By 9:15, the crowds gathered around the municipal square in Ice Valley City alone had already exceeded a hundred thousand, never mind the marchers in the city's other districts. Ice Valley was merely an industrial city on the edge of the northern continent's plateau, not some populous commercial and trade metropolis. Its population wasn't particularly large. Even the New Year's gathering this year hadn't drawn such a crowd.
Miss Taina Moen looked out over the scene. Whether through her own eyes or the footage captured by the drones, all she could see was a sea of people singing, dancing, and laughing.
Some of the more optimistic people had even bought coffee and snacks to hand out to the officers on duty at the various intersections.
After a brief hesitation, the armed police officers, carrying riot shields and equipped with stun weapons and riot-control weapons, actually accepted the kind gesture. The atmosphere at the scene immediately became even more cheerful.
"...I always thought a movement like this would be a little more intense." Yaxiu Stein appeared in front of her, carrying two enormous cotton candies.
"Want one?" the young Guide said. "The vendor said they're made with industrial artificial sweetener from a factory. A true Ice Valley specialty."
Taina looked at the bright red and vivid green cotton candy. The colors seemed so garish that they reminded her of nuclear fallout, and she couldn't say they looked appetizing. Still, she reluctantly took the green one. "...Is this like Green Locust City's coal-oil fritters?"
"Mm-hmm. Coal-oil fritters and artificial-sweetener cotton candy might both become signature foods for the workers someday." The Guide shrugged and took a big bite of the red cotton candy. "...Mm, I think all artificial sweeteners lack a certain something, but I have to admit, this one's pretty good.