North.

As the capital of the Union, it is the largest island in the southern seas, but it is also the most prosperous.

Although the population is just over 90,000 years old, it is home to the largest heavy industry base and shipyards in the Federation.

Including the destroyer USS Glory, which has sunk into the sea, nine of the Federation's thirteen ships are built here, and the remaining four submarines are located at submarine factories on Comfort Island and Coral City.

After the armed forces took control of the presidential palace and the naval command, Charas was inaugurated as the new president with the support of the federal marines, and delivered his inaugural address on radio.

“…… It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that our President, Mr. President, has committed the unpardonable crime of treason. ”

"With our fleet already having absolute superiority and about to achieve final victory, he is going so far as to overturn the case for the crimes committed by our enemies! Attempts are made to distort the facts and undermine the unity that we have so hard forged. ”

"I will never allow that to happen, even if that person is the person I have ever respected the most."

"Hunger, disease, forced labor, repression of opposition...... As long as you wear that blue coat, it's all legal, ask your father and grandfather, and they'll tell you what the hermit crabs used to be! Go ask them! Who built the man-made island built in the 50th year of the Wasteland Era? Are those things that popped up half a century later, or are we who have lived here since the beginning! ”

"They just happened to be lucky enough to be born in the Vault, and the Age of Prosperity became theirs, and everything built with the tools of the Age of Prosperity became their patent. And those of us who have endured generations of suffering outside and risen from the rubble have become monkeys in need of education. ”

"It's as if we were conjuring up out of thin air, that we were eating them and using them, that we were living in the settlements they built, because our fathers weren't great enough, because our fathers didn't live a second in that era of prosperity! Ask your old immortal gadgets and ask them if that's the case! ”

"We have never been liquidated by a power station with ocean currents, but by all that has been in the past century! They feel that the power station is their credit, only they are the remnants of the People's Union, only they are worthy of owning the inheritance of the People's Union, and the blood and sweat we leave behind are as insignificant as our opinions, we are just cattle for them to rebuild utopia, so let them go back to the ground with their arrogance! That utopia doesn't have our name at all! ”

The impassioned rhetoric echoed in the square in front of the presidential palace, in the shipyards, in the barracks, and in the settlements of the North Island......

People stopped what they were doing and gathered in front of the radio, hatred and anger burning on their silent faces.

Charas didn't prepare a speech, and he didn't need it, it was like an innate ability to him.

What's more, he himself was one of the few people who drafted the manifesto, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he was the founding father of the Federation, and he was also a hardliner with a high voice in the military.

Although President Mungo was the commander of the Union Navy, it was only a declaration or a constitutional duty to him, and it was not the military who sincerely embraced him to that position.

That guy is an almost "pedantic" bureaucrat in terms of personality and style of life, both the officer and himself think so.

As a conservative, he may have the support of most survivors and the establishment, but his voice in the military is far less than his own.

And this guy did something stupid.

But instead of turning a blind eye to the Ocean Current Power Station or appointing himself chief of staff, he tried in vain to bring together two factions that had not agreed at all through a political speculation.

Conservatives and radicals do need a federation, but their motivations are completely different. The former seeks equality of identity and political rights, while the latter seeks to escape the shackles of the "ghosts" of the prosperous era.

The guys who sat on the cannon of the giant ship never said they needed a president who followed the rules, and their ambitions went far beyond just being a federation, and even more than just being a federal wall.

This was an issue that could have been resolved through negotiation and mutual compromise, but a military and political adventure put all the controversy on hold.

This unrighteous Commonwealth is like a mass of sand pinched by hand, never really a stone, and there is not enough time for it to turn into stone.

As soon as the hand holding it loosens, it will fall apart into its original form.

Of course, Charas admits that he has done something stupid, and that is that he has lied so much that even he believes it.

When he signed that declaration, he should have clearly realized that he was an opportunist and had no chance to take his time.

Once the war was over, Mr. President reopened the eye that had been closed and reopened the investigation into the cause of the sinking of the Ocean Current Power Station.

