Chapter 82: The Value of Living
Bradford decided to flee.
No delays, he would run tonight.
He didn’t dare to take too many things.
Although he had amassed considerable wealth in Revival City, these tangible assets would obviously hinder his escape.
Taking them along would make it inconvenient to flee.
His greatest wealth lay in his own life and the extensive network of contacts he had built up over the years in business.
As long as he escaped alive, he could rebuild his fortune.
Instead, he took out a large sum of money, giving it to his bodyguards and the skilled mercenaries he had hired, promising that there would be even more money for them once they left the city.
When night fell, Bradford headed to the northwest side of the city.
It wasn’t the main gate of the city, but it was still a way out.
Years of business experience had given him knowledge of some special passages.
In the past, this passage through the sewers, dug under the city walls to reach the outside, was used for smuggling.
It was a route for secretly importing or exporting special goods and for avoiding taxes.
This method saved a lot of trouble and money for those less-than-legal businesses.
Now, this passage would save Bradford’s life.
They walked for half an hour through the dark sewer pipes and the subsequent secret tunnel they had dug out.
A group of bodyguards led the way, with one climbing a ladder and pushing hard against the manhole cover at the top.
It wasn’t easy; the manhole cover was camouflaged with dirt.
If it wouldn’t budge, they had to insert a knife along the edge and loosen the soil.
It was troublesome, but doable.
After much effort, the cover was pushed open, and three bodyguards climbed out.
They professionally held their guns, guarding in three directions, waiting for the others to follow.
Soon, with the protection of the front and rear groups of bodyguards, Bradford emerged to the surface.
The sky was dark, and the surroundings were familiar, but it was eerily quiet.
In the past, coming out of this spot, one could hear the noise of the outer city.
The poor often made quite a racket at night, showcasing their night life.
But this was normal.
There had just been a battle, and in their fear, it was normal for people to stay hidden at night.
Moreover, the Governor might have imposed martial law outside the city.
As he mused, the rearguard bodyguards also emerged.
“Move, move, move!”
Bradford urged them.
Getting through the tunnel wasn’t the hard part; the most dangerous part lay ahead.
They needed at least half an hour to completely leave the outer city.
Only then would they be safe.
Before setting off, they restored the manhole cover to its original state.
Otherwise, if someone saw it, they would know someone had escaped.
After completing these tasks, they were about to set off.
‘Swish!’
Two white searchlights shone their intensely bright beams on them.
At the same time, a stern voice barked, “Drop your weapons! Surrender on your knees!”
Blinded by the glaring lights, Bradford felt a deep sense of despair.
He knew it was over.
Resigned to his fate, he dropped his gun and knelt on the ground without daring to move.
However, his bodyguards reacted differently.
Some tried to flee, while others, squinting against the blinding light, attempted to fire back at the source.
But in the next moment, the distinctive ‘tat-tat-tat’ of the G9 rifles echoed.
Those who tried to run or resist were all killed.
…
On the way back to camp, Pobov, the commander of the Governor’s 2nd Infantry Battalion, laughed heartily:
“Haha! Who would’ve thought we’d actually catch something! This secret passage intel was really good!”
His adjutant was equally elated: “Indeed, indeed. Sending people to act as those commissars really worked. When Kody was chosen, I felt a bit reluctant, but who knew he’d get this smuggling tunnel intel the very next day. We just thought we’d give it a try blocking here, and we actually caught someone!”
“Did the person we captured say anything?”
“He did. He claimed to be an Alliance Council Member and wants to see the Governor.”
“Damn it, does everyone think they can see the Governor? But… we should still report this to the Governor and see if he wants to meet this person. If he does, we’ll send a team to escort him; if not… damn, I have nowhere to keep him, might as well just shoot him.”
Tied up and trailing behind, Bradford was scared out of his wits.
“The Governor will definitely see me! I know many things! I can be very useful to the Governor!”
…
Bradford had thought his fate wouldn’t be decided until the next day, but to his surprise, despite it being late at night, Gu Hang was still awake and saw him in the early hours of the morning.
This gave Bradford a glimmer of hope.
The Governor was willing to see him, which at least meant he wouldn’t be shot by the officer who captured him.
But this was far from a moment to relax.
The next few minutes would truly decide his fate.
Whether he could demonstrate his value depended on his words in the upcoming moments.
To survive, he had to show that keeping him alive was more beneficial than killing him.
However, this conversation with the Governor took an unexpected turn.
The first sentence left him stunned.
“Bradford, we met on my first day on the surface. I thought then that you would die by my hand because I found your smile quite annoying. Now, it seems my instinct was right.”
Bradford was dumbfounded: Why the hell did I smile that day?
If that’s the reason for my death, that would be the unluckiest fate.
Before he could speak, Gu Hang continued: “I know you want to persuade me to let you live; you want to show your value. I’ll give you that chance, but first, I’ll tell you the benefits of your death. That way, you can weigh in your mind what you need to offer to outweigh these benefits.”
Bradford nervously swallowed as he listened to Gu Hang speak slowly:
“Next, I will conduct a thorough purge in Revival City. The performance of the entire Alliance government structure over the past few months has been utterly disappointing. How can good governance be achieved with you parasites? So, I plan to arrest all Alliance Council Members and mid-to-upper-level government officials, put you on public trial, and expose your crimes to everyone…”
“I didn’t…” Bradford couldn’t help but try to explain, but Gu Hang interrupted him.
“I don’t care; you’ll be guilty regardless. The people of Revival City can’t live better lives in the inner city, and those in the outer city struggle to meet basic needs. The entire world is in chaos, and these are your original sins. These will be woven into specific, infuriating crimes. Ultimately, you will pay for everything on the gallows. The public will feel a sense of satisfaction, will vent their frustrations, and may even feel fear, but ultimately, they will revere me more. You won’t be lonely; many will join you on this journey.”
“After a thorough purge, the political landscape of Revival City will be entirely renewed. I will promote new officials who have no established ties and no significant connections. They will come from the lower echelons and become the new elite class. Their entire honor and disgrace will be tied to me. They may not do well initially due to lack of experience or capability, but they will do their utmost to implement my will. And I will completely and thoroughly control this city, pushing forward my plans to revive the city and the entire world.”
“Alright, I’ve said my piece. Now it’s your turn, Mr. Bradford. Can your clever mind think of a reason why you living is more valuable than you dying? I’m quite looking forward to it.”