Hu Hao had just mentioned buying air conditioners when the civilians immediately began to criticize him. Hu Hao felt a surge of anger as he listened to them, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of helplessness.
“Why are you talking such nonsense? We’re fighting so hard on the front lines, and the temperature in the trenches is over 40 degrees. What’s wrong with us installing air conditioning?”
Huan Xingtao, who was leading the team, shouted back at the crowd’s accusations.
“Oh, you dare talk back? Do you know why there are so many refugees here? It’s because you failed to hold the front line. If you had held it, would there still be so many refugees?
We civilians have to scavenge for vegetables and fight for food here. You lost the war, and yet you think you’re in the right!”
A middle-aged woman, dressed quite fashionably, pointed at Huan Xingtao and yelled.
“It wasn’t us who lost the battle! It’s those useless Imperial generals. So many of our brothers have sacrificed themselves! We’re putting our lives on the line at the front; what right do you have to judge us!”
Another veteran platoon leader shouted back loudly.
“Stop, all of you!”
Hu Hao shouted at that moment, silencing everyone, and turned his gaze to the civilians.
“Oh, you have nothing left to say? And you’re supposedly an officer? Hmph. Our troops only know how to enjoy themselves. The war is on, yet you’re actually thinking about air conditioning!”
Another middle-aged woman remarked to Hu Hao with clear dissatisfaction.
“We’re getting air conditioning because we have no choice. Fine, we won’t buy them.
If the soldiers have nowhere to hide during the day and no place to sleep at night because it’s too hot, then when the Allied forces come, we’ll just step aside.
You all should start running now; we aren’t fighting anymore! We won’t defend either. Just run!”
Hu Hao said to the women.
“What?”
The crowd stared at Hu Hao in shock.
“You say you won’t defend and you just won’t? You’re a Colonel; do you dare not defend? Your superiors would have your life!”
An old man pointed at Hu Hao and challenged him.
“Exactly. So, we’re planning to take off these uniforms, put on civilian clothes, and get ready to hit the road.
You should all run too. We aren’t holding the line anymore. Soon, you’ll be slaughtered by the Allied forces just like they did in Daman City.
And you women—prepare to be abused by the invaders. We have no way to fight. If you don’t believe me, come to the positions and see for yourselves.
The temperature in the bomb shelters is nearly 50 degrees, and it stays hot at night. If our soldiers can’t even get proper rest, how are they supposed to fight?
Go ahead and keep enjoying yourselves; enjoy it for a few more days before it’s time to run!”
Hu Hao stood there and addressed the crowd.
“What are you standing around for? Run! If you don’t run, you’re waiting for death. When the Allied troops arrive, they’ll kill every last one of you.
Goddammit! I came here to buy air conditioners, not steal them, and yet you’re still babbling.
We’re putting our lives on the line to hold them back for you, and you criticize us? What right do you have to judge?
We haven’t won the war because High Command failed to devise proper strategies and wasn’t prepared. But are any of us frontline soldiers not fighting with our lives?
You think this war has nothing to do with you? Once the front line needs men, your husbands, brothers, and sons will all be sent to the battlefield. Dammit!”
Hu Hao roared at them.
Hu Hao didn’t want to argue with the civilians. If the soldiers could endure the heat in the shelters, he would have let it go and not bought the units. But without cooling, they wouldn’t last. Especially the reservists he had just recruited; they were civilians just days ago and simply couldn’t handle such extremes.
“Tell your manager to have 3,000 of these air conditioners ready for me. I want them before dark today. If they aren’t ready, I’ll tear this shop down!”
Hu Hao pointed at the young man.
“Ah, yes, yes!”
The young man nodded frantically.
“Also, it’s 490 yuan per unit, paid in cash! I’m buying this many, so there has to be a discount!”
Hu Hao added.
“Yes! Understood. I’ll tell the manager!”
“Let’s go, brothers!”
Hu Hao led the way out. The civilians parted to let them through.
