I couldn't just stand by and watch as Nolan's father, Big Mountain, was tormented by the crowd. I wanted to reveal the truth, but at that moment, Nolan gripped my hand tightly.
"Let's go, brother. You need to rest." John Chou forcibly dragged me away from the crowd.
"What are you doing?"
John Chou didn't say anything, just gave me a look, signaling me to observe the faces of those people. I glanced over. As the guards beat Nolan's father, whether Dreamborn or Settlers, everyone showed a strange, excited smile. It seemed they'd already decided Big Mountain was a Dream Wraith collaborator. As long as they dealt with him and kept him from sending news back, they'd win.
But it's not that simple. It's as if they've already won, which is deeply abnormal. My heart ached as I watched, swallowing hard.
"Did you discover something, Ethan Zhang? Can you tell me..." Henry Cole walked over, paused, and glanced at Nolan and Susie before continuing.
"And the two of them. The three of us, we should be worthy of your trust, Ethan Zhang. Tell us, please."
I nodded. Henry Cole was obviously different from the others. He had his own obsession—wanting to escape this world. Though I didn't know his true motivation, he worked tirelessly for days, always the first to rise.
If anything was missing on the city walls, he would direct everyone to fix it. He personally inspected the gate reinforcement and the placement of obstacles outside, checking and arranging everything with care.
We found a secluded spot, and I slowly began to explain the sequence of events to them. The three of them looked utterly astonished.
"Go and explain everything to everyone right now," Susie urged. Suddenly, John Chou blocked her way.
"Women are always trouble. Sigh."
He shot Susie a contemptuous look. At that moment, I noticed a fleeting sadness in John Chou's eyes, like a flash of sorrow. I was surprised—this was the first time I'd seen John Chou show such melancholy toward a woman. It vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Wait, Miss Susie, if you go and explain things to the people in the city now, chaos will break out immediately. The Settlers will fight the Dreamborn, and I'm afraid Ethan Zhang will be suspected and accused of colluding with the Dream Wraiths."
Henry Cole spoke. Susie lowered her head and nodded.
Then Henry Cole looked toward the distant East Gate and said:
"Nolan, your father probably knows all about the Dream Wraiths and Dreamborn, but he also knows that if he tells the truth, there will be conflict between the Settlers and Dreamborn. After all, no one would believe it. As long as we Settlers remain safe in this world and things return to normal, we'll be cast out anyway."
I looked at Henry Cole in surprise, not expecting him to be so clear-headed. Yet his face showed a deep sadness.
"Whether it's the Settlers or the Dreamborn, one side is destined to leave this world. Sigh."
After a long sigh, Henry Cole raised his head, gazed at the sky, and fell silent. Nolan seemed to understand as well, nodding gently.