Side Story: Hell on Earth
Chapter 113
A Night of Double Happiness
Last night, Liberte had threatened his wife. Today, he embraced his sisters in turn, gently encouraging and comforting his kin. He told an amusing story the lively, cheerful atmosphere of the bustling crowd, and together with the guests, he congratulated the two newlywed couples on a lifetime of happiness, many children and grandchildren, and endless joy.
The lively chatter blended with the beautiful melodies filling the hall. Everyone was stirred with excitement, cheering and celebrating, and that exuberance infected the Great General as well. He took Maria's hand. Maria followed her husband, slightly confused, onto the colorful, glittering stage.
When the Great General politely invited his wife to dance, she was a bit flustered. The Great General smiled gently, his right hand supporting her waist, his left hand holding hers, as they swayed lightly to the classical music. He glanced down with a half-smile—everyone had already found a suitable dance partner.
Maria saw at a glance that Liberte was taking turns dancing in turn with his wives. Belief and Ji were teaching Ange every dance step, so that she could share the joy with the guests. The children mingled among the crowd; Maria had to appear cheerful and delighted to please the Great General. This scene almost recreated the birthday night a week ago, the atmosphere just as lively.
Every year on the Great General's birthday, he would often invite senior officials and families who had made special contributions to the Hive. This year, Liberte had helped the Hive solve many thorny problems and had proposed an effective plan for restoring human resources. After deliberation, the leaders decided to promote him to captain and groom him for the position of deputy army commander.
Maria's family had always been the hardest-working and most resilient among the evacuees, completing all tasks with distinction, and only Maria had achieved the highest score on the leaderboard. The Great General had specially invited her. Using the pretext of favoring her, he encouraged both soldiers and civilians to increase production. Anyone who accomplished the same feat would receive the same honor as Maria.
If An had not suddenly fallen ill, she would have gone with her parents. She said she had caught a chill bathing on her wedding night and had been bedridden with a high fever ever since. Liberte apologized to the Great General and requested permission for himself and his family to care for his wife. The Great General agreed and even sent a doctor to examine her. The wives diligently took care of An to please their husband.
In the end, only Maria and Wan went to the Great General's residence.
The Old Great General was tall and imposing, dressed in a high-ranking military uniform, his medals gleaming, majestic and awe-inspiring. Upon first meeting Maria, this rose of mixed heritage—possessing the simple, unadorned beauty of both East and West, yet tinged with a vulnerability that stirred a man's desire to protect her—captivated the Great General deeply.
Powerful men always display their masculinity, hiding their flaws and showing off all their strengths, just to win the favor of the woman they wish to conquer. Beside them, officials ate and drank while discussing work arrangements, debating how to make working hours and personnel structures more reasonable than before. Their expressions were grim, as they had yet to find a solution to the most pressing issue—unless this problem was thoroughly resolved, everything else would easily fall into deadlock. Wan boldly proposed:
"Gentlemen, ever since the Hive announced that soldiers and civilians have the right to contribute their opinions, Maria has put forward many excellent proposals at the village meetings. Please allow her to express her views."
The entire hall was engrossed in heated discussion. The Great General had already intended to get to know Maria, and now, hearing this unexpected news from Wan, he grew even more interested in her, naturally agreeing with pleasure. Maria lowered her head in thanks.
She slowly presented and outlined the Hive's development strategy: first, a short-term plan to solve urgent problems quickly, compactly, and efficiently; then a long-term plan to address everything more thoroughly. Both the short-term and long-term plans were entirely reasonable, every detail flawless.
The Old Great General and everyone present were amazed by Maria's foresight and insight—she had used such a subtle and ingenious approach to resolve that dilemma. This wise and nuanced woman expressed herself with such perfect measure that her listeners were filled with admiration… and… vaguely sensed that she seemed to have many more ideas and strategies that she had not fully revealed.
She dared not steal the Great General's spotlight tonight. Overdoing it would be mere pretense, and would make her a thorn in the eyes of the jealous. If ordinary people begrudged her, she would have to endure all sorts of troubles.
Those in high positions and great power were dissatisfied that their own abilities could not match those of a lowly female evacuee. A group of petty people secretly harbored grudges, viewing her as an enemy who must be eliminated.
