"Truly, the burden borne by the peasants far exceeds what they actually need—
"In a sense, they carry not just their families upon their shoulders, but the entire country, and even the entire world. The grain they produce is not merely to feed themselves, but to sustain the nation's entire administrative system and its non-agricultural personnel. Consequently, the exploitation they suffer far surpasses what they produce.
"Meanwhile, factory workers and mine slaves toil day and night in the mills. The portion of goods they produce likewise vastly exceeds their own needs, and the surplus beyond that constitutes the value they create.
"Let us... call this portion surplus value for the time being," Sergei said.
"The gap between individuals and the deficiency in productivity inevitably necessitate the existence of classes. The demands of the superstructure and the needs of the social economy inevitably turn the surplus value they generate into circulating currency and other economic and financial derivatives.
"Therefore, the superstructure is bound to exploit them doubly, squeezing the maximum possible value out of them within a limited time—and a value that is beneficial to them.
"Thus, leveraging the immense productivity brought by this surplus value, they seize pricing power. Utilizing the upper classes' leadership over the lower strata and centuries-old oppression, they seize the right to taxation. Utilizing their hold upon..."
Sergei stalled.
He suddenly realized something else.
Ivan raised his head in bewilderment. His brain was practically melting from the exertion of following that line of thought, yet he could still feel the pressure of Sergei's scrubbing slacken.
"Done scrubbing?"
"..."
"?"
Ivan and Charles both turned their heads back to look at Sergei.
Sergei, however, merely stared with vacant eyes, his mind miles away.
"...I reckon he's had an epiphany?"
"Maybe he's just trying to find some logical explanation for his new theory."
Ivan tilted his head to look at his own back, where the thickness and scale of the grime were truly alarming.
"Damn Ursus profanity, how long has it been since we washed?"
"Two months or so?"
"Ugh."
Ivan snatched the scrubbing mitt from Sergei's hand, scooped up a basin of water for himself, and poured it straight over his head from top to bottom.
Then, wringing out the mitt, he beckoned to Charles, signaling him to come over and give him a scrub.
"—I get it!"
"Damn Ursus profanity, you scared the hell out of me!" *2
Before he could even glance at the splashing waves in the wooden tub, Sergei lunged forward and grabbed Ivan fiercely by the shoulders.
Then his foot slipped, and had Ivan not reacted with lightning speed to brace himself against the floor, the two of them would have taken a nasty tumble.
"Ursus profanity, it hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts..."
This white cat actually has a pretty damn strong grip.
"Thank you, thank you, hahahahaha..."
Watching Sergei suddenly switch to expressing gratitude and howling with laughter, Ivan grimaced and pointed a finger at him:
"Gone mad?"
"He's just excited. He'll be fine in a moment."
Back when Charles was working in the factory, he often saw managers and the like staring at certain things and laughing maniacally. This case seemed a bit more severe, but it would pass once the passion cooled down.
Ivan nodded.
As expected of someone who has seen the world, his experience is far greater than mine.
Then, the two of them watched as Sergei paced back and forth on the spot, muttering under his breath:
"Blueprints, raw materials, the processing procedure—these can be collectively termed the means of production! Even land can be called a means of production!
"Landlords, nobles, capitalists, factory owners—because they hold these crucial means of production while the laboring masses do not, that is the fundamental reason they control everything!
"What we need to do is very simple: return the means of production to the hands of the laboring people, let them rise up and become masters of their own destiny, and unleash their subjective initiative. That will expand productivity and ultimately eliminate classes!"
When he finished speaking, dead silence fell.
Both Ivan and Charles instinctively froze in place.
A wave of dizziness washed over them, then quickly receded.
It was too bold.
Before Sergei, it seemed no one had ever dared to think this way.
As a worker on the assembly line during the industrial production process, Charles clearly understood what Sergei meant by the term "means of production."
His long work experience and perspective as a veteran worker told him this could actually work.
Meanwhile, having long been a tenant farmer severely oppressed by the estate's nobility, Ivan understood even better than Charles that once peasants had their own land and lived for themselves—or even just managed to feed themselves—their enthusiasm for work would be no less than that of the factory workers.
By then, the future would surely grow brighter and more hopeful with every crop harvested from the earth.
"Ursus profanity... how damn bold..."
Ivan broke the silence first.
