66: All assets were confiscated.

The leading officer walked forward expressionlessly, drawing the pistol from his waist.

“Bang!”

He calmly fired another shot into the head of everyone who was still moving.

Until there was no more movement on the entire platform.

A heavy smell of blood, mixed with the scent of gunpowder, permeated the air.

The citizens in the square were completely stunned.

Several young girls in the front row immediately covered their mouths and ran to the side to vomit.

More people turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

It was too bloody! Was this the Free Army's style of doing things?

No legal procedures, no lengthy trials or appeals; they directly declared their rule in the most primitive and violent way.

However, after a brief moment of horror, an irrepressible cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Serves them right for killing them!”

A white-haired old woman, leaning on a cane, was flushed with excitement.

“My son... was killed by that 'Viper' Carlos! Serves them right! Heaven has eyes!”

“These beasts! They should have died long ago!”

“Long live the Free Army!”

More and more ordinary citizens, especially those lower-class commoners who had been oppressed by gangs for years, began to cheer loudly.

Their eyes no longer held fear, but relief and fanaticism.

For them, procedural justice was too distant and ethereal.

They only knew that the villains who had bullied them for half their lives had finally received their just deserts today.

Whoever could avenge them was their savior!

The soldiers walked onto the platform and began to drag the bodies, preparing for mass incineration.

Blood dripped down through the cracks in the platform, forming dark red puddles on the ground.

This bloody public execution was like the sharpest carving knife.

It deeply etched the Free Army's iron-fisted image into the hearts of every Santa Cruz citizen.

That night, the public security situation in Santa Cruz showed immediate improvement.

The street thugs disappeared.

Those idle ruffians who usually loitered around all hid at home, not even daring to step out.

Inside the Free Army's temporary command post.

Oliver walked in quickly, his military uniform still carrying a faint scent of gunpowder mixed with blood.

He stood ramrod straight and saluted David, who was sitting behind the desk leisurely drinking tea.

“Sir, mission accomplished.”

His tone was steady, but his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.

After all, it was forty-five lives.

Even if they were all heinous scoundrels, personally ordering their execution.

The impact on any normal person would not be small.

David didn't even lift his head, just gave a soft “Mm.”

He pointed to the Santa Cruz City planning map spread out on the table.

“I see it, well done.”

David's tone was as flat as if he were saying, “The weather is nice today.”

“However, Oliver, you must remember.”

David finally looked up, his gaze sharp as he looked at him.

“Killing is merely our means of establishing authority, not our ultimate goal. Understand?”

“An army that only knows slaughter is a beast, not a builder of civilization.”

Oliver's heart tightened, and he immediately lowered his head.

“Yes, sir! I understand!”

“Good that you understand.”

David's finger drew a large circle on the map, enclosing a large empty area in eastern Santa Cruz.

“Here, and here.”

His finger then pointed to the southern suburbs of the city.

“I need two things, as soon as possible.”

“First, a modern military camp capable of accommodating at least five thousand soldiers for stationed and training. It needs to be fast and sturdy!”

“Second, a military airport. The runway standards must be capable of accommodating large transport aircraft and fighter jets.”

Oliver looked at the two huge circles on the map and gasped.

This scale... it's too grand!

“Sir, this... the funds required would probably be an astronomical figure...”

He spoke with some hesitation.

The Free Army certainly had a lot of money from spoils of war, but to undertake such a massive project, it would still be a drop in the bucket.

David smiled.

He held up three fingers.

“I'll give you three hundred million U.S. dollars in initial startup capital.”

“Additionally, those executed criminals, and other gangs in the city, I want all their assets confiscated!”

“All ill-gotten gains and assets, confiscate them all and invest them into urban construction!”

“If it's not enough money, I'll give more. I have only one demand: speed!”

“I want everyone to see that our Free Army doesn't just kill; we build even more!”

Three hundred million U.S. dollars!

Oliver's mind buzzed.

He felt his breathing stop.

That was three hundred million U.S. dollars! Not Zimbabwean dollars!

Who exactly was this mysterious sir?

After a brief moment of shock, Oliver's chest filled with a burning emotion.

He suddenly straightened his body, his eyes shining.

“Yes! Mission guaranteed! I will immediately arrange for engineering bids!”

At the same time.

La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.

In the General Staff meeting room of the Presidential Palace, the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

On the large LCD screen, a slightly blurry but sufficiently clear video, transmitted from Santa Cruz, was being repeatedly played.

It was the entire process of the Free Army's public execution of criminals.

“Bang bang bang!”

When the Free Army officer in the video expressionlessly delivered a follow-up shot to each person, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lorenzo slammed the table, his face ashen.

“Lunatics! Utter lunatics! Is this an army? These are butchers!”

Commander-in-Chief Behar also had a solemn expression; he pushed up his glasses and said calmly.

“Their equipment is excellent, and their tactical movements are very professional; they are definitely not ordinary guerrillas.”

“The question now is, what do they want to do?”

“Occupying Santa Cruz and then carrying out such bloody public executions, what exactly is their objective?”

The generals present discussed animatedly, worry and anger etched on every face.

Lorenzo suddenly stood up, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

“Mr. President, everyone!”

He looked around, emphasizing his tone.

“I think this is actually an opportunity!”

Everyone's gaze focused on him.

Lorenzo pointed to the screen, which was frozen on the bloody scene, a cold smile playing on his lips.

“Release this video to the public! Let the whole nation, no, let the whole world see it!”

“See what kind of brutal terrorists these so-called ‘Free Army’ really are!”

“They want to win public support, don't they? We will tell everyone that these are devils who kill without batting an eye!”

“Win the support of the international community and definitively label them a terrorist organization!”

This proposal instantly silenced the meeting room.

A few seconds later, someone immediately echoed.

“Exactly! General Lorenzo is right! This is the best weapon for public opinion!”

“They disregard the law, so we will judge them by the rules of the civilized world!”

President Hernán Siles, seated at the head, had been frowning deeply.

After hearing Lorenzo's plan, a hint of resolve finally appeared in his deep-set eyes.

He spoke slowly, his words carrying an undeniable finality.

“Let's do it.”

“Immediately broadcast this video nationwide via national television! I want every Bolivian to clearly see their true colors!”

“Furthermore...”

He paused, then stood up.

“I will personally travel to US to seek help from President Reagan. Fighting terrorists is the responsibility of the entire world!”

“US has no reason to stand by!”