This Game Is Too Realistic-Chapter 545.3: We Choose Our Own Path

Anyone accused of serious crimes, especially involving murder, would not be granted citizenship, regardless of whether they were from the inner or outer city.

The New Alliance would establish a new court in Boulder Town to publicly and fairly try such cases. New evidence could be added within a five year statute of limitations.

If any criminals were proven guilty with solid evidence, and their compensation could not earn the forgiveness of the victims, they would either be sentenced to labor under supervision, or, as the outer city residents suggested, be kicked out to find their place in the wasteland.

That said, the process might be superfluous.

Most of the pardoned inner city residents didn’t want to stay anyway, and couldn’t.

They already bore the original sin.

The only reason they hadn’t been executed was because the manifesto of the uprising had promised no mass executions. They had also released Spielberg and the other hostages of their own volition.

A settlement of over half a million was, in the end, too small.

Everyone recognized the faces of those in the inner city.

They would have no future here, might even have spit in their food or glares from every server just for sitting at a table.

That hurt more than death. Death lasted only a second.

Unless they, like the generous outer city residents who forgave them, or like the little girl Elisa, actively sought redemption so that others would believe they truly wanted to become part of their family... They wouldn’t be accepted.

But that was too hard. Not everyone had the capacity or chance to redeem themselves.

Stripped of power and possessions, it wasn’t just difficult to be self-sufficient, staying alive was already a challenge.

Sending them out of the walls was undoubtedly a pardon, but to many, it felt more like exile...

...

On the plaza in front of the gates leading out of the great walls, Bonnie and Kumiter stood, unsure of their future.

Her husband, Sid, was dead. Her own family, senior officers in the militia, had nearly all died in the uprising.

The victors hadn’t committed a massacre, but that didn’t mean no one died.

Upon hearing that Boulder Town would become the New Alliance’s fifth city, her other two sons had confessed and volunteered for labor reform in the labor camps.

With good behavior, maybe they would be out in three to five years. Maybe they could learn a trade and live as normal people again.

But she couldn’t do it. Without servants, she couldn’t even comb her hair.

And her most beloved youngest son, Kumiter, was just the same. He couldn’t do anything on his own without help. Without someone to care for them, they would wilt like flowers without water...

Just thinking of the life ahead and the 20 kilograms of luggage made Bonnie’s eyes well up again.

"Mother..." Kumiter tugged at her hand, trying to comfort her, but he didn’t even know how.

He had no idea where to go next.

The new authorities had confiscated their CR and Dinars. They couldn’t even afford a ticket to Ideal City, not that it would help.

Their suitcase held only some clothes, sleeping bags, gourmet canned goods, and emergency nutrient paste.

Just when Kumiter was despairing at the dark road ahead, a chubby boy suddenly popped out of the crowd and waved at them enthusiastically.

"Hey! Over here!" Attracted by the comical gesture, Kumiter looked over and immediately widened his eyes in surprise. "Piru?!"

Piru’s face beamed like a flower, looking just like his father. "Young Master Kumiter, what luck! You finally made it out. My father and I have been waiting forever!"

Standing beside him was his father’s secretary, Aaron.

They had planned to bribe the militia to get Bonnie out, but never expected the new government to dump the whole mess of Boulder Town onto the New Alliance.

Even his father hadn’t seen that coming.

If the inner city residents became citizens of the New Alliance, they would never get a chance to fix their regrets!

Looking at the excited, rosy-cheeked chubby kid, Kumiter scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I’m not a young master anymore. Don’t say that..."

After the life-changing events of the night before, he had matured a bit, or at least, he thought so.

"How can that be?! You’ll always be Young Master Kumiter in my heart!" Piru bowed respectfully, just like before.

Kumit was genuinely touched. Even in a world where the poor snatched things out of his hands, there were still good people!

"Piru... My friend, you’re the best!"

"You’re too kind!" Piru laughed warmly, then turned to Bonnie and blinked. "And Aunt Bonnie, you’re still as radiant as ever, as if you never age."

That line made her laugh. With tears still in her eyes, Bonnie smiled slightly. "Thank you, you really have a way with words, just like your father."

Piru happily continued, "Speaking of my father, he’s arranged a welcome banquet for you at the Wind from Afar Hotel! He figured you wouldn’t know where to go, so he even booked you a room."

Bonnie blinked in surprise. "Mr Vega? Thank you... Thank you for thinking of us."

"Of course! It’s our duty!" Piru looked at her innocently and said sincerely, "My dad always told me, what matters most for a merchant is keeping promises. He swore loyalty to Lord Sid, and he’ll honor that. What happened to Lord Sid is tragic, but you’re still alive, and we’ll take care of you for him."

