Working as a police officer in Mexico.

Chapter 722 Don Quixote's Overestimation of His Own Abilities.

The two jogged to a viewing platform at the top of the track, stopped, held onto the railing, and gazed at the gradually awakening city skyline in the distance.

The sunrise gilded Mexico City's skyline.

It looks absolutely gorgeous.

Victor did some simple stretches, moving his wrists and ankles, and casually asked, "Casare, do you think... I've been in Mexico City for too long?"

He turned his head, his gaze seemingly casually falling on Casare, "So long that some people down here have almost forgotten who I am, forgotten how this country has grown step by step from the ruins."

These words, though spoken lightly, struck Casare's heart like a bolt of lightning.

His calf stretching motion suddenly froze, and he instinctively braced his hand against the railing. He looked up and met Victor's deep eyes. Casare felt a tightness in his throat, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped out from his back.

As a trusted confidant, he naturally knew what his boss meant by those words.

There is already considerable dissatisfaction with the lower-level bureaucrats.

He's going to... kill someone!

Just like why ancient emperors loved to go on tours, aside from the fact that Emperor Qianlong liked to chase after women and find rich men, many of them were actually there to consolidate power among the lower classes.

Tell everyone, "the sky" is pressing down!
Viktor didn't wait for his answer, nor did he seem to need it.

He turned back and looked at the city below.
Does the situation in Michoacán appear to be an isolated case?

He paused, as if asking himself a question, or perhaps interrogating Casare.

“The criminal networks in Latin America are like weeds. Once burned, as long as the roots are still there, they can be revived as soon as the spring breeze blows. But Mexico’s geographical location is too good, so good that those outlaws are reluctant to give it up. To the north, it connects to the money empire, and to the south, it leads to the chaotic paradise. If we don’t clean up our own house, this is the best breeding ground and cash cow for them.”

"The parasites and bandits of Michoacán have been caught, but I ask you, Casare, across the country, how many 'Hernandez families' are still secretly operating their smuggling routes? How many 'Santa Ana Free Citizens' are entrenched in remote corners, thinking they're far from the emperor's reach? Those officials with clean books and impeccably dressed, those seemingly law-abiding families that have been passed down for generations, those companies with beautiful accounts that contribute to GDP… even some organizations with a legitimate facade…"

Viktor turned his head sharply.

"How many hands and networks of interests have they entangled with, already intertwined with those shady dealings, sucking the blood of this country to fatten their own pockets, while they still think they can hide in the shadows forever?"

In fact, looking at it from another perspective, are some of the man-made disasters that you think are actually man-made disasters?
Or was it done intentionally?
“There are some things I won’t bear the blame for, but then… if I hand over the position to you, would you dare to do it? When Felix’s generation comes to power, would they dare to take action against those Brahmins who have already controlled GDP and local public opinion?”

As Casare listened, he felt his mouth go dry and his heart pounding as if it were about to burst out of his chest.

Wow, that sentence is packed with information!

“Boss…” Casare’s voice was slightly hoarse. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. “I understand. The body of a nation needs regular detoxification. Some abscesses will only spread deeper if they are not completely squeezed out.”

"No matter what, I support you."

Viktor's expression softened.

"Get ready to assemble a lean and efficient team. The members must be absolutely reliable, tight-lipped, and, most importantly, clear-headed. Once things settle down in Michoacán and the situation stabilizes, I'm going to leave Mexico City and go for a walk around and take a look."

"Go south first, then go around to the north."

“Give some people another chance, and also give them a warning. Let them clean up their own mess and stop touching what they shouldn’t have. If when I get to them they still won’t listen…”

Casare nodded emphatically: "I understand, boss. I will personally oversee the selection of the team to ensure that nothing goes wrong. You should go down and take a walk, so that those people below can wake up."

“Hmm,” Viktor nodded slightly, continuing as he walked down the steps of the viewing platform, “Governing a country is like treating an illness. Severe cases require strong medicine, but the follow-up care cannot be neglected. You can’t achieve a bright and just world by killing alone. You also need to establish rules and cultivate a positive atmosphere so that everyone understands that only by obeying the law and being loyal to the country can one survive and have a future.”

It was rare for Viktor to say something like that.

Casare followed suit, echoing, "You're right. Swift measures are a last resort; ultimately, we must establish a long-term mechanism to prevent officials from being corrupt and to make it impossible for criminals to hide."

The idea that high salaries can prevent corruption is actually a false proposition.

Will a higher salary prevent one from being greedy?
Higher salaries lead to greater greed, like eunuchs no longer seeking women? That's utter nonsense.

As the two were talking, Captain Rohus Misch hurried over from the other end of the track, his face showing a hint of lingering tension.

“Leader, Mr. Casare.”

Misch stopped and spoke slightly quickly, “I just received an urgent report from Michoacán Oblast that Commander Joffre was ambushed by a small group of armed men while leading a patrol to the border region this morning.”

Casare's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "How is it? Is Commander Joffre alright?"

Misch quickly replied, "It was a close call! The enemy's firepower was weak; it seemed to be a harassment tactic. The accompanying guards reacted swiftly and immediately launched a counterattack. The firefight lasted less than ten minutes before the bandits scattered and fled into the mountains. Commander Joffre is safe and sound and has returned to headquarters safely."

