Chapter 250
"Is it sensitive? I don't think so. It's not something to be proud of to be unable to face past sins; it's cowardice."
"Not everyone has the courage of you, Yanase."
"My courage does not come from within myself."
Similarly, people's fear and despair often do not originate from themselves...
Kusei Maki's gaze fell on the standing lamp in the corner. "The Flagbreakers... I think you know their origins and fate better than anyone else. Most people from the Old Era experienced that dark period, and only nineteen years have passed since then. That's not enough time to erase people's memories, so there's nothing to hide about it, nor is there any need to mention it. It's both clear and deeply taboo..."
However, thinking and memory have pitfalls. Every record has its basis, and the surface of things and the truth are exactly the same, but a blind spot is created between two completely different descriptions, so that those who question and those who believe receive the exact same information.
"So, the Flagbreakers still exist? According to the records at the time, they should all be dead by now. Could it be... that the Human Federation is hiding the truth?"
Of course not.
Kusei Maki shook her head. "Everyone knows the outcome of the war between the Human Federation and the Flagbreakers. All the rebels met their end in the endless Corruption Mist. They even collapsed before the Human Federation could launch a general offensive because of too many Dregs within their ranks. But, Ms. Yanase, do you really think that all of those who were driven out of their homes by us so-called survivors really joined the resistance against the Human Federation?"
Efnir frowned slightly; for the first time, she detected a hint of sorrow in Kusei Maki's tone.
--Have all the Flagbreakers joined the resistance against the Human Federation?
You already have the answer in your heart.
Kusei Maki sighed softly, "Seeking the truth is not a distressing thing, but digging into the answers you already know in your heart is not always so. There was a person I knew and respected, a great mother, and also a despised and feared Numbered Subjects. Her daughter was only six years old when she was expelled, and after that, they were separated—there are many like her among the expelled Numbered Subjects. In that case, would these people wage war against the city where their loved ones live?"
190. Awakening
"Those people are all..."
Efnir hesitated, then finally just sighed softly.
"Sorry, did we get a little too heavy?"
Kusei Maki didn't continue speaking, but instead gave another faint laugh—this was the second time she had shown an expression other than a poker face in front of Efnir.
"Don't worry about it..."
Efnir shook her head. "I didn't witness that history firsthand, so let's just treat this as casual conversation."
Nineteen years ago, when Efnir was just born, she had no memory of that time.
But she didn't believe that Kusei Maki was lying.
This historical record is in the archives of the Orderkeepers Organization. Just as Kusei Maki said, everything became incomprehensible and insane at that time. Humanity's proud civilization collapsed, and order was replaced by chaos.
Only the hazy white mist brought by Corruption lingers between people.
"You've witnessed quite a few deaths... In the Central Province, agents, or rather warriors, like you and Lapith are becoming increasingly rare..."
As Kusei Maki said this, she gently touched her badge.
"Do you know? The 'Flagbreakers,' no, to be precise, those who voluntarily left to preserve the flame of humanity were the last vestiges of human courage. Regrettably, we, the survivors who were seen as the hope of civilization, abandoned them. What are we, who have survived through betrayal, retreat, and compromise? We are cowards."
"This isn't about right or wrong, it's just a choice..."
When it came to the topic of the Central Province, Efnir couldn't really get a word in edgewise—after all, she had never lived there, and her feelings about the subject were similar to those of Kusei Maki.
Kusei Maki fell into a moment of reminiscence, then slowly began to speak to herself.
"Nineteen years have passed... and humanity is still paying the price for the choices it made back then. That's not a story... but something that actually happened between people at that time. In fact, the number of the Flagbreaker Resistance Army was less than a third of the Numbered Subjects who were expelled, but not everyone noticed this, or rather, many chose to turn a blind eye."
At that time, everyone was forced to stand on the side of 'reason' to refute evil. The fear of Corruption made them deliberately downplay their memories of that time. Even though many people who had not been Corruption were mixed in among the Numbered Subjects, no one would venture into the dangerous Beyond the Boundary to track them down, and the dead resistance fighters could not provide any valuable clues. Those who were abandoned had completely disappeared from people's sight at that time.