The Old Great General went from initially wanting to conquer her body, to astonishment, disbelief… admiration… for this rare woman of both beauty and talent. He sighed:
"What a pity, such a pity…"
Everyone turned to the Old Great General in surprise. The Great General said softly:
"I truly regret that the Hive has missed out on such talent all these years. If we had discovered her earlier, perhaps we would not be struggling like this now; we might have made leaps and bounds."
Such praise for the perfection of her strategies was not excessive, yet those listening still felt that the Great General was displaying a strong, masculine charm before a beautiful woman before a beautiful woman.
Seeing the plan proceed smoothly, Wan smiled secretly with satisfaction. He glanced at Maria, who was smiling and thanking the Great General for his compliment. The Great General warmly offered Maria a glass of mild wine. She respectfully took a sip.
Hearing the music signaling the end of the birthday gathering, the Great General politely invited Maria to dance. She shyly took his hand and walked toward the center of the hall.
As Maria danced with the Great General, her skilled, rhythmic, and graceful moves captivated the powerful man, who was enchanted by her beauty—her simplicity and shyness, like that of a country girl, complemented her intellectual elegance perfectly.
Whoever possessed even one of these two deadly weapons held half the key to success. The gods had bestowed upon Maria both allurements, to captivate the heart of this Great General.
This experienced old general had now fallen into a hopeless infatuation, fallen into the net of love, burning with longing. Throughout the twenty-minute dance, the Great General never took his eyes off Maria, occasionally even missing a step.
Wan raised his wine glass to his lips, hiding his triumphant smile. He noticed that each time the Great General faltered, he would quickly cover it up in different ways, always displaying an elegant and refined Western gentlemanly demeanor.
The music stopped; the gathering ended. As the guests were about to leave, the Great General suddenly proposed to Maria. The emotions among the men and women were divided. The women secretly envied this lowly woman's sudden rise to prominence—the ugly duckling turning into a swan overnight.
The men, however, were quite at ease with this decision. The general was known for his habit of claiming the best for himself. Maria, with her exceptional beauty and talent, was perfectly suited to be his lifelong partner, offering him assistance and advice in all matters, helping him secure benefits and protect his career.
The Great General must marry immediately; he could not wait too long, lest rumors spread and he face the risk of losing the wife to another. The greatest danger was if a direct political rival were to marry Maria, the Great General would end up with nothing—losing his wife and suffering numerous losses. He seized this golden opportunity, acting quickly to secure victory and claim his prize as soon as possible.
The key was that Maria had already endured enough humiliation and torment. This unfortunate woman dreamed of having a solid pillar of support… to… protect her small family, so she naturally accepted the proposal.
Wan could barely suppress a scream of excitement. He was ecstatic, more thrilled than when reaching climax with a girl, laughing joyfully and celebrating with silent screams in his heart. That petty man glanced at those hypocrites who had been eager to possess Maria, but they were one step too late, becoming the ones who came after.
They swallowed their hatred—they were far inferior to the Great General, unable to compete with someone more powerful and clever for the woman's affections. So they suppressed their rage and offered their enthusiastic, loud congratulations to the Great General.
"Thank you, everyone! Tomorrow I will announce the good news to the entire Hive. The wedding will be held on the same day as Belief and Ange's wedding!"
Everyone appreciated this idea. Mother and daughter married on the same day—a double blessing, an auspicious omen, a wonderful sign for the bright future of the Hive.
After long moments of praise and congratulations, Wan bid farewell to the Great General and Maria along with the others. Once the crowd had dispersed, the Great General immediately scooped her up.
The sudden movement caught Maria off guard; instinctively, she reached out and wrapped her arms around the Great General's shoulders.
The Old Great General smiled at his shy bride-to-be. Maria looked around in confusion at the servants, maids, and soldiers nearby. All of them lowered their heads in a solemn welcome to the new mistress of the Great General's residence.
Possessing everything a man could dream of, this powerful man let out a triumphant, drawn-out laugh, then leisurely carried Maria back to his own chambers.
***
The gentle music that suddenly began to play snapped Maria back to reality. Flustered for a moment, her dance steps fell out of sync with the Great General's rhythm.
