Deng Shiyang nodded and followed the restaurant owner down a short corridor adjacent to the lobby until they reached the end, where a heavy metal door painted with a dark brown wood grain stood.
The owner took out a key to unlock the door, stepped inside, reached for the light switch on the doorframe to turn on the fluorescent light, and then beckoned for Deng to follow.
Deng stepped through the door, observing the space illuminated by the bright white light. It was a narrow office, less than sixty square feet in area. The white wallpaper on the walls had begun to yellow, giving it a dirty and outdated look, while the beige mineral fiber acoustic ceiling panels were low, making the already small office feel even more cramped.
Near the door were two gray stainless steel filing cabinets, and in the center was a small dark brown desk with a gray-black "Lenovo" laptop on top. The polished enamel surface of the laptop reflected two bright white strips of light from the fluorescent fixture.
The owner locked the door, walked over to the wall opposite the entrance, and pulled open the blinds. He pointed to the gray-blue upholstered chair in front of the desk and then walked around to sit in the black leather swivel chair against the wall.
Behind the blinds was a one-meter-wide one-way mirror, with the other side being the drink bar's liquor shelf, where a row of different-colored bottles was arranged, offering a view of the restaurant lobby.
Deng glanced through the glass at the interpreter slumped motionless over the table and then slowly took a seat.
The owner turned on the air conditioner with a remote control, leaned back in his chair, and calmly asked, "What exactly do you want to know, sir?"
Deng responded slowly, "We’re all businesspeople, so you should understand that tax reductions or labor costs aren't our biggest concerns." He paused, then clarified, "What worries us the most is the situation here. No one knows if this troubled place will erupt again and cause our investments to go down the drain."
The owner nodded, letting out a slight "Hmm," and then nervously replied, "I understand what you're saying, but selling information about the government and military could get me killed..."
"That's why the reward will be worth the risk," Deng interrupted quickly, glancing at the one-way mirror on the wall.
The owner smirked slyly and asked, "So how much are you willing to pay for me to take this risk?"
Deng reached into his jacket and pulled out a bundle of one-hundred-dollar bills folded in half and held together with a rubber band, placing it lightly on the desk.
"There's two thousand dollars here."
The owner's eyebrows twitched at the sight of the money, but he remained silent.
"Old fox!" Deng thought to himself. He pretended to consider for a moment, then reluctantly pulled out another bundle of cash and placed it on the desk, saying begrudgingly, "That makes three thousand dollars total. That's my final offer. If it's not enough, I’ll have to look elsewhere."
The owner still didn't speak.
"Seems like we can’t reach a deal."
After a few more minutes, Deng stood up with a look of disappointment, muttering as he reached for the cash on the desk.
"I accept your offer," the owner said, stopping him and swiftly grabbing both bundles of cash and stashing them in a drawer.
That afternoon, Deng got acquainted with Xu Zhaoxiong, the owner of "Huali" Chinese restaurant.
Xu was in his fifties, originally from Zhou Ning in Fujian Province, but born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In 1977, influenced by the "Zhongli Incident," he joined the pro-democracy group "Summer Tide." Thirty years ago, during Taiwan's "Kaohsiung Incident," he led protesters in clashing with riot police and fled afterward, eventually making his way to South Africa. He spent six years working his way up from a dishwasher to head chef at a Chinese restaurant in Durban.
In 1987, after President Chiang Ching-kuo lifted the 38-year martial law, Xu returned to Taiwan, but within a year, he realized he couldn’t adapt to the changes in his homeland. In late 1988, he traveled via South Africa to Swaziland, using his savings to open a Chinese restaurant in Mbabane.
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He spent ten years building a good reputation and earning substantial income from the restaurant. Before the end of last year, he had even planned to open his first branch in Manzini.
But everything changed after the coup. The military government abolished the old currency, the Swaziland lilangeni, and began issuing a new currency that depreciated almost daily. This rendered his life savings worthless, yet he chose to stay and hold onto his restaurant, his only remaining asset in the world.
The two talked for about two hours, and Deng slowly got a grasp of the situation. Xu confirmed much of what the Australian doctor Whitney had mentioned on the plane, adding many strange and even hair-raising stories of his own.
To cope with domestic shortages, the military government implemented a rationing system for essentials like food, classifying citizens based on their loyalty and contributions to the country to determine ration quantities. Dissidents, political prisoners, their families, and HIV carriers were categorized as "useless people" who received no rations and were exiled to quarantine zones, left to fend for themselves.