Casare breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest: "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright. These guys are like persistent ghosts!"

After listening, Victor looked at Casare, who was still shaken, and said meaningfully:
"See that, Casare? Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone those desperate criminals who have been cut off from their livelihood and driven to the brink of desperation. We've severed their roots and overturned their plans, how could they not be driven to the brink? Their subsequent counterattack will only be more frantic and utterly ruthless."

He paused, then said, “Therefore, we cannot afford to be complacent or show the slightest mercy. To show pity for the enemy is to be cruel to our own people. Tell Felix, tell Joffre, tell everyone on the front lines to open their eyes wide and grip their guns tightly! This war is far from over.”

……

When Felix received news at his temporary command center in Morelia that Commander Joffre had been ambushed during a border patrol, his heart clenched and he nearly jumped out of his throat.

Only after confirming that Xiafei was safe and sound, and that it was just a false alarm, did he let out a long sigh of relief, followed by a surge of anger rising to the top of his head.

"Good! Very good! These bastards really won't learn their lesson until they're faced with death! They even dared to touch the military region commander; it seems they're determined to fight us to the bitter end!"

Standing beside him was Army Chief of Staff Sigmar Lister, who had just been ordered to arrive in Michoacán to coordinate the forces of the surrounding military districts and was looking equally grim.

If Joffre really died...

That would have been really beautiful; thankfully, there were no problems.

“That’s not surprising, Felix.”

With the composure characteristic of a seasoned veteran, Liszt said, “These armed groups entrenched in the mountains, especially those ethnic minority separatist forces that use the banners of ‘national self-determination’ and ‘protecting traditional culture,’ are best at two things: first, using the familiar terrain to wage guerrilla warfare against us, like lice in the mountains, hiding in rock crevices and jungles to launch sniper attacks; second, using those so-called human rights organizations and free media abroad that have nothing better to do than wage a massive propaganda war!”

He walked to the huge state map and circled the mountainous areas marked as having frequent armed activity with his finger. “Look at these places. They are high in the mountains and dense in the forests. The roads are rugged and it is difficult for our heavy equipment to be deployed. They break into small groups, attack patrols, destroy infrastructure, assassinate tribal elders and local officials who cooperate with us, and then turn around and disappear into the mountains, making it impossible for you to catch the main force.”

"What's even more disgusting is their rhetoric!"

Lister's tone was full of contempt and anger: "They set up so-called governments-in-exile and information centers abroad, and through illegal radio stations, smuggled videotapes, and foreign newspapers that have received bribes, they desperately spread rumors that our Mexican government is carrying out 'ethnic cleansing' and 'cultural genocide,' and that we are suppressing their 'struggle for freedom'! They call on the international community to sanction us and call on all 'people of conscience' to provide them with financial and weapons aid!"

Felix, hands on his hips, exclaimed, "Fuck 'genocide'! We're killing armed thugs who took up arms against the government, slaughtered the military and police, and harmed civilians. What does their ethnicity have to do with it? Just because they have darker skin and speak a local language, does that give them the right to act lawlessly, smuggling, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion? This bullshit logic is infuriating! According to their logic, if my parents gave birth to me without my consent, am I a victim? Does the whole world owe me something?"

"Then Black people are always right." "Falsehoods always find a market, especially among Western 'Mother Teresa's' who are far removed from the facts and only want to see the stories they want to hear. This 'victim narrative,' packaged with a few seemingly pitiful so-called 'tribal girls' or 'elders' crying in front of the camera, easily wins the sympathy of the ignorant, causing us diplomatic trouble and international pressure. Although leaders don't care about these buzzing flies, a toad crawling on your foot doesn't bite, it's disgusting!"

Felix walked to the communications station, picked up the encrypted phone, and directly connected with Joseph Joffre, who was stationed at the border command headquarters.

I offered a few words of reassurance first.

"Commander Joffre, I'm so glad you're alright."

"It seems that simply cracking down on local bullies is not enough. Some local tyrants think that we dare not go into the mountains, or that even if we do, we can't do anything to them."

Xia Fei's voice on the other end of the phone was calm and steady. "I understand, Felix. Their attack was hasty, more like a test and provocation, but it also shows that they are in the mountains and watching our every move. Clearing out enemies in mountainous areas is difficult and costly, that's an objective fact."

“I even think they have informants down the mountain.”

"I'll deal with the bastards down the mountain. Even if I turn Morelia upside down, I'll drag out all those spies and spies, skin them alive!"

Felix said fiercely, then changed the subject, "But the savages in the mountains are too annoying, buzzing like flies, and they even dare to bite people! We have to think of a way, either to drive them down like livestock, or to let them rot and suffocate in those godforsaken gullies!"

Xia Fei was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone. When she spoke again, her voice was cruel: "Mr. Felike, if we want to solve the problem, we should do it in the most thorough way. Being humane and concerned about international opinion when dealing with these venomous snakes that live in the mountains will only cause our young men to bleed more."

