Lucide stood in front of the presidential palace and turned to look back at the villa behind him.
The midday sunlight pierced the clouds and spilled over the villa, turning the white building golden, like a golden Buddha that had appeared in this world.
"Perhaps the person the people have been waiting for has appeared!"
Lucide murmured to himself.
Then,
he turned back and looked ahead. With a smile on his face and longing filling his eyes, he strode forward.
At that instant,
a ray of sunlight falling from the sky turned him golden, too.
November 20, Saturday.
Port of Odessa, Soviet Union.
On different lands beneath the same sky, different things were happening because of the same person.
As the Soviet Union's most important port on the Black Sea,
it saw thousands of freighters arrive each day, laden with goods from around the world, or depart carrying Soviet industrial products.
Clank, clank-
Amid the roar of trains hurtling forward, tank after tank and armored vehicle after armored vehicle arrived at the railway station beside the Port of Odessa.
Inside the railway station.
"Which country bought these arms this time? They actually bought so much in one go!"
A major in a Soviet uniform curiously asked an officer beside him whose rank was clearly higher than his.
"Who knows?"
The officer he had asked was a colonel. He shook his head and answered.
He was curious, too, but the intelligence department had classified the relevant information. At his current rank, he had no right to know.
"Even you don't know?"
The major was somewhat surprised, then immediately realized this might be a state secret, so he changed the subject.
"With this many tanks and armored vehicles, and all the other weapons and equipment I see behind them, the total has to be at least two or three hundred million rubles, right?"
"I think it might be more than... cyka blyat!"
Just as the colonel shook his head and was about to give his estimate, he saw something that made him swear outright.
"Why are so many officers getting off, too? Are we providing some country with an entire military system?"
Presidential palace, Republic of Burkina.
"Mr. President, we just received word from the Soviet Union. The weapons and equipment we purchased from them have been loaded aboard ship, and the officers responsible for providing us with military training are aboard as well.
"If all goes well, they are expected to arrive at the Port of Beigalai in the Republic of Ganar in a week. The Soviets have already smoothed things over at every level in the Republic of Ganar, and we have put in quite a bit of effort on our side, too."
"Once the weapons, equipment, and personnel arrive at the port, the Republic of Ganar's customs will clear them directly. They will then transfer to a train and reach our capital, Dugagu, after a day and a night."
An officer in uniform stood before Sankara's desk and delivered his report.
In Sankara's field of vision.
Name: Kuliba Katelai Nationality: Republic of Burkina Age: 28 Position: Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Burkina Rank: Ministerial level Loyalty: 89
Katelai had originally been the commander of the Wagaar Brigade, holding the rank of major general.
He was two years older than Sankara and had already been very close friends with him before Sankara became commander of the Dugagu Brigade.
After Sankara became commander of the Dugagu Brigade, he admired Sankara's talent and ideals even more, ultimately deciding to stand with him.
After becoming president, Sankara had promoted him to minister of national defense at the first opportunity.
As for the former minister of national defense...
With a loyalty of only 41, he had naturally gone down to play mahjong with Makelu Shengdido!
"So that means it will take eight days."
Sankara did the calculation in his head, then gave his instructions with a serious expression.
"Make sure you keep track of them at all times. These weapons, equipment, and personnel concern the future of our Republic of Burkina. They are extremely important. Absolutely nothing can go wrong!"
Unfortunately, the Republic of Burkina was a landlocked country.
If only it had a coastline and a port of its own. There would be no need for so much trouble, or to defer to others when getting certain things done.
"Rest assured, Mr. President. Our Ministry of National Defense will use every means available to ensure that the weapons, equipment, and personnel reach Dugagu safely!"
Katelai gave Sankara his assurance in a firm voice, his expression resolute.
"With you handling it, I can rest easy!"
Sankara nodded. He had great trust in Katelai's abilities. Then, as though something had occurred to him, he asked,
"Oh, right! How is recruitment going? Have there been any difficulties?"
"Recruitment is proceeding steadily. Of the thirty thousand new recruits needed for the army's expansion, we have already recruited over twenty thousand who meet our requirements. We expect to fill the quota in another two days. As for difficulties... we haven't encountered any so far."
Just ten kilometers from the presidential palace lay a slum with the worst infrastructure, the densest population, and the lowest standard of living in Dugagu.
"What! You're going to join the army?"
A scrawny white boy who looked to be only about a meter and a half tall stood up from the ground in shock upon hearing his friend's words. Looking down at his friend, who was still seated on the ground, he asked in bewilderment,
"You're quitting school? Didn't you say just a few days ago that you wanted to go to university? Why do you suddenly want to join the army, Aaron?"
The boy the white child called Aaron had black but filthy, unkempt hair, and his yellow skin was covered in grime.
Perhaps only his black eyes could still be considered clean!
"University? Heh..."
Sitting on the ground, Aaron gazed at the stinking ditch before him, shook his head with a bitter smile, and answered,
"William, my family has no money left to keep me in school!"
"Our country doesn't even have a single proper high school, only seminaries that barely qualify as high schools, let alone a university."
"If I want to go to university, I have to go abroad. But getting me through middle school and then seminary was already the best my parents and older brothers and sisters could manage by working themselves to the bone and wearing out their bodies."
"I'm grown up now. I can't drive my parents and my older brothers and sisters to their deaths for an unrealistic dream!"
"But you don't have to join the army! I've heard it's really dark in the military! With your current education, you could absolutely find a better job and have a better future!"
Although William understood why Aaron would not continue his studies, he still did not want his friend to join the army, so he tried to persuade him.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Aaron raised his head and gazed up at the sky above the slum. At the same time, he reached out his right hand as though trying to grasp the clouds in the sky, then slowly said,
"Because I want to change this country!"
"I want my children, my older brothers' and sisters' children, your children, and everyone's children to be able to go to university in the future!"
"But to change this country, I first have to become the most powerful person in it, so that none of the bad people dare stand up against me!"
"What kind of person is the most powerful?"
"The person with the most weapons in his hands is the most powerful!"
"So I'm going to join the army. I'm going to take control of the most weapons, and then... change this country, as lowly as dust!"