Rebel
Chapter 27: Ross City: Eden 14
by Lu, MarieThe chapter depicts the sudden collapse of Ross City’s augmented-reality system, stripping away its digital layers and plunging the Undercity into chaos. Without the Levels—a social hierarchy displayed overhead—the city descends into riots, with people reacting in shock, anger, and violence. The protagonist observes the turmoil from the AIS headquarters in the Sky Floors, where the Undercity’s unrest is visible through live footage. Fires, smoke, and military interventions underscore the severity of the breakdown, while the Sky Floors remain eerily quiet in contrast.
The protagonist and their brother, Daniel, discuss their recent captivity by Hann, a criminal who released them after coercing the protagonist into helping him. Daniel suspects Hann is manipulating them, while the protagonist grapples with Hann’s tragic backstory and his unsettling insight into their thoughts. Tensions rise as the protagonist tries unsuccessfully to contact Pressa, a friend in the Undercity, and resolves to venture into the chaos despite Daniel’s objections. The disagreement highlights their conflicting perspectives on protection and responsibility.
Daniel initially refuses to let the protagonist go, citing the dangers of the riots, but relents when June points out the urgency of rescuing loved ones before the situation worsens. The protagonist accuses Daniel of hypocrisy, arguing that he would take risks for June but denies the same agency to them. This confrontation exposes the rift between them, with the protagonist feeling infantilized and frustrated by Daniel’s overprotectiveness. Ultimately, Daniel and June agree to accompany the protagonist, but the emotional divide lingers.
The chapter concludes with the trio navigating the chaotic Undercity streets, where protests, celebrations, and confusion intertwine. The absence of the Level system has unleashed pent-up rage and desperation, with some residents looting and others standing helplessly. The scene underscores the fragility of societal order and the protagonist’s determination to save Pressa, even as the city teeters on the brink of collapse. The chapter blends action with emotional tension, setting the stage for further conflict and resolution.
FAQs
1. How does the disappearance of the Levels system impact Ross City, particularly the Undercity?
Answer:
The sudden disappearance of the Levels system plunges Ross City into chaos, especially in the Undercity. Without augmented-reality overlays, the city lacks essential infrastructure like street signs, traffic laws, and police enforcement. The absence of Levels—a core social and economic metric—triggers mass confusion and unrest. People initially react with puzzlement, but this quickly escalates into riots, looting, and destruction as the realization spreads that the system governing their lives has collapsed. The text describes how murmurs turn to shouts, and the Undercity becomes a scene of violence, with fires, broken windows, and overwhelmed barricades. Meanwhile, the Sky Floors remain eerily quiet, highlighting the stark divide between the city’s social strata.2. Analyze the dynamic between the protagonist and Daniel. How does their conflict reflect their differing perspectives on responsibility and protection?
Answer:
The protagonist and Daniel clash over their approaches to responsibility and protection. Daniel, as an AIS officer, prioritizes his duty to maintain order and protect his younger sibling, insisting they evacuate to safety. He views his role as shielding the protagonist from danger, even at personal risk. However, the protagonist resents being excluded and argues that they have equal stakes in protecting loved ones like Pressa. Their argument escalates when the protagonist points out Daniel’s hypocrisy—he would stop at nothing to save June, yet denies the protagonist the same agency. This tension reflects deeper themes of autonomy, sacrifice, and the emotional toll of unequal burdens in familial relationships.3. What strategic role does Hann play in this chapter, and how does his release of the protagonist contribute to the story’s tension?
Answer:
Hann serves as a manipulative antagonist who leverages psychological tactics rather than brute force. By releasing the protagonist “as a gesture of goodwill,” he creates uncertainty and seeds doubt about his motives. Daniel suspects this is a calculated move to foster false trust, citing Hann’s history with loan victims. However, the protagonist wrestles with Hann’s apparent genuineness, particularly his grief over his family. This ambiguity heightens tension, as Hann’s actions suggest a long game—perhaps exploiting the protagonist’s empathy or testing their loyalty. His release also drives a wedge between the protagonist and Daniel, further complicating their already strained relationship.4. Evaluate the significance of technology’s collapse in Ross City. How does it expose societal inequalities?
Answer:
The failure of Ross City’s technology—especially the Levels system—exposes deep-rooted inequalities. The Undercity, already marginalized, descends into violent chaos without the augmented-reality framework that structured daily life. In contrast, the Sky Floors, though affected, remain relatively stable, with elites like the President planning evacuations. The text underscores this disparity through imagery: the Undercity burns with orange glow and smoke, while the Sky Floors observe from a detached, privileged height. The collapse strips away the veneer of order, revealing how the city’s underclass, denied access to power, turns inward, destroying their own community in desperation—a stark critique of systemic neglect and division.5. Why does the protagonist insist on returning to the Undercity despite the dangers? What does this reveal about their character?
Answer:
The protagonist’s determination to return for Pressa demonstrates their loyalty, courage, and rejection of passive safety. They refuse to abandon friends, drawing a parallel to Daniel’s hypothetical actions for June. This choice highlights their moral consistency and frustration at being infantilized. Their outburst—”I have to bear the idea of losing you”—reveals the emotional weight of Daniel’s risky profession and their desire for mutual agency. By prioritizing Pressa over personal safety, the protagonist asserts their identity as someone who confronts injustice directly, challenging the narrative that they must be protected rather than trusted to act.
Quotes
1. “I’ve never seen Ross City without its layers of augmented-reality before. I don’t think it was ever meant to be seen this way.”
This opening line captures the dystopian shock of a society stripped of its technological veneer, revealing the fragile infrastructure beneath. It sets the stage for the chaos that follows when the city’s core systems fail.
2. “The system is down. The Levels are gone! And just like that, the ripple becomes a tidal wave.”
This quote powerfully illustrates the instant societal collapse when the oppressive Level system disappears. It shows how quickly order unravels in a society built entirely on technological control.
3. “I do it so that you don’t have to… I have to! When you head out there and don’t come home until late, when you’re captured by a dangerous criminal, I have to deal with it.”
This heated exchange between siblings reveals the core conflict - one’s protective instincts versus the other’s need for agency. It encapsulates the emotional stakes and differing perspectives on responsibility.
4. “People who have suffered for that long, who don’t have the ability to attack higher powers, turn on one another instead.”
This insightful observation explains the tragic dynamics of oppression and how systemic injustice often manifests as horizontal violence among the oppressed rather than uprising against oppressors.
5. “Even with this compromise, I can feel the chasm widening between us.”
This poignant conclusion to the argument scene shows how fundamental differences in worldview persist despite surface agreements, foreshadowing ongoing tension between the characters.