Bonnie looked slightly hesitant. For some reason, looking at this cheerful chubby boy filled her with unease.

Was Vega really that kind of man? She had often urged Sid to treat the merchants well, but he had never taken her words or ancestral teachings seriously.

Still... She couldn’t help but hope.

She prayed Vega really was a good person, grateful for Sid’s past support and willing to take care of her and Kumiter.

Seeing yet another pair of mother and child seemed ready to leave for good, a young guard nearby finally couldn’t hold back and coughed loudly. "Ma’am, that’s the wasteland ahead. You sure about this? Out there, no law will protect you and your boy."

Looking at the hesitant noblewoman, the young man couldn’t help but say, "If you haven’t done anything unforgivable, the New Alliance will take you in... Not everyone with a black card is a criminal, Just like Mr Liszt is still a citizen of the New Alliance."

Perhaps he shouldn’t have added that last part.

Bonnie had been tempted to stay, but the second half of his sentence made her tense up and instinctively clutch her son’s hand.

Of course she had never done anything unforgivable. She even gave big red packets to every maid who left to start their own families...

But Kumiter was a different story.

She knew exactly what that fire five years ago had buried. Her brother Russel had even gotten into a fight with Sid over it...

"Mother..." Kumit’s eyes were full of fear as he squeezed her hand tight.

He didn’t want to end up with marauders.

He heard rumors that the New Alliance’s labor camps were filled with demons from the wasteland, some that ate children... Maybe he should let go and let his mother live a normal life.

But he just didn’t have the courage. Just like how he had curled up under his blanket clutching the S coin terminal all night, he didn’t even dare say goodbye to his father...

His trembling hand finally made up Bonnie’s mind.

She gently patted Kumiter’s hand, took a deep breath, and with elegance, bowed slightly like a true princess. "Thank you, sir soldier. We appreciate your concern and kindness... but we’ve already decided our path. Our future is not here."

"We truly thank you for sparing our lives, and we wish you all the best in your pursuit of ideals."

The guard hesitated, glanced at the innocent Piru, then at the cold-faced Aaron.

He had a bad feeling about the two of them, but he had no right to decide their fate, nor the words to dissuade them. "Take care..."

Bonnie nodded, gave the soldier a grateful look, and then took her son’s hand, following the cheerful Piru toward the Wind from Afar Hotel.

They had exiled themselves, leaving the settlement and walking into the wasteland.

Whatever it was, it was their choice.

Watching the mother and son’s leaving figures, the young guard sighed and murmured to the veteran next to him. "I don’t know if I did the right thing... Lord Sid was awful, and his son was worse, but the lady didn’t really do anything. She barely ever left the house."

The old soldier glanced at him. "What do you know? Good words don’t save the damned. Let them go. Focus on what you need to do."

Everyone had to choose their path.

Just look at those abandoned lords and ladies. Who knew how many of them envied that mother and son?

Not far away, Glenys clung tightly to her husband Malvern, sobbing uncontrollably.

Malvern’s lips trembled as he gently patted her back, whispering comforting words, but his eyes were full of sorrow.

It was as if he had aged ten years overnight, his wrinkles deep enough to catch snow, his windblown hair streaked with gray. "It’s okay... Everything will be okay..."

He muttered while praying for the rest of the family.

Staring at Kumiter’s fading silhouette, Kishur stood beside his parents in silence, like a soulless puppet.

He wanted to change their settlement, that was why he had returned all the way from Ideal City.

He had never expected things to turn out this way.

He couldn’t face his father Malvern, nor his older brother Wolfur, least of all Elisa...

He always had a chance to redeem himself.

If only he had been braver. If only he hadn’t followed Wolfur into the inner city. If he had rushed out to find Elisa instead! Maybe he would’ve been killed by the furious mob, but maybe, just maybe, they could have been forgiven together...

But there was no medicine for regret.

If there was something he truly regretted, it was returning to Boulder Town.

Kishur took a step forward, and Malvern immediately grabbed his arm and glared at him. "Come with me and turn yourself in! Tell the new government everything! The New Alliance won’t kill you. They’ll give you a chance to start over."

Kishur shook his head. "It’s too late."

Furious at his cowardice, Malvern slapped him hard across the face.

Pa!

Kishur didn’t dodge. The calloused hand struck his hollow head, knocking it to the side.

Seeing he showed no remorse, Malvern raised his hand to strike again, but his wife grabbed it tightly. "Enough!"

Glenys stared at him with her blurry eyes. "Don’t hit him. Kishur is still a child. Let me talk to him..."

"You damn brat!" Malvern roared at Kishur. "Do you know what time it is? Can’t you listen to your father for once?!"

Why did everyone have to go against me?

Sid was bad enough, but even his son turned out the same!