The North PacificBoard

Members of the Beiguojian Red Heart, Civil Response Agency, Firefighters, and the SIAM picked through the charred remains of an entire half of the Palace of the Grand Municipal Council. The blast that tore through the Eastern Wing had been crucial to the hours that laid ahead afterwards. With personnel either being evacuated or hidden underground in the series of connected bunkers that were underneath the quartz building, the local Chàngdeshù Fire Brigade had been at the forefront as it fought a dastardly fire that was lit ablaze by the initial explosion.

As time passed, the people that had sought refuge underground in the bunker network filtered out through its westernmost exit where they were brought aside for medical inspections with the many others that had been in the Palace when the explosion rocked the building.

Hours upon hours later, the morning sun, which had risen with the first black clouds that could be seen for miles, had started to make its way back down towards the horizon. At approximately 6:30pm, 8 and a half hours after it started, the fire was put out. The eastern wing, which made up a quarter of the building, had been ripped to shreds by the explosion, furthermore by the fire that it caused that spread like a virus through the East Wing, and up into the North and West Corridors, and lastly the North Wing itself- where it devoured paintings and offices alike. Only the Northern Library, protected by its state-of-the-art anti-fire vacuum response system, stayed safe from the barbaric flames.

As the first groups of responders and volunteers entered through the Southern Wing or the historic quartz gate (Main Entrance), now blackened with ash, they found a foreign building. While the fire had raged, the entire 2nd and 3rd floors of the affected portions of the building had collapsed, the charred support beams standing futile. Desks, lamps, tables, chairs, computers, filing cabinets and so much more littered the 1st floor, glimpses of metallic silver glistened through a sea of black and brown soot and ash. The upper floors themselves had fallen, coating the floor with hot splintful wood that poked out the tattered excuse of a ground with malice.

Throughout the building, volunteers tore through rubble in hopes of finding survivors but found nothing but debris and one or two desecrated bodies. In the Eastern Wing, things were much more grim.

Kang Shuren, First Representative of the Beiguojian Free Territories, was pulled out of bed and brought to a secure location in his personal residence where he was first given the news of the attack on the Grand Municipal Palace. Against his detail’s wishes he ventured across the bustling city that stood in silence and worry, and arrived at the foot of the Quartz Palace. After hours of waiting, he entered the Eastern Wing, the site of the explosion. He looked over the blackened, tattered, foreign remains of an entire portion of the building that laid ahead of him.

The SIAM, Beiguojia’s Foreign and Domestic Intelligence Office, was split within the East Wing. While some picked through the wreckage, most grouped around the blast side- obvious by the small crater it left. They inspected, dusted, took notes, and sealed off areas for analyzing compounds in hopes of identifying the exact type of explosives used.

Kang Shuren slowly walked through what remained of the East Wing. Bodies laid spread throughout. If they weren’t taken by the blast, they were consumed by the fire; none of their remains being left untouched by the remorseless flames. Blackened. For every body he stumbled upon, being unceremoniously studied and picked apart by SIAM officials, Kang shed tears.

The aura of peace and tranquility that had reigned over the nation for the past thirty-some years, disturbed yet standing after the arrival of the Gothic Menace, fell in its entirety on that day. As he prowled through what was left, the idea of the Imperial Realm being responsible entered the First Representatives mind, but this was the darkest of possibilities. He hoped that this was some major gas buildup turned explosion but deep down, Kang knew that someone was responsible. He shook off the possibility of the Gothic Menace being responsible, they were tied up in the north, but there was always a possibility. In the next day, Beiguojia would send a transmission to their allies, the n]Solaria Alliance[/nation] and Eternal Dominion to help put such a belief to rest- for their sake…

The next morning, the normal 8 o’clock AM news was interrupted as Kang Shuren appeared before the nation, sitting within the Lioahsun Office.

“My national brothers and sisters…

Yesterday, Beiguojia was attacked. We reeled and were left stunned as an explosion rocked the Eastern Wing of the Palace of the Grand Municipal Council that left the entire portion of the building in tatters and lit ablaze a fire that our brave Fire Brigades fought for hours upon hours.

Still, our nation stands strong in the face of this wretched attack. The people, silent yet so fervent amidst adversity stood proudly and contributed their hearts and minds towards the first wave of volunteers; that started digging through the charred rubble as soon as the last flicker of flames went out.

Your Government and the just SIAM are operating full-force to investigate and uncover the people, means, and method behind the attack. No god-willing affected piece of wood, rock, and equipment will be left untouched in our crusade to bring Justice and Vengeance to those that are responsible.

Yesterday, will be infamous within our nation. And will serve as a figure of sorrow, but strength; as we will not- take this attack sitting down.”