Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Rebellion Begins

Fang Nian’s eyes widened as he stared at the officer. The officer, who had been calm and composed, suddenly changed at Fang Nian’s words. Large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, betraying his intense anxiety.

Watching the officer’s reaction, Fang Nian knew he had guessed correctly. Just as he suspected, after the catastrophe, the soldiers’ guns had long been emptied of bullets. They relied solely on the terror the weapons inspired to dominate the people here.

At that moment, most of the crowd realized the truth as well, and anger began to quietly spread among them.

“What? Their guns have no bullets? Then why should we fear them? Why are we still under their rule?”

“That’s right! If they have no weapons, then why should we keep doing this work, eating those fruit cakes? Are our lives truly so worthless?”

“Resist! We must fight back! I’ve had enough of this life. If we’re doomed anyway, we might as well fight now—I want meat, lobster, fresh vegetables, not fruit cake!”

“Yes! Meat, lobster, fresh vegetables—not fruit cake!”

The calls for rebellion grew louder, whispers turning into shouts and slogans. Fang Nian knew he had succeeded; now, all it needed was someone to lead, and the matter would be settled. As for that leader, Fang Nian had already made his choice.

The officer was panicking; he knew all too well the power these people possessed. Watching the scene unfold before him, terror gripped him, and he could no longer confront Fang Nian. His legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, the surrounding soldiers clustered around the officer, retreating together toward the door leading to the next carriage.

Fang Nian knew there wasn’t much time. He turned to look at Luo Li, who stood sternly in place.

“Brother Luo, the situation is clear. Let’s revolt. There’s no point in clinging to this miserable existence any longer.”

Luo Li didn’t answer, remaining rooted to the spot, his gaze unfocused as he wrestled with his thoughts.

Seeing some soldiers already reaching the carriage door, Fang Nian grew anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. If the officer and soldiers escaped, rebellion would become impossible. There was no time left for hesitation.

Suddenly, Fang Nian sprang forward, darting swiftly through the gap behind the officer’s group to reach the door ahead of them. He yanked over a five-tiered iron bunk, wedging it firmly beneath the carriage door.

Fang Nian’s lightning-fast actions stunned everyone. The soldiers, who had been relieved to reach the exit, exploded in anger when the door was blocked by the bunk. They charged at Fang Nian and the iron bed, shouting furiously.

Facing them, Fang Nian took a deep breath, channeling his inner strength throughout his body, and delivered a punch, knocking down a soldier.

The other soldiers paused for a moment, but they did not shrink back. Compared to staying here as guards for thousands, they preferred risking everything against Fang Nian—it seemed their chances were better.

A fierce brawl erupted between Fang Nian and the soldiers. Most discarded their rifles, engaging Fang Nian in a brutal hand-to-hand fight. At first, Fang Nian managed to hold his own, but as more soldiers joined, their eyes bloodshot with rage, he began to falter.

Duan Rui watched Fang Nian, who stood at the door like a lone god of war. A spark flashed in her eyes as she turned to Luo Li and the increasingly restless crowd, her voice low and resolute.

“Brother Luo, do you really intend to end your days so cowardly, crushed under their oppression?”

Luo Li was torn. He wasn’t afraid of death; survival in this world had made him forget what death even meant. Perhaps death was a release, and rebellion had always lived in his bones.

But what he couldn’t let go of were his brothers behind him. To survive in this post-apocalyptic world, they had given up much—even their dignity as humans—just to stay alive.

If they didn’t rebel, they could go on living, repeating the same work, eating fruit cake.

If they did rebel, there would be sacrifices, possibly worse consequences. He knew this door was just the beginning—while the soldiers’ guns were empty, the rulers behind them surely had other means. If rebellion began, it would bring a storm of bloodshed, and so Luo Li had to weigh the risks.

Duan Rui’s words stung him deeply. Was he really going to end his life so miserably?

As he pondered, a seven or eight-year-old boy suddenly stepped forward, holding a wooden cane, tugging at Luo Li’s sleeve.

“Uncle Luo, what’s the outside world like? I really want to see it. I don’t want to be trapped here every day.”

A teenage girl spoke up as well, addressing Luo Li.

“Yes, Uncle Luo. My mother always tells me stories about the outside—there are cakes, cheese, meat, vegetables, cartoons, and movies. I’ve never seen any of those things. I want to, will you take me?”

The uncle who had just been beaten by the officer now stood up, wielding an iron rod taken from a bunk, his face brimming with anger as he looked at Fang Nian, still fighting alone.

“Old Luo, it’s time to resist. We’re not afraid of death. Better to fight once for real than to drag out our lives in misery—it wouldn’t be a waste of our time on earth.”

“That’s right, Brother Luo! We’re not afraid. Damn it, let’s go!”

“Yes, let’s fight! Living like this is worse than dying—I want to know what meat tastes like!”

More and more voices joined in. The atmosphere of rebellion in the carriage reached its peak; even the women and children, who had never wielded a weapon, picked up wooden sticks, eager and restless, as if waiting for a signal to charge forward without hesitation.

Fang Nian was already struggling; he knew firsthand what it meant to be outnumbered. Faced with countless fists, he could only retreat, while the soldiers, seizing the opening, began to pull at the iron bunk, trying to close the door.

Just then, Luo Li finally yielded to the call deep within his heart, addressing the crowd behind him.

“Brothers and sisters, we have endured too much humiliation. Let the past stay in the past. From now on, we fight back. Charge!”

With that, Luo Li stepped forward, leading the charge toward Fang Nian.