At this point, Efnir frowned slightly.
Leaving aside the past that most people are unwilling to mention, the fact is that only a small fraction of the expelled Numbered Subjects eventually joined the resistance organization "Flagbreakers." So where did the rest go?
"... These so-called 'disappeared people' didn't actually die, did they?"
Efnir voiced the question that had been on her mind.
"Who knows? Twenty years have already passed—without the protection of the Boundary Stele, without enough food and clean water, without tools and few weapons, how could these Numbered Subjects individuals survive for twenty years in the ever- Corruption Mist... What are the chances of that?"
Kusei Maki chuckled casually.
"By the time the Human Federation finally had the resources to attempt some thankless search work, those people had already completely disappeared from everyone's sight."
In the year following the Flagbreakers incident, the Boundary Stele technology brought from the Ruins by the Human Federation finally reached maturity, and cities rose up one after another.
According to Kusei Maki, the Human Federation also sent out search teams after that, but with little success.
Indeed, from the perspective of the Human Federation, rather than wasting already scarce resources searching for the Numbered Subjects, whose chances of survival were extremely low and who could be reduced to Dregs at any moment, they should have focused all their efforts on urban development at that time.
"Even if we find the body, it'll just be an unidentifiable skeleton, won't it? The Human Federation can't possibly waste its limited resources on a proper burial or investigating a group of Numbered Subjects who have lost their protection."
At that time, those Numbered Subjects were people whose Corruption rate had reached a dangerous level. No one knew whether those who had disappeared had already been Corruption by the white mist and turned into Dregs, wandering to other places.
Efnir had some understanding of that period, and combined with the information revealed by the Apostle Organization, she had a different idea.
"But we all know that the 'Apostle' organization possesses a technology that allows people to move freely within the white mist—when we conquered the Maesakagawa area, those girls lived safely for a month in this place without the protection of the Boundary Stele."
"Technology cannot appear out of thin air. Even if the theory is perfect, it's all for nothing without the tools to make it all and enough time."
"Yes. But all of this overlooks a premise. In fact, among those expelled are some who shouldn't have been expelled—they might be relatives or lovers of those Numbered Subjects, who chose to accompany the expelled. Compared to those Numbered Subjects, if they're lucky—avoiding attacks and obtaining a certain amount of food and water—they can survive in the white fog for a very long time."
"I know what you're trying to say, but I'm sure things aren't as you think—at least not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I already interrogated those people you captured, and they couldn't give me satisfactory answers."
Kusei Maki spoke slowly and deliberately.
But she hadn't said it yet. Another reason she was so certain was the 'woman' in the story she was telling—her mother.
Because the Numbered Subjects brought instability and crisis, and the new settlements no longer had enough living space, food, or water to ensure everyone's survival, the Numbered Subjects became the victims.
That's how Kusei Maki's mother left her. She was raised by the Human Federation as an orphan, and then joined the Beyond-the-Boundary Survey Combat Unit in order to follow in her mother's footsteps. In fact, there are many people like her. Even if the Human Federation gives up the search, people like them will not give up.
In the Central Province, they gathered together to act for the same purpose, but the fact is that nineteen years have passed—if the Apostle were those who had been forgotten, they could not have come up empty-handed by now.
A brief silence fell between Kusei Maki and Efnir.
At that moment, Shinomiyami Nami's voice came from behind Efnir.
"Efnir, so you were here..."
"What's wrong?"
"Saori, Saori's awake... she said..."
"Take me there first—sorry, Commander, it seems we'll have to wait until another time to talk."
The conversation between Efnir and Shinomiyami Nami also reached the ears of Kusei Maki, and the last sentence was clearly meant for Kusei Maki.
"Waiting for your good news."
191. Unknown information
After being rescued, Saori was immediately transferred to a special care ward at the Orderkeeper Headquarters, where she was cared for by Ayse, Furan, and dedicated doctors and nurses. She underwent several surgeries before finally being out of danger.
"Her injuries are very serious... She can only be kept alive by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and intra-arterial balloon counterpulsation (ICP). We are currently requesting a matching blood type from the East District..."
