Working as a police officer in Mexico.

Chapter 705 Look at the stupid thing you've done!

In northern Mexico, in the newly reclaimed California territory that was once part of the United States, a once arid and vast land is now bustling with activity and colorful flags are waving.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the first phase of the grand "Mei Shui Mo Diao Project"—a large gravity dam named "Rise"—is being held here.

This dam, resembling a giant dragon, stretches between two mountains, impounding water from the Colorado River and other water systems, forming a magnificent and enormous reservoir.

Under the scorching sun, the water glistens and stretches to the horizon, contrasting sharply with the somewhat desolate mountains around it, symbolizing the great power of humankind in transforming nature.

The event was packed with guests, including Mexican government officials, local representatives, construction workers, and numerous domestic and international media reporters, all of whom had their cameras and microphones pointed at the podium.

But the most eye-catching figure was the Supreme Leader Viktor, who stood in the very center of the platform, watching everything with a smile on his face.

Casare turned his head and nodded to the several Asian-looking engineers and technical experts beside him.

One of the middle-aged Asian men, wearing a helmet and with a lean build, stepped forward and, speaking fluent but slightly accented Spanish, introduced himself to Victor and all the guests through the microphone:

“Mr. Victor, distinguished guests, it is my honor to represent the East Asia Water Conservancy Construction Consortium to report to you on the preliminary results of the first phase of the Rise Dam project.”

He spoke with professional pride: "Currently, the reservoir's water storage capacity has reached 70% of its design capacity, and it continues to increase at a rate exceeding expectations."

He pointed downstream from the dam: "Through this main canal and its supporting intelligent control system, abundant water resources are being systematically diverted to the vast agricultural areas of California and Southern California. Preliminary estimates suggest that the area covered by the first phase of the project alone will add more than 300 million hectares of stable irrigation area, completely changing the history of these areas relying on the weather for their livelihood."

"Our vision extends beyond irrigation. The hydropower station配套的水动力 (supporting power station) for the dam has already begun trial operation and will provide clean energy for surrounding towns and future industrial parks. The entire water network system also takes into account flood control and ecological water replenishment functions. We believe that, under the guidance of Mr. Victor's grand blueprint, the 'Meishuimo Diversion Project' will become a solid cornerstone for ensuring food security, energy security and ecological security in northern Mexico, bringing lasting prosperity and stability to the people of this land."

Their presentation was well-organized, supported by solid data, and demonstrated a very high level of professionalism.

Viktor took in everyone's expressions, stepped forward, took the microphone, and his voice rang out through the loudspeaker throughout the entire dam area:
"The 'American Ink Painting Project' will wash away the thirst and barrenness of the past and irrigate the harvest and hope of the future. This proves that when we unite and work together for the common good, no difficulty is insurmountable!"

His words drew thunderous applause, especially cheers from local residents and engineers. For the locals who had long suffered from water shortages and the immigrants who longed to settle down in their new land, this was truly a tangible blessing.

After a brief and powerful speech by Viktor, the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially began. Under the spotlight of countless flashes, Viktor and the head of the Asian engineering team jointly cut the red ribbon symbolizing the completion of the project.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony concluded successfully in a warm atmosphere. Afterwards, accompanied by project managers, government officials, and Casare, Viktor enthusiastically toured the dam's core control room and power plant. He listened attentively to the technicians' explanations of the turbine units and intelligent control systems, nodding frequently and asking several insightful questions, demonstrating his deep understanding of this massive project.

During the visit, Viktor warmly shook hands with every engineer and worker he met, thanking them for their hard work. He patted a young technician on the shoulder and encouraged him to "become a pillar of national construction."

These scenes were captured precisely by reporters and official photographers who followed closely behind. These approachable images were destined to become the headline of Mexico's prime-time news broadcast that evening, showcasing the image of the supreme leader working hand in hand with the people and dedicating himself to the country's development.

