"You should consider your personal issues, just have a child and let him grow up with Caesar to help build Mexico in the future."
This was initially just a casual comment, but Casare hesitated, "I recently met a woman, and she's coming tomorrow… I want you to check her out for me, if you don't approve, I'll break up with her."
Victor was taken aback, then burst into a laugh, slapped his shoulder, and gave a thumbs up, "What does she do?"
Victor's face stiffened, but seeing his brother's hopeful eyes, he waved his hand, "Sure, a man should find someone beautiful, otherwise what are we working so hard for? I'll come and see her tomorrow."
Casare nodded vigorously, smiling, "Then boss, I'm off to work."
Victor smiled, and after watching him leave, he walked back to his desk, frowned in thought, and pressed the red phone, "Call George Smiley to see me."
Not two minutes later, the Director of the Thirteen Protectors knocked and entered.
"Has the woman Casare met been checked out?" Victor went straight to the point.
George Smiley was startled, "We've checked, Hayler Alves, French, 19 years old, Victoria's Secret supermodel. We've investigated her background, it's clean. She graduated from French Fashion Institute. She has a brother and father. Her mother died of illness 7 years ago. Our people have compared their DNA; they indeed are relatives."
"Her father is a vehicle engineer."
"Her brother is a sophomore in high school."
"They also have 17 extended relatives..." George Smiley could be the Director of Thirteen Protectors thanks to his excellent memory. When asked by the big boss, he said it all out.
"We have classified her profile as top priority."
Victor slowly nodded, ever since taking this position, he'd become somewhat paranoid. Any stranger appearing suddenly around him made him nervous.
Indeed, this is a trait everyone possesses. Back when Father met Ruan Shenggong, who hoped for his help but was refused. Ruan Shenggong asked for his autograph when leaving, like a little fan asking for an idol's signature.
But as soon as Ruan Shenggong left, Father had Belia retrieve the autograph, fearing it might be used for other purposes.
In this position, even your toilet activities are coveted.
"Casare really does have a taste, 32-year-old looking for a 19-year-old model, tsk tsk... that's an old bull eating tender grass," Victor chuckled.
George Smiley just smiled alongside.
The General was teasing his brother; he couldn't get involved.
"Prepare a gift for me, tomorrow is his birthday, make it substantial."
"How's the task I gave to Amin going?"
"The news department has already sent people there; we should be hearing from them soon." George Smiley was curious too, how did the General know about that "murder maniac" in Jeddah?
Could it be that he has a secret intelligence source, unknown even to himself?
The General wouldn't distrust himself, would he?
No, no, no, that can't be it, don't scare yourself.
"Alright, get back to work, and keep a close watch on that French woman."
After George Smiley left.
Victor's gaze wandered afar, his thoughts unknown.
Since the 6th District was occupied, Goodrian ordered the troops to halt their advance.
Simply blocking a few gates.
And deployed troops to patrol the periphery, allowing exit but no entry.
Three days, five days, seven days...
The water in the sewers had been drunk dry.
Rats ran anxiously, their fur losing its sheen.
People would walk and suddenly fall to the ground convulsing, soon losing their breath.
Finally, some couldn't bear it anymore.
Block 9, 11th District, 12th District, Block 14...
On the seventh day, over twenty districts surrendered.
Gang members knelt on the ground, weak and swollen. When the 5th Division entered, they encountered almost no resistance.
War involves cutting off your water supply, that's a brutal tactic.
Out of bullets, you can fight hand-to-hand, but without water, even walking is difficult.
How many people die each year in the deserts of Mexico?
People are both mighty and frail.
Southwest side of Constitution Plaza, military headquarters.
The atmosphere was quite relaxed.
Everyone felt that victory was in their hands, that Chimalhuacán would soon be cleared of the "Daktarin."
Deputy Commander Luigi Cardona, holding a document with a solemn expression, ran to Goodrian's office but still knew to knock, waiting until called to enter. Inside, Deputy Commander Douglas Hague, sitting on the sofa with a cigarette, glanced at him and scoffed.
The two weren't on good terms.
Douglas Hague thought the other was there to usurp power, and being rather stubborn in his thinking, was unwilling to accept new military concepts. He always believed: Heroes succeed in direct confrontations!
But times have changed. The Gulf War taught the world that the mode of warfare has become more elusive. You're thinking of direct confrontations, while the enemy launches a bomb from the sky sending you to the west.
But Luigi Cardona was more adaptive and flexible, with several of his plans being adopted by Goodrian, which made Douglas believe the other was stealing his thunder.
The two personalities just didn't mesh.
"Luigi, what's wrong? Is there something?" Goodrian, with a calm tone, even managed a smile.