The doctor in charge of Saori was an experienced physician who led Efnir to Saori's ward, briefly explaining Saori's condition to Efnir along the way.
Efnir kept her eyes downcast and remained silent, leaning against the armrest, feeling the weightlessness creeping into her heart.
The doctor sighed, "His life has been saved, but the injuries are too severe, and his overall condition remains grim..."
"In that case..." Efnir pursed her lips, "Could... we find a compatible blood type?"
"It will take some time..." the doctor replied, "But it's not difficult. The key lies in her body... She has almost lost half of her functions, and even if she recovers, she certainly won't be fully restored. Let's just hope the Order Force can bring more miracles..."
But Efnir knew that there was no place for miracles in this world.
The Order Force is not omnipotent; organ damage is a permanent wound, and the self-healing power brought by the Order Force alone is simply not enough to salvage a severely damaged body.
Trilice and Shiyin are the best examples.
"She is still very weak and needs to rest, but she insists on seeing you... She seems to have something very important that she doesn't want to go through us, but wants to tell you in person."
Shinomiyami Nami took out a pass and handed it to Efnir, "Efnir... go see her."
"Um..."
Efnir held the card in her hand and gripped it tightly.
The isolation ward was quiet. When Efnir saw Saori again, she almost didn't recognize her.
Saori was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, her lips were completely bloodless, and her pale cheeks showed Trace of burns. Red or white tubes were inserted into her chest cavity, and she was being kept alive by these things.
Furan was right beside her, holding her hand tightly, clutching Saori's Beacon. Efnir saw her red, swollen eyes.
"Senior..."
Noticing Efnir's arrival, Furan reluctantly let go of Saori's hand and stood up.
Saori opened her eyes weakly, "Senpai... you've come..."
To be able to make a sound despite such severe injuries is something only an agent could do.
"Your injuries are still very serious, don't move around."
Efnir nodded to Furan, went to the bedside, bent down, gently brushed away the stray hairs from Saori, and wiped away the tear stains from the corners of Saori's eyes. "Don't push yourself. You've already done enough. Take good care of yourself and recover."
"..."
Saori slowly closed her eyes, then opened them again with difficulty, her hoarse throat moving, "It's not... over yet... Senpai... I have something important... to tell you..."
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she looked at Efnir, then shifted her gaze to Furan to the side.
"I'm right outside..."
Furan and Efnir exchanged a glance, then looked away and left the ward, leaving Efnir with a lonely and desolate figure.
She gently took Saori's hand in hers, feeling the coolness of Saori's palm.
"Is this okay? Furan is very worried about you..."
"I don't want to... involve her... I feel... this time... something... is different..."
Saori gasped for breath, a layer of white mist forming on her breathing mask. "Senpai... something... happened... we... couldn't stop it..."
"What did you learn from Codename J...?"
"'The contents of the box'..."
"Thing in the Box?"
Efnir repeated herself, sounding puzzled, to confirm.
Saori blinked slowly, a nod of affirmation sufficing. "This is... the reason 'H'... came to Western Capital... she... is searching for..."
H should refer to the Codename H.
Codename H, if there's any thread connecting all the events of the past two months, it's undoubtedly her.
However, Codename H has not appeared since the battle more than a month ago, and the organization has very limited knowledge of her. Interrogating the captured Apostle girls has also failed to yield any useful information—even the Apostle know very little about her.
Sakurai Sachi, the only one who seemed to know something, always kept silent, like an iron plate, which made the organization lose patience.
The investigation, Codename H, continues to this day with no results.
"And also... 'Ruins'... 'clocks'... mechanisms'... 'Restrainer'... and Apostle... and connections to the Human Federation..."
Ruins, Clockwork Organization, Restrainer, Apostle, Human Federation.
Efnir memorized the keywords, while also slightly frowning.
"What is related to the Apostle and the Human Federation?"
"The Ruins... the... burial... the White Hole Erosion..."
Saori, panting, stared intently at Efnir. "The Clockwork Organization... the Restrainer... Senpai... I must confirm... I only trust you, Senpai... Don't let... anyone else know this..."