Yes, Mexico has news broadcast times, starting at 7:30 pm, with nearly fifty channels nationwide, and 40 of them are required to broadcast it.

It looks so familiar...

After leaving the dam, Viktor's convoy did not return to the capital, but instead drove directly to an important military base in Northern California.

Lieutenant General Otto Skorzne, the commander of California, was already waiting for them at the camp entrance with his troops.

Accompanied by Skorzeny and Schirach, Viktor inspected the troops. The soldiers stood in neat rows, full of spirit. Viktor walked towards the soldiers' ranks and began his signature interaction, shaking hands and chatting warmly with each officer and soldier.

"Young man, where is your hometown?"

Do you have any siblings? How are your parents in health?

"Are you getting used to life in the military? Feel free to ask if you need anything."

His tone was amiable, and his questions were considerate. The soldiers answered their leader's questions with great enthusiasm. A hint of satisfaction appeared on Lieutenant General Skorzeny's tense face, while Governor Schirach maintained a smile throughout, occasionally adding a few words of agreement.

However, when Viktor approached a soldier who looked quite young, even somewhat immature, something unexpected happened. Viktor asked as usual, "Soldier, what's your name? Which state are you from?"

The soldier's lips moved, but he couldn't speak immediately. His eyes quickly reddened, and his body trembled slightly.

Viktor sensed something was wrong, softened his tone, and asked with concern, "What's wrong, young man? You can tell me anything."

These words seemed to shatter the soldier's last psychological defenses.

He could no longer hold back and burst into tears, which streamed down his face. This sudden turn of events plunged the scene into an instant of deathly silence. The previously harmonious and warm atmosphere vanished, and everyone's eyes were focused on the weeping soldier and the astonished Viktor.

Lieutenant General Skorzne's face suddenly darkened, and his sharp gaze swept over the officer of the soldier's unit. Several senior officers around him also tensed up instantly, their faces drained of color, and an invisible pressure filled the air.

Governor Shirach's smile froze on his face, and he looked somewhat at a loss.

Victor raised his hand, signaling the others to be quiet.

He stepped forward and asked in an almost elder brotherly tone, "Don't be afraid, tell me what happened? Did you suffer any injustice in the company?"

The soldier sobbed, wiping his face with his sleeve, and stammered, "Reporting...reporting to the leader...my name is Juan...the squad leader and company commander...they don't like me...they always make trouble for me...they make me do all the heavy and dirty work...and they laugh at my accent...at night...at night they won't let me sleep in the barracks...they make me...make me sleep in the tool shed next to the toilet..."

After he finished speaking, the room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The officers around him were all pale-faced, especially the unit commanders who might be involved in the matter, whose foreheads were already covered in cold sweat.

The young soldier Juan's sobbing accusations stirred up a storm.

The temperature on the parade ground, which had just been filled with a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere, suddenly dropped, and the air seemed to freeze.

A deathly silence descended, broken only by Juan's suppressed sobs and the distant fluttering of flags in the wind.

Lieutenant General Skorzneh's face, which had initially shown a hint of satisfaction, froze in disbelief, then visibly darkened and turned ashen.

The officers were already pale, their foreheads glistening with cold sweat in the sunlight, their legs trembling almost imperceptibly, wishing they could disappear into the ground.

Governor Shirach's smile vanished completely, replaced by a mixture of shock and embarrassment. He unconsciously rubbed his hands together, his gaze darting around, unsure of where to look.

The gentle concern on Viktor's face slowly faded, but he didn't immediately react.

He listened quietly until Juan finished speaking.

He reached out and patted Juan's trembling shoulder heavily, his voice unusually steady yet carrying an undeniable strength: "Good boy, you've been wronged. It takes a lot of courage to speak the truth. This isn't your fault."

He paused, glanced around at the silent officers, and then looked back at Juan: "I assure you, this matter will be handled fairly. Now, you can return to your unit."

After calming the soldiers down, Viktor slowly turned around.