Whoever helped the Torch Church to hide his life would be liquidated, and so would all the officers involved.

The new authorities will certainly do this, after all, once the real culprits are liquidated, the gang will be able to cut with the past and then hold the hands of the residents of Vault 70 into a new era.

As for themselves and their supporters, no one will thank them for their contribution to the unity of the Federation, and they will have to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

But it is precisely for this reason that the people, whether directly or indirectly involved in the sinking of the Ocean Current power station, are their natural allies!

They have to choose themselves.

You can only choose yourself!

Only when they win can they shape the right memory, so that they don't become the fool who lifts a stone and shoots himself in the foot!

Looking at the pair of lit pupils under the podium, Charas announced the final result in a calm and solemn tone.

“…… President Mungo's refusal to stand justice and his recalcitrant resistance and attempted a coup d'état have now been shot dead by our soldiers. ”

"The declaration signed by the perpetrators is no longer valid, the new cabinet will draft a new code, and now I will be the acting president."

"Until we get the final victory!"

……

Anle Island.

This picturesque island is home to just over 50,000 people, but it is home to the largest naval logistics base in the Federation.

Half of the island's inhabitants are members of the Federal Navy and their families, or at least those involved in naval logistics.

Of course, there are also some refugees from Coral City.

The first shipyards in the southern seas were also located here, and the first transport ships and submarine mining ships also departed from here.

If the crater was the first man-made island to be completed by the survivors of the southern seas, then it was one of the first natural islands to light an industrial fire, even before Vault 70 opened its doors. And it was because of the parts produced on this island that the underwater wonder of Coral City was born, and later the center of heavy industry and large shipyards of the North Island.

However, at this moment, the island, which originally ignited the fire of industry, is now covered by another invisible flame.

First came the last words of Captain Donbour, then the news of the sinking of the destroyer USS Glory, and then the lie-filled inaugural speech of Chief of Staff Charas.

A series of horrific events were linked together, completely arousing the anger of the soldiers and officers in the base.

In fact, until the soldiers on duty at the docks received the last words of Captain Dongwen from the captain of the Maritime Patrol, there were still many people at the naval base who were supporters of Charas, and even excused Charas's behavior with "this is for the unity of the Federation".

However, when the unbelievable news came that "the Glory was wrecked due to a mutiny among the crew on board", not many people were willing to believe the lies that came out of that guy's mouth.

Everyone had no doubt that the guy had gone mad, and he even went so far as to let the Federation fleet kill each other for his own selfish desires.

And the people who followed the guy were also insane, and the officers loyal to the Constitution immediately sprang into action and sent Charas's cronies and associates to prison.

They won't release these guys from the dark room until they're sure they're not going to be stupid with Charas and have a deep back-to-back trial of their past words and actions.

At the same time that Charles delivered his inaugural speech, General Lee Ming-hui, who was pushed to the front of the stage as Vice President of the Federation, Deputy Commander of the Federal Navy, and Supreme Commander of the Naval Base on Anraku Island, also made a public speech through the military radio of Anraku Island.

“…… Just now, together we witnessed one of the darkest and most humiliating pages in the history of the Union. In a shameful betrayal, we lost not only the Glory and the 200 brave young men on board, but also our President, the declaration we signed together, and the dignity we maintained for less than four months. ”

"Charas is trying to lead our Federation to the bottomless abyss with lies, and this war is no longer a war, but a tool for him to seize power and exclude dissidents. Now, the 'Laken' in human skin has finally revealed his voracious appetite and fangs, trying to lead us into the bottomless abyss. ”

"We will never compromise with the beast, let alone accept the peace maintained by lies, what we need is true unity!"

"From now on, Anle Island will no longer recognize the legitimacy of the North Island authorities! In the meantime, we call on the survivors of the other islands to unite and fight with us! For our future! For all the survivors who live in this sea! ”

At the end of his speech, he announced the establishment of the Authority of Anle Island, the inauguration of the Acting President as well as the Commander of the Federal Fleet, and the declaration of war on the rebels in the North Island in the name of the Constitution.

