0124 Sophistry and the Precious Hour

"Hahaha, I knew you were trouble! To think you dared to deceive our Liberation Alliance. I’m going to peel the skin off your face, make it into a kerchief, and wear it forever—hahahaha!" At this moment, the person in the hall most delighted was undoubtedly Sergeant Kun. The resentment he had built up—from being overshadowed by Hou Rui to having his finger bitten off—could finally be satisfied through this sweet revenge.

Conversely, Captain Mulu, who had always held Hou Rui in high regard, personally recommended him to the Alliance, and continued to promote and trust him, had a face ashen with dread. If Hou Rui’s identity were truly proven to be fraudulent today, it was uncertain whether Lieutenant Colonel Timo would spare him as well.

The other officers present wore various expressions: some were gleeful, some bewildered, and others indifferent. Yet, they all shared one thing in common: they remained silent, all watching to see what Hou Rui’s final fate would be.

"Lieutenant Colonel, is this how the Alliance treats those who have contributed?" With no other options, Hou Rui decided to treat a dying horse as a living one and gathered the courage to counter-ask.

"Contribution? What contribution have you made?" Lieutenant Colonel Timo, having driven Hou Rui into a corner, looked at him with curiosity. Slowly, he took a large-caliber revolver from another officer, flicked off the safety, and walked up to Hou Rui.

"I helped the Alliance draft the plan to delay the government forces. I helped the Alliance take many photos for positive propaganda. I even helped the Alliance train child soldiers." In his desperation, Hou Rui even brought up his dealings with Little Camel. Although it was a stretch to call that training child soldiers, Hou Rui didn't care; he needed to pile on every possible justification, hoping one might sway the Lieutenant Colonel.

"Lies! Training child soldiers is my duty, you shameless fraud! You'll say anything to stay alive. Lieutenant Colonel Timo, let me rip this liar's heart out!" Sergeant Kun, standing to the side, shouted first. Acting as if he had been gravely insulted, he immediately drew the long hunting knife from his waist.

"Wait a moment. Our Alliance still believes in giving people a chance to speak." After saying this, Lieutenant Colonel Timo slowly raised the revolver. Only after the muzzle was leveled at the center of Hou Rui's forehead did he continue, unhurriedly, "I admit, Mr. Douglas, you have made some small contributions to our Alliance. However, your errors completely outweigh them, and you must pay for this with your life."

Am I really going to die here? What about Jin Shanshan? What about my parents back home?

In an instant, Hou Rui’s mind was flooded with chaotic, jumbled thoughts. As he stared involuntarily at Timo’s face, then shifted his gaze to the .500-caliber revolver pointing at his brow, he suddenly noticed a detail.

Logically, a person preparing to fire should have their index finger pressed firmly against the trigger to squeeze it the instant a decision was made. But currently, Lieutenant Colonel Timo’s index finger was resting outside the trigger guard, pressed tightly against the cylinder of the revolver.

What did this mean? Why would he do that? Why would a cold-blooded killer like Timo perform such an illogical action?

Faced with the immense pressure of death, Hou Rui’s mind began to spin with unprecedented speed. In a flash, a possibility occurred to him: Lieutenant Colonel Timo didn't actually want to kill him. Everything he was doing—the interrogation and the threats—was a test! It was just like Captain Mulu’s earlier questioning, only this time, Timo’s performance was even more convincing.

Suddenly, everything clicked. Hou Rui’s heart calmed down. He locked eyes with the Lieutenant Colonel, weighed his words carefully, and said, "Lieutenant Colonel, I don’t know what mistake I’ve made. Before I die, could you tell me clearly?"

"I am willing to grant that wish. Your greatest error is lying to the Alliance. Our personnel in London have verified the list of journalists; there is no Asian photographer named Douglas Wang. Furthermore, our informants in Baka Town reported that in the areas controlled by government forces, no one has seen or heard of an Oriental-looking journalist. You lied to the Alliance about your identity."

So the Alliance really did dig into my background! But they couldn't possibly have found information about my organization or the specifics of my mission. That means there is still room to maneuver!

Since that was the case, Hou Rui couldn't directly challenge the report the Liberation Alliance held. He chose to defend himself circuitously. "Lieutenant Colonel, it is true that I am not a reporter for [the news agency]."

