Abyssal Wanderer.

Chapter 216 NO.00d7: Funeral and Bouquet
Liao Qi's funeral was held one month after the "Battle of the Shattered Sky", and compared to his current popularity on the World Wide Web, the funeral seemed extremely low-key.

The only people present were a few high-level officials of Icarus; comrades who had worked with Liao Qi, including Winston and Bai Dong; Deep Blue, who had resumed his identity as the liaison person on the first floor of the resettlement area; and "Charon's "Home" several children were crying to come.

As for why there has been such a long time apart, the first reason is to stabilize the turbulent situation at all levels of the underground in the resettlement area - with the Icarus Liberation Front's stretched manpower, there was really no such opportunity in the previous month;
Secondly, it was not until a month later that Booker Irwin found a reason to leave the "meditation room" on the seventh floor and once again bathed in the false sunlight simulated by the dome of the settlement area.

Holding the Sword of Damocles that "deterred" companies, Booker's every move is now exposed to the media spotlight.

In order to avoid public safety incidents caused by excessive public suspicion, Booker has locked himself up in a prison since the beginning of the deterrence, and tried to avoid being exposed as much as possible.

Of course, only a handful of people understand that if it were not for the World Wide Web, the rising moon would protect the domain name of the Nord Resettlement Area.This threat of death is actually not worth mentioning to Olympus Enterprises.

However, for one reason or another, those few insiders have tacitly chosen to remain silent - even those Olympus companies prefer to let the public continue to maintain this understanding.

Therefore, in terms of results, it has now become an established fact that Icarus relied on the threat of death to win favorable political conditions from the Olympus gods that were comparable to those "city of one man".

Of course, whether it can seize this opportunity and convert favorable political conditions into tangible public interests depends on the ability of the Icarus Liberation Front.

"...the attitude of the resettlement area government is still very ambiguous, stating that it will only obey the resolutions of the Citizens' Representative Assembly. However, judging from the polls, most citizens of the upper class are not willing to admit that residents of the underground class can enjoy civil rights. "

Dark Blue, who was wearing a black dress, and Booker, who was wearing a solemn suit, led the group as they walked side by side through the layers of tombs.

Shenlan said this helplessly.

She was originally supposed to be replaced by the "Tenth Floor", but now because of her personal relationship with the Icarus Liberation Front, she was once again "invited back" to continue to serve as the liaison person for the Minus Level.

Of course, some old men from the "Tenth Floor" repeatedly asked her not to attend Liao Qi's funeral, so as not to send the wrong signal to the outside world.

And Deep Blue when they fart.

"It is completely expected that the people on the ground level will object..."

Booker said, he was not surprised at all by this.

The underground of the Nord Resettlement Area has always been regarded as a "garbage dump" at the above-ground level.Due to historical reasons, the residents living under it have not been freed from the status of "temporary refugees".

Now, the Icarus Liberation Front has proposed that hundreds of thousands of underground residents should obtain the same legal rights as citizens. This has naturally aroused violent resistance from the people on the ground. After years of isolation policies and hateful education, people on the ground and The underground people are an excellent excuse to divide people and deflect conflicts.

Coupled with the fact that corporate power and the resettlement area government are fanning the flames, the confrontational relationship between the upper and lower classes is now more acute than during the corporate colonial period.

Even without the intervention of gods, conflicts between mortals are still fatal.

"But I never knew that the 'Tenth Floor' was actually an elected government, and that what the citizen representatives said was so effective."

Booker quipped.

"As long as you have the same interests as those old guys, the words of the Citizens' Representative Assembly will work."

In response, Deep Blue shrugged.

On the winding road dotted with tombstones, the two men led the funeral-goers behind them.

At least from the current stage, they still have a long way to go.

Even if those companies have gradually withdrawn their armed forces, the current situation is still grim.

"Why are we pushing this matter forward so urgently? In fact, if we wait a few years, wait until the underground infrastructure in the resettlement area is completed, and the originally designed circulation equipment is put into operation, then we can talk about it. The resistance will be much smaller."

Deep Blue asked.

In fact, over the past month, the Icarus Liberation Front has been leveraging Liao Qi's influence to continue to expand and grow, trying to completely integrate the underground forces in the Nord settlement area.But even so, chaos and turmoil still occur from time to time.

But in this case, Booker still insisted on asking Icarus to negotiate with the resettlement area government on behalf of all underground residents.

"The influence of 'The Battle of Shattered Sky' is an asset that will gradually depreciate over time, and even eventually become negative."

Booker explained:
"You may not be able to imagine how many young people we have recently discouraged who plan to transform themselves into cyberpsychotics and take revenge on the company or the resettlement area government... including many senior members of the organization.

"In addition, the propaganda machines of several companies, led by Pluto Deep Diving, have also started to move. Even if we are in the upper hand now, if things go on like this, Icarus will inevitably be saddled with terrorist organizations and disregard human lives again. reputation. Therefore, we must try our best to cash in on this influence while it still maintains a positive image."

Shenlan suddenly understood and nodded:
"I understand, and I will continue to help you lobby potential supporters. In fact, outside the establishment, there are actually many people who were inspired by Liao Qi's struggle and are willing to unite. They just lack an opportunity."

Booker nodded and said:
"Then please."

Along the way, the two discussed many details.

