Chapter 377
2-in-1-chapter
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Seeing the situation on the ground spiral further out of control, with clear signs that it was slipping beyond containment, the President shouted for his guards to escort him back to the limousine.
At the same time, the gunners atop the remaining three Humvees racked their bolts with loud clacks, disengaged the safeties, and aimed their weapons directly at the surrounding crowd that was surging forward.
The unrest began to subside slightly once the machine gunners had chambered their rounds. The presence of those weapons reminded everyone of the terror that had long kept them subdued.
Faced with the cold steel of the gun barrels, the people gave way and cleared a path.
The motorcade didn't hesitate and immediately pulled out through the gap.
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Back in the car, the President forced a smile—awkward, but not without a thin layer of politeness.
He had meant to appear as a benevolent leader but had instead ended up embarrassing himself.
The President had genuinely not expected that his rare attempt at doing the right thing would nearly be undone by the civilians themselves.
Fortunately, nothing catastrophic had occurred.
Had the crowd rushed forward and the guards panicked—opening fire on unarmed citizens—he truly wouldn't have known how to deal with the consequences.
"My men acted poorly. I apologize for the embarrassment."
Leo responded with a neutral smile, saying nothing in return.
He knew full well this was just an attempt by the President to curry favor. A show, no more, no less.
Had Leo not been in the vehicle, the outcome might have been entirely different.
But that didn't matter now.
He had already seen enough to understand the attitude of the President and the government forces.
No further incidents occurred, and the motorcade reached the presidential palace without interruption.
The President personally led Leo to his room.
It was clear the room had been meticulously prepared in advance.
The decor deliberately mimicked the sleek, subdued style associated with corporations—dominated by black and gold tones that conveyed restraint and understated luxury.
One entire wall featured a massive floor-to-ceiling window, and the direction it faced was clearly chosen with care.
It did not overlook the cramped, overpopulated, poorly maintained slums, where the buildings stood shoulder to shoulder, and families lived packed into tight spaces.
Instead, it faced the affluent district, complete with sprawling gardens, swimming pools, private docks, and even golf courses.
Even the streets in the rich quarter were noticeably wider and cleaner, surrounded by neatly trimmed trees and flower beds, making the entire area appear lush, orderly, and ecologically "friendly."
From the window, one could also spot a variety of upscale commercial venues: luxury shopping centers, art galleries, high-end restaurants and hotels, as well as exclusive service providers and flagship brand stores.
After showing Leo to the room, the President, sensing that Leo must be tired from the journey, excused himself and left.
Once he was alone, Leo activated his tactical goggles and scanned the room thoroughly to confirm that there were no hidden cameras or surveillance devices.
Only then did he lie down to rest.
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By evening, an attendant arrived to escort Leo to the banquet hall.
Inside the lavishly decorated venue, guests of all kinds had already gathered.
There was no doubt about it—these were the nation's elites.
When Leo and Takemura entered, everyone in the room turned toward him with the most radiant, practiced smiles.
Clearly, these elites were not fools. They understood perfectly well that their comfortable lives and continued grip on power were entirely dependent on Leo's support.
It was no mystery that the President had plans to hire Aurora PMC to fight their wars. In fact, it was likely these very people who had advised him to do so.
Their positions of privilege and control over the country's future now rested squarely on Leo's decisions and Aurora's capabilities.
Naturally, not one of them dared to show Leo even the slightest disrespect.
As the saying goes, no one strikes a smiling face. And although Leo held nothing but contempt for these parasites—leeches feeding greedily on the flesh and blood of the people—they were going out of their way to be civil.
So, he responded in kind, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
The President emerged from the crowd, smiling, and began introducing the other guests to Leo personally.
This is the Minister of Energy. That one's the Minister of Defense…
Each member of the elite class wore a face full of friendliness, shaking hands with Leo in the most cordial, practiced manner.
What followed was a lavish feast.
Throughout the dinner, the President made no mention of the earlier proposal. He acted as if this banquet truly was nothing more than a gesture to welcome Leo.
When the banquet concluded, Leo returned to his room.
Although the President had arranged separate rooms for both Leo and Takemura, Takemura did not return to his own. Instead, he followed Leo into his suite.
Once inside, he locked the door and placed a small device against it.
If anyone were to force the door open, that device would detonate in a precisely targeted blast.
Leo closed the curtains, turned on the lights, and sat down on the sofa.
He recounted everything the President had proposed earlier inside the limousine.
"Takemura, what's your take on this?"
Takemura replied without hesitation, "Boss, no matter what you decide, I will support you unconditionally."
Leo chuckled.
That had always been Takemura's way since joining Aurora PMC—unwavering loyalty that made him stand apart from the rest of the team.
And that difference had caused others to see him unfavorably, viewing him as little more than a sycophant.
But Leo knew otherwise.
Takemura wasn't some conniving flatterer—he was simply a man deeply indoctrinated by the values of bushidō.
"I'm not asking for blind loyalty. I want your opinion."
Takemura was silent for a moment.
"Personally… I don't think we should agree to the President's deal."
Even Takemura, it seemed, believed the trade-off was not worth it.
"Go on. Tell me why."
Takemura took a few moments to gather his thoughts and said:
"It may look easy to outsiders, how we defeated the insurgents occupying eastern Bolivia, as if we barely exerted any effort at all."
"But only we know how much we actually put in."
"Gaining the trust of civilians isn't something that comes easily. Getting them to stand with us and not join any rebellion groups is even harder."
"After all that effort, just handing over the fruits of victory to someone else…"
Leo nodded.
"I understand that feeling. It's frustrating, isn't it?"
Takemura shook his head.
"No, it's not just frustrating. What we also need to be cautious about is the government forces turning on us once they've gotten what they want."
"With all due respect, boss, don't be fooled by how the President seems willing to give you anything right now. Once all domestic opposition is wiped out, whether he'll still be so eager to please—well, that's not so certain."
"After all, no ruler would willingly allow such large interests in their country to remain in the hands of someone else."
"In the 20th century, many Latin American presidents allowed foreign companies to exploit their nations, but that was because their regimes depended on foreign backing to stay in power."
"But this isn't the 20th century anymore, and Aurora PMC isn't the United States. We don't have the kind of overwhelming influence the old U.S. used to enjoy."
"So we can't afford not to be cautious."
Takemura had clearly considered everything thoroughly. It was no surprise—he had once served as the close aide to Saburo Arasaka.
Even if Saburo never let him get involved directly in matters of governance, as Arasaka's chief retainer, Takemura had absorbed a great deal by simply being close to power. His perspective and judgment were unlike those of ordinary people.
Indeed, just as he said: if all domestic resistance were eliminated, would the President still treat Aurora PMC the same way?
Back in the 20th century, plenty of African and Latin American rulers allowed foreign companies to act unchecked in their territories—because those regimes had been installed by outside forces.
This made them fundamentally different from Bolivia's current president.
Which meant there was no way to copy the model those companies used back then.
Besides, Leo had never agreed with their approach anyway.
Those corporations had exploited the people, stripping the country of its wealth and resources by force. That had never been Leo's intention. He wasn't here to pillage—what he wanted was genuine allegiance.
"So what do you suggest? Reject the President's offer outright?"