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墨書 Inktalez
Zhang Qiu declined the uncle's kind offer to take them to see the performance, even though he was very interested in the show. In such a special occasion, Zhang Qiu did not want to be in a place where everyone was watching. The uncle felt sorry for Zhang Qiu and the others as they walked, saying, "This kind of music has just emerged; it's rare. You really should take a look."
"Uncle, I often listen to this kind of music and have been to many live performances," Lucia said. She had just attended the Michigan Week Rock Concert last month and was very familiar with this powerful genre of songs.
"That's true; you come from a developed world, unlike us here, which is rated as one of the least developed areas."
"Uncle, I believe that through your efforts, this place will definitely improve," Lucia comforted the uncle.
Uncle Agari smiled warmly. Suddenly, a rumbling sound grew closer, and K's expression changed dramatically as he shouted, "Helicopter!"
Zhang Qiu looked up and followed the sound to see a green-painted helicopter flying in from the direction of the airport, soaring over the crowd straight toward the palace. As the helicopter flew away, K finally relaxed. Zhang Qiu was not frightened by the helicopter but was startled by K's reaction; K looked as if he were facing a great enemy, which made Zhang Qiu feel nervous.
A commotion broke out in the crowd, followed by loudspeakers crackling with static before broadcasting simultaneously in English and Swahili.
K grabbed Zhang Qiu's arm, looking tense as he observed their surroundings and said, "I suggest we head back immediately."
"No way; we've only covered half our route."
"This place isn't safe; my instincts are usually spot on." K stared at Zhang Qiu with a serious expression, though he always looked that way.
"I trust your instincts, but I can't go back."
"Are you arguing with me?"
"No, I'm thinking rationally. I admit that it is indeed dangerous here. Just look around; there are at least a hundred thousand people. If a riot breaks out, people could easily get trampled."
"You know what you're doing."
"Danger, and time is precisely of the essence. Bam is the largest city in Tanzania and also the capital of the country. Everything happening here represents the future direction of the entire nation. You must have studied modern history; you should know how tragically the Guangxu Emperor died. Before any major changes occur in this country, I must see the prince."
"But that was a hundred years ago; you should worry about yourself first."
"Stop it!" Lucia, seeing Zhang Qiu and K arguing once again, helplessly stepped between them. "K, I really don't understand why you keep stopping us."
"Before we left, Professor Bai repeatedly instructed me to ensure your safety; I must be responsible for you. The situation here is unpredictable and could become dangerous at any moment. We need to leave as soon as possible." K scanned the surroundings; his long-term training made him instinctively analyze his environment.
"He has a point; maybe you really should leave," Uncle Agari said.
"But we've only just arrived here; I want to go take a look ahead."
Uncle Agari gazed in the direction of the palace and pointed into the distance. "Do you see that line of buses?"
"I see them," Zhang Qiu and Lucia replied in unison.
"Those buses parked by the roadside form an artificial dividing line. On this side of the buses are countless people desperately hoping for change, while on the other side are hundreds of fully armed soldiers and police. If you want to go ahead, that's as far as you can get; that dividing line made up of buses cannot be crossed under any circumstances. Previously, someone tried to climb over the buses to get to the other side, but as soon as they landed, they were shot. Doctors risked their lives to pull him back, but unfortunately, they couldn't save him."
"Was it real bullets?" K frowned and asked.
Uncle Agari nodded, a faint smile mixed with a hint of despair on his lips.
"Bastards! How can they do this?" Lucia couldn't help but curse.
Zhang Qiu had anticipated that there would be bloodshed, but he never expected things to escalate to this extent. Shooting civilians—how could soldiers act against unarmed citizens?
"I must document this group of executioners!" Lucia's anger surged as she walked towards the line of buses.
Before K could stop her, Zhang Qiu stepped forward, spreading her arms to block Lucia's path.
"Zhang Qiu, you..."
"You can't go over there; they will really shoot!"
"I'm a foreigner; they wouldn't dare shoot."
"They can harm their own citizens; what do you think they wouldn't do?"
"Then I'll just record them from this side of the bus. They surely won't shoot at me, right?"
"You are underestimating them. Do you really think they would allow you to spread the brutal truth?"
"In the age of the internet, what can they hide?"
"It's useless. There has been no connection since some time ago," Uncle Agari said.
Lucia looked at Uncle Agari in shock, unable to believe her ears. She confirmed with him, and Uncle Agari replied, "That's right. There has been no connection since some time ago."
Zhang Qiu also felt it was unbelievable. Earlier that afternoon at the hotel, she and Jiang Xue were still able to send emails; how could it be gone by night?
