Twenty Seven Years

  Chapter 172 Honesty and Acceptance

"I really want to give you some advice, teach you how to speak, and teach you more touching body movements, but you don't seem to need it. Apart from your outstanding ability, what surprises me the most is that I think it is extremely rare Frankness is the most important characteristic.” Keating stared at Verak for a long time, wanting to use his own experience to help him better deal with the next people, but found that Verak has always been forging his own unique path, “In this era , even I don’t know if being honest is a good thing or a bad thing, but looking at your circumstances, it should be the best choice for you to continue to insist on your honesty.”

   "If even being honest is a mistake, then it's time for this world to change." Verak grinned.

  Keating's eyes were full of appreciation: "...you are right."

"It's still early, and there may be many things to do in the evening. Don't you take a break?" Verak developed the habit of taking a lunch break in the prison, and he didn't rest well in the dilapidated abandoned warehouse yesterday. Some sleepy.

   "I'm fine, you rest first, I'll go see them." Keating was also very interested in Verak's companions.

   "Okay, call me when the time comes, I'll sleep first." Verak didn't go to bed to rest, but sat comfortably on the sofa, closed his eyes, breathed evenly and softly, and fell asleep quietly.

  —

   When Verak woke up again, it was already half past seven. The waiter brought dinner, and Keating, Nord, Diaz, and Murphy reunited in his room.

"I'm about to call you." As soon as Nord walked to Veraker, Veraker woke up when he heard the sound, and he returned to the table to share dinner with the others, "Hurry up and eat, it's almost finished We have to go to a meeting."

   "Yeah." Verak rubbed his sleepy eyes, moved his body briefly, sat down at the table, and enjoyed a sumptuous meal.

   "Murphy and I have just studied for a few hours, and it feels pretty good." Nobody asked, and Nord took the initiative to report his own learning situation, "Mr. Keating knows a lot, and he teaches us to get twice the result with half the effort."

  Murphy also admired Keating sincerely: "Mr. Keating is amazing!"

  Verak let out a "hmm" and finished the food in his mouth: "Have you gone to teach them something?"

   "Sitting is sitting, it's best if you can help." Keating replied.

"Indeed, time waits for no one, the sooner they are cultivated, the better. One month later, we will have to make some moves at the closing ceremony of the World Expo anyway. At that time, a full-scale conflict with the government will definitely be needed. All kinds of talents." Verac was a little worried when he thought of the near future.

   It is inevitable that a full-scale conflict with the government will break out. He is not worried about this. What he is worried about is Boyne who is acting as a hostage, and Chloe who insists that peace talks with the government are the only way out.

  He didn't want Boyne to sacrifice, nor did he want to see Chloe ruin the possibility that equality would change the world.

  Nolde and Murphy smiled at each other when they heard Veraker's words.

   "What are you laughing at?" Verak was puzzled.

"You said before that let us get to know each other better before making a decision whether to stay or go, but now we have started to plan our arrangements in a month's time." Diaz saw what Nord and Murphy were thinking at a glance, Speak up.

   "That's right, forget about it." Verak patted his forehead, "Well... let's take a step and take a step. Anyway, don't be influenced by me, and you must follow your heart to make a choice."

  Verak knew the personalities of these people. They could live a prosperous and honorable life in a foreign country, but they still returned to the place of right and wrong for themselves. Even if they are not moved by the grand idea of ​​the Equality Society, they are very likely to stay and contribute their abilities.

   But he didn't want to see this happen and thought it was irresponsible.

  Verak sincerely wants to do this. Even if he sacrifices one day in the future, it will be his own business. But if he joins for someone else, after he dies, the responsibility will fall on that person innocently.

   What you live for and what you die for is very important.

"Don't worry, if you're not interested, I'll be the first to leave. There's no need to stay here and risk your life to pester you!" Nord pretended not to care, but said so in his mouth, but he didn't want to leave at all. idea.

   "Eat." Verak was very helpless about this, so he didn't mention it.

  The five of them had dinner, and not long after they rested, someone came and took them out of the hotel, and walked all the way from the underground passage to the negative floor of the casino next door.

   The negative floor of the casino has a large space, and the center has been transformed into a lobby. At this time, at least 200 people gathered.

   "Here we come." After seeing Morais, Verak took someone forward to say hello.

"Okay." Morais led the five of Veraker to the podium, and directed people to sit down along the way, "These are old members who have died with bloodshed. If you announce your true identity to them, I will count rest assured."

  Verak looked at these important members of the Equality Association.

  These people also looked at him, and after seeing Verak's face clearly, they couldn't help but exclaim.

   "President?!"

   "Didn't you get caught?!"

   "Look! It's the president!"

  Verak did not respond to them, but accelerated his pace, walking side by side with Morais: "They don't know that Chris died?"

"Well, I don't know your identity, so of course I don't know the news of Chris' sacrifice. Before that, the news was temporarily blocked in order to maintain stability, and only a few people passed the news, and secretly built a tomb for Chris as a memorial. Now You are back, and it is time for this matter to be announced." Morais explained.

   "Okay..." Verak said.

   Morais and the others didn't get vaccinated in advance, and the pressure was on Verak's shoulders at this time.

   Everyone still doesn't know the truth. When he tells that Chris has already died and he is a counterfeit, these people may be fooled on the spot.

"Everyone be quiet!" After Morais arranged for the five of Verak to sit down, the members of the Equality Association who participated in the meeting were basically all present. Induct five important new members. Now, prepare for their induction ceremony!"

