Chapter 469: Brewing Riot [Part 1]
Shin stood by the doorway in the quite broad but dark hallway of the border quarters. It was an emergency shelter that was prepared for the survivors that showed up at the seashore until they were sent to the Central Plains.
He didn't know the details, but the Commander and higher authorities were working on certain formalities.
Just like him and the guy that met his sister after so long, there were several families that had been looking for their sons or daughters.
This petition over the months had caused an uproar, subtly stirring a discord, one that should have erupted years ago.
But of course, it was the former principal academy that was at the end of these strange happenings. And he is nowhere to be found!
The academy principal had taken to the media to speak on how he had known nothing about it. Several families didn't buy it, but in the end, the whole issue just kept brewing on a lower level than expected.
Either the families had something stopping them from going nuts on the academy, or they also, like him, had realized that there is almost nothing they can do to the academy on their own.
Hence everything has sort of been under a subtle control. And now that they were back, the Protectors were required to go through certain formalities through the governments. Which would further inform them of the next course of action.
Of course, if Shin wanted to be a part of this whole formality process and know what exactly they were doing, it wouldn't prove to be a difficult matter.
He was one of the most respected old protectors here whose skills hadn't died down a bit even after over a decade of being away.
Well, they did see for themselves.
Shin looked up, a tensed and sad frown laying upon his light sharp brows. His face was rough, stubbles of beard consuming his chin and jaw.
He looked like he had been doing nothing but fighting monsters for a while now; his face carried an ambience of concerning emptiness.
A step from the right side of the hall echoed as it drew closer to him.
"Shin. You should get some rest," Ansene, a brown-haired man with relaxed facial features, said to Shin as he approached.
Shin looked at him indifferently for a moment and averted his gaze. He lingered for a moment before speaking.
"You don't understand, Ans. You don't understand."
Ansene frowned a little bit, staring at Shin before he responded with a stern tone.
"Yes, indeed, I don't understand. But what I do understand is that it's been over fifteen hours, and you have been standing here since the medic attended to him."
Shin sighed, "Alright, I will rest. Let me just stay a bit more and guard him, okay?"
Ansene shook his head in disagreement, "Like I don't know you, sir? No, no, I want you to go get some rest now."
He observed Shin's demeanor for a moment and added after a sigh.
"Okay, how about I guard him instead while you rest your body. Then you can come back after you have fully rested."
Shin stared at Ansene, a little puzzled and hesitant. He opened his mouth a little bit, "But there's really no need for you to, Ans. I am fine. Really."
The brown-haired man, with a hearty smile on his easygoing face, nodded his head and reinforced his request to Shin.
"Please, Shin. Let me do this for you; many of us owe our lives to you. I can't count how many times in the last six months that you have saved mine or many others' lives. We'd do anything for you."
Shin gave him a prolonged gaze, and the smile on his face did not waver, showing that he was seriously going to keep insisting.
They were probably going to keep going in circles if Shin did not give in.
With a sigh, "Alright. Okay. I'll go get some rest. Please, the moment he wakes up, send a message to me," Shin's voice reinforced.
Ansene smiled and nodded.
"Yes, yes, I've got you. Please get some rest; all is fine on this end."
Shin walked purposefully out of the hallway, almost as if he was in a hurry to go to sleep and wake up.
There was so much on his mind; his shoulders and feet felt heavy, his muscles ached. It had been a very long while since he decided to use his family sword art.
And he did it without hesitation too...
Shin looked down for a moment; a lot was obviously on his mind even as he walked out of the building, treading the snow to the next block where the protectors were cramped in temporarily.
But before he entered the building, a young protector jogged towards him and stopped with a salute: placing his left hand on his chest alongside a slight raise and return of his right leg.
Shin turned, managing a small but unintentionally pale smile, "How may I help, Sergeant Havant?"
The young protector went silent, surprised by how Shin remembered his name.
Belatedly remembering that he had come here to deliver something, he started to talk but stuttered his first few words.
"Uhm, sir, t-the c-com-commander has requested your presence."
'Just as I suspected.'
The moment he saw the guy coming, he had in fact thought that the Commander was probably the one calling him.
Because no one around here bothers him. And at times when the Commander wanted him around, he would personally come to his quarters to drink and talk.
They were old friends from over a decade ago, after all.
Shin swallowed and said politely.
"Okay. Lead the way, Sergeant."
The Sergeant noticed that Shin had a stern face today; usually, he was always jovial and walking with a smile, making it hard for people to really tell what was going on in his mind.
'He looks like he is always happy, but squad captain said he had lost his son too,' the sergeant thought as he escorted Shin to another block.
It was a much bigger fortress of metal, thrown to the rightward edge of the wall-a place that buzzed with military activities, situated with several offices, artilleries, and training halls.
After a while, Shin and Sergeant Havant entered the building.