Stephanie nervously leaned against her father's embrace.
She was still holding a lollipop in her hand.
This was given to her by that previously chubby officer called "Casare" when they boarded the ship.
"We're here! We've reached Guadalupe Island!" Someone suddenly shouted excitedly, and Stephanie also perked up, gazing into the distance where she could see a blurry silhouette.
She widened her eyes.
As the boat slowly approached, the view became clearer and clearer.
Many people on the dock were cheering and waving. It had been a long time since she'd seen such a lively and festive scene, and Stephanie's little face gradually showed excitement.
Clang~
The boat docked.
Casare walked down the gangway and handed the roster to a city hall employee. "There are 301 people total. Arrange accommodations for them. Several department heads said to take special care of a few."
He flipped through it and pointed to one name. "Vicks Eric Burnett." Next to it was his photo, a middle-aged man with a slightly mature appearance, just balding.
Graduate of Sydney University, School of Civil Engineering!
Senior designer at Mexico's Department of Transportation.
This was high-level talent who had also listened to Victor's speech and resolutely resigned, then brought his wife and children north to join Victor.
Building roads in Mexico had no future...
Damn drug dealers didn't care about roads at all. They'd fire a cannon directly, and whether it was concrete or asphalt, they'd destroy it completely.
What? You say Mr. Victor also fires cannons? That's different. There must be something wrong with the road, otherwise how could an ordinary road be shattered by one cannon shot?
The city hall employees were all university students who had been rescued before. Although their work was inexperienced, they were enthusiastic, and most importantly, they hadn't learned to slack off yet.
"I understand, leave it to me."
Casare nodded, waved at the ship, signaling the officers to let people through. The crowd instantly rushed down, while local residents serving as "volunteers" warmly greeted them.
To give newcomers a place to stay, Guadalupe Island implemented a "homestay" model, letting these new arrivals live with local residents. This was very popular in Latin America, and many international students spent their early days in unfamiliar environments this way.
It could bring both sides closer together, make them feel good about the local area, and also... provide supervision.
Who knew if there were any bad seeds among them?
For these families, city hall would provide financial assistance, with a subsidy of 600 pesos per month. Otherwise, why do you think there were so many "volunteers"?
Stephanie looked around, holding her father's hand.
"Hi, what's your name?" Suddenly a voice entered her ears. She turned to look and saw a thin boy looking at her with a gentle smile and dimples. With the sunlight shining behind him, he seemed like a character from the fairy tale books Stephanie had read.
"Stephanie."
"I'm Santos. Welcome to Guadalupe Island. This place is the safest place in Mexico. You don't need to worry about any bad people bullying you. Mr. Victor protects it!"
Stephanie was stunned but smiled and nodded, her eyes curving into crescents.
Her red dress was a bit old, but it still brought out the girl's innocent romance. One listened quietly while the other talked freely.
Like old friends of many years.
Santos smacked his lips. "Come stay at my house. We have several empty rooms. Mom, is that okay?"
He called to Valentina behind him.
"Of course." The woman said with a smile.
Stephanie looked at her father, who seemed a bit at a loss. After hesitating, he said, "That would be troublesome. Please don't worry, we'll find accommodation soon."
Valentina smiled and nodded, touching Stephanie's head. "It's fine. Helping others should be what every Guadalupe Island resident does. Thank Mr. Victor."
The man was stunned. He could hear admiration for Victor in this mother and son's casual words?
Did that man on television really have such charisma?
He had made his daughter act as a "shill."
He had traveled to many places and seen too many politicians who appeared righteous but were sleazy in private, shouting about anti-drug efforts while dealing with drug traffickers.
He had long lost hope in Mexico.
If he hadn't lacked money, he really would have run to the United States long ago. But was that place really so good?
Mexicans don't know what heaven is like because heaven is too far away, but they know what the United States is like because it's very close!
But someone who could truly earn the people's love definitely had Victor's ability. Let's wait and see.
Santos heard his mother's permission and happily and naturally took Stephanie's hand. "Come on, big brother will take you home to watch TV. I have Mr. Victor's speech videos in my collection. I'll show them to you."
Stephanie felt the warmth coming from the hand holding hers. Growing up in a single-parent family, she had no one to chat with. She smiled with pursed lips and nodded.
Under the setting sun, the sunlight was just right. The small shadows were reflected, and the smiles on their faces couldn't be hidden.
...
At this time, Ensenada's cemetery was solemn.
Low sobbing sounds, mournful music.
Victor personally attended to mourn that student called "José Sánchez Chávez"!
Victor stood beside the coffin, looking at the dense crowd of cameras and attending classmates and friends, and stuffed the speech in his hand into his pocket. "I wrote a speech all last night, but I discovered that some greatness cannot be described in words."
"José Sánchez Chávez, a 19-year-old university student who gave his life for his ideals. He was a great Mexican warrior. He fell on the front lines of anti-drug efforts. He died under enemy gunfire, but his spirit deserves to be forever remembered and mourned."
"Death is never the end point, forgetting is!"
"I have decided to award him the Guadalupe Island Anti-Drug Hero Medal, and hang his photo in the police station's hall of honor, so all police officers can learn from his fearless spirit."
"God bless him, may he rest in peace."
Victor bowed deeply to the coffin.
The officers behind him also bowed.
Chávez wore the last clothes his mother had made for him. Although they were full of bullet holes, a medal was pinned to them.
These clothes were truly beautiful!
Finally, to funeral music, four officers carried his coffin for burial. Because his family had all been killed by drug dealers, his closest person was actually his teacher, who with red eyes covered the first pile of dirt.
Everyone quietly watched as the coffin was covered.
His tombstone bore an inscription: "Aquí yacen los verdaderos héroes, el amor puro!" (Here lies a true hero, pure love!)
After the funeral ended.
That teacher called out to Victor.
Grabbing his hand, looking at him with eyes still filled with sadness. "Sir, Mexico's anti-drug war will be victorious, right?"
"Everyone will have the opportunity to study, all children won't have to hide at home in fear, all teachers will be able to stand in classrooms and impart knowledge, right?"
This teacher was quite old, like an elderly person making a final "request" of Mexico.
Just such a small request, yet Mexicans had struggled for it for over a hundred years!
Victor took a deep breath and gripped his hand tightly. "Yes, please believe that the fruits of victory will bloom throughout all of Mexico soon. The anti-drug war will be victorious! Mexico will be victorious! Justice will be victorious!"
Some countries are truly rotten, really rotten.
But there are people who will sacrifice their lives for their ideals.
Righteous causes never lack comrades.
(End of Chapter)
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