Antonio returned to the barracks and went to the entrance of the underground hidden chamber. Four guards were on duty today, and not one dared to stop him.

He was about to use the key to open the door when he suddenly stopped, turned back, and asked the guards:

"When Commander Bernardo usually enters the chamber to interrogate prisoners, does he do any preparation work?"

One guard saluted and replied, "Commander, if you need it, we can prepare it for you as well."

"It needs to be exactly the same as Bernardo’s preparation, right?"

The soldier didn't dare show a hint of disrespect; it seemed that having Bernardo’s order made all the difference.

Antonio nodded:

"Yes. What I’m going to do is the same as what Bernardo does. Prepare it for me. I’m going back to my room to get some things before I return."

Antonio didn't actually go back to his room. He just stood in the long corridor two hundred meters away for a while. The full moon was very bright, and the streetlights were on. Occasionally, soldiers passed by, none of them knowing why the Commander was standing there with his guard, only remembering to salute.

When Antonio returned to the entrance of the chamber, the guards said everything inside was ready.

He left Dante outside the cave entrance and walked in alone.

The cells here were only temporary. The primary function was secret interrogation. Although the cavern went as deep as forty or fifty meters, out of the dozens of cells, only Ramon was currently imprisoned. Aside from the corridor lights, the only light came from the tunnel at the far end on the left.

The tunnel was extremely quiet; he could even hear the echo of his own leather shoes.

Turning left at the end and walking through another short stretch of tunnel, Antonio finally arrived at the entrance of Ramon’s tunnel.

He saw the torture rack. Ramon was tied hand and foot in a spread-eagle position, his eyes covered with a black cloth, and his mouth bound with a towel.

He could neither struggle nor scream.

He opened the iron gate and approached Ramon, seeing Ramon desperately twisting his hips and belly, seemingly thinking that the person arriving was there to do something to him.

Antonio pulled down the black cloth from Ramon’s eyes.

The moment Ramon saw him, he seemed startled for a second, then stared at Antonio with fierce eyes.

When Antonio took a step closer, Ramon continued to twist frantically, his eyes filled with fear and rage.

"You're afraid of me?"

Ramon calmed down, seemingly realizing Antonio wasn't there to harm him. He shifted his jaw, signaling Antonio to untie the towel.

"After I untie this, you can't scream. You can't let the people outside hear you. Can you do that?"

Ramon nodded.

Once his mouth regained its freedom, the first thing Ramon asked Antonio was: "Aren't you going to fuck me? Why haven't you started?"

"Fuck you?" Antonio stared at the man with contempt, leaning close to his ear to whisper: "I'm not that thirsty yet. There are plenty of people who like me. Your daughter and your son are much better looking than you."

"You..." Ramon struggled in fury, his chest heaving violently from heavy breathing.

"You don't believe I could?"Antonio stood there haughtily, giving Ramon only a fleeting glance.

A reek of alcohol, a face full of a wicked smirk.

Ramon seemed to start fearing the man in front of him. It made sense; Antonio was meticulous in his work, yet appeared so debauched in his private life. A man like that was capable of anything.

"I'm telling you, those two children of yours have been begging me to save you. Tatiana called me four more times today. She said Caspar claimed you were safe and sound in the dungeon, maintaining your dignity as an officer. But she feels something isn't right. Is Caspar lying? Or did Caspar not see the truth? Or is her intuition just wrong?"

"Ramon, if I wanted to sleep with your children, it would be all too easy, wouldn't it? I just need them to believe I can save you."

Ramon's arrogant expression collapsed. His eyes grew misty, seemingly with tears. He pleaded in a trembling voice: "Then sleep with me. Don't touch my children, okay? I won't resist."

Antonio continued to smirk, leaning closer to Ramon’s ear. "I already did it with Bernardo today. I have no interest tonight."

"You... you pervert..." Ramon spat through gritted teeth. "Then why did you tie me up? What exactly do you want to do?"

"Save you!" Antonio pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He took a puff, then stuffed the cigarette butt into Ramon’s mouth. "This cigarette came from Bernardo’s house. His cigarette—you recognize it, right? The kind only someone of his rank can smoke... I don't usually smoke, do I?"

Ramon inhaled greedily and blew out the smoke.

He hadn't had a single puff for many days. A cigarette that only a Commander could smoke—he naturally recognized it. During the military government period, the tobacco factory specially customized varieties according to the Commanders' tastes; they weren't for public sale.

Lately, being raped by Bernardo every night, the breath the old man exhaled also carried this scent.

After a puff of smoke, Ramon became visibly much quieter.

"Antonio, just tell me straight what you want from me. If you say you want to save me, I don't believe it. We are rivals, and we both know it. Our relationship hasn't reached the level of mutual rescue."

Ramon paused, then continued with a heavier tone:

"Besides, you don't even have the ability to save me."

"Since you put it that way, I guess I’ve come for nothing." Antonio threw away the cigarette he had just lit and crushed it with his foot.

He walked over and began stripping Ramon’s clothes.

There was a mole next to the navel, and a scar on the groin hidden under the belt—a wound left by a combat knife.

Ramon thought Antonio was really going to do that thing. He deliberately honored his previous request not to scream. To his surprise, Antonio dressed him again and turned to leave.

No! Antonio really was here to save him!

The realization flashed through Ramon’s mind.

"Wait, Antonio, wait..."

"What do you want to say?" Antonio, who was opening the iron door, turned back and stood before Ramon once more.

Ramon no longer had arrogance on his face; his voice was weak. "Tell me how you plan to save me. Give me some peace of mind."

Antonio wore a look of disdain. "You haven't given me any benefits, and you expect to fish for information?"

