The person's cheeks were sunken, and their grip on NPC Maggie's fingers was dry, bearing the appearance of malnutrition, "Your mother said you came to Spider Vine, Maggie, go talk to Colonel Washington, see if he can allocate some food to me earlier."
The white woman did not notice Xia You beside her.
NPC Maggie shook her head, "Aunt Miss, this month's food ration has just been distributed, the Colonel won't approve your request for early allocation. Besides, there are only three people in your family, and the ration given to you is enough to last till next month."
In the entire rebel army camp, NPC Maggie is the child most beloved by Colonel Washington. Although she is only eight years old, her Reconnaissance Skill has helped the rebels evade the Government Army many times, giving her a unique status. Often, people in the camp would convey various requests to the Colonel through her.
"It's all Anke's fault, that scoundrel, he secretly took the food to brew alcohol," the white woman complained about her husband.
"Brew alcohol?" NPC Maggie was shocked. Brewing was prohibited, especially when the rebel army's supplies were scarce. If Colonel Washington found out that someone redirected food for other uses, severe punishment would ensue.
"Maggie, you must help me. Little Boxia hasn't eaten for two days now, and he's only three years old, he can't go hungry any longer. I know you have a Stamina Capsule, just lend it to me," the white woman pleaded incessantly.
That life-saving capsule was already mostly digested in Xia You's stomach. Hearing the white woman's words, both Xia You and NPC Maggie wore faces of difficulty.
Seeing her pleading ineffective, the white woman immediately switched her tone, threatening, "If you don't give me the capsule, I will tell the Government Army the location of the Colonel's hideout."
"Mi Si, what are you saying?" Colonel Washington, with several subordinates, escorting a disheveled man, appeared before the group.
Xia You finally had the chance to clearly see this devilish female Colonel who could knock her out with a single move.
"Little Eight?" Xia You, while everyone focused only on Mi Si and the bound man, started a digression, "Whoever designed 'Military Road' must be a fan of the movie 'Tomb Raider', look at this Colonel Washington, isn't she just like a copy of Angelina Jolie?"
Tall stature, wolf-like eyes, and an intimidating presence, Colonel Washington, who walked forth with the deserter, exuded a coercive force that made Xia You extremely uneasy from over ten meters away.
Little Eight chided, "You calling me Little Eight is one thing, but when you mention the game developers in the future, you must use respectful language."
Just as Xia You was about to protest, her whole body shivered. Colonel Washington had already turned around, using an interrogative tone, "Low-class soldier, tell me, what cunning scheme did the Government Army come up with this time?"
Xia You looked towards NPC Maggie, who was vehemently shaking her head on the side, clearly signalling not to answer.
A kick coming swiftly towards her, Colonel Washington's knee, like a rapidly spinning drill, struck right into Xia You's abdomen. Her stomach churned tumultuously, saliva and acid spewed from her mouth. Xia You knelt down, her expression one of agony.
Her Physical Strength dropped to 30 in one go. NPC Maggie had just moved forward to intervene but was blocked by a rebel soldier nearby.
"This is already the fifth deserter, ever since the Government Army executed the 'Reconciliation Plan' last month, five of my soldiers have deserted, not counting potential traitors like Mi Si," Colonel Washington casually returned to her position.
Xia You felt like a punching bag, being beaten without any spirit left. To Colonel Washington, killing a lowly soldier like Xia You with bare hands was as simple as crushing an ant.
NPC Maggie stood aside silently, and Xia You was also unlucky enough to be caught right during a month of constant desertion, forced to become the outlet for the Colonel's anger.
"Colonel, you've chosen the wrong person to lash out at. There is always a reason for everything; you should ask the man himself about the real reason why he fled." Xia You wiped the blood from her mouth; this was the second time she had fallen into the same hands. She hated falling in the same place twice, a feeling that intensified after entering Military Road.
"Colonel," the male soldier pressed to the ground rasped, "you are mistaken. When you brought us and our families to the Prehistoric Continent, you personally promised us clear water, clean air, and a new home. But now, my daughter has died of malaria and my son has starved to death. Where are your promises? The bullshit new homeland, give me back my daughter and son."
The previous beating had not broken this man, who was among the first generation of the rebel army smuggled with Colonel Washington. He did not back down when facing an environment more severe than death itself. Facing oppression from the Government Army, he did not show cowardice. The deaths of his son and daughter only started to crack his firm beliefs as his pregnant wife faced the threat of premature birth due to lack of nutrition, forcing him to desert out of familial desperation.
Colonel Washington's eyes reddened as she took a Laser Laser Gun from an accompanying soldier and fired it silently; the deserting male soldier fell to the ground. Blood slowly flowed from his mouth and nose, staining the damp ground red.
NPC Maggie approached Xia You, who was only as tall as Xia You's waist from her perspective, and she could only see that Xia You's face looked terrible. As a sixth-generation immigrant new soldier of the Government Army, Xia You certainly hadn't seen a real murder scene before, unlike NPC Maggie, who had always been by Colonel Washington's side and was more familiar with such executions.
The NPC soldiers present did not see Maggie as a child; they all looked at the ailing Xia You with provoking eyes.
No one knew Xia You's feelings at that moment; even Little Eight thought Xia You must have been terrified.
The smell of blood and grass mixed in the hollow, strangely making one's brain sharper.
Xia You was indeed startled, not by the intact corpse on the ground, nor by Colonel Washington's disregard for human life, but by herself.
Facing blood and death, she felt no fear at all; she was excited. Xia You felt her pores open in an instant, greedily inhaling the scent of death. Even her heartbeat felt stronger.
"I will ensure the well-being of your wife and unborn child," Colonel Washington executed the deserting soldier quickly – there could be no mercy for traitors. Killing one to warn the others was necessary to prevent further desertions.
After killing the deserting male soldier, the murderous intent in Colonel Washington's eyes did not fade; she turned the gun towards Mrs. Mi Si, a Caucasian woman. Ideological desertion was also unacceptable.
NPC Maggie cried out; Mi Si was her neighbor and had smuggled into the New Era with her mother. Their families were close, and she couldn't stand to see Mi Si killed by Colonel Washington.
A hand stopped NPC Maggie, "It seems that after entering the Prehistoric Society, there is no difference between humans and wild beasts."
Colonel Washington darkly eyed the lower-class soldier who had again verbally provoked her and also noticed NPC Maggie's close gesture towards Xia You.
Maggie was different from the dead soldier; if she were influenced by treason, it would be fatal for the rebel army. Colonel Washington steeled her heart, ready to kill the troublesome low-class soldier immediately if he uttered any more inappropriate words, even if Maggie would resent her for a while.
"Colonel Washington, you killed that male soldier, and I have nothing to say, as he deserved to die," Xia You stood up, her 1.6-meter height compared to Colonel Washington's nearly 1.75 meters, yet she showed no sign of backing down.
Regarding traitors, there is only death. This phrase echoed in Xia You's mind, the sacred duty of a soldier.
"I've heard... we all come from the future, and if the law is correct, intending to commit a crime without actually committing it cannot be considered a crime. You have no legal right to execute Mrs. Mi Si," Xia You patted NPC Maggie, addressing Colonel Washington.