Chapter 409: Episode 2: Apadombe, Fist of Justice

Black Mamba ended up with a painkiller, antibiotics, an atrophin kit, 20 C-rations, 30L of water, a titanium jungle knife, glock, 50 bullets, 1kg of camel date palms, and three one-time lighters. He did all he could. The rest was something Ulumbo would have to deal with on his own. Olonge took Ulumbo’s backpack. All that was left in the backpack were first aid things and spare magazines.

Ulumbo’s face looked like a mix of sadness and happiness. The tree house was strong enough to withstand a leopard’s bite and a gorilla’s swing, and tight knitted enough to prevent a black mamba from sliding in. There was water, food, and plenty of weapons. Still, he felt nervous getting separated from the Mahaduraka. He felt lost, like the time he lost his father in the jungle when he was little.

“Great master, I’m so sorry.” Ulumbo cried.

While he was nervous to the point of madness, he knew this was the best form of kindness the Mahaduraka could offer. If it had been any other white man, the white man would have abandoned him, a black man, and left. Or killed him out of anger.

“Be careful. I will not abandon you in the name of Dubaiburupa.”

Black Mamba patted Ulumbo’s shoulder.

“You weakling, you must not die while we kill the Damballah and return. Eat one antibiotic a day.”

Even Samedi, who scolded Ulumbo so many times, showed his worries visibly. He had grown attached after the long hours of scolding.

“Oh, thank you, thank you.”

Ulumbo bowed countless times.

Black Mamba’s group disappeared into the jungle.

“Thank you, sir Dubaiburupa!”

Ulumbo, who watched the group disappear into the jungle in the far distance, lowered his head deeply once more until tears poured down his face. He was moved, because he was treated like a human being.

Ulumbo worked as a labourer in the Doctors Without Borders, then was trained as a local agent by the DGSE. He was considered an intelligent person in the midst of ignorant blacks. He knew the horrible history of Congo, which was used as a colony, and knew the blacks were only ignorant because they weren’t educated.

While whites and blacks only had a difference of skin color, reality was different. While it wasn’t as obvious as the past, discrimination and denial still existed. This wasn’t only by the whites. Even blacks in power and position used other blacks like objects. There were many who sided with the whites and used their own tribe members as labourers. Those in power, regardless of white or black skins, were those who ran around wanted to make an example of their power. It was the same for him.

The Mahaduraka, no, sir Dubaiburupa was one a whole different dimension from the people in power, like those spell casters, whites, leaders of tribes and elders. The person who had a higher power than a spell caster was even more humane than other humans. Instead of displaying his strength, he treated the blacks and Pygmies as normal human beings.

The past ten days swept past his head like lanterns. Ituri’s inside was a heaven and earth’s difference from Ituri’s outskirts. If sir Dubai hadn’t protected him, he would have been dead ten times over. He had treated a mere black man’s wounds himself, and had even promised to return for him. He had built him a house in the midst of his busy mission, gave him all the water, food, and weapons, and left. He was truly an amazing person.

“I’m, I’m such an idiot!”

Ulumbo punched his own head. Sir Dubaiburupa had sworn his name on a mere black man’s life. He was someone he could truly swear loyalty to. He had been so ensnared in the idea that whites were devils who sliced off black men’s wrists that he didn’t think of becoming his servant. He was Asian, not white, but he had thought they were the same kind.

When sir Dubai had chased away the swarm of midge urs with his large whip, he had recalled the stories his grandfather and father had told him about the white men and their evil weapon ‘sigot’. It was a hippo leather whip the white officers used against them during the colonisation era.

His grandfather’s hands were cut off because he didn’t fulfil his daily quota of rubber-gathering. His father who went to the administrative office to file complaints was beaten to death by a sigot. In his youth, his mother always mentioned horrible stories of the sigot whenever she had the chance. That was why he considered Mahaduraka to be a god of white men, as he used that large whip.

Boom- His soul’s cry rang through his body. He had lived 35 years of his life fearing those in power and doubting people. He suddenly found himself pathetic for spending the years in search of a woman. His ancestors have sent him a message that there was a future with sir Dubai. Ulumbo clung to the wall as he stood. He sent a solemn prayer in sir Dubaiburupa’s way despite the pain in his ankle.

“Sir Dubaiburupa, I wish to become your servant. No, I can be Bodun’s servant. I want to live like a human. I may be useless, but I would be your luggage man if needed. Please let me follow you around.”

He was at peace after praying desperately. He just needs to wait ten days for his master to return. No, his master will finish the Damballah in less time than that, and return in less the time. Hope shot up within him. Whether Ulumbo’s wish is granted is to be seen.

There is Congo’s horrible reality in their era of colonisation behind Ulumbo’s grounded fear towards outsiders, whips, and the wrist-cutting punishment.

Congo’s locals call whites ‘the devils who cut wrists’. The Belgium officials, just like the Japanese during Korea’s colonial era, were the devil themselves. Congo’s people were forced into labor to gather ivory and rubber. The overseers sliced their hands off if they didn’t complete the day’s quota. There was a Belgium who once sliced 1,000 wrists a day.

The sigot which Belgium officials swung around was an icon of fear to the locals. Sigots are hard, thick hippo leathers wrapped in an alligator’s skin, heavy in weight. 10 hits from the whip would knock out a person, while 50 would kill.

This was Leopold’s defence: Blacks are ignorant and lazy, and must be taught the noble nature of labor. We must not ignore the blacks who God abandoned. This only further cements the fact that Europe’s white didn’t consider African blacks human.