He paused, then spoke clearly, word by word: "I suggest that we apply to the Leader and the Ministry of Defense for special authorization to carry out...regional cleanup in the core mountainous region of the Golden Triangle bordering Michoacán, Guerrero, and Mexico, as well as in key mountain ranges like Santa Ana where stubborn separatist armed groups are entrenched."

“Regional purification?” Felix frowned.

"Correct."

"Using large-scale chemical defoliants and soil pollutants, spraying them at high density and on a massive scale, will destroy their coca fields and poppy fields. This is equivalent to cutting off their source of income. More importantly, it will deprive those savages who depend on the mountains and forests for survival of their vegetation and clean water sources! I want to turn those dense forests into withered and rotten woodlands, and turn mountain streams into toxic ditches! I want to compress their living space to the limit! Let's see if they are willing to come out and fight us head-on on the plains, or prefer to cling to their sacred mountains and rot away to death inside!"

These words made Felix feel a bloody smell emanating from them, and he subconsciously glanced at the Army Chief of Staff Lister beside him.

Lister's face was expressionless, showing neither agreement nor disagreement; only his deep eyes gleamed with a weighing of pros and cons.

I knew Xiafei was a ruthless guy, but I didn't expect him to be this ruthless.

Chemical weapons, once used, will cause a huge uproar on the international stage. Although the leader may not care, the subsequent troubles will certainly be considerable.

“Damn it… extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!” Felix spat, his voice resolute as he spoke into the microphone, “Commander Joffre, I agree to your plan in principle! This report will be co-signed by you and me. I will immediately seek urgent approval from Leader Victor and Secretary Kennedy. Just wait, if they approve, I’ll make you clean up this mountain in Michoacán from head to toe!”

He put down the phone, took a deep breath, and looked at Lister: "General, what do you think..."

Lister finally spoke slowly, his voice low: "Tactically, this is the fastest and potentially least costly method. Strategically… it requires a political decision from the leader. Write a report, clearly explaining the pros and cons. As for the consequences…"

"We soldiers are only concerned with winning wars; let the politicians handle the political storms."

“Okay!” Felix did not hesitate any longer. The request report, encrypted with the highest level of security, was placed on Secretary of Defense Kennedy’s large desk within two hours of the incident.

Secretary Kennedy picked up the report, his sharp gaze sweeping over the title and summary—

"An urgent request for instructions regarding the implementation of a 'regional cleanup' operation in specific mountainous areas of Michoacán Oblast to completely eradicate separatist armed groups."

Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up his pen and quickly signed his name in the approval column.

"Send it to the Prime Minister's office immediately." He handed the document to the confidential secretary standing beside him.

The document was quickly delivered to Casare.

As Viktor's close confidant and administrative hub, such important decision-making documents usually required him to review them and sign his preliminary opinions before they were presented to the leader.

Casare read every word of the report carefully, especially the specific plan proposed by Joseph Joffre and Felix's menacing reasons for supporting it.

His brow furrowed slightly as his fingertips tapped lightly on the words "chemical defoliants" and "soil pollutants."

This method is indeed too cruel. Once implemented, international condemnation will surely come like a tidal wave, and there will likely be dissenting voices within the country as well.

Most importantly, the soil in Michoacán will remain uncultivated for a very, very long time!

But thinking of the desperate criminals entrenched in the mountains who kept launching attacks, and of the "fugitives" and "the body of the nation" that Victor had mentioned, Casare took a deep breath and suppressed the slight unease in his heart.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to one's own people.

He picked up the pen, solemnly signed his name next to Kennedy's signature, then personally picked up the documents and walked towards Victor's office.

Victor was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, with his back to the door, gazing at the Mexico City skyline at dusk.

Casare walked in quietly and placed the documents on his large desk.

"Boss, this is an urgent request just submitted by Michoacán. Secretary Kennedy and I have both signed our opinions."

Viktor paused for a moment, then slowly turned around, walked to the table, glanced at the title of the document, but didn't open it. He reached into the cigarette case on the table, took out two cigarettes, put one in his own mouth, and handed the other to Casare.

With a "click," the lighter shot out a flame.

"Why do these people always forget what they've been taught?"

“We gave them a way to survive and the opportunity to integrate into modern society, but they didn’t want it.”

He exhaled a smoke ring. "We broke their bones, wiped out their main force, and they still aren't satisfied. Now, do we have to wait until we uproot them and turn their mountains into dead lands before they'll finally settle down? If you really don't like this country, don't like the rules I set, why don't you just get out of here sooner? South, north, the world is so big, where can't you go?"

He shook his head, as if mocking the stupidity and stubbornness of his opponents.

Viktor casually stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray. "People often lack self-awareness. They always think they can challenge windmills, but they forget that a windmill can crush a fly without even feeling any resistance."

"People often praise Don Quixote's bravery, but I ridicule him for overestimating his abilities!"

Having said that, he no longer hesitated, picked up the seal on the table that represented the highest authority, dipped it in the bright red ink, and then firmly and forcefully stamped it on the approval column of the report.

"boom."

A soft sound, yet it sounded unusually heavy in the quiet office.

The operation has been approved!
……

(End of this chapter)