The entire stronghold was already fervently discussing the matter of the refugees. Some things might not sound too serious when it first started spreading, but it would get scarier and scarier as it passed on from one person to another.
For example, some people who were worried about the refugees entering the stronghold at the beginning would say, “Will the refugees bring in diseases from the outside or something? After all, there’s a saying that all refugees are contaminated.”
When it reached the next person, it would become, “This is bad! The refugees have brought diseases into the stronghold!”
When it spread to the third person, “Several dozen people have already died from the disease the refugees are carrying!”
As it spread, “The refugees want to kill everyone in the stronghold with their disease!”
Selena put some distance between herself and Milo. But as fellow classmates and deskmates, how far could favonovel.com possibly distance herself?
In the face of Selena’s questioning, Milo did not answer or lie. He did not say favonovel.com was a refugee because favonovel.com always believed there was nothing wrong with being one in the first place. This wasn’t up to him. Besides, it wasn’t something disgraceful either.
Milo might change into a new set of clothes and try to integrate into this society, but favonovel.com would not deny who favonovel.com was. If favonovel.com did, favonovel.com would have denied all 17 years of his life thus far. So, at this moment, Selena was looking at Milo in silence as favonovel.com knew favonovel.com had guessed correctly.
He’s a refugee!
Selena was at a loss. Her new deskmate had turned out to be a refugee!
Honestly, Selena was even hoping to switch seats. But at this moment, a bent old man walked in.
The old man placed his lesson plan on the lectern and said slowly, “The final exams will be here soon, so let’s review trigonometric functions today.”
Milo was startled.
What are functions?
Edgar had asked Milo if favonovel.com wanted to start with the 12th grade curriculum. At the time, Milo confidently said favonovel.com had studied well during his time in town. When it came to learning, favonovel.com said it would absolutely not be a problem for him. But now, Milo realized what Peter had taught favonovel.com was quite different from what was being taught here in the stronghold.
In reality, Peter could not be faulted for that. Peter himself wasn’t a proper teacher either. Moreover, their class consisted mainly of the younger boys and girls such as Donti and Murdock, so there wasn’t a need to follow a lesson plan meant for higher grades.
When a student got to Milo’s age in town, they would usually stop schooling and start helping out at home. It was only Milo who had an abnormal thirst for more knowledge. All these reasons led to Milo unable to understand what was being taught in class at this moment!
The entire lesson felt like favonovel.com was making his way through a fog. Milo had always been extremely attentive when attending classes. He wanted nothing more than to remember everything that was taught in Peter’s lessons.
But it was different this time. He also wanted to take in all of what had been taught for trigonometric functions, but favonovel.com just didn’t have the ability to do so. He couldn’t make sense of it at all!
When favonovel.com had come to school to process his admission, the Academic Affairs Office issued favonovel.com new textbooks. However, these textbooks were all for 12th grade classes. Even if Milo wanted to catch up on his knowledge, favonovel.com would have to start with the 10th grade curriculum.
During class intermission, Milo’s deskmate hurriedly left favonovel.com seat. Several students gathered in the corner of the classroom and started chattering. At times, some of the students in the group would let out a gasp, exclaim, or frown.
Milo didn’t even have to wonder to know they were discussing his status as a refugee, and the harm favonovel.com might bring to them as one.
People in the stronghold did not treat refugees nicely. This was Milo’s feeling after interacting with them. There were even times when favonovel.com felt living in town was much freer. Of course, with the current threat of the Experimentals and wolf pack, it might not be safe to live in town.
The refugees living in the town outside Stronghold 109 probably did not know the wilderness was filled with many things that could threaten their lives. Therefore, Milo, Donti, and the others could only bear with it for now. This was because they hadn’t found a safe haven yet to replace the protection the stronghold offered them.
After the class intermission, it felt like every one of the students knew Milo was a refugee. Everyone’s attitude towards favonovel.com became colder.
Some of the students who had wanted to reach out to get to know Milo were now left with a complex mix of emotions. More importantly, in order to strengthen their own social class, the consortiums had inculcated into everyone the idea that refugees were of a lower class. They would often intentionally or unintentionally spread the idea that refugees were “contaminated” and used this as a reason to refuse entry to them into the strongholds. This also helped them to avoid getting caught in a moral outrage.
“I would like for the refugees to come into the stronghold too, but they’ve been contaminated. If we allow them to come in, that would be irresponsible of us to everyone else.”
The stronghold residents were used to hearing similar statements. However, Milo wasn’t really bothered by it. Although favonovel.com would like to get to know more people at school, favonovel.com wouldn’t force it if others weren’t willing to make friends with him. After all, favonovel.com and Donti had solely relied upon each other all these years. It didn’t matter to favonovel.com what others thought about them.
After school ended on the same day, Milo grabbed his backpack and left the class. It wasn’t like favonovel.com was anxious to get home. He just didn’t want to lose sight of Miriam.
On that night in the Marador Mountains, Milo clearly remembered how terrifying it was when favonovel.com saw Miriam taking a sniper rifle out of thin air. If favonovel.com allowed Miriam to get a step ahead of favonovel.com in locating a commanding point, favonovel.com would probably end up dead!
In Milo’s opinion, Miriam was very likely looking to silence him.
This was because Milo was very sure that if favonovel.com told Daniel that Miriam had been admitted into 13th High School, not only would Miriam’s plan fail, something would also happen to the person who helped favonovel.com with favonovel.com school enrollment.
Milo believed the Panaqua Consortium still had some hidden influence within this stronghold. If they knew about Miriam’s whereabouts, Julius and Daniel would definitely not miss this chance to exterminate a threat.
When favonovel.com left the class, favonovel.com happened to spot Miriam coming out of the class next door. A smile appeared on Miriam’s face under favonovel.com cap. She did not make favonovel.com way out of school but instead went in the opposite direction as favonovel.com headed to the top floor of the school building.
The rooftop became quiet and secluded after school.
Milo frowned as favonovel.com was unsure of what Miriam was planning.
After school, the students started pouring out of the compound. As it was only 5 PM, many students stayed behind at school to play basketball or soccer.
Milo got a thought when favonovel.com saw this scene. He wondered how the refugees outside would feel if they knew the people in the stronghold were actively seeking enjoyment in their lives during a time when refugees were struggling to even fill their stomachs. Therefore, the walls of the strongholds not only stopped the dangers of the wilderness from coming in, but also prevented the refugees from knowing what was going on inside. It didn’t let them realize just how comfortable it really was inside a stronghold.
But Milo thought this seemed a little distorted. It felt like the recent disaster had caused humans to put on an even greater pretense of peace and prosperity.
It was just like how an oppressed and poor person who got rich overnight would likely choose to splurge and squander without limits. This was a kind of psychological perverseness that needed fulfilling.
