Gundam 00: Rise of China

"Hey, Captain Anura, why don't you seem happy at all?"

At the People's Revolutionary Alliance military base on Ceylon Island, Major Wang Ye was summoned to the mainland to receive an award for defeating Celestial Being's Gundam.

While ordinary soldiers in the base certainly wouldn't have the honor of returning to their homeland, the People's Revolutionary Alliance has always been very generous to its own soldiers.

Therefore, they will receive all the honors they deserve, and a considerable amount of funding has been specially allocated to purchase fine wines and delicacies for the soldiers in the base to relax.

Of course, the alcohol will be supplied on demand; it's impossible for everyone to get completely drunk.

But when it comes to food, there are absolutely no restrictions...

Therefore, long tables on the open-air playground stretch from east to west, with golden and crispy roasted chicken glistening with the oil of spices, and the sweet aroma of coconut rice mixed with the rich flavor of curry mutton filling the air.

Lobsters and groupers, freshly caught from the waters off Ceylon, sizzled as they were grilled, while a small mountain of mangoes, pineapples, and rambutans was piled up beside them.

Attracted by the delicious food and wine, the soldiers sat together in twos and threes.

The sounds of clinking glasses and laughter filled the air.

However, the most eye-catching were the native soldiers of Ceylon, who originally belonged to two different ethnic groups.

They were sharing the same plate of food, arm in arm, joking with each other in their respective dialects.

Several soldiers from the local People's Revolutionary Alliance were surrounded and performed a demonstration of splitting coconuts with their bare hands, which drew cheers.

However, amidst this sea of ​​jubilation, only those who had made outstanding contributions in the previous battles stood out.

Lieutenant Anura Pereira, the leader of the Iron Man Squad who fought against Setsuna, was not in a good mood.

It looks a bit too eye-catching.

Anura sat alone on a stone bench in the corner of the playground, holding an unopened bottle of beer in her hand, her gaze calmly sweeping over the bustling crowd in front of her.

He saw a soldier of his own tribe giving the largest piece of roasted mutton to a fellow soldier of another tribe who had lost an arm.

They watched as two soldiers who should have been facing off were now chatting and embracing, and saw several teenage soldiers chasing a monkey that had stolen food across the parade ground.

Anura's gaze gradually became complicated.

In the past, he would never have dared to imagine such a scene.

At that time, Ceylon was a living hell.

The hatred between the two groups had run deep, and the residential areas were separated by minefields and barbed wire.

Armed personnel with live ammunition and bombed-out houses can be seen everywhere on the streets.

Children learn from a young age to avoid stray bullets; women must cover their faces completely with headscarves when they go out; and men either pick up guns and join one side or can only eke out a living in the cracks.

Anura will never forget the day he was ten years old when he witnessed his best friend being shot and killed by enemy soldiers.

Just because he wasn't on either side, he couldn't forget the year he was twelve when his village was burned to the ground by the enemy.

His mother was burned alive in her own home while trying to protect him.

At that time, he thought that such days would continue forever, until the last person on Ceylon died.

Until a few years ago, the People's Revolutionary Alliance's army entered Ceylon.

Unlike some countries that used the guise of goodwill to plunder resources.

The People's Revolutionary Alliance not only brought the army, but also 200,000 volunteers to fight poverty.

They built schools and hospitals on the ruins, constructed roads and railways connecting various residential areas, and drilled thousands of deep wells, allowing villagers who had never drunk clean water in their lives to drink tap water for the first time.

They don't discriminate based on ethnicity or religion; anyone from Ceylon can receive help.

They taught children to read and write, taught farmers scientific farming methods, and taught women weaving and handicrafts.

They poured their hearts and souls into bringing about tremendous changes to this war-torn island.

Now, there are no more gunshots on Ceylon, and no more displaced refugees.

Children can happily go to school with their schoolbags on their backs, farmers can work in the fields with peace of mind, and merchants can do business in the market with confidence.

Two groups that were once bitter enemies can now sit together, drink and chat, become friends, and even comrades-in-arms.

All of this was brought about by the People's Revolutionary Alliance!

"What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

A familiar voice rang in his ears, and Anura came to his senses to see Lieutenant Vikram Nadaraja standing in front of him, holding two glasses filled with beer.

Vikram followed Anura's gaze to the soldiers enjoying themselves on the parade ground and instantly understood what the other was thinking.

He then handed one of the cups to Anura, picked up the other cup for himself, and said with a smile.

"I know what you're thinking. Think about the past, and then look at the present. It really feels like a dream."

Anura and Vikram took the glasses, clinked them together, and took a small sip.

The cold beer slid down her throat, but it did nothing to dispel the gloom in Anura's heart.

"Yes, it's like a dream," Anura said softly. "Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, afraid that when I open my eyes, I'll be back in that war-torn era."

"No, it won't happen." Vikram patted him on the shoulder and said firmly.

Those days are over.

"Look, everything is getting better now. There are more teachers in schools and more doctors in hospitals."

"The highways in most parts of the island will be open to traffic next month, and in a few years, Ceylon will definitely become even better."

Anura nodded without refuting, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Vikram, what exactly are the Celestials and the others doing this for?"

Vikram's smile froze upon hearing this.

"They said they would use force to eradicate war."

Noticing the other person's expression, Anura continued speaking.

"To be honest, the concept of harmony between humanity and nature is indeed very attractive to me."

"If only there could be no war forever."

"But?" Vikram asked the other person seriously.

If my friend doesn't have a "but," then there's a big problem!

"But I doubt they can really do it?"

Fortunately, Anura still had his senses. He looked up and stared into Vikram's eyes.

"Using force to end a war is a paradox in itself."

"Moreover, their ideas are too abstract; it's just a slogan."

"War is war, and it's not something that can be ended so easily."

Upon hearing this, Vikram's expression softened slightly.

"Anura, you're right. The Celestial Beings' philosophy does sound wonderful, and it's especially irresistible to those of us born in war-torn lands."

"However, no matter how high the tone is set, if you can't put your feet on the ground and do something practical, it's just empty talk."

"The People's Revolutionary Alliance has never shouted any fancy slogans, has it?"

"But we've seen what they've done."

"They brought us peace, food, and hope."

"The reason we're in the People's Revolutionary League's army is precisely because they're actually doing something, isn't it?"

At this point, Vikram's voice became somewhat urgent.

"Anura, we are soldiers, and our duty is to protect this land and our people."

"Now that Ceylon has finally found hope for peace, we absolutely cannot let anyone destroy it."

"At a time like this, don't force me to stand opposite you with a gun again!"