Those Who Risk Their Lives chapter 2

Jack started to tell his past with a mournful face:

Jack was drafted into the army. Once, the captain asked Jack if he wanted to make a lot of money. Jack didn’t know what “making a lot of money” meant in this context. The captain said, “Making a lot of money” here meant “selling your life”. In a few days, there would be an execution. The family of a death – row inmate had approached him and was willing to pay $1000 to save the inmate’s life. The captain was supposed to find a willing soldier in the company to pretend to be the inmate and take the bullet. If Jack agreed, the captain would give him $100. Jack was scared silly at the thought. “Once the gun goes off, I’ll lose my life. What’s the use of this $100?” The captain told Jack not to worry. He said that when Jack went to the execution ground, he would kneel in the third position. The executioner in the third position had been bribed. He would use blanks, and at most, Jack would get a little scratch and bleed, but his life would be safe. Jack still refused. The captain got angry, slapped his pistol on the table, and cursed, “Ungrateful wretch! If you don’t do it, I’ll shoot you right now!” Jack had no choice but to agree. The captain also said that after the gun went off, Jack must pretend to be dead and fall down. He had to time his escape precisely, neither too early nor too late. That was after the execution team left and before Mrs. Thompson, who was in charge of the jailhouse, came to collect the bodies. He should seize the opportunity to hide in a small grove. At night, the captain would send two soldiers to pick Jack up in the grove. Jack would take off the prisoner’s clothes, put on his military uniform, and return to the company to continue serving as a soldier.

The captain also told Jack that if he couldn’t escape in time and was taken to the jailhouse, it wouldn’t matter. He would bribe Mrs. Thompson with an $80 red – envelope and ask her to go easy on Jack when she beat him with the stick. Then, in the middle of the night, she would let Jack go. When reporting to the superiors, they would say that the wall of the jailhouse was in disrepair and there was a hole at the base, and a wild dog had dragged a corpse away. The captain said proudly, “If you escape before Mrs. Thompson collects the bodies, I won’t have to give her this $80.”

Jack had no choice but to tell the truth. He said that this was his fourth time “selling his life”. When Mrs. Thompson heard this, she flew into a rage and cursed, “This scoundrel is so unfair!” She thought that Jack had sold his life three times before, but she, “Mrs. Thompson”, had only received the $80 red – envelope once. That scoundrel captain had saved the money twice! Mrs. Thompson was really angry this time. “I’ll double the fee this time. Otherwise, I’m not afraid to take this matter up to any level!” So, Jack was “stuck” in the jailhouse.

On the third day, the captain who was involved in the “life – selling” business saw that his soldier hadn’t returned to the company. He quickly found the family of the death – row inmate who was “buying a life”. “My soldier is stuck in the jailhouse!” The family was afraid that the matter would be exposed if it got out of hand, so they came to the jailhouse to see Mrs. Thompson. Mrs. Thompson stared at them, pointed at Jack, and said in a strange tone, “Look clearly. Is this your son?” The family stammered, “Yes.” Mrs. Thompson sneered and roared like thunder, “This isn’t your son. His name is Jack, a soldier in the 2nd Company, 3rd Regiment, 4th Division of the 28th Army!” The family of the death – row inmate quickly offered a red – envelope. When Mrs. Thompson opened it, she saw an $80 banknote. She snorted and said, “No way!” The family had no choice but to take out more money.

After the issue was settled, Jack pretended to be a corpse again and was carried into a coffin. The family followed the coffin, crying. At night, Jack lifted the coffin lid and sneaked back to the army to continue serving as a soldier. His next “life – selling” would be the fifth time…