[b][i]Intermission Two: Ghosts of Angeles City[/i][/b]

[b][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balibago]Balibago, Angeles City[/url] - 10/18/2022, Philippines, 20:45, UTC+8 [/b]

Her client was an old man; a fellow Filipino whose wrinkled brown skin and wispy white hair fit well with his immaculate tan suit and silken beige tie. Facing the Arms Master, the man spoke, "Cristina Bernardino; I have heard much about what happened to you."

He was sitting on a small chair in the small hotel room, before saying, "Now, let me introduce myself - My name is Cornelio Malong; I am with the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Intelligence_Coordinating_Agency]National Intelligence Coordinating Agency[/url]."

A pause for effect as he breathed hard. "I have spent a third of my life - 34 years - Trying to save the Philippines from itself. I grew my Noble Arm when I saw Angelito Jaime, the 'Hero of ASEAN', force the Chinese to back off with only his courage and a Noble Arm that wasn't even the most powerful, and saw that my country needed me more than I needed to live comfortably."

It was clear he had a habit of pausing often as he halted for a few more seconds and said, "Angelito Jaime is dying; the enemy no longer fears him. Age and lung cancer - A special type that shares his Arms Master Survivability - Are going to claim him within a year. But he fights on, using his own portals to return Chinese drones, missiles, and bombs to where they came from. And who am I to show less resolve?"

He coughed slightly, wheezing a little as he continued, "I'll be blunt. We've thrown away every opportunity to lift ourselves up since that glorious day in 1988. Our politicians are cynical, the poor, alienated, our activists, squabbling among themselves about how to help until their support ebbed away. Our army is split between those who want to fight China - Our side - and those who would gladly yield if it meant cash, a luxury home, and girls."

Breathing hard, Cornelio continued, "And now, we are at the breaking point. China is invading; their supporters, are everywhere. The political clans and 'great families' would gladly fight on the enemy's side to maintain their privileges, clients, and disinformation networks. Even those who want to fight the Chinese are vulnerable to blackmail, threats, intimidation."

He cupped his right hand forward, and a palm-sized mirror with razor-sharp edges materialized, floating above it. Cornelio then said, his tone gathering strength and steel, "This is [i]Salamin[/i] (Mirror)."

Images then began to appear on the glass, of various people in dark apartments, typing furiously on computers that somehow kept operating despite power cuts and internet blackouts. 

"These people are spreading disinformation about the situation to the world, while at the same time devoting their spare time to convincing the locals that the Amerasian - Asian-American - community in the city is to blame for the war and should be attacked. I will deal with them myself."

Then the mirror showed pictures of various influential politicians of Angeles City and the surrounding province of Pampanga, finally settling on a profile of an influential Ex-Speaker of the House from the province. Cornelio coughed and wheezed some more, then said, "This woman once held a very high position of power, and used it to work closely with China. She was thrown out when the Government of National Salvation was formed but has returned to her childhood home in [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubao]Lubao, Pampanga[/url], south of Angeles City, and is openly spreading propaganda advocating surrender to the Chinese. [i]Bring her to Justice.[/i]"

[@Lewascan2][@Conscripts][@Gerlando][@Creative Chaos][@Nimbus][@QJT][@Amidatelion][@Ryik][@Digmata]