When Yishan once again set foot on Suroman soil, her emotions were beyond complicated.
Especially when she gazed into the distance at New Covenant, the hometown where she had grown up, now reduced to ruins, grief and bitterness surged into her heart, impossible to suppress.
Then thinking about how it had come to this because her father Bruce had linked bombs to his own life, she found that man somewhat pitiful.
Rather than saying he controlled everything, it was more accurate to say his desire for control had turned around and devoured him.
It was that endlessly expanding desire for control that had ultimately led to tragedy, from their small family to the entire nation.
"Where are we meeting them?" After a long sigh, Yishan turned and asked Sigaochin beside her.
Sigaochin was somewhat surprised by Yishan's expression. She had thought the latter would cry and make a scene upon seeing the current New Covenant, but instead there was an unexpected calm.
Then again, so much had happened over such a long time, even the most carefree person would grow.
"At a farm not far from here," Sigaochin said. "Let's go."
A farm?
Yishan's heart stirred at the words. Back when Guan Tong had brought her out of the mental hospital, she had stayed at a farm near here for a few days.
She followed Sigaochin and the others to that farm, and it was indeed the very place she had once stayed.
Unlike New Covenant's urban areas, Bruce of course would not plant bombs in this remote abandoned farm, so it had been spared from the explosions.
By the time they arrived, there were already dozens of people in the farm's main yard, all Suromans chatting in small groups of three or five.
These people looked surprised upon seeing Sigaochin's group, but after noticing Yishan, their expressions instantly turned ugly. Many of them revealed undisguised hostility in their sharp gazes.
"Where is your leader?" Sigaochin casually asked one person in the yard.
The person questioned seemed reluctant, but still pointed toward a farm building. "In that barn over there."
Sigaochin nodded and led Yishan and the others toward the barn.
Just then, someone in the surrounding crowd shouted, "Isn't this our high and mighty Princess Yishan? What are you running back here for now?"
Once one person started, others chimed in noisily.
"Your father Bruce, that bastard, destroyed this country, and you still dare come back!"
"You should atone for Bruce's crimes. He died far too easily!"
"This place doesn't welcome you, get lost right now!"
Curses aimed at Yishan rose and fell in waves. Her face grew paler and paler as she listened. In the past, she would have snapped back immediately, but now she said nothing at all.
When the group reached the barn, the people inside heard the commotion outside and were opening the door to come out.
"Oh, you're here." Roy glanced at Sigaochin and the others. "Come in and talk."
Sigaochin, Yishan, and the others entered the barn. Aside from Roy, there were over a dozen people inside, most of them core members of the former resistance.
After receiving news from Guan Tong of Bruce's downfall, Roy and the others had decisively left the Mangja Mountains and returned to the cities.
Roy's eastern resistance, as the resistance organization that had retained the largest numbers, naturally took leadership after merging with other Suroman survivors, relying on their superior organizational cohesion.
Currently they were busy with reconstruction work, but had suddenly received word from the Xisiya Empire that Yishan wanted to return to the country.
This put Roy and the others on high alert.
Although the kingship of Suroma did not follow a family tradition, Yishan, the daughter who had publicly spoken out against her father, still held some appeal to certain Suromans regardless. Moreover, some sympathized with her because of her wedding incident.
What did she want to do returning at this time? Did she intend to become the new leader?
Roy and the others had initially discussed refusing to meet with her, but ultimately decided to make contact and see.
After all, if Yishan truly came back, the two sides would inevitably have to meet sooner or later.
However, the people inside the barn were just like those outside. Upon seeing Yishan, their expressions instantly darkened, and the atmosphere became extremely awkward.
After a moment, it was Verin, beside Roy, who broke the silence, speaking bluntly to Sigaochin: "If Xisiya wants Yishan to come back and take over for Bruce, then you'd best forget it."
Sigaochin said, "Our Administrator has no such intention. Miss Yishan insisted on returning herself. For her safety, the Administrator contacted you and had me bring people to escort her."
