Chapter 187: Midnight Operation

Velia Main Plane · Infir Empire

Passing by the bakery, factory worker Lowell sniffed the enticing aroma, instinctively pausing.

He thought for a moment, pulled out his few pennies, bought some breadsticks, and asked for a bottle of blueberry jam.

When he got home, the children seeing the breadsticks in his hand looked overjoyed, their eyes wide, eagerly staring at the bread.

“Take it and eat!”

Lowell handed the bread to his youngest daughter, Dina.

“Mom! Mom! Dad bought bread!” Dina happily took the bread, excitedly boasting as she ran to the kitchen.

“And blueberry jam!” shouted the eldest son, tagging along behind.

In an instant, the sounds of excitement emanated from the single-room kitchen.

Lowell’s wife did not appear the entire time.

——Ever since Lowell joined the Strike and Raise Movement, he and his wife had been in a cold war.

His wife disapproved of him participating in such a dangerous movement, hoping he would stop this madness for the sake of the family.

But Lowell insisted on joining.

Thus, the cold war began.

Listening to the cheering from the kitchen, and hearing his wife teaching the children how to make food stretch, the oil-stained wrinkles on Lowell’s face sincerely relaxed.

After a day’s work, he sat tiredly on a chair, but deep in his eyes, a hint of worry flickered.

Recently, the war between the Infir Empire and the Falai Dynasty was intensifying, and differences began emerging among the brothers in the team.

Some brothers believed that the Strike and Raise Movement was an internal issue, and with the Falai Dynasty invading, they should set aside their grievances and resist the foreign enemy together.

Moreover, the Infir Empire had already raised the basic salary; in a sense, the Strike and Raise Movement had achieved its purpose.

However, most brothers did not agree.

Great Akide’s thoughts had made it clear how the greedy, decadent factory owners exuding the stench of money were exploiting workers.

The current salary increase meant nothing.

Only when workers take power can the status of workers fundamentally change.

Confronted with this division and controversy, Lowell was hesitant.

His beloved homeland, the affection of his wife, Akide’s ideology—these three forces tore at him, leaving him unsure whether to continue the struggle or to stop in his tracks.  As Lowell was entangled, his wife had already prepared dinner.

A large basin of bread porridge was placed in the middle of the table.

——This was made by tearing breadsticks into pieces and boiling them with a bit of sea salt as the main dish.

A plate of boiled potatoes.

——All finely diced potatoes, but even so, a few black spots were still visible.

It was evident that his wife had worked hard to cut out the moldy spots to make the potatoes edible.

On the plates before him, his wife, and their two children were two slices of bread, each with a little blueberry jam.

It was a lavish dinner!  Compared to flour mixed with barite, gypsum, or even chalk to increase weight, and noodles painted yellow with bitter acid or urine to imitate egg noodles.

This dinner was indeed lavish.

The children were very happy!

They eagerly drank the bread porridge, nibbled on the blueberry jam bread, and chirped about the day’s events, their small faces radiating satisfied smiles.

Given the recent chaos, the eldest son’s newspaper sales were doing well—after deducting costs, he earned thirteen pennies today.

Because his wife worked at the textile factory, the youngest daughter was entrusted to the Church, where they taught children to read. However, most of the time, they had to work for the Church, but at least they got meals.

At the dinner table, his wife remained silent as usual, occasionally responding to the children’s topics.

The eldest son talked about the day’s events;  the youngest daughter said that Preacher Hawthorne had called Sister Judith to the Room of Repentance again for a scolding, and when Sister Judith came out, she still had tears on her face.

Lowell’s mind was full of the Strike and Raise Movement, barely keeping up with the children’s chatter.

Thus, this sumptuous dinner passed amid a lively yet dull atmosphere.

“Chirp chirp…”

In the middle of the night, Lowell was suddenly startled awake from the floor. He quickly scrambled up.

Using both hands and feet, he crawled to the window, pressing his ear to listen carefully.

“Chirp… chirp chirp…”

The vivid and lively nightingale calls came piercingly from the night.

