Running through the labyrinthine halls after narrowly escaping the Imperial Secret Police's elite task force, the vice-leader, who goes by the name of Nicolas burst into the room where the leader of the rebellion, the Director, awaited sitting in his business chair.
"Director, the secret police are now on us! We must escape immediately while the demons that have possessed our comrades buy us some time!" Nicolas urged, breathless and desperate.
The director looked down and sighed in defeat.
"Even if we escape, where should we go? The revival of a Democratic Indonesia, is already a lost cause. Ever since we have lost contact with those of our supporters from overseas, we're nothing but an empty shell now," the Director calmly said.
"What about Francisco and his army? We were allies-"
"Did you forget that the moment they made a deal with the government, they betrayed us, abandoned us, and snitched on us? Plus, both of our politics and religions are completely different. Even if we toppled the government, we would still be enemies."
Nicolas, who insisted the director evacuate exclaimed.
"Even so, director, we could escape to another country in this world, and rebuild our hopes and dreams elsewhere and take back our nation from these Imperial fascist scums!"
The director met his second-in-command gaze, to which he shook his head sideways and sighed again.
"And we're are we going to go? To become slaves? We both know how humans are treated in this world, right?" The director said.
Nicolas was taken aback. However, he persisted.
"Director, you can't just abandon us! You're our only hope for the revival of our country!" he insisted.
The Director sighed deeply, "You know, over these past few decades of living on these dubbed 'The Great Imperial Experiment' by other countries, all I could say is that it was a pretty good run," he casually said and leaned back in his chair, "My eyes have opened up into various things and ideas. It truly is an eyeopener "
Fuming with anger, Nicolas drew his gun and pressed the barrel against the Director's temple.
"So, this is how it ends, huh? You've finally revealed your true colors now? A coward? You have created this rebellion in the first place, you've sworn yourself to destroy all of the fascist in the government, and even made a deal with a demon after the New Year Tragedy. And now you want to give it up just like that?!"
The Director remained calm, "...I suggest calmly surrender yourself. The Imperial Secret Police are already on their way here. I've already surrendered, and you should do the same. Others have done the same, and been pardoned by the Emperor himself, as long as we gave intelligence out against the other rebellion groups."
"You are a traitor to the motherland!" Nicolas spat.
"I'm no traitor. The Austronesian People's Empire is my motherla-"
BANG!
Before the director could even finish what he wanted to say, a thunderous shot rang out towards the surroundings, the Director fell to the ground lifeless with eyes filled with sadness.
"I would never have thought that you'd turn back on our cause, director." Nicolas said with a trembling voice.
Just then, a thunderous knocking came from behind the door.
"I guess this is it for me."
Nicolas then put his handgun towards his head and pulled the trigger, sending a spray of crimson blood across the room.
After hearing the shot, the knocking became bashing until they broke the door. Two soldiers from Riley's squad came inside and were saddened by what they saw. Because what they saw would mean even more bloodshed.
"3-1, this is 3-7, we've lost the Director!" one of the soldiers reported. "I repeat, we've lost the Director!"
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Austronesian Empire, Imperial Majapahit, East Kalimantan, Tanjung Selor, In The Streets of Tanjung Selor.
1st Year Of The New Age, Wednesday, 1st Week, 2nd Month Of Noah
In another city not far from Tanjung Rehab, the streets were bathed in the harsh light of explosions and the thunderous echoes of gunfire. The once vibrant cityscape now resembled a war zone, with the bodies of soldiers and rebels piled high on either side of the conflict.
"To the left! Fire on that position! We can't let this terrorist terrorize our nation anymore," shouted an officer.
Forces from the Imperial Secret Police directed their shots towards the specific area. Dust was being shot as it flew higher and higher into the sky, while the blood of the rebels and terrorists formed a river that flowed through the streets.
On the edge of the chaos, a soldier was behind the terrain. He moved his hand towards his pocket and grabbed a grenade, and pulled the pin.
"Grenade!" the soldier shouted at the top of his lungs.
After throwing the grenade toward the enemy position, he ducked down, and a splitting explosion followed. When the dust settled, he shouted once again.
"Push forward! Don't give them a chance to regroup!"
Just like that, dozens of soldiers moved forward under a hail of suppressive fire, pressing the attack and preventing the rebels from being able to move an inch from their location. Meanwhile, the rebels were cowering in fear as they watched their comrades fall, immobilized and desperate.
One rebel, in a moment of despair, removed his white t-shirt and inserted it into a stick before raising it as a white flag in an attempt to surrender. However, his fellow allies wouldn't let him, because as soon as they knew what he was about to do, they didn't hesitate to put a bullet into the head of their ally.
"Coward!"
The scene turned even more grim as rebels who wished to surrender were gunned down on their own.
