Blackstone Code-Chapter 469: Flame and Rebirth

After a scorching day, Nagaryll finally cooled down at night. In the jungle outside the city, there was a hidden camp.

The people of Nagaryll knew well the dangers of the jungle and avoided entering it unless absolutely necessary.

The tropical region was harsh—poisonous plants, venomous animals, and natural traps turned the jungle into a nightmare for anyone who dared to hunt there.

Every year, many disappeared deep in the forest for various reasons. If someone no longer wished to live, they would simply wander into the jungle.

Because of this fear, no one suspected that a camp existed deep in the jungle.

This camp was the headquarters of the Youth Party of Magulana Province.

These young people had found a way to carve out a safe area and built their base there. They held discussions and stored important items in this secure place.

A young man of average height, with determined features and thick eyebrows, sat at the center. He looked like the kind of character in a movie who wasn’t the main protagonist but clearly a key heroic figure.

His presence and demeanor spoke loudly: I am an honest man with ideals.

He chewed on a plant root until it was shredded, swallowing the fibrous remains. This root was common, slightly sweet at first, then numbingly tingling after prolonged chewing. Discovered by ascetics, it eased pain and became a popular habit for some, a small pleasure.

“Some foreigners are trying to escape. The headquarters sent word for us to stay alert and watch for signs,” he said to the group. “These foreigners have drained us dry, and now they want to leave. We must not let them!”

Merchants like Mr. Simon from the old regime had begun considering fleeing. These traders, tied closely to Preyton’s era, faced trouble now.

The Federation, which crushed Preyton’s company, was the root cause. Whether or not the Federation would hold these merchants accountable as partners, staying was no longer wise.

With growing Federation interference, easy profits were gone. The era of huge gains was over; leaving now was the best choice.

Staying meant losing everything they had earned due to rising competition.

Thus, these old regime foreign merchants fled, sparking outrage at the Youth Party headquarters. They saw it as theft.

Initially, Nagaryll accepted these foreigners as a third ruling class because they believed the wealth extracted would remain on this land.

These men married local women, had mixed-race children—children who, despite mixed blood, were still Nagaryllians.

Born here, raised here, inheriting family businesses—they were Nagaryllians.

Now, these foreigners planned to take their wealth away, which was infuriating.

Everyone watched the young leader. He poked the campfire with a stick. The wood crackled and sparked, then the flames dimmed.

“We’ve done well at branches across the region lately,” the young man said, meeting their eyes. They nodded in agreement. “It proves one thing: those officials and priests aren’t as fearsome as we thought. It’s been two days since we destroyed the temple.”

“But who has seen divine punishment? Anyone hurt or suddenly dead?” His eyes sparkled like stars. “No one. The gods never existed. They were just tools for rulers to enslave us.”

“They tell us not to resist, to crawl at their feet and obey. They want us living like slaves, feeding their luxury.”

“But I say, it’s over. No gods, no invincible powers. As our great leader said, we will—and must—take back what’s ours!”

“If they want to fight, we’ll fight!”

“If they want blood, we’ll spill blood!”

“Even sacrifice, we’ll give it!”

His tone was calm but powerful. Around him, young people struggling with confusion and harsh reality found hope and direction in the Youth Party.

Everyone clenched their fists, staring at their leader. He seemed a little moved but soon calmed down and continued.

“We can’t let those foreign merchants just leave. Although our ultimate goal is to expel them and change society, we need money—and they have it.”

Someone asked, “Leader, what about the new Federation merchants?”

These new merchants were a problem. The leader’s response could make or break his authority.

He treated the abandoned foreign merchants harshly but reserved a different attitude for the more powerful Federation merchants—an approach some quietly despised. 𝖗á𝐍ȫ𐌱ЕꞨ

All eyes were on him.

He smiled lightly, unfazed. “That’s why we must stop those foreign merchants from leaving easily—their resources, wealth, and businesses!”

“Friends, we must seize what belongs to Nagaryll from them. With that, we can confront the Federation!”

“With factories, goods, and shops in our hands, we gain the capital to fight back.”

“As long as we unite, I believe the Federation is no match. If all Nagaryll stands together, expelling foreigners isn’t a dream!”

His words were firm. These ideas came straight from Youth Party headquarters: seize foreign assets by any means and use them against the Federation’s merchants.

Once they control these assets and combine their influence and local advantage, the leader believed they would quickly dominate the competition.

This plan spread to Youth Party branches across Nagaryll, providing solid theory to justify their upcoming actions.

They aimed to use the wealth plundered by foreigners for years to resist the new Federation—everything was permitted for this great goal.

Including violence, conspiracy, conflict, even killing.

A flame burned in their hearts—like the campfire before them, fiercely glowing but unable to light the entire sky. One day, that fire would burn the whole forest, and even in the darkest moment, the sky would shine bright with its light.

“So, leader, what’s the plan?”

“How can we help?”

Looking at the determined faces united by hope and purpose, the young leader sighed in relief. As long as youth refused to bow or give up, Nagaryll still had hope.

His expression softened. “You just need to refine that gold quickly and convert it into cash. As for everything else…” He paused, then decided to share his thoughts and plans.

People gathered for the same ideal shouldn’t deceive each other. “I’ll contact the children of those foreign merchants. After all, they were born and raised here in Nagaryll. Maybe they’ll understand.”

“I know some of you don’t see them as one of us, but trust me—I will convince them.”

Not far from the camp, in the city center, a young man sat on the lawn.

The grass wasn’t the deep green typical of nature at night but a tender shade of green—a sign of strong, resilient life spreading around.

He hugged his knees, staring at the sky. Even the countless stars couldn’t bring a smile to his face.

Thinking of his father’s attitude toward him and his mother, and his actions these past days, made his heart colder.

He was no longer the small boy who thought his father’s dissatisfaction meant he wasn’t good enough. He had grown up and long understood that his and his mother’s existence was just a façade for his father.

He wished he were a little more foolish, but he wasn’t.