Starting from South America, speeding through the world

Chapter 56 Change of Thoughts
Arturo Bastian stared intently at the screen, as if he wanted to burn a hole through it with his gaze.

The skull exploded, brain matter and blood covered the lens, like an overripe fruit being crushed by a wheel.

Hysterical screams could be heard in the background.

Then came the sound of an explosion.

click-

Signal interruption.

Arturo clenched his fist unconsciously, his knuckles turning white, and he trembled uncontrollably.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Several officers stood frozen in place, their expressions shifting from shock to bewilderment, and then to a hint of fear.

Alvaro is dead.

impossible.

How can it be?

"Oh, God……"

A low murmur came from the corner, filled with an incredulous tremor.

This shouldn't happen.

That's impossible.

How could Alvaro have died?

How could he be shot in the head by armed men like a street thug on the podium where he had just announced the martial law order?
Arturo took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling.

Gunshots.

blood.

The lens was covered in a paste-like substance.

An unprecedented sense of crisis surged up his spine, making him instinctively want to retreat.

There can be no chaos.

We can't make a scene here.

He forced himself to calm down, and the buzzing in his ears was gradually replaced by the noise of reality.

The adjutant spoke rapidly: "Sir, the signal has been cut off. We need to act quickly. What should we do next?"

Arturo did not respond, still staring intently at the television screen that had gone black.

I was hoping it would suddenly restore the screen and tell me that everything had just happened was some kind of damn April Fool's Day prank.

but no.

Alvaro is really dead.

The dead can no longer die.

Realizing this, Arturo closed his eyes tightly.

When I opened my eyes again, I had regained most of my composure.

“Contact the intelligence services.” His voice was soft. “I need to know who did it.”

Upon receiving the order, the adjutant quickly went out the door and made a phone call.

Arturo looked up and slowly scanned his surroundings.

Everyone fell silent at that moment.

He knew what they were thinking.

This speech was a crucial step in their seizure of state power, but Alvaro's death reduced everything to ashes in an instant.

What's worse, all of this happened live.

The public has just witnessed their future leader being shot in the head and falling like a dead dog.

The plan was completely disrupted.

Arturo clenched and unclenched his fist.

We must take immediate action.

The situation cannot be allowed to deteriorate any further, because otherwise only a military court and damned death await him.

No.

wrong.

Perhaps this is a rare opportunity.

An opportunity that, if seized correctly, could lead to instant success.

Just as he was lost in thought, his phone started vibrating incessantly.

Caller ID shows Luo Cha.

Arturo picked up his phone and pressed the answer button.

"Did you fucking see the news?!"

Before I could even speak, the other person rushed in, completely lacking their usual gentle and proper demeanor.

“Of course I saw it.” Arturo frowned slightly and looked out the window.

The sun was obscured by thick clouds, its surface as oppressive as the sea before a storm. "Damn! We're finished! He's dead! Did you hear that? He's fucking dead! Shot in the head live on air! Who did it? Do you even know who did it?!"

"There is still a chance for things to turn around."

Arturo offered a casual reassurance and waved for the others to leave for the time being.

Rocha stopped abruptly, clearly taken aback by his words: "What turning point?! Explain yourself, you fucking idiot!"

Arturo lit a cigarette, turned around, and turned his gaze to the television on his desk.

“Alvaro is dead. This is the worst-case scenario for us, and it could also be the best-case scenario.”

"Are you crazy?!"

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly rose in volume.

"He's dead! We've lost all our political protection! The president will definitely use this opportunity to wipe us all out! Do you know our current situation?! You—"

"enough."

Arturo finally lost his temper and shouted, "The only thing you need to do right now is to fucking calm down."

Luo Cha's breath hitched, and for a moment he dared not say another word.

"That's right, Alvaro is dead."

"Logically speaking, the coup has lost its legitimacy, our army will become an illegal armed force, and the president can issue an arrest warrant at any time."

"But the problem is, he simply doesn't have that ability."

"What do you mean?"

"The most difficult part of the plan has always been how to control the power vacuum in the government."

“If Alvaro were alive, he would be the focus of national attacks, and we would have to help him get through his quagmire.”

"But now, he's dead."

"This means we can skip the infighting among politicians and go straight to the final stage."

"Martial law is declared nationwide, and the military will take full control of the government."

"You mean, we're doing this in the name of 'restoring order'?"

"Yes."

Arturo leaned gently against the edge of the table, his expression becoming more and more relaxed as he spoke.

“Without Alvaro, we were able to establish our legitimacy much faster.”

“We will no longer be seen as ‘part of a coup,’ but as ‘an armed force that is saving the country.’”

"And what about Antonio?"

Arturo shook his head: "He has no ability to fight back."

"Alvaro died too quickly and too decisively; his first reaction wouldn't have been to attack, but to defend."

“He would be terrified, wondering if this was another conspiracy against him. His confidants would warn him to hide in a safe house and postpone all public statements to ensure he wouldn’t be the next to be executed.”

"This gave us the most important thing—time."

Luo Cha, on the other end of the phone, also regained his composure.

"What are you going to do?"

Arturo glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands pointed to 3:27 PM.

Less than three minutes had passed since Alvaro was shot dead.

"First, the Eastern Military District shall immediately enter a state of martial law and take full control of Bahia and its core facilities."

"Airport, port, police station, city hall—everything must be taken over within half an hour."

"Any unauthorized transfer order is invalid, and the state government may not issue an independent declaration."

"Second, cut off all of the president's external communications, especially São Paulo, which is the only place where he might organize a counterattack."

"Fortunately, the commander-in-chief there was an alumnus of AMAN, and we had served in the same battalion for three years."

"Third, the Southern Military Region must make a statement as soon as possible."

“Contact their commander and tell him that the military has taken full control of the country, and let him make his own choice.”

“We don’t need to put pressure on them. The situation is clear enough, and smart people will know which side to take.”

"Once the three military regions have secured their positions, the rest will be simple."

"A state of emergency has been declared, and the military has temporarily taken over the operation of the government."

"We need to maintain a unified narrative to the outside world as the threat of terrorism escalates, forcing us to intervene to restore order."

"at last--"

Arturo paused, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was icy.

"Get rid of Hansen, consider it a little gift from me to you."

".you sure?"

“He knows too much, especially about our relationship with Alvaro.”

"This will make him an uncontrollable variable in the days to come."

Luo Cha was silent for a few seconds, then chuckled softly, "I understand."

(End of this chapter)