When he looked up again, all the gentleness on his face had vanished, replaced by a somber, impending storm. His eyes narrowed, slowly sweeping over Lieutenant General Skorzeny and the row of high-ranking officers behind him, their epaulets gleaming.

“Lieutenant General Skorzeny,” Victor’s voice was not loud, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly, “and all of you senior commanders. Everyone, to the command center. Now.”

The command is concise and leaves no room for doubt.

No one dared to utter a sound, not even a whisper, as they followed Viktor and Skorzne, whose faces were extremely grim, toward the base's command building.

In the conference room, Viktor walked straight to the head seat and sat down, leaning back in his chair as he watched the group of generals and colonels file in.

"Stand still," Viktor said calmly.

The officers immediately straightened their backs and stood in two rows.

However, Viktor's next command struck them like a thunderbolt: "Crouch down!"

For a moment, the conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Skorzeny's lips twitched, and he was about to speak, "Leader, this..."

"What?" Viktor abruptly interrupted him, his voice rising sharply with undisguised sarcasm. "Lieutenant General Skorzny, now that you're a general, you can't even do the most basic squat? Do I need to have my guards demonstrate it for you?"

Skorzeny immediately squatted down upon hearing this.

Seeing him take the lead, the other officers no longer dared to hesitate. Regardless of age or build, they all grimaced and squatted down. (Squatting is quite an ordeal!)
Victor stopped looking at them and turned to Casare beside him: "Investigate. Immediately. Bring all the relevant people here and question them separately."

Casare accepted the order and left quickly and silently.

The next half hour or so became the longest and most agonizing period of these officers' lives.

Squatting is extremely physically demanding, especially for these pampered senior officers. Before long, some of them began to tremble and sweat on their foreheads, but no one dared to move.

Time passed by, and about half an hour went by.

Finally, the door was pushed open, and Casare walked back.

He walked straight to Viktor, leaned down and whispered a few words, then nodded solemnly. His voice was not loud, but loud enough for the squatting man to hear clearly: "Leader, it has been verified. It is true, and more than once. That company commander and his trusted squad leader have repeatedly mocked Juan's accent in public, in front of many soldiers, and subjected him to corporal punishment and personal insults."

"Bang!"

Viktor slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

His calm expression was completely replaced by a furious rage. He ripped off his military belt, gripped it in his hand, and strode toward Lieutenant General Skorzeny, who was crouching at the front.

Without any warning, Victor raised his belt and, with a whoosh, lashed Skorzeny hard across the back!

A sharp "smack!" rang out, particularly jarring in the silent conference room.

Caught off guard, Skorzeny groaned, his body jolted, and he almost fell over, but he managed to steady himself in his squatting position.

"Officers and soldiers are one family!" Viktor's roar echoed like thunder throughout the conference room. "I say it every day! Every month! Is this the kind of soldier you trained?! Is this the army you command?!"

As he cursed, he lashed out several more times without mercy, the belt landing solidly on Skorzne's shoulders and back.

"A high-ranking officer? A lieutenant general? You can't even do the most basic thing like treating your soldiers like your own children! You let your men do such a thing—insulting your brothers and undermining unity! How can you be a commander?!"

"If you can't do it! Then get the hell back to the logistics farm and raise pigs! The army doesn't support bureaucrats like you!"

He gripped his armor belt and strode heavily past the senior officers, starting with the crouching Lieutenant General Skorzeny and moving on to the next.

"Snap!" The belt lashed hard across the back of another major general.

"The principle of unity between officers and soldiers, have you all swallowed it whole?!"

"Thwack!" Another blow landed on the shoulder of a colonel who was covered in sweat.

"When a soldier calls you 'sir,' it means he trusts you to lead him well, not that you can act like a tyrant!"

"Snapped!"

"Look at the state of you! You can't even squat properly, how can you lead troops into battle?!"

