing and noisy.

However, this time, Bronya did not give in.

She walked forward angrily and confronted her mother!

"From the moment you, no... from the moment you decided to abandon your people and refused to even give them the slightest chance of survival, you were no longer worthy of being Beloberg's guardian!"

"—Guards! Take her back to Krippleburg! I'll come and punish her myself later."

Cocolia was so angry that she was shaking all over and gave the order in a stern voice.

However, this time, it wasn't just Bronya, but also the other Iron Guardians who refused to give up. They looked at the cowardly man who had lost his qualifications as the Great Guardian with unprecedented disgust.

"——Please forgive us for the difficulty in completing your order."

The young guard officer replied indifferently.

"Jeppad Randall?!"

Cocolia glared at him fiercely.

"It seems their answer surprised you, Great Guardian Cocolia."

Xier, who had been silent since she arrived, also spoke contemptuously at this moment, and stretched out the sickle in her hand to block most of the space for Cocolia to leave.

And the Pelageya intelligence officer who had been standing next to her and looked timid.

Her expression changed at this moment. She opened the control panel of the floating reconnaissance aircraft with a calm expression, as if the panic she had shown before was all disguised, and her tone was cold.

"——According to the latest intelligence, most of the Iron Guards in the administrative district have set out to protect the safety of various places. Only a small number remain in Krippleburg. There are no troops here who can rush to support us now. We are very lucky."

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm? My Lord, you haven't realized it yet? I thought it was obvious enough."

Pera's tone also carried a hint of doubt, as if she was puzzled by her slow reaction.

"—You, you guys?! Are you planning to betray me, betray Beloberg, and betray everyone who lives here?!"

Cocolia took a step back in disbelief and looked at the others present.

"Betrayal? No, there are only two kinds of people around us. Enemies or allies."

The girl, with cheeks as adorable as a squirrel, gently pushed up her glasses. The light of data reflected on the lenses made it difficult to discern her expression. But Cocolia could sense the gaze that regarded her as an enemy.

She laughed in anger, her malicious eyes swept across the faces of everyone present, and then looked at Jeppard, who truly held the power to change the situation, with a cold tone.

"Isn't this a brilliant plan by the Langdao family? First, they use an insignificant pawn to make me let my guard down. Then, by knowing my whereabouts, they lay in ambush here in advance, waiting for the opportunity to overturn the situation in Beloberg."

"I'm not sure why you're thinking this, but I can honestly tell you that Lady Bronya, Intelligence Officer Pelagea, and I are not on the same page."

Jeppard's face was expressionless, his tone calm.

"Although I share their sentiments, I'm hesitant to leave everything to them. After all, the consequences of such a disaster are grave, and I must consider it carefully. Similarly, based on this, I would only answer that I prefer to help the side that can ensure the continuation of humanity's future.

In the past, as the Great Guardian, you knew many secrets unknown to the City Builders, Iron Guards, and ordinary people. Perhaps it would be better to leave the future of humanity to the knowledgeable Guardian.

Even if you order me to send my sister or other innocent people to the gallows, I will not refuse. Even if necessary, we can offer our heads. After all, this is our destiny and the oath we swore to Creeper the day we became Iron Guards.

The young guard officer stared at Cocolia, whose expression had relaxed a lot, with a cold and sharp look at this moment, and finally revealed his hostility.

"However, judging from your performance just now, although we know very little about those unspeakable existences, we are full of fear.

But, compared to you who abandoned your people and still claimed to be the guardian, we may lack some shame, but at least we can let more people who should not have died survive. "

"What nonsense! Even if you take control of Krippenburg and undermine my authority, what good will that do?! The people will never obey the Iron Guard. They will only recognize me as the Grand Guardian! The other city builders and nobles will not stand idly by!

By then, you will just be the same as those two lowly scapegoats, the target of appeasing public anger!"