Everyone exchanged suspicious glances. Roy spoke to Yishan with unfriendly words: "Thanks to your bastard father, Suroma has become this godforsaken mess. Instead of staying in Xisiya, what do you want coming back here? Do you want to be king too?"
Yishan turned to look at Sigaochin, who said calmly, "You decided on your own to return to Suroma. Speak your mind."
"...Suroma is my homeland. Is there something wrong with wanting to come home?" Yishan looked directly into Roy's eyes. "I know you plan to rebuild the city, and I want to join in."
Roy said suspiciously, "Is that all?"
He did not believe that Yishan, a pampered, willful young lady, would return to Suroma for just this reason.
"That's it. Believe it or not."
"......"
The others, like Roy, did not quite believe her.
But her reason could not be refuted. This was indeed her home. And it was inappropriate to pin Bruce's crimes on her. From the wedding incident alone, it was clear he had never cared about this daughter of his.
Verin thought for a moment and then said, "Yishan, you can come back, but no one here will treat you as a princess."
"That's right." Roy said seriously, "If you want to join us, you'll work when work needs doing, just like everyone else. No privileges, and no one will pamper you."
Yishan nodded. "I know. I never wanted any privileges anyway."
When she had first gone to the Xisiya Empire, she had wanted Yelanka to support her as the new king, to take revenge on Bruce and Han Qiu.
But after Bruce died, that thought had faded.
She knew that without her, Bruce and Han Qiu would still get what they deserved.
And she had had enough of the idleness in Xisiya. Rather than continue living like a caged animal, she would rather find something she found meaningful to do.
"If that's the case..."
"Roy! Her father killed so many of us. How can you let her join us?" Someone spoke up in opposition, and several others echoed the sentiment.
But Verin shot back: "Bruce was a heinous bastard, no question. But how much of that rotten business has to do with her? We're desperately short-handed rebuilding the city. Why not let her join?"
"Verin, if you let her in, aren't you afraid she'll cause more trouble!"
"She won't dare." Verin said with certainty. "I'll be watching her."
Yishan: "..."
"Enough, stop arguing!" Roy decided. "Let her join for a one-month trial. If there are problems, she's out. If not, she stays!"
This compromise proposal was approved by the vast majority, and Yishan herself agreed.
After Yishan's matter was settled, Sigaochin spoke with Roy privately.
"If you need help with reconstruction, Xisiya can provide it."
"Thanks, but no need." Roy refused flatly. "We plan to build a Free City with our own strength."
"The Joint Government is about to be established," Sigaochin said. "There's no need for you to rely only on yourselves."
Roy smiled and shrugged. "Everyone here has essentially died once already. Rebuilding a small city is what keeps us going."
"Understood."
Sigaochin said no more and soon left with her people.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Tianshui Star, in Beixing, a series of changes was underway.
First, the location for the Yinluo Civilization's Star Scar Merchant Group liaison station was officially confirmed, to be established in Qingzhou City, Beixing, with the date set for April.
This was the location Beixing had chosen. The reason for not selecting Pinglu was consideration of certain security issues.
As a major military city, Qingzhou provided greater security guarantees, so the research on new technology and new energy, as well as the location for the alien liaison station, were all set here.
Furthermore, the Tianshui Star Joint Government establishment conference, to be held in April, would also take place in Qingzhou City. At that time, decision-makers from various nations, as well as candidates for certain positions, would all gather here.
At this juncture, Guan Tong, still in Pinglu, received a Mind Network contact initiated by Black Star.
"Troupe Leader, we've discovered movement from the guild."
Guan Tong, who was in the middle of combat sparring with Chen Na, paused and went off to the side to respond to Black Star.
"The guild? You mean Han Qiu's mysterious organization?"
"Yes." Black Star said, "This organization has recently started frequent activity. I obtained intelligence from some mercenary groups. Multiple guild members have been spotted in Suroma."
"Suroma... So Han Qiu has gone back again."
"Very likely. Perhaps he thinks that after Bruce's death, no one on that land can threaten him anymore. I'll continue investigating intelligence on the specific locations of guild members and try to find their stronghold location as soon as possible."