Compared with Charas's inaugural speech, General Lee Minghui's speech was undoubtedly a little hasty and a little lacking in momentum.

Although de jure he is the first in line to act as president, it is a pity that Charles has become the de facto ruler of the North Island.

Although the guy still holds the title of president, in fact the authority in his hands has far exceeded the powers given to him by the code. And the reason why he was able to do this successfully was undoubtedly with the support of the North Island officers, and at least some of them!

Even if he didn't want to face his former comrades-in-arms, Lee Minghui had no choice but to make the most practical choice of the moment - to declare the North Island authorities illegal in the name of the Code, and to establish a new authority on Anle Island.

He didn't want to do that.

But he had no other choice.

If he surrenders to Charas, that guy will definitely liquidate him, the de jure vice president, and arrange for him to be punished for whatever crime he wants.

It's like that guy did whatever it took to get rid of President Mongo and Captain Donbon......

……

Having witnessed the entire coup d'état, Muda never imagined that the memory card he brought to Anle Island would cause such a storm that it would split the entire federation.

What he didn't expect was that he himself somehow became a member of the Anle Island Military Government Parliament that drafted a new manifesto.

In the Federation, he is one of those who are closer to Vault 70, and is considered a marginalized character in the federal authorities.

After all, it was the same administrator, Mr. Sun Yuechi, who separated the Maritime Patrol from the federal fleet and placed it under the command of the Ministry of Finance, which was subordinate to the Cabinet.

This delayed the crisis to some extent, but it also gave the Coast Patrol the political label of the "Vault Faction".

However, it is clear that the authorities of Anle Island have no time to care about these things.

Dealing with the military pressure from the North Island is the most urgent need for them to solve at the moment.

Even if it was just a few speedboats and minelayers, they had to do everything to get there......

At the Anle Island Naval Base, in the operational conference room, a meeting on the future fate of the Federation is going on in tension.

Muda was called in the middle of the meeting, so when he entered, the conference table was almost full.

A tense and oppressive atmosphere came to the face.

Glancing at the people sitting at the conference table, he lowered his voice as he sat down in the vacant seat, and asked in a low voice with the director of the logistics department who was sitting on the side.

"How many people responded to our broadcast?"

The director of the logistics department had an ugly face and said in a low voice.

"There are only four governors."

Mu Da was stunned, he didn't expect that their appeal on the side of the law was so weak, and he couldn't help but ask.

"What about the fleet?"

"We have one cruiser, two destroyers, three submarines...... If you don't consider converting some civilian ships, that's all for the time being. ”

“…… And what about them? ”

"One battleship, one cruiser, three destroyers, as well as an attack submarine." It seemed that the situation was too unfavorable, and the director of the logistics department tried to save face and added later, "But the submarine factory is on our side, and we are not without advantages." ”

Hearing the conversation between the two, the other officer sitting next to him coughed lightly and interjected.

"Yes, we're not without advantages, but the only advantage we have is nothing compared to the disadvantage. Without the reactor factory in Coral City, we would not have been able to produce fusion-powered submarines that are quieter, and conventional submarines would be difficult to use in full-fledged combat...... Moreover, the largest shipyards and ammunition factories in the Federation are in the hands of Charas. ”

Muda swallowed involuntarily.

“…… Tough. ”

The officer sighed.

"Indeed."

The largest industrial bases and shipyards are to the north, and the Northern Isles have enough people, technology, and the industrial capacity to turn technology into war machines.

The longer it drags on, the more detrimental it will be to the authorities of An Le Island.

And even if the attack was launched in a hurry now, it would be almost impossible to defeat the North Island Fleet led by the battleship flagship with the configuration of one patrol, two drives, and three submarines on Anle Island alone.

Not to mention that they still have Charas supporters within them, and even if some of them are sent to prison, it will take some time to arrange for a new person to take their place.