Cocolia had lost all her composure at this moment. She just growled like a wounded beast, staring at the group of people who had forced her into a desperate situation.

But, something is wrong... If they really want to do this, they will never expose themselves in advance without the means to win decisively.

"It seems that not only do you have poor aesthetic taste, but your thinking is still stuck in the political games of the past, where you struggle for power and profit."

A voice that should never have been heard at this moment was heard, and Cocolia turned around in horror.

At the exit of the prison, there stood a bard.

He was no longer in such a state of disarray. His emerald green robe swayed in the wind, and his face, with a faint smile, radiated confidence. More importantly, the strings of the zither, held in his arms and gently brushed against them, were producing a unique rhythm.

It is connected to the wind, as if connecting everything in the world.

"It's you--!"

"Hey, it seems you've finally figured it out. This isn't just some bluff. When you chose to abandon your people, treating them like nothing, I'm sure the people in the city must have heard the news.

Look—they’re gathering here in anger now that they’ve learned the truth, eager to hang you from a streetlight.”

As Wendy finished speaking, noisy footsteps began to be heard from the surrounding streets. Most of them were civilians, and a few were Iron Guards.

They all have one thing in common: anger.

Holding weapons high in their hands, they shouted angrily: "Punish the traitors and eliminate the evil!"

All of these point to a phenomenon that Cocolia wanted to take advantage of - "public opinion is boiling."

These are considered disposable, people whose families and children live in the inner city.

When major events occurred one after another, they were naturally panicked, but the great guardian they trusted was unwilling to give them even a chance to survive, and even thought he could fool everyone like a fool.

How can this not make people angry, how can this not make people hate, how can this not make people resist!

During his long time in power, the people have some resentment, and all of this was brought out by Wendy today.

The rope that she had intended to use to hang Wendy and Silva might end up being put around her own neck.

Cocolia, who had just realized this, immediately went into a frenzy—

Bronya stared deeply at Cocolia who kept whispering "Impossible", her eyes complex and deep.

"Mother Cocolia, this is the last time I will call your name like this. Please forgive me for not being able to stand by your side this time."

"..."

Cocolia's breathing became more and more rapid, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

"No, shut up! You have no right to do this to me!"

This ugly behavior is so funny, just like a circus clown.

This made Bronya feel a little pity, and she narrated softly.

"Perhaps, in your opinion, the depths of human nature are stupidity and cowardice, and desperate situations can also reflect the darkest side of people's hearts.

However, for those people who you have never noticed, who are trying hard to survive and fight in desperate situations, are the radiance on them also false?

On the front lines of the restricted area, in the lower levels, in those corners you've overlooked. Our ancestors built this city with their own hands, struggling to maintain civilization amidst the wind and snow. Even if this world is destined to fall apart, the road to its end must be paved by human hands.

Instead of leaving your fate to that evil seed that can only deceive people and stir up trouble!"

At this moment, Cocolia finally realized that the truth she had been hiding for so long had been leaked out without her knowing.

All the persistence and self-righteous stupidity over the years seem so ridiculous at this moment.

Even the abnormalities Bronya had shown earlier, which she had ignored... no, she had stubbornly dismissed as signs of her rebelliousness, all pointed to one fact—

"...Am I the truly arrogant and ignorant one..."

She lowered her head sadly and muttered to herself.

Chapter 83 The Biggest Lie

"... Surrender, Lord Cocolia. You've already lost. There's no need to stir up more trouble with this coup."

Jeppard led the team forward, his eyes also serious and solemn.

"What awaits you will be the judgment of the Grand Inquisition. If you sincerely repent, you may still have a chance to atone for your sins."

Pera and Bronya on the side also watched this scene in silence.

The former had seen Cocolia judge others in this way too many times, but now it was her turn to accept the judgment from the people of Beloberg.

The latter did not feel any joy or sense of accomplishment from successfully seizing power. Her heart was filled with sadness and regret, which was not something that could be easily let go.