OR1-EP1: Rainbow Nation (6)

Michael McNeil and Jake Land were sitting by the window, enjoying the countryside scenery outside. The railway line that runs through Africa used to be an important part of the EU's rule and construction of Africa. Now it has gradually declined with the changes of the times and the development of other modes of transportation. From then on, people who chose to take the train regarded it more as part of their travel, and if they were busy on the road, they could choose other methods. On the same train, hundreds of passengers came from different communities and groups. Some regarded the train as a backward thing that should have been eliminated long ago, while others only wandered in the underdeveloped areas of southern Africa for their entire lives. Looking at the happy black faces, McNeil only felt a little sad. In their eyes, perhaps Transvaal is already the most prosperous area within their cognizance, and they absolutely cannot imagine or believe that Paris, Pendragon and Luo Yang still exist in the world.

"I have never been to Angola in my life." Old Jake said excitedly. He was wearing a straw hat, a light blue short-sleeved shirt, and a watch bought from a thrift dealer on his right hand. He seems to be no different from those old people who often travel to the country. The difference is that he doesn't have any priceless properties or comfortable mansions in the city. He is just a poor old man who can't even pay the rent. " It was promoted in the newspapers that Angola is the most successful model region for autonomy and assimilation. I have always been dubious about this."

"That is where the church played an important role. The piety and fanaticism of the Spanish and Portuguese for the faith cannot be compared with citizens in other parts of the EU." McNeil cut an article from the newspaper, "Jorge Dias is a Portuguese, and all his thinking about the future destiny of the indigenous people is influenced by his cultural background. If the media in both the EU and Africa regard Angola in Southwest Africa as a construction model, the views put forward by the him to the Governor-general must be based on Angola."

Outside the borders of South Africa, to the west is another African colony under EU's control, Southwest African Commission. Among the many colonies in Southwest Africa, Angola has an important position. On the one hand, this is due to the continuous struggle of the local indigenous people for decades. On the other hand, some EU officials who are interested in reforming the African governance model continue to criticize the original policy. The result of this kind of struggle and compromise was that the EU decided to grant Angola a certain degree of autonomy more than two decades ago, although it is still under the management of the Southwest African Commission.

"Are you interested in visiting mainland Europe?"

"Forget it, I don't have that much money." Old Jake flinched, "Africa suits me well, and the pace of Europe is too fast."

"That's right. Recently, the homeland government has made a new interpretation of the pension issue." McNeil said disappointedly. "There are thousands of people in Estonia who took to the streets to protest, all of whom can survive only on pensions. Poor guys."

The prosperity of Europe has nothing to do with them. Even if the EU unified the world, Jake Land would only be a poor old newspaper seller, and McNeil would still be a vagrant. Old Jake is used to not being moved by the arguments on paper. This cheap mood can be imitated vividly by hiring a crappy clown. McNeil told Old Jake that this investigation was not so much a search for information related to the murder case, as it was to find an opportunity for Jake to temporarily escape the days of being forced to make a living.

McNeil frowned when he saw that there were many black people working on the farm by the roadside. Legally speaking, slavery was abolished long ago, and in fact it still exists to varying degrees. He looked at the old Jake who was napping in the seat, lowered his head and continued to think about the problem he needed to deal with. Unfortunately, a black man next to him stopped him:

"Sir, are you interested in hearing our proposition?"

"Please." McNeil nodded.

"That's it. We are members of the Flat Earth Association. We hope that more people can learn the truth about the world we live in." The black man took out a leaflet and handed it to McNeil. "From more than 30 years ago, a group of conspirators concocted false propaganda about the world. They used various methods to deceive the public, making many people think that our world is a sphere..."

McNeil interrupted him impatiently:

"... Do you mean that the photos and videos taken on Apollo's Chariot are all fake? Besides, what does it have to do with me whether the world is a plane or a sphere?" He learned from old Jack's reprimand Said, "Brother, you should get a job instead of caring about the shape of the world."

Everyone in the carriage roared with laughter, and the atmosphere suddenly became active.

"Go back and grow sugar cane and cotton!" someone shouted at the black man, "your minds are only worthy of understanding this!"

The black man left the carriage angrily, perhaps in the carriage next door to continue to promote his fallacy. McNeil returned from the toilet and found that old Jake had just woke up, so he told the old man what had just happened.

"This kind of thing is very common. Everyone may have a set of absurd statements about the laws of the world." Old Jake buttoned his straw hat on the table. "I used to think it was the church who encouraged these superstitions, but later the church itself admitted its mistakes. Darwin was even named Saint Darwin in the Britannian Empire."

The final station of the train is Luanda, where McNeil and Old Jake are going to visit a church school mentioned by Jorge Diaz in their article. When they got out of the car, they found that the black man who had previously promoted the concept of flatness to the passengers was being escorted to the police car by two policemen, and there were two well-dressed gentlemen behind them swearing.

The two dared not think further, they immediately left the train station. McNeil came to Angola smoothly according to the false certificate provided by the army. Although he also considered visiting the local area for a few more days, the consequences would be disastrous if he was exposed. The two found a taxi near the railway station and went to the famous church school.

The taxi driver was a black man in his fifties. Seeing the two passengers who were suspected of being foreign tourists, he eloquently introduced the customs of Angola to the two. McNeil chatted with each other casually, hoping to learn more specific news.

"We are here to investigate the level of education in Angola." McNeil lied that he was an investigator sent by the relevant department. "According to some sociologists, they believe that widespread poverty is directly related to insufficient education. Without fair education, we cannot get rid of the high poverty rate in Africa. Not to mention the tribal-controlled scholastic model in North Africa. Angolan education has been praised by many people. We are here to confirm this rumor. "

"Exaggeration." The driver couldn't hear the slightest joy in his tone. "If it is said that illiterate literacy is a certain educational achievement, then we do have many such so-called achievements; however, this does not save those poor."

