Noli Me Tángere

Under cover of darkness at the cemetery, conspirators meet to plan an uprising in support of Crisostomo. They discuss weapons, timing, and their motivations - some driven by gratitude for past help, others by old grievances against corrupt officials. When one conspirator arrives being followed, they quickly disperse with plans to strike the next night using 'Viva Don Crisostomo!' as their battle cry. The follower turns out to be Elias, who encounters Lucas in the cemetery gateway. Both men create elaborate cover stories about gambling with the dead to explain their presence, playing cards by matchlight among the bones while concealing their real purposes. Later, civil guards patrol the dark streets searching for Elias based on contradictory descriptions from different officials. In a twist of irony, they first stop Lucas, who they don't recognize despite his distinctive scar, then encounter the real Elias, who cleverly poses as someone hunting for a scarred man named Elias. The guards fall for his deception and chase after Lucas instead. This chapter reveals how revolution builds in whispers and shadows, how people protect themselves through quick thinking and misdirection, and how even well-meaning authority figures can be outwitted when they lack clear information. The cemetery setting reinforces themes of death and rebirth, as the old order faces its end.