Chapter 1185 Resistance Under Disaster

Meanwhile, on the streets and atop the defensive walls of the settlement, the "Control Army" soldiers in their dark blue uniforms continued to faithfully carry out their orders.

Although many of them had their hands trembling slightly as they held their guns, and although their young faces were filled with fear of the unknown death, they did not flee their posts.

The long-term brainwashing education, strict military discipline, and fear of the cruel punishment of "traitors" and their families have become ingrained in their bones.

A distorted "Bushido" spirit sustained them as they fulfilled their final "duty."

A young soldier, pale-faced, stood beneath a machine gun turret on the outer defensive wall, staring at the western sky where nothing seemed amiss yet. He whispered to the equally tense veteran beside him:

"Senior...private...ここにいていいんですか?"

(Senior...is it really okay for us to stay here?)

The veteran swallowed hard, straightened his back stiffly, and spoke in a hoarse voice with an almost obsessive persistence:

"黙れ! Order だ! I am the 々の丯目は, the order keeper is the ることだ! The たとえ...the たとえlast time でも!"

(Shut up! That's an order! Our duty is to maintain order! Even... even at the last moment!)

They were like robots programmed with a fixed routine. Knowing that staying in the open or fortified areas would mean almost zero chance of survival in the event of a nuclear explosion, they still carried out the cold and meaningless orders from their superiors without fail, using their lives to maintain a "superficial" order in the last few minutes before the apocalypse for the privileged who had already taken refuge in underground shelters.

In the entire Kyoto community, the upper class was panicked and selfish, the middle class was numb and complacent, and the lower class was in despair and waiting to die.

The cold slogans on the radio formed the sharpest irony against the hopeless reality of the shelters.

The brainwashed army became the last cogs to be sacrificed on this cruel machine that was about to collapse.

A suffocating atmosphere, a mixture of fear, despair, absurdity, and cruelty, enveloped this sea prison, awaiting the arrival of the final judgment.

.....

Just as the ruling class of Kyoto fled underground in panic, and the vast majority of the people numbly awaited their final judgment in despair, in the depths of this honeycomb labyrinth of steel and despair, in a forgotten corner, a long-suppressed storm was brewing.

Secret outpost - "The Sealed Boiler Room"

This is on the edge of the settlement, near a large, long-abandoned boiler room close to the wastewater treatment area.

The space was spacious but low, and the air was filled with a strong smell of rust, old coal ash, and a faint musty smell.

The massive, rusted boiler, like the silent skeleton of a prehistoric behemoth, cast large, distorted shadows.

Only a few dim light bulbs connected to temporary power lines provided illumination, their light appearing hazy and weak amidst the pervasive dust.

At this moment, about twenty people have gathered here.

They stood around a makeshift conference table made from discarded cable reels, their expressions solemn, their eyes burning with a flame completely different from the numbness and despair outside—a flame mixed with anger, determination, and a hint of excitement at seeing hope.

These people are the remnants of the "Central Core Faction," secretly lurking within their Kyoto community. Their membership is complex:

Ryuichi Miyamoto, a former low-ranking officer in the Self-Defense Forces, was marginalized for questioning orders from his superiors and the policies of the "Reconstruction Society." He has a deep scar on his face and sharp, eagle-like eyes.

Haruko Ishida, a former union activist who organized workers to fight for their rights, was placed on a watch list after the apocalypse due to her "dangerous ideas." Despite her slender figure, she exudes an indomitable tenacity.

Yusuke Kobayashi, a young engineer proficient in mechanics and electronics, is deeply dissatisfied with the technological monopoly and exploitation of the lower classes by the "Revival Society".

There were also several soldiers wearing dark blue military uniforms, but with barely noticeable red markings on the inside of their cuffs; these were members of the Central Core faction who had already infiltrated the army.

The rest were workers and technicians from the lower classes who chose this path of resistance because their loved ones died from harsh labor or because they could no longer endure the endless oppression.

"Gentlemen!" Miyamoto Ryuichi's voice was deep and hoarse, yet carried an undeniable power. He slammed a rudimentary sketch of the missile's trajectory onto the cable reel:

"The 'Revival Society' has met its demise! The sword of judgment from the mainland hangs over our heads! Those vampires are now cowering in their 'solid' underground lair like rats, yet they're using the radio to order us to resist the nuclear explosion with our 'spirit'! Absurd!"

Haruko Ishida then spoke, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, yet perfectly clear:

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The upper echelons are in chaos, the military command system is cracked, and the people's resentment is raging like a volcano! We must seize this opportunity! Like our predecessors in history, we must use the weapons in our hands to smash this cannibalistic cage!"

Yusuke Kobayashi quickly operated a privately modified portable terminal, bringing up a simplified structural diagram of the settlement:

"The broadcasting station, the third and seventh weapons depots, the checkpoints leading to the core area... our personnel are either in position or can approach these key locations quickly! We must create a fait accompli before the missiles fall!"

Without much debate, their long-term infiltration and harsh environment had already honed their strong consensus and ability to act.

A simple plan was quickly devised: use comrades who had infiltrated the army as inside agents to launch a surprise attack and seize the armory, while simultaneously splitting up to eliminate the middle and lower-ranking officers who were loyal to the "Revival Society"—these officers were the key to maintaining the "Control Army's" executive power and were also the most direct executors of oppression.

"Action!" Miyamoto Ryuichi swung his hand sharply, a resolute glint in his eyes:

"For our enslaved compatriots, for true liberation! Let blood wash away this filthy land!"