Ramon was nearly in tears, his voice sobbing:

"Then what exactly do you want?"

Antonio’s face contorted into a vicious snarl. He spat out each word:: "I want absolute obedience. I want you on your knees, serving me."

"Serving you?" Ramon was startled and gave a bitter laugh. "I don't like licking that thing, but if it truly means you can save me, I can accept it."

Antonio was very satisfied with this answer.

At least his rival Ramon still didn't believe he had any desire or ambition to seize the Regional Command.

He grabbed Ramon’s hair and said, "When I say grovel, I mean obeying me in everything. Treat me as your master at all times."

"You... you pervert..." Ramon’s curse wasn't loud, but every word from his throat sounded like a lion’s roar.

"I'm not a pervert." Antonio let go of Ramon and turned his back. "You’re an unfaithful man. Bernardo promoted you and gave you a position of power, yet you aimed your gun at his temple time and time again. I have to be on guard."

"What? You got a problem with that?" Antonio turned back to face Ramon, his face full of mockery and a cold sneer.

"I'll say it again. You should prove you can save me, or let me know what you'll do. Otherwise, if I cooperate with you and you're branded a rebel, wouldn't I be committing suicide?"

"I won't prove to you that I can save you. Right now, I'm the only one willing to save you. Whether you accept it or not is your business."

"Antonio, help me get a meeting with the President. He will save me..."

"The President?" Antonio grabbed Ramon’s hair again and pulled his ear close. "Do you think this is wartime? Do you think you can threaten your superiors just because you can win battles? I’m telling you, the moment you put a gun to your superior’s head, you became a hot potato to everyone."

"Whoever saves you is encouraging rebellion. In fact, your case was reported to the President’s office long ago, but have they had any reaction? Only someone like me, whose wings aren't fully grown and who needs a right-hand man, would possibly save you. If you continue to misread the situation, then keep rotting in this cell."

Saying this, Antonio pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it squarely before Ramon’s eyes, letting him see the official seal and words:

"The arrest warrant is here. The military court has submitted it to Ricardo. You recognize the military court’s seal, don't you? I’m the one who told Ricardo to delay signing this warrant for three days. You should receive the arrest warrant tomorrow."

"Idiot! Stop shaking your head. Look closely."

Being called an idiot for the first time, Ramon’s eyes were originally bloodshot with murderous intent.

But soon, after he read the text on the arrest warrant, his expression turned back to a slumped, dull state.

He felt Antonio was absolutely right to call him that; it had woken him up. He was an idiot. Treating a superior in peacetime the same way as in wartime—he had overestimated Ricardo and the President’s regard for him, leading to his current fate.

This man Antonio seemed to have a hint of righteousness within his deviousness. He could get promoted by Ricardo and also mess around with Bernardo. Begging him might be the only way.

"I promise you." Ramon made a heavy resolution, his tone weightier: "From now on, I am your man. If you like men, I can be your 'wife.' You can play with me however you want, as long as you don't ruin my two children, and as long as you can get me out."

"Since you're willing to do something so degrading, what exactly do you want to do once you're out?"

Ramon realized he had slipped up again. He found himself truly stupid, nowhere near as meticulous as Antonio.

"Speak. Speak clearly. Did you forget my requirement? You must treat me as your master!" Antonio was practically roaring, though he kept his voice low.

Ramon gritted his teeth hard, turning his face to the side.

"He comes here every night to rape me... I want to kill him with my own hands... I want to kill that freak myself..."

"Hmph!" Antonio gave a cold sneer. "You keep calling him a pervert and swear you'll kill him, yet you’re offering to let me sleep with you? Once you're free and you’ve finished him off，won't you just kill me too? After all, for a death row inmate, what’s one more body on the pile?"

"He only slept with you for three nights and you hate him this much. If I slept with you every night, wouldn't you hate me to the core?"

Ramon was left speechless by Antonio’s question. He hadn't expected Antonio to think that way.

"What? Am I wrong? Outsiders say you, Ramon, have no loyalty and bit the hand that fed you with Bernardo. I'm wondering, won't you bite me later too?"

Watching Ramon’s eyes go from confusion to depression, and finally to a withered state, Antonio’s tone softened. He asked in a gentle voice:

"If I really slept with you every night, would you still be loyal to me?"

"I would!" Ramon began to sob, tears and snot running together. "If you saved me, you would be my benefactor. You wouldn’t just be giving me a chance for revenge, you'd be giving me a chance to protect my two children. If you only played with me every night, I would have no regrets."

"Good!" Antonio smiled. "What I want is your loyalty. Who wants to sleep with you?"

Ramon’s eyes became filled with confusion again.

Why did Antonio have that wicked smirk on his face?

As Antonio untied Ramon’s ropes, he asked with a smirk, "Have you ever seen me sleep with my subordinates? Hmm?"

The ropes were off. Ramon knelt before Antonio, hugging Antonio’s leg. "I beg Master to save me. Even if my rank is higher than yours after I get out, you will absolutely be my master."

Antonio helped Ramon up and said gently, "You don't need to call me master, but you must always remember that I am your master. What I want to do is very difficult and requires your full help. Do you understand?"

Ramon shook his head: "I don't understand. What do you want to do? But if you don't want to say, then whatever you command, I will simply do it."

"I want the two countries to be united as one. No more wars. The people across the shore are our compatriots too."

Though it was only a calm whisper, to Ramon, it sounded more shocking than the explosions on a battlefield.

Who would have thought that Antonio, who appeared to be both good and evil, carried such a vision in his heart.

"Then, isn't your goal the Minister of Defense?"

"Exactly," Antonio replied flatly.

Ramon said no more. He simply stood straight and gave Antonio a military salute—the salute of a subordinate seeing a superior.