Confrontation with the resettlement area government is different from resistance to corporate tyranny.No matter what you say, the other party is still the legitimate government of Nord today. Using force to suppress or even directly threatening anti-matter bombs will only have counterproductive effects.

"besides……"

Booker wanted to say something more, but after passing another intersection, he stopped.

"We have arrived."

Not far away is the place where Liao Qi rests.If it were a cemetery, it would look solemn, but if it were a monument, it would seem too simple.

It was a stone tablet carved from obsidian. On it, apart from Liao Qi's name and the dates of his birth and death, there was only a line of inscribed words:
I'm still angry.

Everyone present stopped and silently made way for the emcee who was presiding over the funeral.

"I have been blocking the news before, but some people have found this place. I think after today's funeral is over, this place will probably become a team-building check-in place for those revolutionary enthusiasts."

After listening to the master of ceremony's words absentmindedly, Shen Lan spoke.

She looked in front of the tombstone, and Booker followed her gaze - there was a bunch of bundled hyacinths neatly placed in front of the tombstone.

Booker shook his head.

"That one was probably sent by a friend who couldn't show up."

He said so.

Shenlan nodded as if understanding, and then continued:
"But in any case, I have a feeling that the idol's destruction will come earlier than expected. At that time, they will say that in the final analysis, Liao Qi still does it for his family... As he said himself, it is a personal grudge." There was a vague rumor in the crowd. There were sounds of sobbing, including Xia Hu, and several children from "Charon's House" even cried.

Booker noticed that Winston and Bai Dong were comforting the children.But at the same time, they themselves were gently wiping away the tears from their eyes.

"Those people are like this - always like to associate struggle with lofty meanings, and give human actions the sanctity of idealism. It is as if everyone should live for something beyond the meaning of life itself, and Not the ordinary that is more concerned with reality.”

Booker said:
"But the noblest and greatest actions often arise from the most personal reasons."

Perhaps this is why a powerful darknet AI like the Goddess of the Moon also studies human emotions as a subject?

Booker guessed so.

Thinking of this, he looked around and scanned several times, trying to find the incarnation of the goddess walking in the basic reality - since the end of the "Battle of Broken Sky", she had disappeared with the deep dive interface as if she had evaporated from the world. .

Maybe she would come to the funeral, maybe not.But if she doesn't want to be discovered, then she will definitely not be discovered.

However, although the goddess was not found, Booker's search made some other discoveries.

A middle-aged man wearing a shabby coat full of holes made by cigarette butts and a gray woolen hat was holding a bouquet of roses tied with a ribbon and watching the low-key funeral not far away.

Booker didn't know him.

The funeral emcee's speech has now ended, and everyone attending the funeral is queuing up to lay flowers in front of Liao Qi's grave.The middle-aged man also approached with a rose.

Booker stopped him.

"Sir, this is a private occasion. If you want to take a photo, please wait until it's over."

He said so.

"I just wanted to bring a bouquet of flowers to my friend, that's all."

The man lowered his eyes and said.

"I do not know you."

said Booker.

"But I know you."

The man continued.

Booker smiled - who in the entire Nord settlement area does not know him as the "sword-wielding man" now?

"Since you know me, you should also know..."

Booker spoke, but the man interrupted him and said:

"But today, we are all here as Liao Qi's friends."

Booker wanted to say something else, but for some reason, the look in the eyes of this decadent middle-aged man who smelled of liquor and tobacco was in front of him.It reminded him of Liao Qi - Liao Qi who miraculously survived the day his brain was pierced by high-energy pulses.

At this time, the man handed over a business card at the right moment - in this era, it was rare for anyone to use this kind of retro gadget.

Jim Leiter Private Detective Agency
Professionally undertakes AI destruction traceability, cyberpsychosis investigation, missing persons search and other services. For contact information on the World Wide Web, please scan the QR code.
Office address: No. 514, Yuclan Avenue, fifth floor, Nord Resettlement Area.

Booker changed the face of the business card, and there was only one sentence written on it in large, bold letters.

No divorce cases

"Above ground level?"

Booker asked doubtfully. The current blockade between the upper and lower levels is very strict.

"Look at my career, Mr. Booker. If I think about it, I can find many paths."

A middle-aged man named Jim Leiter said, his words full of confidence in his professional skills.

"But I never knew that Liao Qi had friends at the upper levels of the resettlement area."

Booker continued to question.

"Even if you are the sword bearer, you may not know everything."

The man said.Only now did Booker know for sure that he hated cynical inquiries like him.

But Jim Leiter didn't care and continued:
"He and I were soul-connected friends in the past."

Even though he didn't like the person in front of him, looking at his sincere eyes, Booker didn't think that the other person was lying.

Booker was speechless, but finally sighed and let the man go.

Until the funeral finally ended, everyone went back one after another, including the private detective named Jim Leiter.Booker curiously came to Liao Qi's tombstone and picked up the bouquet that the man gave him.

He untied the ribbon from the rose and spread it out.

Then, he found a sentence left by the man in gorgeous cursive calligraphy on the ribbon.

A phrase he knew all too well.

In memory of Liao Qi.

Every resistance counts.

(End of Volume [-]: Restarting Icarus)
　The first volume is finally finished. Please allow me to take about three to four days off to compile the outline for the second volume.The specific days will be determined in the final remarks tomorrow. Thank you to all the book friends who have subscribed, tipped, written comments, and made secondary drawings. Your support is the motivation for me to continue.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)