diskusbooks Chapter 341 Chess Game (5)
Chapter 341 Chess Game (5)
"I ask you this: if that's the case, then the current state of our front is absolutely unacceptable, sir. The situation is quite clear now: your Denver authorities are unable to destroy the foundation of the front and are unwilling to reach an effective ceasefire agreement. How can you say you are sincere?"
The negotiators from the Front engaged in a heated exchange, with Mike Douglas's men retorting sharply: "Sincerity? You are a rebellious regime with no legal standing. Now the authorities are making concessions for the greater good of the nation. The conditions are simple: disband your so-called People's Armed Forces and reintegrate the administrative structure into the national framework of the United States."
"Sir, then the tanks of the United States can swagger into our cities and slaughter our progressive proletarian brothers. Why don't you just make a wish and let us disband and surrender on the spot in your dream?"
The Front representative shrugged. Everyone knew that, given the current situation, the Front's liberated areas were irreconcilably opposed to the society of the United States. On one hand, the liberated workers and peasants of the Front stood tall and, under the wave of the "Great Revolution of Proletarian Consciousness," resolutely and thoroughly liquidated capitalists, landlords, and all other propertied persons, including rich peasants. The members of the Front even felt that the actions of the workers and peasants were too radical, but the workers and peasants believed that it was necessary to resolve the issue and thoroughly transform and liquidate them!
Meanwhile, in the middle of the United States, things remained the same as before. Conservative capitalists continued to exploit the output of workers and peasants, and bound the minds of the proletariat with outdated conservative ideas. In their society, resistance for freedom was considered depraved, and they went to great lengths to discredit all the progressive efforts made by the people for liberation.
"We must wage a thorough and resolute struggle against capitalists, landlords, rich peasants, and all other property owners who commit evil deeds, all those who have ever ridden over the heads of the workers and peasants, and all those lumpenproletariat who have ever been dependent on property owners and persecuted the proletariat!"
This is what is really happening across the front lines right now, and Alice, who has witnessed it all, has not stopped it at all, because she completely agrees with it.
For decades, centuries, and even millennia ago, the propertied classes—slave owners, kings, nobles, capitalists…rich peasants, landlords…tyrants—have stood over the vast working proletariat for far too long! The atrocities they committed cannot be recorded in any history book, nor can any historian fully explain them. The struggles of the broad masses of the proletariat, whether verbal or physical, are all struggles against this deeply entrenched old world!
As the saying goes, to correct a wrong, one must go to extremes!
Therefore, even though the "Great Revolution of Proletarian Consciousness" caused countless deaths and bloodshed in cities and countryside, this was a necessary path to take. There was only one word to face the bourgeoisie—kill!
She didn't want those people to come back one day and say, "My family used to be landlords/capitalists, a wealthy and content family, but we were plunged into abject poverty because of the struggle..." As the saying goes, blood debts must be repaid in blood!
Aside from the heated exchange, Mike Douglas personally opened the car door for Alice. The banquet was lavish and opulent. Alice, still dressed in the same outfit she had arrived in, flashed her signature smile and gestured to the people present as she entered the venue.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Let us welcome the greatest ruler, explorer, the beautiful and charming Miss Alice de la Leigh!!!"
Alice nodded slightly. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to be in the heart of the United States. Denver is indeed a nice city. It reminds us of when we first arrived in Los Santos—a reminder to each of us that we still have a lot of work to do. So, cheers to equality and peace.”
Alice's words had a hidden meaning, but no one could find fault with them—Alice smiled slightly, while Mike Douglas's expression stiffened slightly—Alice's words, which could be interpreted in hundreds of ways, even if they contained the meaning he was thinking of, he couldn't very well confront her directly.
"Then, a toast to you, General Mike Douglas, to all that you have done for the army."
In reality, Mike Douglas's prestige within the military was not particularly high—he merely seized the initiative and became a spokesperson for conservative forces, as evidenced by the large number of former United States troops who defected to the Confederate States and the Labour Union.
So this statement, while seemingly praising, is actually quite clever—Mike Douglas did make many contributions to the army, but since the Civil War, his military operational capabilities have not been very good. Alice's small force was able to bypass his large army at the front lines and even penetrate directly into the rear.
"Of course, of course, Miss Alice, let me raise a glass to you. Without your hard work, our lives wouldn't be as good as they are today."
Although it was Olina Christopher who discovered the New World, everyone knows that this legendary explorer and captain set foot on the New World thanks to Alice's financial support. The ship, the New World, is still on display at the National Museum of Colombia, though it is unknown whether it was damaged in the war.
Amidst the clinking of glasses and the joyful atmosphere, although Alice was the star of the evening's banquet, due to traditional conservatism, few dared to strike up a conversation with her; instead, it was mostly the wealthy young ladies surrounding her.
“Miss Alice, your outfits these past few days have been quite distinctive. The tailoring is very exquisite. However, it’s fortunate that you’re wearing a dress. If you were wearing trousers, it would have gone beyond the concept of being unconventional and instead become indecent.”
A noblewoman spoke up, and Alice smiled slightly, saying, "Ladies, what do you mean by being immoral?"
"That is...."
"Wait a minute, ladies. I'm afraid that what you call moral depravity is just imposed on you. Every person, whether man or woman, has the inherent rights, including what they want to wear, what they want to be, and what they can do. If you ladies had ever been to the territory under the Front, you would probably have seen more of what you consider moral depravity."
"Really? Miss Alice, as far as I know, many people, including my parents, consider you a great woman, yet... as far as I know, your behavior is no different from those depraved people my parents talk about—and your private life..."
A young lady from a wealthy family blushed and said that Alice's scandalous affairs were countless, but in the eyes of the upper class, half of these scandalous affairs were nonsense, half of the other half were embellished, and the remaining half were indeed true, including many suspected "female concubines".
"But what I want to say is that, just like when we established the Amerlan West Federal Republic more than a decade ago, worldly customs, rules and ideas can shape a person, but they cannot stop you from changing. Young ladies, don't be fooled by our appearance; we are much older than you."
"Those so-called morally corrupt things you talk about, think about it carefully, who taught them to you? When you look at it for yourselves and think for yourselves, instead of being swayed by others, you will probably realize that this world doesn't actually have that many restrictions, Miss."
Alice reached out and touched the collarbone of the young lady in front of her. In that instant, Alice's appearance made the young lady's heart skip a beat. The two stared at each other for half a second. Alice looked at the girl with a serious expression that was neither a smile nor a smile, and her golden-red eyes seemed to be able to bewitch her.
"Alright, ladies, Mr. Mike Douglas seems to have something to say to us. Goodbye!"
The young lady, whose body had just been touched by Alice, blushed and stared at Alice. Her formal suit and long skirt were neat and tidy, with a hint of handsomeness in them, and her carefully styled hair added to her dashing appearance.
"Oh dear, what's wrong with me? Oh well, never mind...!"
The girl blushed and ran away.