A Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire

Robin sensed the oppressive atmosphere and shrank farther behind Mo Xingchen.

Mo Xingchen was just about to make a getaway with little Robin when Uncle Garp suppressed his anger, rose to his feet, and headed for the door. Turning back, he said:

"Talk some sense into that brat!"

Bang!

He slammed the door shut and left.

Dragon raised his head to look at Mo Xingchen, revealing a bitter smile.

"Brother, I'm planning to leave the Marines."

Mo Xingchen led Robin over to the sofa and sat down, letting out a soft sigh.

"Have you thought it through?"

"Yeah."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tonight, probably. I don't want to draw too much attention."

Mo Xingchen pursed his lips and patted Dragon on the shoulder.

"Is there any alcohol left at home? Let's have a drink."

Dragon immediately got up to fetch some, returning to the sofa with several bottles of red wine. Seeing Robin sitting timidly beside Mo Xingchen, he asked:

"Brother Mo, who's this little boy?"

"She's a girl! I saved her in Ohara. She's my little sister now—Robin. You can call him Brother too."

"Brother."

After briefly getting acquainted with Robin, Dragon got up again and poured her a glass of milk.

Mo Xingchen told him about what had happened in Ohara. When he mentioned how Kuzan was cold on the outside but warm-hearted, yet had ended up frightening Robin, Dragon burst into laughter and joined in complaining about him.

He sympathized with Robin's experience and felt sorry for the little girl. He even pounded his chest and declared that the next time he saw Kuzan, he would beat him up to avenge her.

After several rounds of drinks—

"Dragon, after leaving the Marines, have you figured out what you want to do?"

"I've thought about it a lot these past few days. I just want ordinary people to live better lives. So I plan to first find some like-minded companions, then overthrow those evil kings. Finally, I'll choose an aristocrat who cares for the common people to take office. I'll slowly build up our strength until one day, we can overthrow the Celestial Dragons!"

"You discussed all this with Uncle Garp?"

Dragon looked utterly defeated. He sighed and said:

"I did. He called me stupid, then we started arguing. After that, you guys arrived."

"Ah... Uncle Garp wasn't wrong. It is pretty stupid, and rather childish too."

Dragon protested indignantly:

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"Why are you saying that too, Brother? Is my dream really so bad? And how am I stupid?"

Mo Xingchen picked up his bottle and clinked it against Dragon's, smiling as he spoke.

"Actually, your father and I don't oppose you leaving the Marines, and we both approve of your dream. When we call you stupid, we mean your methods. When we call you childish, we mean that you don't understand human nature.

"There's nothing wrong with finding companions, and nothing wrong with overthrowing tyrannical rule. But why would you hand power back to the aristocrats after succeeding? Even if that aristocrat cares for the common people, can you guarantee he won't change after becoming king? You have to understand that power is the most intoxicating poison. Even if he remains true to his original ideals, can you guarantee that his descendants will also be wise rulers?

"You're placing the happiness of all common people entirely on a gamble over the ruler's humanity, and human nature often cannot withstand testing. When that time comes, you'll inevitably fall into a cycle. Then everything you did will have been meaningless."

Dragon was not truly foolish. Listening to Mo Xingchen's explanation, he fell into thought. He realized that it was exactly as Mo Xingchen had said: once he was no longer there to restrain them, things would fall back into the same cycle within just a few generations. So he asked:

"Brother, teach me. What exactly should I do?"

"First, you need to understand one thing: commoners and aristocrats belong to two different classes. Commoners are the labor force. They engage in production, and everything they need is earned through labor. Aristocrats, meanwhile, are exploiters. They do not produce anything, yet they enjoy the fruits of the commoners' labor. They are natural enemies!

"Now tell me, are there more commoners in this world, or more aristocrats? Don't always think about achieving your dream through your own strength or the strength of a few companions. How many people do you have? Trying to change the world with that few people would work you to death.

"You should first find a country that has escaped the World Government's attention and suffers under aristocratic oppression. Unite all the oppressed commoners in that nation, and then you'll be able to overthrow its regime with ease.

"After succeeding, you must be ruthless. Eliminate all aristocrats, select administrators from among the people, establish inspection posts, impose severe punishments on officials who abuse their power, and implement a voting system for the highest leader. Whoever receives the most votes is elected. Then stipulate that no one may serve more than two terms, to prevent them from being corrupted by power.

"Once the people at home are living and working in peace and contentment, use that place as your starting point and spread outward to neighboring nations, from small to large, from points to whole regions. When you unite all the commoners of the world, you will dare to make heaven and earth anew!

"This is how a spark can start a prairie fire!"

Dragon and Robin were both dumbfounded. Neither of them had expected their seemingly useless big brother, who usually acted like a lazy slob, to possess such a detailed method of rebellion with such a high chance of success.

Robin was still young, so she only felt her blood boiling with excitement at the thought of accomplishing something great. But when Dragon heard the final part, he broke out in a cold sweat. He could already imagine every corner of the world erupting in a sea of crimson! It would be a battle hymn of blood and fire.

Ohara: I just wanted to dig up some dirt and got blown up for it. You're trying to uproot the whole damn thing! Government! I want to report him! I want to make amends for my crimes!

Dragon wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said timidly:

"Brother, how about you rebel too? I'm afraid I can't handle this!"

Mo Xingchen rolled his eyes, took a huge gulp of wine, and moistened his throat.

"Give me a break. That kind of work is exhausting and mentally draining. I'm not doing it. With that kind of free time, I'd rather bask in the sun, drink tea, and play with little Robin."

"Right, I only gave you a broad overview just now. Come on, next I'll explain in detail how to develop it."

"Brother, wait a moment. I'm going to get some paper and a pen—I'm afraid I won't remember!"

Robin raised her little hand and shouted excitedly, "Brother Monkey, I want to hear too!"

Mo Xingchen casually gave her a rap on the head. Watching Robin cradle her little head with tears welling in her eyes, he burst into laughter. "What are you, a little brat, taking notes for? Just listen. Don't tell me you want to follow your Brother Monkey and start a revolution too."

Seeing Dragon come running back with a pen and notebook, thumping all the way, then clear the liquor, snacks, and bottles off the table before obediently sitting down like an elementary school student, Mo Xingchen cleared his throat as well and raised one finger. "First, establish the core ideology of the revolution! You're not overthrowing things for the sake of overthrowing them—you're here to build a better New World, a new order. Therefore, unite every force that can be united, and bring down every vested-interest holder who has already committed crimes.

"This will be a long and arduous struggle, and it will certainly be accompanied by great sacrifice. So when choosing your companions, you must not only tell them the true meaning of the revolution, but also the dangers that come with it!"

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