A small village sat on the border between Iran and Syria.
Militants wearing headscarves guarded various outposts monitoring the roads leading in and out of the village. Two technicals and a fuel truck were positioned across the only main road in the center of the village as barricades to delay any potential armed raids by hostile forces.
Due to the "Chicken Tax" in the United States, a large number of Japanese pickup trucks could not be sold in the US market. Consequently, through the operations of various middlemen, a massive influx of Toyota Hiluxes flowed into the Middle East, North Africa, and Arab countries, becoming the preferred vehicles for both regular and irregular armed forces.
However, right now, these valuable combat assets in the Middle East did not seem to be receiving the respect and maintenance they deserved. Instead, they were used as bulk barricades or simply abandoned by the roadside.
"Pan Han, do you admit to the premeditated attempted murder of Shen Yufei?"
Inside a cellar in the village, Pan Han opened his eyes to the harsh, noisy shriek of a buzzer. Sharp pain radiated through him; one of his arms was suspended from a roof beam, and the flesh constricted by handcuffs for so long had begun to bleed and fester.
He looked around. Three people sat directly opposite him: an elegant, blonde European man; a local warlord wearing a headscarf and sandals; and finally, Shen Yufei.
Two armed guards stood behind the trio. After the European man spoke, the guards stepped forward to lower Pan Han. Because he had been hanging for so long, the metal had embedded deeply into his skin. The mixture of pus, blood, and rotted flesh made it difficult for the two Arabs to remove the handcuffs initially. Eventually, they had to unhook the chain from the ceiling end first.
"That was just an accident," Pan Han explained to the representative of the ETO's European branch.
The Earth-Trisolaris Organization followed an elite recruitment model. Most members either held high positions in their respective governments or enjoyed prestigious reputations in their professional fields.
"Despite the ideological differences between Shen Yufei and me, I never intended to use violence to eliminate her in Beijing," Pan Han defended himself.
He tried to move his freed body, but after several attempts, he realized with a sense of dread that half of his body had gone numb from the prolonged torture and abuse. While it likely wouldn't leave him permanently disabled, he would need at least six months of bed rest to recover.
Under the incandescent light overhead, Shen Yufei picked up a pen. The paper made a scratching sound as she recorded Pan Han's testimony. The light had been turned to its maximum brightness. In the past, Pan Han would have found it blinding and demanded it be turned off, but after three days of sleepless torment, his body had miserably adapted to the interrogation room's glare.
Like Shen Yufei and Pan Han, the European spoke in fluent Japanese. "But you brought assassins—and highly professional ones at that."
The European man leaned forward. "That is highly unusual."
"Those assassins weren't meant for Shen Yufei," Pan Han replied. He stared at the unfamiliar white face, feeling the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his waist. He knew his life rested entirely on this man's whim.
"My people told me they discovered an outer-circle member of the Earth Defense Security Department (EDSD). There was a high probability the EDSD could use that lead to trace the existence of the 'Leader'." Pan Han licked his parched lips and looked silently at the two packs of mineral water on the table.
Noticing his thirsty gaze, the European nodded. One of the Arab guards soaked a piece of medical gauze and began to wipe Pan Han's cheeks and lips.
"For the safety of the Leader, I had to kill him."
With the guard's assistance, Pan Han felt slightly better. He turned his gaze to Shen Yufei, one of the only three people present who understood Japanese. "It was a coincidence. Just as I chased him to the temple, I ran into Shen Yufei and we had a heated argument."
"Is this accurate?" the European white man asked Shen Yufei.
"Mostly accurate."
"Very well. Continue the record." The European nodded and turned back to Pan Han. "Fine, the presence of assassins can be explained, but the fact that you intended to order your men to fire on Comrade Shen Yufei remains an indisputable fact."
"On the contrary," Pan Han argued. "It was because Shen Yufei pointed a gun at my head first that my subordinates were forced to return fire."
"I know you Adventists all too well."
Although Shen Yufei also nodded to confirm Pan Han's statement was true, the European man shook his head coldly at the prisoner. "You greedy people always hope to use the Lord's power to commit atrocities in the human world!"
The European's right hand rested on a Quran. The surrounding Arabs clearly respected him and his guards more than their own local warlord.
"What have you been doing in the East with the resources and power the Lord gave you?"
"The responsibility the organization gave you was to utilize and manufacture environmental issues to stir up public hatred toward science and modern industry. But you? You used the Lord's technology and predictions to harvest fame and wealth for yourself."
"Since the Lord's Eastern Strategy began, how many properties have appeared under your name? In Spain alone, you have two yachts and a grand estate. In Switzerland, there is over twenty million dollars in an account under your wife's name."
As the European began to list his crimes one by one, Pan Han felt the atmosphere grow increasingly tense. Even though he knew the Arabs couldn't understand Japanese, the man's words made cold sweat break out on his forehead.
"I demand to petition the organization to have an Adventist representative participate in this hearing!" Pan Han shouted with his last bit of strength. "You are on Shen Yufei's side! You are a Redemptionist!"
"There is no such thing as a Redemptionist or an Adventist!" the European replied icily. "There is only one voice in the Earth-Trisolaris Organization, and that is the voice of the Leader!"
The man's expression darkened as he looked at Pan Han. "I forgot. There is one more charge I haven't announced: Betraying the Leader, violating the organization's charter, fooling my Lord, and attempting to subvert the Trisolaris Organization led by Commander Ye by splitting and inciting our comrades."
"No! You can't!"
Sensing the large hands grabbing him from behind, Pan Han realized what was happening and began to struggle frantically. "Evans will not agree to you executing an Adventist at will!"
"Evans' thoughts are irrelevant unless he wishes to betray the Commander and betray the Lord!"
A sinister glint flashed in the European's eyes. He spoke in Arabic to the two militants who picked Pan Han up like a small chick.
"Burn him!"
"Sacrifice him to the Lord!"
Hearing the European's words, a look of religious fervor flashed across the faces of the two armed men.