A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

Zao Lu's words at that moment completely ignited their long-held resentment towards these garrison troops.

"They're parasites!" "Bandits!" Many people in the crowd echoed in agreement.

Perhaps because Zao Lu's words resonated with everyone, or perhaps because there was no interference from the soldiers on patrol, more and more people passing by on this street stopped and began to gather around Zao Lu and her group of students.

"Just like those protesters said! We Chernobogers need to drive them away to protect our home!"

"Perhaps there are outstanding individuals among them, perhaps they possess greater combat effectiveness and discipline! But if we all unite, wouldn't the entire city's million inhabitants be no match for these tens of thousands of garrison troops?!"

Early Dew asked loudly, and at that moment, her student companions behind her shouted in unison:

"Not a match! Not a match! Not a match..."

Even the surrounding crowd was infected by the students' passion, and one after another they began to shout loudly.

"What's more, they eat the food we grow ourselves; use the weapons and Originium we process ourselves; wear the clothes and armor we sew and make ourselves; and drink the wine we brew ourselves!"

"These things clearly belong to Chernobog, they belong to everyone! So why should we hand them over to these villains?! Without us, there would be no army like theirs! And we can build our own army!"

Early Dew clenched her fists, then raised her arms and roared angrily:

"Let the people of Chernobog fight for Chernobog!! Let the people of Chernobog defend their homeland! Let those garrison troops who, under the guise of protection, commit acts of plunder—get out of our city!!!"

"Get out! Get out! Get out!!"

At this moment, the crowd was filled with excitement, and everyone raised their fists and began to shout.

Even the students of the autonomous group at the eye of the storm were awestruck by the overwhelming, all-encompassing power that had erupted from the ground. They looked at the surging crowd, felt the rumble of the earth beneath their feet, and their eyes reflected the same light.

……

Underground street

"The Head of State...the Head of State?"

Lyudmila strode quickly to where Wang Chong was. During this time, in addition to constantly cooperating with other Infected members of the Reunion Movement in the city on the ground to spread rumors and stir up public resentment, she was also monitoring the situation of Zao Lu and the others.

"Has it started at Zao Lu's place?"

Seeing Lyudmila rushing over in a hurry, Wang Chong asked directly before Lyudmila could even speak.

"Yes, it has already started... It seems to be due to pressure from the city government on the school. They took the students from the self-governing group and the foundation and left the campus. They plan to start a demonstration in the next few days and get more and more people to join in."

Lyudmila quickly said:

"Mainly in the afternoon, there happened to be a patrol suppressing the protesters, which they happened to witness. So, Zao Lu took advantage of the situation, raised her banner, and began to carry out resistance activities."

"Zao Lu is quite good at leveraging opportunities. It's just a pity that she chose the wrong time; it's almost evening, and the enthusiasm for the march will drop too much at that time. She still lacks experience... But to have done this much is already quite remarkable."

Wang Chong pondered for a moment, then looked up and said:

"Go and tell Zao Lu to make these preparations: First, the procession needs to be quickly reorganized and divided into groups, and one person should be selected from each group as a representative so that they can find their teammates the next day and continue the procession."

"Secondly, we must find a suitable base tonight and finalize the plan for tomorrow. Ideally, we should involve the representatives she has chosen, as they can determine the scale of tomorrow's march."

"Thirdly, we need to decide what needs to be done tomorrow. My suggestion is to start from the following three points: confirm the material support and guarantees, and make proper allocations; communicate the contact methods and codes, and be prepared to switch to covert resistance at any time; and finally, the area you will choose for the march tomorrow."

"If the above three points are done well, her student march can truly play its role and not be taken down by the police station and patrol team immediately. As long as they can withstand the pressure from the police station and patrol soldiers, they will have succeeded in the first step."

After saying this, Wang Chong picked up a piece of intelligence and said:

"According to Arcueid and the others' investigation these past few days, the number of soldiers in the outer city has decreased significantly, and they're all starting to gather in the inner city. This is clearly something Quandor is doing on purpose." (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

"Is Quan Duo Er trying to put pressure on Viscount Dunkel to formally relinquish power, or is he brewing some bigger conspiracy... but this window of opportunity is undoubtedly a crucial chance for them to reveal themselves early."

"Whether this battle can awaken all the people in the city depends on their performance."

Lyudmila nodded, carefully memorizing all the words Wang Chong had given her, and then immediately returned to find Zao Lu and the others.

"The students have already started... the industrial area is probably not far behind... but..."

Wang Chong recalled the information he had just received from the black snake and knew that time was running out.

Chapter 297: The Tavern

Not long ago, Black Serpent contacted him. The situation on the northern front could no longer be concealed; they were now completely certain of Georgie's capture. This information was being rushed to the Imperial Council.

The order urging the Prince of Baikal has arrived today. At the latest, the Prince of Baikal must transfer most of the troops from the southern cities to the northern war zone within three days.

Clearly, the southern cities will undergo a major purge within the next three days. Although it will mostly target the newly wealthy families, it doesn't mean that the Ursus Army soldiers won't turn their blades on those at the lower levels.

