The night was deep and dark. Two soldiers stood at a high vantage point, keeping watch over the nearby mountains.
One of them was fairly young. He tightened his tactical uniform, rubbed his hands together, and breathed into them.
The older soldier beside him chuckled. "Kid, you haven't been out of training long, have you?"
The young soldier smiled. "Yes, Mr. Wali."
The soldier named Wali raised his head and glanced toward Chiang Rai. "They even transferred a rookie like you here. I have no idea what they were thinking."
The rookie took off his helmet, scratched his head, and put it back on. "Mr. Wali, do you think what we're doing is right?"
"I mean, Yanfu hasn't been shut down yet. Isn't it a little unreasonable for us to start a war?"
Wali glanced at the young man. "We didn't start this war. Our enemies did. The Strategic Affairs Department did. They shot and killed the head of our delegation at the summit."
"Besides, these Easterners have been getting more and more outrageous. They keep pushing their luck. This is the perfect opportunity to teach them a harsh lesson and let them know they picked the wrong people to provoke."
The rookie said softly, "But I heard that our head of delegation was just an insignificant figure. Everyone says this was a scheme arranged by the higher-ups."
Smack!
Wali slapped the young man across the face, swelling one side of it. "Shut up!"
"Who told you that?"
"That's a rumor. You could be court-martialed for spreading it!"
"As a soldier, you should have a firm will. Yet you actually believe these baseless rumors. You're far too weak."
The rookie covered his face and lowered his head. "I'm sorry."
Wali glared at him. "Don't say things like that again."
After