"Everyone, I’m here!"
Everyone’s eyes searched for something or someone until they saw two figures—a man and a woman—standing on top of the roof of a two-story house. The woman was standing on the roof, while the man appeared like he was kneeling beside her.
She had her hand clasped on his head to keep him up.
The boss and the lackey narrowed their eyes, their brows knitting.
"Isn’t that..." the lackey bit his tongue while the boss’s eyes slowly dilated.
"That crazy bitch..." the boss whimpered through gritted teeth, recognizing that voice and that figure so well.
It had only been over an hour or two since Lola made them her servants at her beck and call. But the trauma she had left on these two, especially the boss, was unmistakable. Hence, the panic and over-alertness.
As for everyone else, confusion etched on their faces. Even the mercenaries didn’t act immediately, just staring at the woman on the roof from a distance. She wasn’t a little far, but she was definitely near the building where the women were kept before transport.
"Everyone!"
Again, Lola’s loud voice echoed so loudly that she didn’t need speakers.
"Gigante is ours! We protected our land, persevered, and endured for many generations! For the sake of those here, for the sake of our ancestors who believed in the future of Ravah, for the sake of families!"
The men held their breath while the mercenaries’ eyes widened in shock.
"We’ve told ourselves, our families, our children that things will be better! That if we just comply, we’ll finally be free from the shackles of that nasty pig in the city! Just one more day, one more contribution, just one more—one more to prove that we comply with the one in power!"
Silence fell in the group, just staring at the tiny figure shouting on top of the roof.
Lola breathed in and out heavily, staring at the group from a distance. Thanks to the silence of Gigante, she didn’t need a megaphone for her voice to reach them.
Meanwhile, the women, still hiding in the building, peeked at Lola through the broken windows. They held their breath, eyes barely blinking, listening to her every word.
They knew Lola was not a resident of Gigante. And yet, every word that came out of her lips sounded like the words of someone who had lived their life in this hell. Each word hit home. Hence, tears formed in the corners of the women’s eyes.
As for the men, her words were akin to fuel pouring into the small, faint flame in their chests.
"Tonight, the governor has finally answered!" she continued, her voice—though still loud—more powerful and firm. "The day that nasty pig would accept Gigante as part of his territory will never arrive."
She paused again and pulled the hair of the man kneeling beside her.
"They’ve finally crossed the line!" Lola added, almost roaring. "And that’s where it ends!"
Just like that, Lola let go of the person kneeling beside her, kicking him off the roof. The man crashed to the ground with a faint thud. Despite the distance, everyone almost heard the sound the body made against the concrete.
Lola then slowly straightened her back, and somehow, the moon shone brightly at that moment, shining upon her like it was giving her a blessing.
Lola didn’t realize it, but that image in everyone’s eyes—as they looked at her standing so proudly on that roof, her back straight, her eyes burning—felt more like an image of hope.
An image of courage, an image of a warrior blessed by divinity, an image of the beginning, and... empowerment.



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