Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 808 The Miserable Suzuki Taro

Fujita Teru sneered in his heart. The reason why Suzuki Taro could still stand there and get angry and point fingers at him was only because he had not experienced real hunger and despair.

Fujita Teru thought silently in his heart, after you go hungry for a few days, you will probably be worse off than me.

At dawn, Suzuki Taro woke up in the biting cold, his eyes were bloodshot, as if all the fatigue from a sleepless night was condensed in those once sharp eyes.

The surrounding environment is still so simple and desolate. The tattered tents are crumbling in the cold wind. Every gap is like an open mouth, ruthlessly devouring the temperature in the room.

The cold winds at night seemed to be even more violent than yesterday. They penetrated the tents unscrupulously, bringing waves of biting coldness, making Suzuki Taro feel as if he was in a huge ice cellar.

The thin, worn-out blanket on his body, which had long lost its warmth-retaining function, was more like an irony at this moment. Instead of giving Suzuki Taro the slightest warmth, it made him feel the biting cold every time he turned over.

The emptiness from not eating for a whole day made his stomach ache, and this feeling, combined with the cold, almost completely destroyed his will.

Suzuki Taro struggled to stand up, his legs were a little stiff due to the long cold. He staggered towards Fujita Teru's residence, his heart full of dissatisfaction and resentment. He couldn't understand why he, a high and mighty cabinet minister, would fall to such a state, while the seemingly insignificant Fujita Teru could sleep so peacefully.

When he walked into Fujita Teru's tent, a relatively warm atmosphere hit him, which was in sharp contrast to the biting cold outside. Fujita Teru was lying on the simple bed, snoring loudly, and was obviously still immersed in a dream.

Suzuki Taro was furious when he saw this. He shouted, "You bastard, stop sleeping and get up!"

Fujita Teru was awakened by the sudden roar. He sat up in a daze, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and looked at Suzuki Taro, who was pale and shivering with cold.

After a moment, he seemed to understand something, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. He said, "Master Suzuki, what's wrong? Didn't you have a good rest last night? Oh, I forgot to tell you that the nights here are extremely cold. If you want to sleep better, you must stuff a layer of straw in the sheets, which can increase the warmth. Also, it's best to pick up some firewood at night and light a fire in the fire pan, which can keep you warm and drive away the cold."

Taro Suzuki's gaze stayed on Teru Fujita for a moment, his complex expression showing both surprise and a bit of disbelief.

He seemed to be re-examining the colleague in front of him with whom he had worked for many years. This outstanding student who graduated from the Imperial Diplomatic Academy had now become his only support and object of learning in his desperate situation.

"Sir, the Chinese soldiers will bring the food over soon. You must not spill the food again today." Fujita Teru's voice carried a hint of helplessness and reminder. He had obviously calmed down from the anger and unwillingness he had when he first arrived and began to adapt to this living environment.

He continued, "When I first arrived, I was just like you. I couldn't accept such treatment. As a result, they starved me for three whole days. It was a very uncomfortable experience. I almost died for His Majesty the Emperor." There was a hint of self-mockery in Fujita Teru's words, but Suzuki Taro also heard a hint of bitterness and tenacity in them.

Suzuki Taro did not respond immediately, but walked silently to the bedside and reached out to touch Fujita Teru's bed sheet. Sure enough, there was a lot of dry weeds stuffed inside. These seemingly insignificant things became a life-saving weapon on a cold night.

He pressed gently, feeling the warmth from nature, and an inexplicable complex emotion surged in his heart.

Then, his eyes fell on the dilapidated brazier in the corner of the tent. There were still some embers left from burning firewood, revealing a glimmer of life and hope.

Taro Suzuki was silent for a long time, as if at this moment, some of the ice in his heart began to slowly melt.

Finally, he spoke awkwardly: "Give me your sheets and this fire tray, I want it tonight." Although this sentence is short, it reveals his inner changes and compromises. He realized that in such an environment, dignity and pride seemed so insignificant, and only survival was the most important thing.

As the footsteps approached outside the tent, Suzuki Taro and Fujita Teru both stopped what they were doing and focused their eyes on the tent entrance that was gradually opening. Soon, two Chinese soldiers appeared as usual, with expressionless faces, each holding a food box in their hands, gently placed it in front of the two, and then turned around to leave.

The contents of the food box were the same as always - a raw fish and a few potatoes, simple and rough, but the most precious food in this special period. Fujita Teru didn't hesitate at all, he quickly picked up the food, as if it was his only lifeline, and gobbled it up, every bite seemed so satisfying and cherished.

Suzuki Taro was completely different. He looked at the food box in front of him with a complicated expression and a glimmer of struggle in his eyes. The feeling of hunger surged like a tide, and his stomach rumbled uncontrollably, but his deep-rooted self-esteem and face prevented him from taking action.

"You little Japanese, you're not tall, but you have a bad temper. I worked hard to bring you food, but you knocked over my bowl. I think you're itching for trouble!" Every word of the soldier's contemptuous words hurt Suzuki Taro's heart.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms, and glared at the soldiers, as if he wanted to devour them alive with his eyes.

At this moment, Fujita Teru noticed Suzuki Taro's abnormality. He hurriedly grabbed Suzuki Taro, who was about to lose control, nodded and bowed to the soldier's back, and said with a smile: "You are right, you are right. It is us who are ungrateful. Please don't bother with us."

His tone was humble and sincere, very different from his usual diplomat image.

The soldier glanced at them, snorted coldly, and left with a sentence "I didn't expect that a beast could speak human words. Be careful next time!" Then he walked away. This sentence was like a heavy hammer, making Suzuki Taro's face turn livid in an instant. He roared, and his voice was full of anger and unwillingness.

Fujita Teru was frightened by the sudden roar and trembled all over. He subconsciously protected the food box in his hand, fearing that it would also become a victim of Suzuki Taro's anger.

Fujita Teru quickly finished his portion of food, wiped the corners of his mouth with satisfaction, and his eyes unconsciously fell on the food box that Suzuki Taro had not yet touched. It was a look full of desire and expectation, as if some rare treasure was hidden there.

"Lord Suzuki, if you don't eat..." There was a hint of caution in Fujita Teru's voice. He rubbed his hands, looking a little uneasy.

"Get out of here, this is my food!"

He took a deep breath and finally let go of his long-tense attitude. He picked up the raw fish with trembling hands and took a big bite.

The deliciousness of the raw fish instantly explodes in your mouth; the freshness of the fish meat and the juice are intertwined together to form an indescribable deliciousness.

Taro Suzuki's eyes lit up instantly, with a feeling of surprise and satisfaction as if he had discovered a new world.

He was eating with his mouth full of oil, completely disregarding his image. He was completely different from the angry and arrogant self just now.

"This fish is as good as the sashimi in Kyoto. It's so juicy and delicious!" Taro Suzuki couldn't help but exclaim.

At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten all the humiliation and dissatisfaction, and only the delicious food in front of him could make him feel a moment of peace and satisfaction.

Fujita Teru looked at Suzuki Taro's transformation and shook his head speechlessly. He remembered clearly that just yesterday, Suzuki Taro had sneered at such food and even got angry over a small matter. But now, he was like a child, greedily enjoying this "coarse food" that he once disdained.