"Has there ever been a situation where the connection was cut off at night before?" K asked, unusually proactive.
"Uncle Agari" shook his head and said, "Such situations rarely occur."
"Zhang Qiu" and K exchanged glances, and in just one look, "Zhang Qiu" understood K's meaning. "I agree to retreat now," "Zhang Qiu" said.
"Why?" "Lucia" asked in confusion. "Don't you want to move forward?"
"Zhang Qiu" shook his head.
K urged from the side, "We need to leave here immediately."
"Uncle Agari" added, "Yes, you all should hurry and go."
"Zhang Qiu, are we really leaving?" "Lucia" asked "Zhang Qiu."
"Zhang Qiu" noticed that "Lucia" didn't want to leave, and he didn't want to either. However, he had a vague feeling that something bad was about to happen. How could such a good situation suddenly end? "Zhang Qiu" didn't believe it was due to natural causes. The only explanation was that the king didn't want what was happening here to spread. If that were the case, the situation would be quite dangerous.
When someone had been shot dead without interruption, why was it ending now? What was the king planning? The more "Zhang Qiu" thought about it, the more terrified he became. He immediately grabbed "Lucia's" hand and said while walking, "There's no time to waste; we need to leave here first."
"Lucia," being pulled by "Zhang Qiu," walked ahead reluctantly while taking out her phone to capture images of the crowd around them. K walked at the back, occasionally looking back cautiously to protect the two.
Arriving at the intersection where they initially arrived, "Zhang Qiu" advised, "Uncle Agari, you should leave quickly; it's not safe here. The sudden change suggests something is about to happen."
"Uncle Agari" turned to look at the people in the open space and proudly said with his chest out, "I will not leave; I want to stay here and fight alongside my brothers and sisters."
"Aren't you afraid, Uncle?"
"I am certainly afraid, but someone has to do something. Since my first day here, I've seen too many come and go. No matter what others do, I cannot leave. I have persisted until now to create an opportunity for future generations, so that when they come into this world, they will not go hungry or suffer from the cold. I am old; I have nothing to lose. Should I let the next generation bleed again? I believe God will bless me."
Uncle Agari's words were deeply moving, and Zhang Qiu felt a profound respect; this is the backbone of the nation.
"Uncle, may I take a photo with you?" Lucia asked.
"Of course, child, go ahead."
"Lucia," Zhang Qiu called out to her, "let's take a group photo with Uncle."
"Good idea!" Lucia handed her phone to K, who said, "I want to be in the photo too."
Zhang Qiu and Lucia looked at K as if she were a monster. K even smiled and said, "He is a hero; I admire him."
Zhang Qiu bit her lower lip and nodded heavily. Lucia held her phone with worry: "Who will help us take the photo?"
"This is easy," Uncle Agari chuckled as he walked back into the crowd and returned with a man wearing a baseball cap. He said, "This is my friend; he can help us take the picture."
Cap Uncle took Lucia's iPhone 4 and hesitated: "Um, how do you use this?"
Lucia was slightly taken aback but stepped forward to open the camera, explaining to Cap Uncle: "Once we are ready, just tap here. Wait a moment until the photo is clear before tapping here again."
"Just tap the screen?" Cap Uncle looked at Lucia's phone in surprise. "Okay, I got it. This is really advanced."
Cap Uncle chuckled, but Zhang Qiu felt uneasy inside. How long could these happy faces last?
Uncle Agari stood in the middle, with Zhang Qiu and Lucia holding onto his arms on either side. K, tall in stature, stood behind Zhang Qiu and Uncle Agari, maintaining a serious expression.
After the photo was taken, Cap Uncle suddenly shouted, "Don't move!"
As Zhang Qiu and the others exchanged puzzled glances, Uncle Agari smiled and said, "I asked him to take another picture with my phone for keepsake."
Zhang Qiu and the others repositioned themselves, and Cap Uncle reached into the pocket of his fur-lined coat, pulling out a heavy black flip phone. He raised it and snapped a picture with a click, saying, "Alright."
Cap Uncle compared the photos on both phones and remarked, "Your phones really take clearer pictures."
When Lucia went to take the phone, Zhang Qiu noticed that the photo on Uncle Agari's phone was indeed blurry, filled with noise.
Lucia said, "Then I'll send you the photos from my phone."
"No need, I'll keep this photo safe," Uncle Agari shook his head. "You all should leave now. I look forward to what you write."
"Uncle, I promise I'll write it!"
Zhang Qiu, Lucia, and K left together. As Zhang Qiu turned back to look, he saw Uncle Agari standing in place waving at them. Under the night sky, dark clouds drifted in from afar, obscuring the palace below and the dense crowd outside.
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