"I knew it was like this." Old Jake sighed, "These people are dark hearted! Even if they don't do anything, they can promote themselves as great ones; if they make a little achievement, they must think that they shall be saints."

In addition to the well-known problem of church schools, there is another hidden danger in Angola and other areas bordering South Africa, which is the indigenous people in the reserve. These reservations are usually on the dividing line between South Africa and other Commissions, and some are not even in South Africa at all. Cross-border attacks by indigenous people in South Africa cannot be stopped by other public offices. According to some unreliable accounts, some indigenous people were trained by the older generation of guerrilla fighters who had fought in Angola. This is also confirmed by their methods of attacking cities and causing panic with mass casualties. The strange thing is that the indigenous people did not attack other colonies that were closer, but went all the way to trouble South Africa.

"Have you been to high school?"

"High school." The driver said, "At that time, it was different from now!... The school didn't teach anything, and the price of books was scary. If we want to learn more, it's enough to make us bankrupt. Who still wants to learn? My former boss said to me, you should learn more, learn more skills, don't spend all day drinking and fighting... For the sake of God, if I have money, I will also do something more meaningful."

The driver parked the car in front of the school. McNeil and Old Jake glanced at each other's expressions, and they both noticed a clear lack of self-confidence.

"Don't panic, let's say that we were sent by Father Palaskas." McNeil coughed a few times. "We need to know the employment status of their graduates."

Old Jake knew that he and McNeil relied on continuous felicitations to achieve their goals. As long as the people they contacted didn't seriously confirm them, no one would realize that they were conducting investigations under the guise of others. Even if someone really called the army, considering that Colonel Karl Duttmann personally approved McNeil's actions, as long as it was not criticized by a minister or commander, he could withstand the pressure. After McNeil had a few conversations with the guard, several priests came out to greet them and invited them to the principal. Palaskas' name is a great sign. Not everyone has the guts to go to the Britannian Empire to investigate the atrocities. The Greeks once again proved themselves with courage. Regardless of the Orthodox or Catholic Church, the one who can maintain the original heart is the good religion.

The principal briefly introduced the school to McNeil, and then he and McNeil began to discuss the living conditions of the graduates.

"Unfortunately, our mission school, which is open to the indigenous people, can only ensure that they live the lives of ordinary citizens. As for higher-level pursuits, we cannot provide that kind of education." The principal pointed to the form on the desk. "Nowadays, universities' entry barriers are getting higher and higher, but relevant departments invest less and less in basic education. Not only that, many universities require applicants to have excellent learning abilities, but also unreasonably require them to be multi-talented... Oh God, most people are lucky to be able to do one thing well in their lives. Where are there so many all-rounders in the world?"

McNeil glanced at the form and asked bluntly:

"What is the definition of this ordinary citizens? It is guaranteed that they will not be included in the poor?"

"Yes, that's all." The principal opened his hands. "Only a few people really become successful people who can help others."

However, most of these people will choose to go to Europe instead of staying in Africa, and they may think that Europe is more suitable for them. As a result, education in Africa is a dead end, and the outstanding people that are finally cultivated have become part of EU. Africa is facing a vicious circle of brain drain and a continuous cycle. The church cannot do anything about it. This is supposed to be the work of the relevant EU departments, and the church has no intention to clean up the mess for them.

"I want to look at the family situation of this year's graduates."

"Okay, I will find it for you personally. You can watch TV for a while." The principal left the office and went to find another document. Old Jack turned on the TV set in the corner and tuned to the English news channel. The news on the French channel is certainly more authoritative, but he, a native English speaker, has no reason to force himself to read French all day.

"Dear viewers, an urgent news is inserted below." As soon as they turned on the TV, the two found that the host was reading the temporarily written speech with a face and dignity. "According to the accurate news, the Emperor Stephen II of the Britannian Empire had a heart attack. The infarction rescue was invalid, and he passed away in Pendragon at about 11 am today. At present, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Britannian Empire has not made any other statements. According to the announcement of the royal family half an hour ago, Crown Prince Charles will temporarily replace the head of state..."

Old Jake was taken aback. He looked at McNeil who was also in shock, and said to himself:

"That old guy died like this?"

This will happen sooner or later. Stephen II is over ninety years old, and his grandson Crown Prince Charles is over forty years old. Originally, this throne would not be Charles' turn anyway, and his father, Crown Prince Edmund, was the true heir. However, the previous crown prince Edmund was assassinated thirty years ago, and his wife was also killed in the assassination. The whereabouts of the eldest son Victor is unknown. The old emperor Stephen II regarded Edmund's second son Charles as his only hope, and soon announced that Charles would be made the prince and cultivated vigorously.

"People are inherently dead."

"I know, I know." No one knows whether he thinks of his own age or seeing Stephen II's children and grandchildren while himself being alone, the old Jake is sad. "It's a mercy for him, and he will die in such a rapidly fatal emergency. I want to say that this kind of executioner should struggle in pain for three or four days before dying...Of course, if I have such a day, I hope I die faster and don't suffer in vain."

McNeil looked at the man with a firm and cold expression on the TV screen, thoughtfully.

"I heard that none of the crown princes of the Britannia Empire can successfully inherit the throne."

"That's natural, because every crown prince has countless brothers and sisters or uncles and aunts staring at his throne." Old Jake leaned on the armchair, "As for the new emperor, God save the Emperor!"

TBC