Of course, the current situation in the North Island is the same, since there are people who support Charas, there must be people who support the declaration and the people. The one who elects the president.

Whether it is North Island or Anle Island, they are also suffering from the pain of chaos at this moment.

Whoever first settles the chaos within himself and destroys his opponent will become the new master of the seas.

"What about the crater? Any news new? Flicking the ashes on the ashtray, Commander Li Minghui pondered for a moment and then looked at the adjutant on the side.

The crater is located in the westernmost part of the southern seas, near the Baiyue Strait, just behind the four islands of Anle Island, and is also the most populous island in the Federation.

If that settlement fell to Charas, the consequences would be dire.

It is for this reason that they must do everything in their power to win it over to the side of the authorities of Anle Island.

The adjutant shook his head and said.

"The governor there was an opportunist, in other words, a wall-header, and he called back that he didn't want to take sides...... I even have a feeling that he might want to break away from the Union and join the Union. ”

The commander frowned.

"It's hard."

The adjutant also sighed and nodded slightly.

"Yes."

There was silence at the conference table.

At that moment, an officer suddenly spoke.

"Why don't we bring the Alliance into our ranks?"

As soon as these words came out, there was a commotion at the conference table, and almost half of the people cast surprised glances at the guy.

Including Muda, who received money from the alliance a long time ago.

The adjutant sitting next to the commander frowned slightly, and couldn't help but ask.

"Is this appropriate?"

The Alliance's land power is indeed good, but they are too far apart, and the sea power is almost equal to none.

Even if those people have some small planes, he really doesn't know how to evaluate that kind of thing, he can only say that they are really not afraid of death, and they dare to ride any strange means of transportation.

And even without considering the strength of this potential ally, the introduction of external forces to intervene in the affairs of the southern seas is itself a cause for concern.

In the face of everyone's doubts, the proposed officer continued in a serious tone.

"We have no choice, this is the only way to win, and while we are hesitating, the traitors of the Federation have already resorted to the power of the torch. If we continue to hesitate, we will have to sink to the bottom of the sea with our principles. ”

A whisper was heard at the conference table.

Truly.

Those sitting here know a little bit about the destruction of the Current, and if it was just speculation, then the recording left by Captain Dongwen almost proves the sordid relationship between the Charas authorities and the Torch Church.

It was the acquiescence of the fleet stationed in the North Island that those mutants were able to penetrate the patrol area in the northern part of the Federation and penetrate deep into the heart of the Federation.

At this time, the captain of a destroyer said slowly.

"Actually, it's not completely impossible, and the league's reputation in Silvermoon Bay seems to be good. They had previously supported the kingdoms of the Fallok Province against the invasions of the Legion and its client states, and they had not taken the opportunity to annex the kingdoms there. ”

Another submarine captain retorted.

"And what about the Golden Gallon Harbor?"

The captain of the destroyer continued.

"They set up a new authority on the ground made up of local survivors, and while it was unacceptable from the point of view of the Xilan Imperial Family, the matter itself was a precursor to the Empire...... And I always felt that it was not a coincidence that they appeared at the same time as the mutants in the Baiyue Strait. ”

Another officer, who was sitting not far from him, rubbed his index finger against his chin, thought for a moment, and then nodded.

"It makes sense that those people even allowed the feudal kingdom of Luoxia Province to continue to exist, as long as the local royal family abolished slavery and achieved legal equality between people...... And in this respect we have gone far beyond the feudal lords, who have no reason to dictate our affairs. ”

The captain of the submarine who had raised the objection hesitated for a moment, but he couldn't think of a reason to refute it, and finally nodded.

"That's ...... too"

As the conversation box opened, everyone suddenly began to communicate with each other, and the solemn atmosphere in front of the conference table also dispersed a lot.

Enlisting the Alliance's help was indeed a way to solve the problem, at least those people were much more reliable than the lunatics of Haiya Province.

And I heard that the Alliance and the Torch are old enemies.