Once outside, the scorching sun was so intense that Hu Hao hesitated to step out into it. Although the air was hot, his heart felt cold. This country had been at peace for too long; the civilians had no idea what this war truly meant for them. They didn’t realize that once the front line fell, they wouldn’t even be able to run. The Allied air force would blockade their retreat, leaving them to be slaughtered.
“Hao-ge, it’s disheartening,”
Huan Xingtao said as he walked up beside him. Hu Hao patted his shoulder in silence and pulled out a cigarette, offering one to Huan Xingtao and Wang Yao.
Hu Hao stood at the mall entrance, smoking and staring at the sunlight.
“In a bit, we’re going to the power company. If they dare ask for my money, start killing! Dammit, even at a time like this, they’re still trying to charge us!”
“Mhm!”
Huan Xingtao and the other soldiers nodded.
After finishing his cigarette, Hu Hao drove to the power company. Late City had a power plant, so this location was a substation with management and billing staff. Hu Hao parked the armored vehicle and led his men into the lobby.
“Where is the person in charge?”
Hu Hao asked an employee walking across the hall.
“What is it? The manager isn’t here!”
“Then get him back here!”
“By what right?”
The employee shot Hu Hao a contemptuous look and turned to leave.
Bang! A gunshot rang out, causing everyone in the lobby to scream. The employee who had tried to walk away dropped into a crouch, trembling.
“By the right of my gun!”
Hu Hao walked up to the man.
The employee didn’t dare look at him and stayed hunched on the floor.
“Find your manager. Now!”
“On the third floor!”
The man pointed upward. Before Hu Hao could even reach the stairs, a middle-aged man with a large belly came down.
“What happened?”
The man asked authoritatively.
“Manager, this officer is looking for you!”
“Oh? What is it?”
“I need a favor. Can you stop charging our unit for electricity?”
Hu Hao asked.
“We already don’t charge you! Every month, the 87th Division gets a quota of 5,000 kilowatt-hours. You can ask your Division Commander about it.”
The manager assumed Hu Hao wasn’t the commander because of his rank.
“I know, but it’s not enough. You know how hot it is; we’re holding the front line and need a lot of air conditioning. That quota isn’t nearly enough.”
“That won’t do. There are regulations, and we must follow them. The Empire has been like this for decades: 5,000 units per division.
Anything extra costs money. We’re a private enterprise; we have to make a profit. Otherwise, why would anyone run this business?”
“But this is wartime. Peacetime quotas aren’t enough anymore.”
“That’s your problem. What does it have to do with our company?
We’ve already given you so much for free—that’s a 1,000 yuan waiver right there. For a business, doing that much is already good enough!”
“So you’re saying no?”
“No!”
“Oh, right. Your power plant is in Late City, isn’t it?”
“That’s right!”
“Tell me… how would it look if I took my men and blew that power plant up?
The Allied forces are arriving soon, and without enough power, we can’t hold the area.
Eventually, you’ll have to run, and the invaders will use the plant for themselves. I think it’s better to just destroy it now!”
Hu Hao said, looking at the manager.
“Hah! Blow it up? Do you know who owns that plant?
It belongs to the son of the Central Combat Zone Commander. Go ahead and try it.
Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you’re a soldier with a gun! Go on, try and blow it up!”
The manager laughed.
“Oh, is that so? Fine. I’ll blow it up for you to see. Take him away. We’re going to the power plant!”
Hu Hao realized talking was useless and decided to continue the discussion at the plant. He ordered his men to seize the manager.
“Hey! What are you doing? On what grounds are you arresting me? Why?”
The manager struggled desperately.
“Shut the hell up!”
A soldier smashed the butt of his rifle into the manager’s face. The manager saw stars, spat out several teeth, and blood began to flow.
Hu Hao and his soldiers boarded the armored vehicles and drove toward Late City.
Hu Hao couldn’t believe it. He used to be reasonable and never stole from civilians. Back on Earth, the people would offer the military their best belongings, and he would often refuse or pay them back.
But here? He was cursed for buying things with his own money, and when he asked for free electricity for troops fighting for the country, he was refused. He just couldn’t wrap his head around how things had turned out this way.