"This is our overarching goal, gentlemen. Before that, we must ensure that everyone can unite to exert their strength and accomplish great things together. Therefore, I plan to establish a Gendarmerie—not just to correct people, but to help more and more people understand our ultimate goal, thereby serving a vanguard and exemplary role. After all, no matter how good the theory sounds, or how flowery the rhetoric, nothing compares to letting ordinary people actually live a good life~"
"I'm for it!"
"I'm for it too!"
With that, an organization dedicated to the people was formally established.
And these famous doctrines would eventually expand across the entire world in the footsteps of the Reunion Movement.
..........
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October 2, 1086, 7:30 p.m.
Alina's home, Churvik Village, Ursus Northeast Tundra
The twin moons hung high in the sky once again, and the entire Churvik Village was brilliantly lit with festive decorations, bustling with warmth and activity.
Listening to Sergei's report, Talulah felt her entire dragon-like being growing more and more excited.
Yet brief exhilaration was immediately followed by boundless anxiety over the harsh reality.
".........Can this really work?"
"Whether it can work or not requires us to try it first. Big Sis Talu, just think about it: if we only think and never act, then even if our cause is right, the other oppressed Infected and ordinary people will never see the day the clouds part. If we only act and never think, sooner or later we will fall into erroneous paths due to flawed ideology, and the ultimate result will only falsify this path. But if we think while we act, even if we fail, more and more resistance organizations will rise to fight, seizing final victory through a correct or gradually correcting path. This is what we must do, and what this land shall achieve."
"..."
Talulah fell silent.
She digested and chewed upon Sergei's heartfelt words, cross-referencing them repeatedly in her mind with everything she had been taught.
Finally, a resolute and fearless look shone in her eyes, and she nodded.
At that moment, the door was pushed open by Alina.
A few decorative ribbons hung from her pair of Elaphia horns, and she wore two small cotton caps on her head, looking utterly adorable.
Though she had not yet taken off the apron in front of her chest, her hands already carried the rich aroma of meat:
"Today's celebration feast has already begun! I guessed the two of you would be in here talking about ideals and ambitions. Eat first—you need a full stomach before you can have the energy to think!"
The two of them, who had hurriedly been trying to yield their spots, froze in place.
A celebration feast?
..........
October 2, 1086, 7:38 p.m.
Center of Churvik Village
An old tree stood in the center of the village, its bare branches fierce and wild, its gnarled trunk speaking of the village's history.
To the villagers of Churvik Village, this tree was practically synonymous with "sacred and inviolable."
The elderly were always fond of repeating that "this tree has a spirit."
And today, barbecue grills and large iron griddles had been set up all around this very tree.
Charcoal and firewood crackled together, the light and heat they emitted stirring the people's passion.
Even a tiny pinch of salt was immensely precious to them.
Precisely for this reason, they wished to present this priceless gift to the Reunion Movement members who had come from afar.
After all, had it not been for them, the entire Churvik Village might have been utterly destroyed last night.
Sergei and Talulah came to a halt and looked around, noticing that many Reunion Movement members were also standing there looking completely bewildered, having been dragged over to join this "celebration feast" by the enthusiastic villagers.
"This..."
Talulah pointed blankly at the scene before her, somewhat dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Alina quickly grabbed Talulah's hand, hoisted it high into the air, and surveyed the crowd with evident satisfaction:
"Look here, everyone! This is the leader of the Reunion Movement—Talulah! She is also the legend who single-handedly repelled most of the Rift Beast pack last night! Let's give her a round of applause!"
"Hurrah—"
Instantly, thunderous applause erupted.
The enthusiastic atmosphere quickly infected the nearby Reunion Movement members.
One simply had to show support for their own leader's event.
As for Talulah, she was rooted to the spot in astonishment.
To be honest, it had been a very long time since she had experienced a scene so sincere and fervent.
How many years had it been?
A year? Ten years?
The applause at the Chevata Conference in early 1086 had been reeking of political hypocrisy and flattery toward Koschei.
Yet late in that same year, being able to feel such genuine warmth left her overwhelmed with flattered surprise.
This kind of applause represented the most unadorned aspirations of the working people, and it also meant that Churvik Village had, at this very moment, truly accepted the Reunion Movement.
Alina tugged at her hand, and the somewhat surreal sensation brought her back to your senses:
"Aren't you going to say a few words?"