  In fact, the membership ceremony of the Equality Association is very simple. Each member can introduce himself, unlike some associations that need to take an oath. This is also the rule set by Francis, the founder of the Equality Association. He believes that most of the people who join the Equality Association are poor people. The cumbersome initiation ceremony will not help them, and the so-called oath is not as good as the real promotion of system reform. important.

  Morais anticipated the commotion that would be caused by Verak's speech, so he let the other four come on stage first.

  Keating, Diaz, Nord, and Murphy came to the podium one by one, introduced themselves to everyone, explained their background, and the purpose of joining the Equality Association.

  Among them, Keating is the most eye-catching. After all, he was once an important minister under one person and above ten thousand in the Bresci Empire.

  It means a lot to them to have such a big man join.

  Brothers Diaz and Murphy, who are from Montreco, went to the Republic of Bresci and joined the Equality Association. This is also an important proof that the concept of the Equality Association has influenced the world.

  Nord is mediocre in comparison, with no special background and no outstanding ability. After introducing himself and finding no response, he stepped down from the stage in despair, secretly determined to be a valuable person.

   Finally, it will be Verak's turn.

  Moles stood on the podium, glanced at the members of the Equality Society, looked at Verak, and said loudly: "The last new member, Moster Verak, is invited to come to the stage to introduce himself."

   After taking their seats again, Keating and the others looked at Verak in unison.

  Verak took a deep breath, with a calm face, got up and came to the podium.

   "Isn't this the president?"

   "Why is it called Verak?"

"what's the situation?"

Hearing the doubts of the members of the Equality Society in the audience, Verak stood still, with a tall and straight posture, and looked at the pair of sincere eyes: "Hello, everyone, I am Most Verak, from Tswold City, Joseph County Ghetto."

   "What?! Isn't this the president?!"

   "How is it possible, this is obviously the president!"

   "Isn't the president the eldest son of the Thomas family? What does it have to do with the slums?"

  Verak continued: "I have heard your doubts. Here, I would like to make a solemn clarification. I am not Comrade Chris. The two of us just look alike."

   "How could someone look so much like this, it's exactly the same."

   "Isn't he doing something? Today is not April Fool's Day..."

   "What about the president?"

Verac turned his head to look at Morais, Morais nodded slightly, he brewed for a while, and made a clear voice: "Comrade Chris, he died at the beginning of July this year. Comrade Chris who appeared in front of you later , it was all impersonated by me. I—”

   Before Verak could continue speaking, the members of the Equality Society in the audience became agitated as expected, and noisy voices interrupted his words.

"Everyone be quiet! Be quiet, listen to me!" Morais's voice was loud, and after a few yells, the hall was quiet again, "This matter is very complicated to say, but each of you Everyone has the right to know, so please be patient and listen to us!"

Verak felt the sincere eyes of the audience shaken a little, sadness and doubts were cast on him: "Comrade Chris, in the beginning of July, that is, the Equality Society was wiped out by the government and was severely damaged. The Thomas family spent ten days rushing back to Laizein after I was released from prison, and I only hope that everyone can accept the real me, the sincere me."

  He told the ins and outs again.

  He couldn’t remember how many people he had explained the past. He only knew that this would be the last time.

  The audience was dead silent.

Verac's experience in the past six months is really too tortuous and bizarre. A kid from a slum area became a son of a consortium because of his appearance. Fortunately, he helped the Equality Association get on the right track, and was finally caught in Dai In Mans Prison, he led all the prisoners to escape smoothly.

  In the end, he gave up on being Chris and became Chris again, standing here and asking for the opinion of everyone he had fooled.

"Although Verac once took away one million gold grams for his own self-interest and was captured by the government, which almost caused Comrade Boyne to have an accident, but he also won nearly ten million gold grams for us. We have been able to develop vigorously to the point where we are today." Morais spoke for Veraker, "Since he confessed his identity when he saw Comrade Boyne for the last time, and was willing to sacrifice himself to help Comrade Boyne escape from the government building, we I think he has changed, but fortunately it is not too late, he has come back after suffering in prison."

"So many of us got out of prison because of Veraker's idea of ​​equality, bringing us together, giving us hope. I don't know what he was like, but I know better than anyone , Now he loves this great cause very much, and like everyone else, he is willing to give his life and make his own contribution to opening up a new world." Keating stood up and affirmed Verac's hard work and sincerity.

  The audience was still silent.

   Chris is dead.

  Verak in front of him deceived them, but he also helped them a lot, and now he wants to return.

  These two things piled up together, which made the members of the Equality Association participating in the meeting stunned and found it difficult to accept.

Morais walked down the stage, brought back a box, and opened it in front of everyone, revealing the neat stacks of banknotes inside: "Here is half a million gold grams. Verac can obviously break out of prison Afterwards, take this money and leave, go wherever you want to live. But he didn't do that, he gave me this money to make up for the loss of one million gold grams that he had caused. Yes, five hundred thousand is definitely not more than one million, but what does this mean? It means that he handed over everything he has without reservation, just as he just told his experience frankly and in detail."

  The members of the Equality Society in the audience were gradually moved.

  Villac did not whitewash the mistakes he made, while Morais pointed out his great contribution to the Equality Association and his sincere actions in returning.

  They began to weigh Verak's merits and demerits in their hearts.

   "Huh..." Verak deduced the current situation countless times in his mind.

  The lies he wove and the mistakes he made required him to spend a hundred times more effort to clarify and make up for it.

   He accepts.

"I admire Verak very much, not only because he passed the proposal of the Armed Equality Association against all opinions, not only because he used the transaction to earn us tens of millions of gold grams of development funds, but also because he had the courage to come back and face him. fault." Morais put his arm around Verak's shoulders and said loudly, "I hope everyone can give him trust again and give him a chance!"

  (end of this chapter)