Chapter 202 - A film that keeps on rolling

Joshua sprawled on his couch. He looked at his blood-ridden hand and sighs. His situation in the Empire was very hard. He was a migrant and he could do nothing but endure. He didn’t have the right to complain. He was just another migrant. He was nothing special.

A streak of light entered through the window. Joshua looked outside. He thought that the world has changed into something resembling the 90’s era of his world. But this time the there was walking tanks and skyships roaming around. The atomic bomb was also used repeatedly as if the Emperor who controlled it didn’t care about the radiation wind.

“Looks like no matter what I do, I’ll be just another guy huh?” he said lightly.

The Empire of Valor’s capital city was always covered with clouds and rains. He looked at that streak of light that was slowly disappearing. He thought that the capital city of valor was gloomy. The whole place was practically a city that was not that blessed with sun.

It made him think how he was able to sleep in that alley without suffering. But he thought that it might because of that alley have intersecting roofs. Not to mention he didn’t drown because of the capital city’s excellent drainage system.

The city was well-built. Joshua could find no fault in this city other than the sorry folks like him, who were ‘migrants’ of the city. There’s a ruling class and he was at the bottom of the barrel. He had no choice but to endure the prideful looks of the winners.

“Your nation fell, ours didn’t.”

“What right do you have to speak to us like that, migrant?”

Those words would resound every time he dares to ask. He was a person who was just another leech of the country. The people around Joshua did not like this. Hence, he has easily framed the justice system only benefitted the true citizens of the Empire.

Joshua has experienced the coldness of reality here. The world that he knew first strangely became a memory. He still has a house. He still can live quietly and waste his life away doing nothing.

But there’s a big problem. Joshua was not a Hero. He would never do something as foolish overthrow an Empire or rise up against such oppression. He would have tried if he was stupid. But he knew that the current state of the Empire disheartens anyone that has thoughts like that.

Joshua has personally seen rebellions going down within two days. A huge uprising happened just a month ago but they were immediately quelled by the Empire of Valor’s overbearing force.

He saw corpses strewn across a street. Many of them were citizens, and most of them were sympathizers. They thought that living under someone who could sign the death warrant of thousands of people easily with a flick of a wrist. How could good men and women accept a ruler like that?

Joshua, however, thinks that the Emperor did nothing wrong. He was someone who did what he could do. He managed to do what he wanted. He was able to destroy the Orcs with the bombs. The whole world has slowly started to know each other as a result of the Emperor’s will.

Many nations started to gather to know each other. Borders were defined as maps were formed. The whole world was starting to know each other thanks to the Emperor. The Emperor of the Empire of Valor succeeded and gathering support to rebel against the Emperor is simply asking for suicide.

The victorious is the right, absolute power dominates.

The Emperor demonstrated it clearly. No fools other than the hopeful rebels could ever dare to rebel against the Emperor of Valor. No nation would be stupid enough to get the death warrant of the Emperor.

Joshua’s been lurking around the city. He heard of countless rebels chatting about. He heard many whispers about a group that would try to bring down the Empire.

The Empire’s strength is beyond what people could imagine. But the Empire has one big weakness that was easy to exploit. It was too big. It’s stretched thin because of how big the Empire is. Not to mention that the Empire cannot nuke their own cities. The Emperor’s people are loyal and brave. But killing them would turn into resentment.

The weather outside was getting worse. Joshua turned his eyes at the letter that sat on the table. The letter came from a rebel who wanted to fight the Emperor. It was not his intention to talk to the rebel. He merely talked about what he would do if he was a rebel.

The man was impressed by Joshua’s thoughts. But Joshua didn’t want to get involved. After all, that man died after being shot dead by firing squad. The letter on top of his table was nothing. He forgot to rip it apart because of his constant drunk state.

Joshua stood and took the letter. He sauntered to the bin and enveloped the letter in flames. The letter burst forth and turns into ashes before he knew it. He ambled back to his bed and sat upright. He thought how troublesome it was that someone would actually try to recruit him.

It didn’t matter. He wanted no part of any rebellion. To Joshua, the world has already been saved by the Emperor through sheer force and power. There are many hidden enemies lurking around the shadows. There were many dangers and individuals that would try to destroy the peace for their own selfish wanting.

But make no mistake.

This is a story of a story that already ended.

This is a story of a film that kept on rolling despite it ending with the Empire’s victory.

Joshua wanted none of it all. He wanted nothing to do with all of their selfish wantings. He wanted to live as normally as he can in this world.

So what if there were rebels? So what if he has some life-saving ability that would help him?

Why would the world matter to him at this point?

He has a shitty job.

He can drink all he wants.

He can sprawl on his couch and do nothing unless he’s called at his job.

So why would it matter if some rebels decide to mess with the Empire?

He’s living a dog’s life. But it was better than dying and suffering for things he doesn’t believe in!