Although the war within Hillkin City should have ended long ago, the unrest continued for some time, only subsiding several days later.
From the workers' riots to the Workers' Party's organized uprising, its suppression, and the end of the ensuing unrest in the city, the ordeal had lasted over twenty days and left sixty to seventy thousand dead, with even more wounded.
If Hillkin's industries had not still needed people to work, the casualties would certainly have climbed further.
There was no sign of the promises made in the earlier leaflets to those who surrendered being fulfilled. Instead, robbery, rape, and other abuses by the Kingdom Army were commonplace.
But Hillkin's workers no longer had the strength to resist. They could only plead in terror, or betray Workers' Party members still in hiding in hopes of saving themselves.
That day, a large crowd gathered in an area outside Hillkin City that had been reduced to scorched earth. Under escort by the Kingdom Army, over a hundred Workers' Party members were brought there. They wore chains and shackles on their wrists, led along by ropes and paraded through the city before finally arriving.
The cold weather froze their chafed hands and feet. Around them, besides the soldiers standing guard, were tens of thousands of workers who had been herded there.
Many people had already died. This batch of Workers' Party members had been identified as relatively high-ranking, and they were marched onto the wooden platform one by one.
A man in a brightly colored uniform, looking like a palace guard, stood on the platform and read out a document. He began with a long, rambling list of accusations before finally reaching the verdict.
"Through His Majesty the King's mercy, you have been granted a grace you do not deserve. We shall