Listening closely, Lowell’s expression grew solemn.

He turned around and retrieved a set of night clothes, quickly putting them on.

When he finished dressing, he suddenly realized his wife was standing by the door, unknown since when.

“This is a Level One Assembly Order. Just this once, I promise, I can’t betray my brothers!”

Lowell lowered his voice, making a solemn promise—a promise he had made countless times before.

Under the night sky, his wife quietly watched him. After a while, she extended something toward him.

“This…”

“You need a full stomach to work.” His wife finally spoke, her voice carrying a touch of weariness.

Lowell paused for a moment, then bit his lip, reaching out to take the bread wrapped in newspaper, stuffed it into his arms, and dashed out without looking back.

After rushing out of the house, the already crowded slums were rustling with activity.

There were many people like Lowell.

However, most of them did not know each other.

Only their superiors knew their exact list—ensuring that even if someone fell into the hands of the security bureau, it wouldn’t deal a devastating blow.

Lowell skillfully weaved through the streets until he stopped at the back door of the cobbler’s shop.

Before he could knock, the door had already opened.

“Grab a weapon, follow the group, and stay silent. No discussing allowed!”

The person who opened the door whispered.

Lowell nodded and squeezed in sideways.

The yard was already crowded with people, and more were pouring in. Once the yard was full, the officer personally distributed rifles.

After everyone received their weapons, the group immediately set out without a word of nonsense.

Nervously, Lowell followed the group. He didn’t know the purpose of this mission, nor did he need to know.

He only knew that Ben Keming wouldn’t deceive them; Akide’s thoughts illuminated them!

However, as they walked, something felt off to Lowell.

The footsteps were too loud.

These were not sounds that their numbers could produce.

But where were the footsteps coming from?  Looking around, Lowell noticed the footsteps originating from nearby alleys.

Every time they passed an alley entrance, in a brief glance, they could see another group running in a similar alley.

They were dressed the same, equipped the same.

When the group stopped, Lowell was dumbfounded.

Through the cover of the stairs, looking ahead, there stood a massive castle.

——This is the Infir Empire’s palace.

On normal days, there would be at least dozens of airships patrolling the sky, but today there were only three. It was unclear if it was an illusion, but there seemed to be fewer lights in the castle too.

And who knows if the Falai Dynasty had drained the Empire’s strength!

“Brothers, the great Akide once said that only by overthrowing the old order can we establish a new one! We workers can only take charge by defeating the decadent and backward royal family!”

“Mr. Ben Keming has already infiltrated the palace. When the fireworks go up, it will mark the liberation of Infir! Then we charge together, kill all the royal family members!”

The team leader lowered his voice, but still filled with passion, revealing the ultimate purpose of this mission.

Lowell was dumbfounded.

The entire group was dumbfounded.

The scene was dead silent.

Countless exchanged glances, not knowing what each was thinking. The suddenness of the mission had completely caught them off guard.

Both excitement and fear made Lowell’s hands tremble.

Half a moment later, he reached into his arms, bringing caution from his companions, fearing he was a plant, a dog for the Empire!

“I’m just eating some bread.”

Lowell explained softly, taking out the bread his wife had given him before leaving. Under the officer’s watchful gaze, he trembled slightly as he unwrapped the newspaper and took a big bite.

Suddenly, a rich blueberry jam burst into his mouth, tasting both sweet and sour.

——His wife had packed most of the blueberry jam he bought into his bread.

“Bang!”

A burst of fireworks suddenly shot into the sky, dazzlingly blooming and illuminating the entire city!  The bright light completely pushed the castle’s shadow to the wall’s root, and yet completely revealed them.

“Brothers, charge with me!”

The officer leaped from behind cover first, raising his rifle, letting out a hysterical roar, then charged towards the towering castle.

Meanwhile, the thick castle gate rumbled open amid the creaking sounds.

A mouthful of blueberry jam-filled Lowell was too late to appreciate his wife’s care.

He stuffed the remaining bread into his arms, grabbed his rifle, and exposed his teeth stained blue by the jam, roaring.

“Charge!”