"Hahahaha! He admits it! He admits it! Everyone, he admits he lied to the Alliance! Let me kill him!" Hearing the confession, Sergeant Kun was so happy he nearly went mad. He lunged forward, shouting to finish Hou Rui off.

"Since you’ve admitted it yourself, then goodbye!" Lieutenant Colonel Timo’s smile vanished, and his finger moved back onto the trigger.

"But!" Hou Rui roared suddenly. Once the shout interrupted Timo’s movement, he continued, "But I genuinely defected to the Alliance."

"Heh heh heh. That’s an interesting claim. I’m willing to spend the time to hear it. First, tell me, who are you really?" Lieutenant Colonel Timo smiled again. Hou Rui’s willingness to reveal the truth under repeated intimidation and interrogation satisfied him greatly.

"My name really is Douglas Wang. My identity verification number in the UK is 14435. I posed as a photographer for [the news agency] primarily to facilitate my entry and passage through government-controlled areas so I could approach the Alliance. But I am sincere in my desire to join the Liberation Alliance. Please, Lieutenant Colonel, you must believe me on this."

"Enough nonsense. I only want to know why you joined the Alliance."

"Because I’ve had enough of being a loser. In the UK, I was just an ordinary employee working 70 hours a week, yet I still couldn't pay my rent. I’ve had enough of that wretched life. I decided to join the Alliance for two reasons: to make a name for myself, and to get enough money to enjoy life."

"So, another opportunist. You Westerners always treat our Africa like a gold mine, everyone wanting a piece of the pie. Heh, a damn parasite."

"Lieutenant Colonel, I am a parasite, but I am a parasite useful to the Alliance."

"A liar—why should I listen to you ramble?"

"I... I have undergone the Alliance’s 'Blood Hand' ceremony. I proposed the peace negotiation scheme. And I can make even greater contributions to the Alliance."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Lieutenant Colonel, give me some time, and I will prove that I am a person useful to the Alliance—and to you."

Hou Rui’s words seemed to strike a chord with Lieutenant Colonel Timo. He slowly lowered the .500 revolver and crossed his arms, deep in thought. About a minute later, just as Hou Rui felt there was no hope and was preparing to make a final stand by taking a few officers down with him, Timo suddenly spoke: "Fine. If you can prove your value within one hour, I will not kill you for now."

"One hour?" Hou Rui was stunned.

"Hahahaha! What can you do in an hour? Kill a few people? Come up with some new tricks or schemes? Or maybe just run far away? Hahaha, I’ll watch how you die!" Among the officers, Sergeant Kun was undoubtedly the most gleeful. However, Hou Rui didn't look at him once; he had already decided that if he survived today, the first thing he would do was kill Sergeant Kun.

"Very well, give me one hour." With that, Hou Rui pushed past one of the officers accompanying Timo and strode out of the fortress. Several Alliance soldiers at the door immediately blocked his path, their AK-47s pressed against his chest. Hou Rui didn't waste words; he turned his head to look at Lieutenant Colonel Timo in the hall, waiting for his decision.

"Let him go. Remember, you have only one hour." Timo waved his hand dismissively. The soldiers allowed Hou Rui to leave the building, though two of the Lieutenant Colonel’s attendants followed him out, watching him from a distance.

The wall clock in the hall faithfully performed its duty, ticking away second by second. Soon, more than half of the time agreed upon by Hou Rui and Lieutenant Colonel Timo had passed. The officers around Timo were practically straining their necks like giraffes, dying to look outside and see what Hou Rui was doing as he scurried back and forth in front of the fortress entrance.

After forty minutes, the impatient Sergeant Kun could no longer sit still. He mustered his courage, walked to Lieutenant Colonel Timo, bowed, and whispered respectfully, "Lieutenant Colonel, time is almost up. I doubt that brat can come up with any new tricks in an hour. Why don't we..."

"Rumble—clatter—" Suddenly, the sound of tank treads grinding and the roar of an armored vehicle’s engine drowned out the Sergeant’s words. Then, to the astonishment of the officers and Lieutenant Colonel Timo, Hou Rui drove the previously broken-down Alacran in a joyful loop across the open ground in front of the fortress, finally pulling it to a stop right at the main entrance, directly in front of them.