"Your Excellency, the President, I want to say that the Desic Empire will not intervene in this war lightly, but I know these words won’t help us much. The public won’t believe our judgment, and with the international situation constantly changing, no one knows what will happen next. I can’t guarantee anything." Russell stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the crowd gathering in the square outside the Presidential Palace. "Moreover, I can’t make a rash decision to drag the Leray Federation into the quagmire of war. I understand very well that one wrong move will make the Leray Federation the fuse of a cosmic war!"
"But!" Russell looked into Hamilton’s eyes with a determined gaze. "We cannot accept a hasty peace either! Even a political idiot like me can see that the Western Alliance’s intention is merely to buy time! Once they are ready, Gazalin’s withdrawal plan will turn into an invasion plan, and we will suffer the consequences."
Hamilton’s signature smile carried a bit of confusion. "Then, General, what is your opinion on this matter...?"
"The Republican Party under your leadership is very united and has achieved brilliant victories since the war began." Russell’s expression was relaxed, as if he was not worried about the current situation, even in the mood for a joke. "Look, even I, the enemy, have surrendered! The public has a very high level of trust in the current government. So, I suggest, before we make a decision, we should delay!"
"Yes! Delay!" Russell’s tone was very firm.
"We cannot ascertain the intentions of the Desic Empire. Without a clear indication of armed intervention from them, there’s no need for us to mess up our own plans. We should continue fighting as we have been! I am well aware that Gazalin’s military strength is declining. The battle in Lucerne must continue, and the battle on the Lavos Plain will be crucial to the overall situation. At this moment, there is no way we can give Gazalin a chance to breathe! Even if we eventually need to negotiate, the advantage must be in our hands!"
"Mr. President, I believe you understand better than I do that during times of war, the courage required of a nation’s leader is countless times greater than during times of peace. You still have one year left in your term, and this might be the most glorious period of your life. This war has already cost the Leray Federation a lot, and in the near future, we will face even more dangerous predicaments. I think what you should consider is how to lead the nation to victory, rather than succumbing to an illusory peace."
A mysterious smile appeared on Russell’s face. "The battle in this war does not only take place in Lucerne but in other places as well! James may be manipulating politics, but we can fight in every place!"
"Don’t forget, I am the leader of the Freedom Front. In Gazalin Country, we have our own armed forces! Gazalin is not monolithic. If our plans go smoothly, James’s political offensive may be in vain."
"Moreover... in Gazalin, we still have a wildcard. If he plays his part, at the very least, that so-called peace plan won’t give Gazalin too much breathing room. I hope we can give ourselves a month’s time, and after a month, we’ll make a decision!"
*************************************************
The so-called wildcard was drowsily and idly drilling a hole. As he drilled, suddenly the drill went in deeper, and it worked!
Having taken the first step toward a long escape, Fatty felt no excitement at all. He hurriedly disassembled and hid the makeshift drill, covered the hole with a piece of hard paper, then used water and the dust from drilling to disguise it as a patch of concrete with chipped walls, and immediately went to sleep.
Digging such a hole in ten days was extremely difficult and painful. Near dawn, in his sleep, Fatty dreamt that he was moved to another cell. He shivered all over and immediately burst into tears.
Fatty woke up crying and sat up, staring blankly. His commotion startled Tou’er and the others, who had just woken up. The prospect of Fatty sleepwalking in this tightly confined room, especially crying while doing so, was terrifying. By the time they started working, they feared their bones would have turned to mush.
After breakfast, the prisoners did not go to work immediately as usual. The Prison Director William stood in the courtyard under the rectangular cell block, announcing through a microphone that in two weeks, the prison would hold the biennial fighting competition. He warned all the prisoners to behave themselves during this period, as any actions that violated prison rules or caused misunderstandings with the guards would lead to one result: being shot on the spot!
********************* Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on NovᴇlFɪre.nᴇt
We are currently in the phase of gradually unraveling the entire situation and events. Some necessary introductions are inevitable. Although the protagonist’s role has been minimized, it is unavoidable. After reading the s, everyone must be looking forward to Fatty’s final actions, right?
I am trying a writing style that first presents a tangled mess of clues, then gradually reveals the truth to everyone. I wonder if you will like it. Let’s do a little survey, share your thoughts in the book reviews. (To be continued. For more, please log on to WWW.CMFU.COM to support the author and read the original content!)