Even from the perspective of their own strategic needs, those people do have a desire to intervene in the situation in the southern sea area.

"There are still differences between them and the residents of Vault 70, at least they dare to settle in Baiyue Province, where the hermit crabs of Vault 70 dare not go, and those guys have just crawled out of the bottom of the sea and thought about the dove occupying the magpie's nest."

"I agree, this war has long been more than just ours, the torch has been stirred in from the beginning! If Captain Dongwen's last words are accurate, then the real murderer who destroyed the Ocean Current Power Station is undoubtedly the torch! ”

"I also agree, the matter of the Ocean Stream Power Station still needs to be investigated, but the corpse of the mutant that appeared on the north side of the crater is undoubted!"

"Ahem...... I suggest that we don't use the term hermit crab, and that we have to find a way to win over the residents of Vault 70, who are also victims. ”

"What does it matter, the blue coat of Port Fries calls itself a blue gopher, and I remember it was the Willant who gave them the nickname."

"As I said, they are residents of different shelters, so naturally they have different ideas...... It's better for us to pay attention. ”

There was a lot of discussion at the conference table, but Mu Da, who was sitting in the corner of the conference table, found that he couldn't interject a word.

The Federal Patrol has only a dozen or so long-endurance speedboats, and the most they can do is help with mine-laying work.

At this time, he suddenly realized something, looked at the director of the logistics department who was sitting next to him, and touched his arm with his elbow.

"Can I ask a question?"

The man nodded.

"Of course."

After a pause, he asked the question that had been on his mind for a few moments.

“…… Is this a civil war? ”

The director of the logistics department was slightly stunned, and glanced at the captain intriguingly, as if he was wondering why he would ask such a question.

Especially in places like this.

Glancing at the chattering comrades gathered around the conference table, he looked back at the patrol leader who was sitting next to him.

"Is there anything else?"

Receiving an affirmative answer, Muda nodded and did not speak again, and the stone that was pressed in his heart finally fell to the ground.

In fact, he was not surprised that he would come to this point, and even two months ago he had a vague feeling that something big would happen if it went on like this.

It's just that when this moment really came, he still couldn't help but feel a pang of amazement in his heart.

Civil war......

Unexpectedly, in just four months, they were once extremely united, and they were broken into three pieces......

……

Black clouds were piling up over the North Island and Anle Island, but the empty sea was a quiet sunset.

The rest area of the USS Dolphin nuclear submarine.

Looking at Captain Chen Jianhong, who was walking towards him, Dongwen, who had already changed into clothes, was half grateful and half ashamed.

Thanks to self-evident, the nuclear-powered cargo submarine saved the crew of two hundred destroyers, including himself.

As for the shame, this is the first time he has met their "enemy" face to face since the war began four months ago......

His lips moved for a moment, and he said with a slight bow.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, would you like a drink?"

Holding a mug in each hand, Chen Jianhong didn't wait for him to answer, shoved one of the cups into his hand, and then sat down on a bench beside him.

"'Champion' brand coffee beans, I personally like to add a little sugar and milk, I don't know if it suits your taste, try it."

A faint milky aroma penetrates the tip of the nose, mixed with a hint of the sweetness and bitterness of coffee beans.

The warmth that came into the palm through the wall of the cup dispelled the cold brought by the sea, and Dongwen sat down next to Captain Chen in silence, and said casually absentmindedly.

"Good stuff...... Where did you get it? ”

Chen Jianhong grinned, and after tasting it, he said slowly.

"I didn't do it, my new owner made it."

"Alliance?"

"Well, the black box synthetic treasure they picked up from Vault 79 was later taken to the local plantation commissioned by the Hump Kingdom...... It seems that the coffee beans have to be cultivated in a highland environment, and the altitude of the Chobar Mountains is just right. ”

"They're kind of enjoying it." Dongwen also took a sip slowly, but he couldn't help but frown his cheeks and brows.

Looking at his unacceptable look, Chen Jianhong said with a smile.

