Supplication

"Are you telling me she's been whining outside the gates for over an hour?"

"Yes…"

Emily slumped to the ground, her voice weak. From shouting for so long, her voice had nearly given out. The humility in her attitude was a stark contrast to the woman who had brazenly confronted Justin during the trial. She looked nothing like her former self.

As Emily fell silent, the complaints of other pioneers quickly filled the air.

"We kept calling, but no one came out. We couldn't leave because it was too late."

"I honestly thought we'd have to spend the night starving in the streets."

"Unbelievable."

They had come to surrender, yet nobody had heard their pleas outside the gate. It must have felt tragic for them, but from Justin's perspective, it was almost comical.

"Even in a city this big, there are some downsides," Rachel remarked with a soft smile.