"Forgive me, I was careless…"
The Great General said absently:
"One may be careless with small matters, but one must never be careless with matters of great importance…"
The Great General smiled, leaving the sentence unfinished. That smile seemed not quite a smile, but rather a warning: if a mistake were made, Maria's family would pay a heavy price, and their bright future would turn into fatal darkness.
A wife must be taught from the moment she arrives, when she is alone and vulnerable. Maria knew it was impossible to deceive this old fox; the more she tried to hide her fear, the more she would reveal herself.
So she let the Great General see his wife's anxiety and unease—the fear that she might one day slip up. The Great General, amused by frightening his beloved wife, laughed and eased the tension, smoothing things over:
"Enough. I was only joking about the wedding. Why so serious?"
Maria lowered her head and asked softly:
"You mean that in the past, present, and future, no one can go through life without making mistakes; it's only a matter of whether the mistake is worth forgiving?"
The Great General lifted Maria's chin, letting the corners of her mouth curl upward into a faint smile:
"Exactly. There. My dear, sulking too long will make you age quickly. You've done nothing to wrong me, so what is there to fear? I'm not an unreasonable man. Enough of this gloom; you're upsetting the guests. Smile, brighten up this wedding—that's how you make your husband look good!"
The crowd burst into laughter. Maria smiled gently, showing her husband her complete trust. Though he was domineering and bloodthirsty, he was not a narrow-minded, unreasonable man.
The Great General fell into thought before this exceptionally intelligent woman—she was so clever that she always managed to turn the situation to her advantage.
She had chosen the perfect moment to push her husband into a position where he had to say exactly what she wanted to hear, leaving him no excuse to evade and no way to get angry without losing face before everyone.
The words her husband had spoken today were nothing less than a golden safeguard against death. As long as she did not betray the Great General, as long as she did not rebel, her family would be pardoned for almost all their sins.
A flicker of unease stirred in the Great General's heart. But today was an auspicious day, and he had to greet this joyful occasion with happiness, sharing in the celebration with the Lord of the Nation and the arriving guests.
The music of sacred hymns echoed through the hall, playing for the two couples making their way to the altar. Fireworks lit up the starry sky; confetti cannons blasted in unison; applause, words of praise, admiration, and blessings filled the air without end.
The boisterous laughter and chatter momentarily quieted as the Lord of the Nation presided over the wedding ceremony, blessing the two couples with a hundred years of happiness and formally recognizing their unions.
The supreme leader presented each couple with a jar of honey, wishing that their love would forever bloom as sweet as honey.
To "make amends" for missing the Great General's birthday celebration, the Lord of the Nation personally tattooed on each person's arm a pattern of bees flying back to their hive—a symbol of loyalty to the Hive, fidelity between husband and wife, and harmony within the family. The tattoo also carried a hidden confirmation:
"From this day forward, you four are senior members of the Hive. - The monarch smiled - No one but me has the authority to violate, judge, or convict you all!"
This grace was the most meaningful gift, an unprecedented, unique honor, now suddenly bestowed upon the Great General and Maria's family.
Those with keen observation and meticulous minds analyzed that the monarch was conveying a hidden message: work diligently, achieve outstanding results like Maria, and show loyalty and devotion to the Hive—everyone has hope of receiving such an honor, or at least, a chance to change their fate.
To steadfastly endure loss and pain, to refuse to bow to fate, to live with humiliation as the hound of one's enemy—all the struggles won against adversity had now been duly rewarded. It was only a pity that on the day they were about to escape slavery, their loved ones were absent.
The pain rekindled emotions in their deadened hearts… urging them… to return to their families. The genocide cast a shadow of death over the chaotic psyche, imprisoning unyielding spirits within the fear of being accused of defying the Hive's orders. The enemy would dismember the entire family alive, gouge out the "liver bigger than the heavens" of those who dared to disregard the monarch's sacred will.
That man who held the ultimate power of life and death curled his lips into a half-smile, gratified to see these four most stubborn, most tenacious victims forced to bow their heads, to prostrate themselves and submit to absolute authority. The monarch proclaimed loudly, his majestic voice resounding like a loudspeaker:
"To celebrate the most special wedding in the history of the Hive, and in response to Maria's wish, I have decided to establish an educational system. Children and people who were previously forbidden to attend school may now begin their studies. I hope that you may all one day become pillars of this nation."