Due to rampant corruption among government officials, much of the foreign aid in food and supplies was embezzled and sold on the black market, drawing the ire of the aid organizations involved. Because their assistance wasn't reaching the intended recipients, "Oxfam" and "Virgin Unite" announced their withdrawal from Swaziland last month.
To consolidate its rule, the military government practiced "collective punishment," sending criminals and their families to labor camps or exile in quarantine zones. It also formed secret police in civilian clothing and encouraged citizens to report anyone "disloyal to the president and the country." People in Swaziland lived under constant surveillance, every word and action observed.
Even though there were only the two of them in the office, Xu lowered his voice and unconsciously leaned forward while speaking. This gave Deng the impression that, except for those who benefited under the military regime, every person in this country harbored an unusual fear.
After learning about the people's living conditions and society, Deng sighed and began inquiring about the military.
At the mention of "military," Xu's face immediately showed disgust. He gritted his teeth and replied, "Those uniformed thugs are nothing but a scourge!"
Swaziland's armed forces, collectively known as the "Swaziland People's Liberation Army," consisted of three main components: the National Defense Force, the National Gendarmerie, and the Presidential Guard.
The president, who had risen to power through a coup, had a deep fear of rebellion. After taking office, he dissolved the police force and purged the "Revolutionary Command Council," imprisoning or executing anyone he deemed a potential threat. To tighten his grip on the military, he replaced all senior officers with loyalists. This cronyism led to rampant corruption in the military, with soldiers receiving only meager pay after deductions by various layers of the hierarchy.
With little money in their pockets but wielding law enforcement power, lower-ranking soldiers began finding ways to supplement their income, often targeting civilians' wallets. Soon, it became customary for soldiers to collect "tributes" from local businesses. They then discovered an even easier way to make money—colluding with the "People's Party" followers, who wore badges bearing the president's image and looted openly, sharing the spoils.
If the National Defense Force attracted public resentment, the National Gendarmerie, distinguished by their red berets, instilled fear. This unit reported directly to the "Ministry of National Security," specializing in suppressing and purging domestic anti-government forces. They could arrest and interrogate anyone at will, without court approval or regard for nationality.
Xu confirmed with certainty that a Taiwanese businessman who ran a garment factory in Manzini had been arrested and tortured by the Gendarmerie. His wife had to return to Taiwan with a handwritten letter from her husband to raise ransom money. After paying a substantial bribe to the "Ministry of National Security," she was able to secure his release, though he was left badly beaten. His crime? Failing to display posters and slogans of the president in his factory.
Hearing this, Deng recalled the incident at the airport and couldn't help but worry about the Australian doctor who had been arrested.
The elite Presidential Guard was the smallest and most mysterious of the three military units. Its members were all from the same tribe as President Ndofa, with absolute loyalty to him. The Guard was his direct unit, responsible for the defense of the presidential palace and surrounding areas. He wouldn’t step outside the palace without at least a platoon of guards.
By the time the conversation ended, it was 3:30 p.m. Deng woke the groggy interpreter and together they took the waiting taxi back to the hotel. The interpreter wasn’t suspicious about suddenly falling asleep during lunch; instead, he advised Deng to keep it a secret, as he didn't want to be held accountable for "failing in his surveillance duties."
Deng readily agreed to this request, as it saved him further trouble. Upon returning to the hotel, he even generously tipped the interpreter fifty dollars as hush money.
Annotations:
Zhongli Incident: Refers to the 1977 election in Taoyuan County, Taiwan, where allegations of election fraud led to an angry mob surrounding and setting fire to the Zhongli police station.
Summer Tide: Short for "Summer Tide United Association," a pro-democracy organization founded in Taiwan in 1976. Its members are mostly progressive individuals aiming for "democracy" and "peaceful reunification.
Kaohsiung Incident (Meilidao Incident): A major conflict between the government and civilians that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on December 10, 1979. The incident was led by members of the "Formosa Magazine" and other non-Kuomintang activists who organized demonstrations demanding democracy and freedom. It was the largest conflict between the government and civilians in Taiwan since the "228 Incident."
Oxfam: An international non-governmental organization that provides development aid and relief.
Virgin Unite: The working name for the Virgin Foundation, a charitable branch of the Virgin Group.