With each curse Viktor uttered, the belt slammed down with a sharp crack. He showed no mercy; the belt struck the woolen uniforms of the senior officers with a dull, chilling sound.

No one dared to dodge or even utter a sound; they could only endure it. The only sounds in the conference room were the whistling of belts, the whipping of belts, Victor's roars, and the officers' suppressed groans and heavy breathing.

Everyone was beaten, starting with Skorzeny and ending with the lowest-ranking colonel.

When Viktor finished off the last man, he stopped, his chest heaving with anger and the force of his movements. He looked around at his once imposing generals, now crouching in a sorry state, their backs burning with pain, and the anger in his eyes subsided slightly.

He slammed the belt down on the conference table with a loud crash.

"Stand up, all of you!" Viktor commanded, his voice calm but more chilling than his previous roar.

The officers grimaced, barely managing to stand up with their nearly numb legs, their ranks crooked.

"The fighting power of an army comes from iron discipline, but even more so from brotherhood. I can tolerate strict training, severe criticism after tactical mistakes, and even necessary court-martial on the battlefield! But I will never allow, never allow such despicable behavior that insults people's dignity and destroys morale to exist in my army!"

“Beat and physical punishment may be commonplace in some old-style armies, but not here! We are building a new kind of army. Soldiers entrust their youth and lives to us, and what we should give back to them is rigorous training, fair treatment, and human dignity! Not being treated as objects to be bullied at will because of their accent, background, or any other reason!”

He pointed at Casare and gave orders to the military police and political officers from the Supreme Command who had followed him: "Immediately establish a special investigation team, with you in direct charge. Use this company as a starting point to thoroughly investigate the entire army, whether it is the California Military District or any other military district, no matter which unit, no matter who is involved. If there is any similar bullying of soldiers or insult to their dignity, they will be severely punished! Those who should be dismissed will be dismissed, those who should be investigated will be investigated, and those with serious circumstances will be sent to military court!"

"Yes, leader!" Casare stood at attention and accepted the order, his eyes sharp.

Viktor finally looked at Skorzeny and the others, whose faces were ashen and whose backs were still throbbing with pain: "This time, it was a belt. Next time, if I find out that this kind of scum happens in someone's unit, it won't be as simple as just whipping you a few times with a belt."

"Remember how you felt today, remember why you were beaten! Go back and reorganize your troops! I want to see real change!"

The officers felt as if they had been granted a pardon, yet were also filled with shame. They saluted in unison and staggered out of the meeting room.

After they left, Casare hesitated for a moment and asked, "Boss, wasn't that too strict?"

"You've never led troops before, but remember this: if you treat your subordinates like human beings, they'll treat you like human beings; if you treat your subordinates like dogs, they'll kill you without hesitation."

Throughout history, how many people have been killed by their subordinates?

and…

If someone were to investigate the problems within the South Korean military, they would know that either nothing happens, or when something does, it's a truly major issue. And this problem isn't unique to South Korea; many countries have similar issues.

(Please refer to the information yourself, dear readers. All I can say is that some people can be truly ruthless when they get angry.)
Victor took a deep breath. "What a mess. Let's go back!"

After saying that, he got into the car and, before leaving, opened the window and said to a military officer, "Give the phone to Juan; we need to follow up at any time."

"Yes!"

“Leader, aren’t we going to stay a little longer?” Governor Baldur Schirach asked hastily.

"You've had your fill of anger, so you should do your job well and not cause any more trouble."

"clear."

Less than a day after Victor returned to Mexico, the military issued a document, a statement on strengthening unity and camaraderie among the troops.

Furthermore, a new round of anti-corruption and anti-bullying efforts within the military was initiated.

Moreover, they even issued an official document directly criticizing the issue of the troops stationed in California, and hey, the entire army is undergoing a rectification.

Lieutenant General Otto Skorzeny, commander of the California Armed Forces, was nearly verbally abused to death.

Waste snacks!

(End of this chapter)