"I'm afraid Quanduoer will make his move in the next couple of days. I just don't know if they'll act immediately tonight, or if they'll wait and see after the commotion caused by Zaolu and the others today..."

After considering this, Wang Chong decided to use the black mist to observe the situation in Chernobog while summoning Arcueid and the others back to prepare to assign them some new tasks.

……

Night had fallen, and following Lyudmila's instructions, Zao Lu divided the crowd into different groups. Everyone else dispersed, leaving only the representatives.

As for the soldiers, they were driven away by some resentful individuals, and what happened to them is probably unclear. But it's likely that the sun of Ursus will no longer shine upon them in the future.

As for the choice of base, it was finally decided to go to a tavern.

The reason for choosing this location was not only because the tavern owner happened to be one of the newly selected representatives, but also because the tavern owner was a fan of Syracuse gangster movies in his early years and had set up many secret doors when the tavern was built so that he could escape from pursuit at any time.

So, Early Dew only took some capable and trustworthy noble students and a group of ordinary student representatives such as Winter and Truth to stay at the tavern for the time being, while the rest of the students went home.

Of course, only they and the representatives know about the base for now, to prevent any traitors from betraying them. They will set off again early tomorrow morning and meet at the chosen parade area. (The last part is a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

Meanwhile, in the tavern, Zao Lu and the others began to devise a plan for the distribution of supplies. Hailey played a significant role in this process, developing a comprehensive distribution system and even devising a plan to ensure the availability of supplies in the future.

Even the adults present nodded in approval, especially the tavern owner, who grinned and praised, "Goodness, your plan is clearer than my own calculations! I think this plan works; at least it will ensure that everyone works without going hungry."

Therefore, these adult representatives no longer viewed these students as mere children. They were now true partners and comrades-in-arms, fighting side-by-side!

"Leave the communication and contact to us students; after all, we are more flexible and adaptable."

Early Dew picked up the conversation, pointed to the simple map spread out on the table with her fingertip, and continued:

"Representatives in each area use specific doorbell rhythms or symbols to pass messages, and backup meeting points are also set up at intersections. If anything changes, hide immediately. Remember, as long as people are alive, the flame of struggle will not be extinguished."

Zhenli, standing to the side, adjusted her glasses and quickly scribbled in her notebook:

"The slogans and leaflet templates can be printed tonight and distributed at various gathering points as soon as it's light. The march locations... will mainly be set at the intersections of three main roads: Fanye Commercial Street, the Inner Ring Road area, and the Xiacheng District passageway, where the military and police frequently patrol."

Then Zhenli looked up at Zaolu with a sharp gaze, "The probability of conflict is the highest, but it is also the most likely to ignite more people."

Today, it is through their victory in this conflict that they have attracted many people to join them.

Unfortunately, whether it was because of the overwhelming presence of the troops or for some other reason, they did not encounter any more decent patrols of troops or police before nightfall.

Therefore, they are eager to let more people see how they defeat those tyrannical forces. Only by achieving a certain degree of victory will the people have more confidence to follow their ranks.

After all, they'll side with whoever wins.

"That's right, let's take on these tough guys!" Lie Xia slammed his fist on the table impatiently. "Let the whole city see! And I'll lead the charge!"

"Don't get so excited, Lie Xia. Besides, you seem to have forgotten about one place. There, you not only have a bunch of people that are easiest to win over, but you can also use it to confront those violent authorities again."

"Winter suddenly said."

“Winter…the place you’re talking about…?” After Winter’s reminder, True seemed to realize something, and the two answered in unison, “The school!”

At this point, the adults also hurriedly inquired. Most of their children were already of middle school age, so they were very concerned about the current situation at Peterheim School.

So Zao Lu and the others informed those present that the school was going to be under complete lockdown and that they would be investigated by the police.

Upon hearing that their children would not only be placed under closed management but also investigated by the police, the faces of those people changed color.

"I didn't receive any such message! How could they lock my child in school?!"

"They're even letting the police go in to investigate... What are they doing? Are they treating our children like thieves?!"

"This isn't just guarding against thieves! This is practically imprisoning them! No way! This absolutely cannot be allowed to happen!"

The adults were clearly extremely opposed to the actions of the school and the police. Especially after experiencing today's march, they realized even more clearly that only by standing up could they defend their dignity and their cherished families!

"That's right!" The tavern owner slammed his hand on the table, making the kerosene lamp flame flicker. "You want to lock up my son? No way!"

The air in the meeting room instantly became heavy and scorching. Winter surveyed the faces—some indignant, some anxious, some resolute—and said in a deep voice:

"Therefore, we propose that schools be the first key battleground for tomorrow's operation. On the one hand, this will expose their ugly attempt to use students as a weakness to hold them hostage; on the other hand..."

She looked at Truth and Dew: "We need to find a way to protect our fellow students inside, and at the same time, try to get more people to join us!"

Truth immediately understood the deeper meaning of Winter's words and quickly drew a heavy circle around the word "school" in his notebook.

