Chapter Fourteen: Comminason's Objective (Part One)

“We will abolish private property, eliminate social barriers and classes, liberate all humanity from oppression and poverty, and establish a society without classes, without private ownership, and without government.”

“Madness, you’re all mad! How could such a world possibly exist?” Madame Serra could no longer restrain herself and let go of Mr. Hegel’s arm.

Hegel simply listened quietly to their debate. Even when Madame Serra released him, he hurried forward to support her again, lest she fall into the rotten mud in her agitation.

“Of course it can exist!” Gamio slowed his pace, waving his hands excitedly. “As long as our production and construction develop to a high level, individual labor will be replaced by cooperative mass production, property will be owned collectively by all members, and then we will distribute according to need. The leader says that in such a world, everyone will contribute according to their ability and receive according to their needs. With that, there will be no more oppression or exploitation, no more distinctions of status, and no more nations—everyone, whether human, elf, or even orc, will achieve true unity.”

“But right now, we simply can’t realize this ‘from each according to ability, to each according to need’ you speak of.” Cecily pulled her foot out of the mire.

Gamio’s waving hands paused; he wanted to argue, but had to admit the girl was right. Fortunately, his comrade Layard promptly supplemented, “Yes, we cannot achieve that at present. But this is only the initial stage. According to the leader’s plan, in the initial stage we implement distribution according to labor, which is relatively fair for now. That’s why we so urgently need Mr. Hegel—his joining us will help every member realize their potential. Not only will we defend our hard-won fruits, but we will also take up arms and liberate others through revolution!”

On the shadowy forest path of rot and dead leaves, two Communeson members argued passionately with a beautiful girl, believing it absolutely necessary to save a soul bewitched by Warrenheit.

At that moment, they were warriors, healers, guides, thinkers, and missionaries. They intended not only to safely escort the Hegel family to the base, but also hoped to bring Cecily to the far shore of enlightenment.

Curses echoed along the silent post road. No matter how fiercely Monk Ullega whipped his mount, the horse slowed ever more, and finally, with the last lash, it let out a mournful cry and dropped to its knees. This sudden change nearly threw the monk off.

Furious, the monk clenched his whip, preparing to punish the beast, but before he could act, the horse collapsed, frothing at the mouth, clearly exhausted.

“Something’s off,” said the experienced Euclid suddenly.

“What’s going on?” The red-haired female knight was also flustered; her own horse was slowing, though her lighter weight spared it from collapse—it merely panted heavily.

“We’ve been duped,” Euclid sighed.

Seeing the confusion among his companions, Euclid patiently explained, “I mean the keepers at the last two posts lied to us. They definitely encountered Communeson members, but concealed their negligence by claiming otherwise. Now, these horses have betrayed them: post horses are always kept in prime condition for emergencies—they shouldn’t be exhausted after less than ten kilometers. There’s only one explanation: the fugitives we pursue are always ahead of us, commandeering post horses, then leaving the worn-out ones behind. The posts only count the horses, not their condition, so when we arrived, seeing the right number, we were fooled.”

The green-haired archer brushed aside his hair, revealing a pair of pointed ears—he was of elven descent. “Captain, are you saying the Communeson members used the simplest, most direct tactic? They didn’t flee into the wilderness or split up; they stuck with the carriage, forcibly seizing post horses along the way, taking the Hegel family with them.”

Euclid nodded. “Exactly, Westin, just as you say. That’s what they did. So Ullega and Linda switched to post horses, and those two collapsed first. Next, it’ll be your mounts and Woodworth’s. Though mine wasn’t switched, at this rate, it too will soon be exhausted.”

Though the four were enraged, they saw no solution. They could imagine a carriage racing ahead, stopping at every post to snatch horses and run them hard. The Republic’s efficient transport system had become the fugitives’ best tool for escape. At this rate, the five would have great difficulty catching up.

“What should we do now, Captain?”

Euclid replied, “Now we have no choice but to spare no effort. If we have no horses, we run, continuing along this post road, and at the next post, commandeer fresh mounts.”

“But those horses will already be worn out,” the monk protested.

“Idiot, it’s better than running the whole way,” Linda retorted.

Euclid nodded. Indeed, even riding a horse that would collapse after ten kilometers was better, because at least one could recover a bit of strength on horseback.

“Let’s move out. Though we’ve lost the advantage, this pursuit covers over a thousand kilometers. If they run into any trouble, we’ll have a chance to catch up. At least we know their route follows this road. And the road isn’t finished yet—no matter how fast they go, once they reach the unfinished section, their carriage will have to switch to old dirt tracks and slow down.”

Unfortunately, they did not know that trouble had already struck ahead, thanks to the carriage driver’s dreadful skills.

The missionary’s endless lecture was abruptly silenced by a piercing scream. Madame Serra, normally the last to notice anything amiss, was the first this time, as the other four focused on their debate and paid no attention. Thus, it was this ordinary woman who sensed something wrong.

In the distant woods, green lights flickered like fireflies, and a faint, sickening stench wafted over, unbearable. The fleeing party was interrupted by the scream. Gamio, whose vision in darkness surpassed Layard’s, peered ahead and saw what was coming, his expression instantly changing.

“Bad news—it’s cave bears!”

Layard cast a spell to strengthen his sight, and immediately saw everything ahead. With the magic’s power, he saw even more clearly. “There are at least a hundred cave bears—and several ogres!”

PS: For the sake of a harmonious world, please refrain from mentioning any particular ideology; refer to it as Communeson.