[Earth Era, January 15, 2011] [Western Calendar, Saturday] [Xia Calendar, Gengyin Year, twelfth month, twelfth day. Auspicious for sacrifices, visiting friends and relatives, travel, making betrothal agreements, presenting betrothal gifts, bathing, breaking ground, praying for blessings, fasting rituals, demolition, setting up beds, taking office, tailoring clothes, planting, and installing doors]
Area No. 7 was bustling that day.
The Zhao Family's Merchants' Association Assembly Hall hosted another grand gathering, its first since the founding of the Zhao Merchants' Association.
The distinguished guests in attendance were no less impressive than before-if anything, they were even more prestigious.
Every faction had gathered there.
In addition, the Legion's leader Qi Tian, the United Government's representative Chu Zhongxiong, the head of the Mining Industry Xie Nanyun, and everyone else who had displayed extraordinary strength in the battle outside the Sigma District were present to offer their congratulations.
Most importantly, Qian Wendao, the nominal supreme leader of the United Government, attended in person and presided over the ceremony.
An occasion that brought so many people there in person, with Qian Wendao himself presiding, was certainly no ordinary affair.
During the ceremony, three organizations of historic significance-the United Merchants' Association, the United Church, and the Joint Medical Association-announced their establishment simultaneously.
The three organizations marked a further deepening of cooperation among those resisting Zone 1.
After Qian Wendao, Qin Siyang, and the others concluded their meeting in District 2 the previous week, every faction signed an agreement that same day protesting Zone 1's decree. The agreement also listed the resource contributions they considered reasonable.
Qin Siyang had originally proposed submitting the protest separately from the draft of the new decree, but Qian Wendao handled it with greater cunning, combining the two into one.
Anyone who did not protest Zone 1's earlier unreasonable demands would not