act12side

Hey, look. That's Ch'en and Lin they're chasing, right?

Impressive. Really impressive.

We should go help—

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoes from the ship, not far from the shore.

What did you do?

A little surprise.

Remember how I asked you what to do after the hostages are rescued?

I did agree with you that I should take everyone with me and leave, but then it came to me I still had that bomb.

So I thought I'd give them a little surprise.

Care for a drink?

Interesting time for such a display of aesthetics.

I didn't notice this until I got the boat out here. Figured I'd try my hand at arranging it.

Sounds lame.

Talking about yourself?

I can't tell for sure whether you did that intentionally or not.

What?

Have you forgotten already? 'When it comes time for you to take over, you can't always do as they did in the past.'

The call was still connected when you said that.

So, be straight with me. You didn't do what I think you did, right?

We're almost to the shore.

You lost, old man.

You have no idea what you've done, helping Candela.

You've done well, Pancho.

Candela!

Stop. We lost.

Good choice.

Come, sit.

What are you trying to do, Candela?

Can't you tell? I'm inviting you to eat with me.

Pancho snorts, but sits down opposite to Candela nonetheless.

Most men would be terrified at this point. That's what I like about you, Pancho.

You flatter me.

I lost, but not only have you not arrested me, you're asking me out to eat. What are you trying to do? Humiliate me?

I want a chat, Pancho.

You used Ernesto to distract me, and you had your underlings plant bombs all over the city during the competition.

Finally, right before the third round was to begin, you took all the elites and dignitaries on the ship hostage to keep me from doing anything.

I've got to hand it to you, Pancho. This is the closest I've come to losing my city.

Concha tu madre, Candela. My men and I spent days on end to put this plan in motion.

Then, it so happens you invited two outsiders who don't know the slightest thing about this city here, and it so happens they took on this case for you.

And they... They happen to thwart my plans!!

Why did you, of all people, win?!

I won?

What are you talking about? Dear Pancho, I think you've spent so much time in my city that you've forgotten who I am.

Or perhaps you never understood me at all.

I was never your opponent, and you didn't lose to me.

You merely failed. It's that simple.

You lived in the city you despise the most for decades, complaining about the three governments, yet you accepted the backing of one of them just to overthrow me.

Let me guess. It's probably someone from the Leithanian side. Oh, I even have a good idea who it might be.

Tell me, Pancho. What was going on in your mind that you turned to those ruthless men for help?

Oh, so you've learned to swallow your pride.

In that case, why not wag your tail at me and beg for my mercy?

How are you so sure I wouldn't help you?

I mean it, Pancho. If you had come begging, perhaps I would've given you the manpower and money to fight the wars you so love.

And if you then managed to win, this city would have to bow down to you.

You couldn't find a more attractive plan if you tried.

I will never bow down to you.

Oh, look at you. You're always so stubborn.

Men like you always have unrealistic expectations of the words 'complete' and 'independence'.

You dream of an ideology that will bring all of you together. You seek a symbol that will unite all of you under its banner.

But the truth is Bolívar has never been independent. It has no history, so where will you find your ideology and symbol?

Suppose you succeeded, would the Bolívar you go on to forge really be the Bolívar you've always dreamt of? Somehow I doubt it.

It doesn't matter what you say. All I've ever wanted is an end to the war, for peace to be restored to Bolívar.

I lost. I accept defeat, Candela.

My undertaking may not be righteous, but, at the very least, I am more righteous than you are!

Oh, pardon. Look at me, I confused you with the men behind you.

You are not the kind of man I described. You wish to save this country from the bottom of your heart, and that earned you this seat right now.

However, you must be punished for your failure, so I will treat you as their leader nonetheless. Makes things easier that way.

I've never thought myself righteous, dear old Pancho.

I don't care what the three governments are doing, and I certainly don't care about your Bolívar.

You say I'm obsessed with this city, but you're wrong. I don't care about this city.

What I care about is the meaning that this city represents.

Meaning? You call wasting your life away on entertainment meaning?

*Sigh*, look at how stubborn you are. You will never understand what money represents.

Okay, take this old bastard away. I will talk to him some other time.

If you come across anyone trying to resist, you know what to do.

Yes, ma'am.

Wow, I bet not even the Hung-mên Banquet was this intense.

Just watching them was enough to give me creeps.

That was about as suffocating to watch as watching my father and grandpa having dinner together.

Agreed.

Hoshiguma?!

Swire?!

Hey there.

Look at you two. You're drenched. Get a towel and dry yourselves.

What are you doing here?!

Hahaha, it's a long story. We'll talk about it over dinner.

Eh, I'm not sure I'm in the mood for dinner after all this.

Oh, my girls, look at me chattering away with Pancho, leaving my heroes of the day out in the cold.

Hey, you over there, get two drones over here right now. Lighting, too.

That was beautiful from the two of you. Simply beautiful.

I have to thank Wei Yenwu for introducing me to such fine examples of the younger generation.

And you contributed a wonderful, unparalleled ending to this championship.

Championship? Ending?

That's right. If nothing goes wrong, I am guessing a lot of people are sitting in front of their TVs, watching us.

Although we didn't get footage of everything that transpired inside the ship, I am sure the sight of you taking on Pancho on the deck has left a deep impression.

Everyone must be cheering for you two right about now.

You once told me that as long as you're here, no one can threaten this city.

Yes, I did. What of it?

You don't consider everything that just happened a threat?

Hahaha, my little Ch'en, you are still far too young.