The remaining rebels, witnessing the brutal enforcement of loyalty, chose to lay down their arms and raised their white shirts and gave up on the cause. They would rather be reintegrated back into society than rebelling even further, so the moment they raised their white flags, the gunfire ceased immediately.
"Drop your weapons!" commanded an officer, "Hands in the air!" he ordered once he saw the rebels comply.
Across Austronesia, the same scenes were happening all over the nation as threats to the state were put down, and those who surrendered and cooperated were pardoned, but were forced to swear an oath of loyalty to the flag and the Emperor. An oath that they will fight for the cause of the Empire, and uphold its values.
Just like that in just a matter of hours, the most crucial threats that could endanger the Empire to its very foundation were taken care of. The trials were all broadcast nationwide, to the delight of the entire nation and drawing widespread approval from the public.
From the beginning, the working-class citizens have always been on the side of the government. Only those with ulterior motives dares to shake the Empire to its very foundation. Fortunately, some rebels chose to turn back toward the Empire at the last moment and were spared from harsher consequences.
However, another problem had arisen, evident from the Overwatch Team's discovery.
And that there are people out there who have made a pact with the demon remnants.
With this revelation, the Imperial Secret Police, the Intelligence Division of the Austronesia Constabulary, and even the two major religions were on high alert. Plans were swiftly made to deploy field agents and armed forces across the country.
A new law was also enacted. Anyone found to have made a pact with demons was to be immediately executed by firing squad without trial. Even people who practice Satanism will not be spared and will be arrested without trial, whether they are innocent or not.
Capital Punishment was once abolished decades ago, but remembering the New Year Tragedy, the government decided to reinstate it as the threat was severe enough to justify its return and the execution of anyone suspected of dealing with demons.
It was cruel, inhuman, and immoral but deemed necessary for the survival and the Greater Good of the Empire.
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Austronesian Empire, Imperial Majapahit, Central Kalimantan, In A Military Base
1st Year Of A New Age, Thursday, 1st Week, 2nd Month Of Noah
At a military base in Central Kalimantan, under the Imperial Majapahit, a helicopter can be seen touching down on the helipad, and a blonde woman walking toward it in a baste as the door opened, revealing Riley and his squad disembarking with their rifles slung over their backs.
Upon stepping out, Riley sighed as he met the woman's gaze.
"Agent Riley, I'm Agent Amelia from the IDAC, and—"
"It's all right, pretty lady. I only lost one man, I'm not dead yet, and we've got a demon cult problem in our hands," Riley interrupted tiredly.
"I'm already aware. But unfortunately, you and your team are not done" Amelia responded sternly.
Riley raised an eyebrow with a bewildered face as he turned around to see the pilot of the helicopter speaking with another officer. He then grimaced a bit to the woman.
"Lady, I just got back from a shithole!" he said, barely containing his frustration.
"I know. But this isn't my call. Command needs your team on this one, it's about a mission, a mission involving other nations in this world," Amelia replied.
Riley quickly let go of his attitude upon hearing this, as he frowned deeply to the blonde caucasian woman.
"Where?" he asked coldly, rather quickly.
"To a city called the Free Trade City of Aquarius. Details about your mission will be provided later once you reach Manila," she explained, expecting something.
Riley sighed as he raised his head with continuous nods, looking around him as the sun was setting.
"Right, let's go then," he answered, making a sign to his men to return to the helicopter, and they followed. Moments later, he ordered the pilot to take off, who nodded his head.
Amelia watched as Riley and his team boarded the helicopter and the door closed behind them.
Inside, Riley settled into his seat, placing his rifle on his lap and quickly checking it before raising his head to the front.
"Hey Captain, what did that woman want?" one of his squadmates who had a thick Russian accent asked with a blunt tone.
"Just a mission to the outside world," Riley replied, glancing at the pilot. "Hey, pilot, how much time until we reach the capital?" he asked as he stretched his arms.
"Regarding the current speed, it might be 6 to 7 hours," the pilot answered as he adjusted the controls.
"Right... I'll take a nap then, if you don't mind." Riley snorted.
"Be my guest."
"Sweet. Hey guys, wake me up when we arrive," Riley said as he placed his weapon on his side before leaning in his chair and closing his eyes.
As the captain went to sleep, one of his men looked at the others with excitement.
"You heard the captain! We're heading to the outside world!"
"Fuck yeah! Maybe we'll find some of those elf beauties!"
"Or a dragon! A hot dragon! Or maybe some magic that could turn one of us into a dragon!"
"And the best part of all..."
"""Adventurrrrre!"""
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A/n: Thanks for Reading!
What are your thoughts about this chapter? And what do you think will happen next?
Will we even see those teams again? Who knows.
Anyways, don't forget to vote and review the chapter!