The entire military and civilian population expressed their appreciation for this wise decision. Those happiest were the intellectuals; they bowed their heads to thank the monarch. The monarch gave a faint smile to those intellectuals who valued education as much as food:
"You should thank Maria's family!"
The monarch allowed everyone to express their feelings. Everyone ran to embrace Maria and her children… as if… embracing relatives reunited after long years apart:
"Thank you, thank you for giving us back our spiritual support!"
Maria gracefully returned their courtesy. In this hell on earth, she had not felt such human warmth for a very long time… and… Ange was overjoyed, because after such a long wait, this little girl had long since lost hope of ever going to school. The hope she thought had vanished forever had suddenly arrived, bringing the most meaningful wedding gift. When the monarch granted a second special favor, her joy doubled:
"From now on, family ties are officially restored. You are no longer forbidden to express your emotions…"
The little angel beamed, running over to embrace Liberte. Mother and sisters left the crowd and went to be with their loved ones… to feel… that warm family affection. The will that would not bow to destiny… had toppled the fear that forbade those who valued family from crying for the ones they loved.
In the distance, An quietly congratulated her husband. Her father had destroyed the family's honor, and she felt guilty for having been so harsh with her husband's family in the past… which had prevented her from celebrating with those she loved… and also… Liberte—the one who had given her her first love, made her fall deeply in love, and now made her feel a human warmth and familial love even deeper than passion.
Tears had long since dried… now… the bitter pain remained—the loved ones who had shared their hardships and joys were no longer alive to… share… this boundless happiness, which would forever remain incomplete.
Those who had directly or indirectly caused these unhealable wounds… played the game of weeping crocodile tears, shedding sorrowful tears as they sympathized with this family of four that had endured so much pain and loss.
Wan did not spy on Maria and Liberte. The mother and son were not foolish enough to expose their weaknesses and give the enemy an opportunity. He silently observed the Great General.
As the wedding ended, the old man leisurely raised his wine glass and took a sip of strong, burning liquor. But for a man immersed in happiness with his perfect wife, the intensity of the liquor was followed by the sweet aftertaste of familial affection.
He had fallen for Maria at first sight. To win the heart of this beautiful woman, he had to cherish everything she held dear. The Great General then approached his wife's family, expressing admiration for their lingering joy of reunion, unwilling to be separated from the familial bonds that had been kept apart for too long.
"Welcome, children, to your new life!"
Maria's family turned hesitantly toward the Great General, listening to his every word:
"I am not your biological father, nor will I force you to regard me as one. I would rather we treat each other pragmatically day by day, rather than using sweet words or pretty promises to protect and care for this new family. The future depends on too many objective and subjective factors. All relationships begin with empathy and trust. Let things take their natural course; time will answer everything for us…"
The Great General had been clear from the start: to receive true affection, one must offer sincere feelings. Tomorrow begins today. Treasure the present, and look forward to a good, peaceful future.
Maria's family nodded in understanding, smiling gently. When the Great General opened his arms to welcome this new family, everyone took turns embracing him. The Great General scolded them with affectionate humor:
"Ah, hugging like this is such a waste of time and feels like you're strangers. Tsk, let's gather together and share warmth and joy instead…"
Everyone burst into laughter. The crowd was full of flattery, praising the Great General and his family to curry favor. Wan watched every member of Maria's family who was now close to the Great General.
Whether they were sincere or reluctant, this situation had exceeded his expectations. Matters had not yet spiraled out of control, but Wan still felt uneasy. But damn it, there was nothing he could do.
He had no choice but to put on a joyful mask, offering praise to the monarch for his wisdom and fairness, and to the Great General for his familial bonds.
"Congratulations to the Great General on gaining warm family affection! May your family be blessed with many children and grandchildren, and a hundred years of happiness!"
The monarch clapped his hands in blessing. Praises and good wishes came from all sides, showered upon the Great General and his family. The whole family smiled their thanks, responded warmly, and shared their joy with everyone. The monarch ordered a grand feast, allowing the army and the people to celebrate to their hearts' content, not stopping until they were drunk.