"Well, I've got a little bit of their habits, but I don't think it's a bad thing."

Looking at Dongwen, who was silent, Chen Jianhong took his eyes away from his frowning face, looked straight ahead, and said slowly.

"Actually, these days, after learning about other shelters, I've seriously thought about what the difference is between us."

Dongwen looked up.

"Did you think of that?"

"Sort of...... Chen Jianhong shrugged his shoulders and said casually, "I found that you may be right, we really don't make any difference." ”

Dongwen looked at him in surprise, and the latter paused for a moment before continuing.

"My great-grandfather lay in a hibernation pod for a hundred years, but my great-grandmother was a resident of the island, and if my grandfather still bears the imprint of the blue coat, there are not many left in my father's generation. Even my education was done in Coral City, and many of the federal engineers were there, even in the same textbook as me. ”

Dongwen looked at him.

"So what's the problem?"

Chen Jianhong thought for a while and said.

"Perhaps...... It's the managers. ”

A hint of surprise appeared on Dongwen's face.

"You said Mr. Sun Yuechi?"

"Sun Yuechi?" Chen Jianhong was stunned for a moment, then smiled and waved his hand, "Then you misunderstood, it's none of that guy's business." I used to look down on him, but since I went to Dawn City and talked to him, I realized that this guy is actually a very thoughtful person, and he has worked hard to patch the coats that he has been wearing on us for a century, but the power of one person is too small in the face of the general situation. ”

Dongwen looked at him puzzled.

"Is there anyone else?"

Chen Jianhong shrugged his shoulders.

"It's just my humble opinion, perhaps...... The problem lies with the profession of manager itself. Truth be told, our administrator was originally only the administrator of Vault 70, and we had no problem selecting the next manager in our own way, but the key was when the door opened...... Our managers need to manage not just shelters, but thirteen islands and an undersea settlement. ”

Dongwen hesitated slightly.

"What's wrong with that?"

Chen Jianhong shook his head.

"No problem, there were no problems at first, like Boulder City, they did a great job before the black card went bad. Singularity City also did well at the beginning, but it took a little detour after losing the help of the War Construction Committee. Even in the empire I passed by not long ago, whether General Lowell and the survivors at the time were serious enough or not, it is indeed not a human job to accept hundreds of millions of refugees in the four million square kilometers of prairie...... Of course, we did the same, even up until four months ago, and we can't let the chaos of those four months negate everything of the last two centuries. ”

Dongwen didn't speak, just looked at him quietly, waiting for his next step.

Chen Jianhong paused for a moment, sighed and said.

"Maybe it's enough for the manager to have the original manager...... If we do not pass on the work of the mutter from generation to generation, when the Lord is gone, we can engrave his name on the door of the shelter where he should also die, thank him and the Age of Prosperity for the blessings he bestowed upon us, commemorate his birth and departure together, and hold hands to discuss the way forward. ”

At this, he looked at Dongwen and grinned.

"You see, at least then we have at least one tradition in common, and we don't need to go to the hundred or so endless festivals of the Age of Prosperity. I never really thought about how good Prosperity Age was, you all thought Blue Jacket knew what that place looked like, but to be honest I didn't really go there to see it, and it didn't hurt to start from where we started. ”

Resting the back of his head against the wall, Dongwen closed his eyes and sighed.

"Perhaps."

He realized that he didn't really hate the blue coats.

Maybe his ancestors had been a Vault dweller, or he almost became one of the lucky ones who had taken refuge in the Vault.

What is it that got them to where they are today.

Maybe he should really think about it.

But......

That's not the right thing to do now.

Drinking the last coffee in one gulp, he looked at Chen Jianhong and asked.

"And now? What are you going to do? ”

As soon as his words fell, before the captain of the Dolphin could reply, a calm and clear voice came from the side.

"We're going to take advantage of the chaos that the Federation fleet is in the middle of and head straight to Vault 70."

"There's no better opportunity than now."

(End of chapter)