Early dew nodded gently, her eyes shining with approval and determination:

“Winter is right. Protect our comrades, expose their ugly side, and get more people to join us. The meeting point for tomorrow will be there, and then we will…”

Immediately afterwards, everyone began to mark coordinates on the map, formulate march strategies and plans, deploy forces capable of confronting the police department in suitable locations, collect and prepare appropriate weapons, and so on...

As night deepened, the tavern lights illuminated the three coordinates marked on the map, as well as the resolute faces of the people present.

Once the plan was finalized and the liaison tasks and material preparation details were assigned, the representatives quietly dispersed and disappeared into the shadows of the city, like countless drops of water thrown into a dried-up riverbed.

Outside the window, in the uneasy silence of Chernobyl, one could faintly hear the heavy boots of patrolmen approaching from the end of the street, a sign of the last vestiges of calm before the storm.

……

"Phew, sleeping in the open like this, but it's not bad to have an empty house to live in. It looks quite well-furnished. Early Dew, where did you find a house like this?"

After Lie Xia and the others entered, they looked at the house and couldn't help but sigh.

"Hmm...it's a secret." Zao Lu looked at the bedroom, her eyes becoming misty. Many days ago, she had done something here that she still found incredibly daring, and a blush rose to her cheeks.

"But speaking of which, Liexia, aren't you going back? Didn't you say you're living alone at home now?" Lindong asked curiously as she sat down in her chair.

"Sigh, it's so boring living alone. It's much more fun being with you guys," Lie Xia said with a smile.

Truth lit the candlestick, and she reopened her book to study it carefully again; this was perhaps the only thing she liked to do.

"The kitchen here is still usable. It's quite convenient as long as you bring your own LPG cylinder."

Gumi then began cooking, taking out beetroots from her backpack to make soup. She then took out several dark, hard cubes, painstakingly cut them open with a knife, and then slowly put them into the pot to simmer.

Soon, a warm aroma wafted over, not particularly pleasant, but enough to whet the appetites of the few people present who hadn't eaten dinner.

"Hehe, sorry, this is all we have to eat right now, and this is a big black bread that's been sitting out for a long time."

As she spoke, Gummy looked apologetically at Zao Lu and asked, "I wonder if this will suit your taste. After all, I heard that nobles eat very white and soft bread?"

Chapter 298: The Whole of Dortmund's Plan

"Thank you, but don't say that. Even nobles can only afford rye bread now. I've seen them gagging several times, and even Hayley is no exception."

As Zao Lu picked up the hot soup that Gu Mi had handed her, she savored it and said slowly:

"But people have to get used to things... When you're hungry, you have to eat. No matter how picky you were before, if your life is in danger, you'll probably eat dirt, let alone black bread."

"And I... I've gotten used to it."

After slowly finishing her beetroot and soaked black bread, Zao Lu continued, "..."

"According to Hailey's current estimates, if prices continue to rise like this, Chernobyl's economic system will collapse within a week, and then it will be a time of complete chaos."

“We absolutely cannot let Chernobog get to that point. Although I know that many nobles took advantage of the situation to inflate prices, those people are now being purged one by one by the military. If we want food, we will have to take it from them.”

"However, it's still too early to tell. We'll have to see how much our protests can grow in strength."

Upon hearing Zao Lu's words, Zhenli put down her book and, while also enjoying the rye bread and beet soup that Gumi had prepared, said:

"It depends on how many people we can rally to resist. If more than a quarter of them stand up, we will have already completed our mission."

"The ones who will truly be fighting against those Ursus soldiers are probably the Infected who have mastered Originium Arts. However, there might still be a way for all of us to contribute."

"That's why I want everyone to go beyond just marching and chanting slogans; we need to actually take up arms and fight. Every act of resistance now will prepare us for our future confrontation with the Inner City Army Group."

After hearing what Zhenli said, Zaolu nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, where did you get today's tear gas? I didn't know you had such a secret weapon before we officially started," Lie Xia asked.

“Some of them were given to us by the underground street integration movement, and some were given to us by a student from a self-governing group named Zoya. I asked her, and her father is a military police officer in the police station, and he holds a high position. She brought these canisters for self-defense from her home and handed them to me.”

"Early Dew said slowly."

"What? Someone like that would actually join the self-governing body? Could she be a traitor or something?" Lie Xia asked, puzzled. "You know, we're going to be fighting those police officers tomorrow."

"It's because soldiers and police these days are so disappointing that everyone has forgotten that soldiers and police were originally the people's most trusted force." Zao Lu shook her head and said: [The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.]

"And Zoya's father was actually the latter, as were many police officers and military personnel... After all, they were originally from Chernobog and could see best how far Chernobog had fallen."

"You all saw that police chief that day; he was groveling and fawning over his superiors. Under his rule, even if there are good officers in the police department, how many would dare to disobey their orders?"

After saying this, Zao Lu's eyes became serious, and she said, "These police officers are just like most of the people of Chernobog. They still have a conscience, and their original position should be to protect the people."

"And what we need to do is awaken all these people and get them to fight alongside us!"