CHAPTER 6: MEET THE HELPER

The Army Deputy General stands aside for Daisy to drink water and wash her face. When Daisy has drained the entire pot of water, he leisurely takes out the document that he had seized from her.

- I've researched all day and still can't find the meaning behind these characters. But somehow I believe you don’t relate to this war. Where are you from?

Seeing Daisy staring blankly, The Army Deputy General laughs and shows off his regular white teeth. The smile is as warm as the sun. If he cuts his hair more neatly, puts on a suit, and takes care of his face that has been ravaged by the sun and wind in the desert, he will be very handsome, just like…

- What's your name? - The Army Deputy General points at Daisy and then points his mouth - What's your name? Do you understand what I mean?

- What's your name? Do you understand what I mean?

Daisy repeats his words. Her action makes him laugh again:

- Your voice is also very good, melodious and elegant like singing. As I think, you're not dumb, you just don't understand our language. I am...- The Army Deputy General continues to point at himself-  Chris.

- Chi… ras…

- Not Ras, but Ris. Chris!

- Ris… Chris.

- That's right! You do a good job!

Daisy kneels at Chris's feet, grabs his hand, and calls:

- Chris, Chris... Chris…

Daisy can not say any more words but the name of the person in front of her. It is also the first word of this strange ethnic language she knows. However, Daisy believes that through her pleading eyes, Chris understands what she wants. Daisy's tears begin to fall with each call of the strange young man's name.

- All right, stand up!

- Stand up!

- That's right. You see, it means "stand up"!

Chris helps Daisy stand up. As Daisy thinks, Chris understands what she wants to talk about. To survive here, Daisy must understand what they say, how they live first. She has to learn their language. Daisy is begging Chris to teach her, it’s synonymous with saving her life.

Chris points at the basin, then says:

- This is water.

- Water!

- Drink water.

- Drink water!

- That's right, you learn so fast.

Chris pats Daisy's head with his hand. The feeling of familiarity makes Daisy suddenly shiver. Chris asks again, with the same expression as before:

- My name is Chris. What is your name?

- I am… Daisy.

- Daisy… that's a pretty good name.

Daisy is confined in a tent, not allowed to step out the door. She is allowed to go to the restroom 3 times in 3 sessions. In the evening, Daisy also can have a bath. Daisy thinks this little privilege is thanks to Chris. Rude men in the army are not kind enough to take care of a girl, especially when she is only a foreign prisoner.

Rice and water are served twice a day, lunch and dinner. Daisy always tries to drink less water so that she doesn’t need to go to the restroom more, to avoid being suspected that she intentionally messed up. But in fact, she worries too much. Her rations are just enough, both water and food. All are meager dishes, the rice is dry. To be afraid that if she wants to eat a little more, she will not be able to swallow it.

When Daisy goes out of the tent, she can only see the tents set up close together. There are 2 guards outside each tent. Absolutely do not see the troops patrolling back and forth. Of course, after the day of her arrest in the desert, Daisy does not have the opportunity to face the army general with his murderous face. Daisy secretly thanks for this, she feels afraid of that person. If she meets him, he will not threaten to kill her, but he will also make her panicky.

The army station is not the same as the desert, but perhaps not far from the desert, Daisy still occasionally sees the wind blowing sand here. This must be a small oasis in the desert that they have captured. Daisy wonders if this is a conquest army or a national defense arm. Is she standing in the army of villains or brave ones who are fighting for the nation? War by force, whether unjustified or justified, will only bring loss and pain. And either way, she has no choice. She can't even choose to support or oppose them. Her life is in their hands. Strangling her or letting her down, comes within their jurisdiction.

Daisy's consolation and hope in this strange place is only the appearance of Chris every night. Chris teaches her most of the commonly used dialogues. Daisy studies all day and doesn't dare to neglect it. She only worries that 1 minute of laziness will lose her chance to survive.

Chris often praises Daisy for her intelligence and quick grasp. In just four days, Daisy can already hear what the guards are saying to each other. In particular, yesterday Chris taught Daisy very important sentences to keep her small life. If talking about ingeniousness, Chris really has a formidable strategic mind, no matter how young he became The Deputy General.

But today, contrary to Daisy's expectations, Chris does not come alone, he comes with the army general.

Daisy hastily kneels down on the floor and bows to him. He passes her, casually sits on the bed, and looks down at little Daisy.

- Chris! After investigating, do you get any information from her?

- The Army General, she really has nothing to do with this war. She is just a poor girl lost from her family.

- Are you sure?

- I swear by my head, General.

He snorts softly, gets out of bed, roughly lifts Daisy's chin, and forces her to look his face straight.

- You are afraid of me, aren’t you?

- The Army General Charlie is famous in all four directions, who does not know you. What's more, I had witnessed your talent for maneuvering and leading troops, I am three parts in awe, seven parts in admiration.

- Oh!- Charlie turns to Chris, who was standing behind, and smirks- It seems that your few days of interrogation are not without results. From a mute person, she becomes fluent in speech and even flattered.

- General, to interrogate when both do not understand each other's language is really difficult. Her personality is smart, she learns very quickly, although she is not fluent in Mighty Era's language, she can communicate in basic.

- Isn't this quality a trait of professional spies?

Not letting Chris speak, Charlie immediately turns to Daisy. His eyes are still filled with doubt. From the beginning till now, his gaze on her never changes. He growls:

- You! Where are you from?

- General, I comes (come) from Co Lap.

- Co Lap? I have never heard of this country before.

- General, it’s just a small country far away, not worth mentioning before the mighty Mighty Era Empire.

- It seems that you not only learned the language but also learned the skillful tongue of  Deputy General Chris. So why are you here?