"Ah........."
Sergei also nudged Talulah beside him.
The Reunion Movement needed this speech, whether for the sake of the organization itself or for Churvik Village.
Thus, amid the crowd's adoring press, Talulah walked up to the old tree.
As the applause subsided, her inner agitation settled with it.
Though she was reluctant to admit it, the things that old black snake had taught her always seemed to come in handy at times like this.
She cleared her throat, her innermost emotions flowing out through her cool yet incomparably warm voice:
"Dear comrades of the Reunion Movement, everyone in Churvik Village:
"Hello, I am Talulah, the leader of the Reunion Movement.
"We wandered across the snowfields for four whole months, enduring every imaginable hardship and countless sacrifices, until we finally found this place—Churvik Village.
"Before this.........."
A trace of a sob crept into Talulah's tone.
Life for everyone on the snowfields had been harsh to the extreme; harvests had failed year after year due to the effects of Catastrophes, leading to an ever-growing number of Oripathy infections.
Furthermore, the introduction of the Infected Rights Bill had made the Ursus Infected crisis increasingly acute.
Talulah had long since prepared herself for the possibility that the Reunion Movement would not be accepted—
On this land, discrimination against the Infected was innate, requiring no reason whatsoever.
"Before this, I had even prepared myself for the possibility that no one would accept us...
"Yet today, I have witnessed everyone's most genuine, kind, and beautiful side, and I have let go of my prior inner struggles and hostility.
"You thank us for driving away the Rift Beast pack, and we likewise thank you for being able to set aside your animosity toward the Infected to welcome us! Thank you!"
Talulah hastily wiped away her tears and then bowed deeply to the crowd.
The villagers were somewhat flustered, but the Reunion Movement members all expressed their friendliness in their own ways.
It felt as though all barriers between people had truly melted away, and the celebration feast proceeded smoothly.
Alina skillfully skinned a fresh Rift Beast paw, tossed it into an adjacent pot of boiling water, and then expertly fished out another Rift Beast paw that had been boiling for about half an hour. After stripping away its blackened outer layer of fur, she placed it into a steamer.
High-end ingredients often required only the simplest methods of cooking.
After working hard all day, Little Deer skipped all the way over and thrust the freshly steamed bear paw into Talulah's hands while the latter was still looking dazed.
Before the dishes had even been fully served, the distinct, savory fragrance of Rift Beast meat eagerly wormed its way into everyone's nostrils, making mouths water and impatience unbearable.
As Alina arranged the Rift Beast paws on the table, she hurriedly wiped her hands back and forth on her apron, speaking as she wiped:
"Quick! Hurry and eat while it's hot. It's just right—not too salty, not too bland, the flavor is simply wonderful. A hunter's village like ours always has its own unique way of preparing such game. Trust me, once you eat it, you'll never forget it for the rest of your life! Come to think of it, didn't Talulah herself slaughter this one?"
Only then did Talulah snap out of her daze and emotional haze, eagerly slicing off a piece of meat with a small knife and popping it into her mouth.
"Mmm... mmm—mm!"
Talulah could guarantee that this dish was entirely different from any aristocratic cuisine she had ever tasted before; it was the first time in her life she had ever eaten anything like it.
The wild Rift Beast meat had a firm, springy texture. The meat juices and their rich aroma instantly flooded her entire mouth—it was utterly, bewilderingly delicious.
With a gentle bite, the thick layer of fat instantly burst forth, accompanied by an even more savory meat oil.
Rich without being greasy, robust yet delicate, tender without falling apart—the simplest cooking method only served to highlight its high quality; a single mouthful of meat was enough to showcase its rarity.
Ultimate enjoyment was found right within the simplest life. Talulah stared with glowing eyes at the chunks of meat on the plate, eagerly slicing off another piece, trying dipping it into the chive flower sauce Alina had brought over, and putting it into her mouth for yet another round of bliss.
The unique aroma of the chives and the savory scent of the meat contrasted sharply; while the former usurped the spotlight, it did not eclipse the main event. Instead, they complemented and enhanced one another, further stimulating the meat's savory flavor while offering a different kind of pleasure.
This dish belonged only in the heavens; how often could one taste it in the mortal world?
"Mmm—magnificent!"
As everyone at the table expressed their highest praise for the dish, the smile on Alina's face grew wider and wider.