To the Congo locals, whites were the devils who whipped with their sigot, slice off hands, and took their necks. It had been 25 years since their independence, but their fear remained. This was also the reason why Ulumbo and Pygmies feared Black Mamba, out of deep-rooted fear of the whip and the lack of hands.

The popular products Belgium stole out of Congo was ivory and natural rubber. Of course, the people who moved the ivory and rubber were Congo people. This is similar to Japan’s policy which aimed to take all of Korea’s underground resources and wood.

If there is a difference, Belgium didn’t invest a single penny into infrastructures, while Japan made Shin-jak ro and constructed railroads. Of course, Koreans were used to building Shin-jak ro and the rails. But Japan’s also the kind of unashamed official who claims its country contributed to Korea’s development when they built the infrastructure to make economic gains more efficient.

Back then, ivory was more precious than silver in Europe. Men were considered gentlemen when they held ivory pipes in their mouths, played chess with ivory chess pieces, and poked ivory billiard balls. Belgium’s ivory billiard balls were so popular to the point luxury billiard balls were called Belgi to the late 20’s.

Congo people were also forced to gather natural rubber after ivory. Leopold managed to get a 1000% profit compared to the amount invested. Even Buddha would invest his charity funds for a 10 times profit. All the European nobles stuck a foot in the natural rubber gathering business, and the Congo people fell into hell.

Natural rubber stems from deep within the jungle. Countless of Congonians died in Shalonga jungle, Garamba jungle, Bilonga jungle, and Ituri jungle. Congo’s ivory and natural rubber was a blessing to Europeans and a curse to Congo’s people.

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The colony overseers whipped the Congo people with sigots and sliced off their wrists, blinded with greed. By the end of the 19th century when rubber production reached its peak, Congo’s population dropped from over 20 million to 9 million. That was how harsh forced labor was, and the conditions of working in the jungle.

The Pygmy tribe in Congo’s eastern jungles were affected the most. They were abused and forced to join the harsh labor in large numbers as they knew the forests well. There’s a dark shadow behind the Pygmy’s laid back lifestyle and disinterest towards others.

Leopold managed to hid his evil actions by spreading the large profit across several European royalties, medias, and local charities. The Belgium government managed to raise industries and serve the people’s commonwealth through the money gained from Congo.

Not only Belgium, in the background of all European countries’ industrial development was the wealth stolen from colonies and the locals’ tears of blood.

While they weren’t any different from Japan who colonised Korea, there was a large difference between Korea and Africa’s colonial times. Korea resisted against Japan, while the new African colonies didn’t. Korea requested an apology from Japan while Congo didn’t request an apology from Belgium. While Japan acted innocent, Africa’s new countries feigned ignorance.

What was the difference between the two?

It’s the existence of knowledge of history. Most new African countries didn’t have knowledge of their history, or pride, which caused them to concede instead of resist. Congo was plundered for 70 years until its independence in 1960. It’s twice the time of Korea’s colonisation under Japan. Congo, who forgot its elite class and citizen’s nationality, couldn’t become a nation-like state despite its independence.

Japan was smart, and tried all kinds of underhanded deals to change and erase history. The after effects of colonisation were critical. Some contaminated humans were making society pay for their pro-Japan activities even after Korea’s independence.

Anyways, Koreans were able to quickly build a nation-like nation after independence because it didn’t forget its ethnic heritage of 35 years. If Korea had, it would have been erased off the map as quickly as Congo did.

Once the Homo Sapiens Sapiens dropped out of the group of Homo Sapiens Epidium, Hono Sapiens Zombie, andHomo Sapiens Pygmy, their moving rate increased.

Olonge and Kidamba continued to rush forward without rest. They hydrated themselves using the Hibitor sap, and took bananas and wild sugar canes as meals. Whether it’s a white or black, big guys became idiots in the jungle. They wanted to prove that the Pygmy tribe was the best within the jungle.

“Ha, they’re just like monkeys.”

“You’re right. Those guys must have acted rash out of frustration.”

Even Black Mamba agreed to Samedi’s exclamation. Once they left behind Ulumbo, their speed increased three folds. Olonge and Kidamba were just like wild animals. They were the best examples of forest people.

They jumped on thorn bushes and kicked off of them as though they had iron plates underneath their feet. They passed through obstacle-filled places like a snake by plastering themselves on the ground. They grabbed tree branches like a monkey, swung once around them, and jumped onto another branch. They flew through the air like Tarzan holding onto vines. Despite their fast movements, not a single sound was made. Thanks to them, Samedi didn’t have to waste time creating a path with his jungle knife.

Once their C-rations ran out, Olonge and Kidamba filled their stomachs themselves. The Ituri jungle which attacked outsiders was endlessly benevolent towards the Pygmy tribe.

They found yakoris which looked like caterpillars like ghosts after a target and ate them raw. They burnt ant hills with fire and ate the ants and eggs. They sliced off certain barks with their jungle knives and ate its softest part. They also found various fruits like ghosts. They climbed up trees whose canopy couldn’t be seen and ate the fruits. They were the kind of tribe with a third eye for food. Black Mamba admitted that he didn’t understand the Pygmy’s abilities well.

On the second day, Black Mamba took back his words. The Pygmy tribe’s strange actions started once more. Olonge and Kidamba who had been sprinting well ahead suddenly stopped. Screeeeech- Eeee- Several monkeys were jumping around the trees and crying out. The two immediately crawled underneath a tree. It seemed as though they were waiting for the monkeys to disappear.

“What are you doing? Are you planning to catch those monkeys? Let’s go.” Samedi waved at them.

Olonge and Kidamba shook their heads and shook their hands. They were in complete denial.

“You bastards, stand up now!” Samedi shouted.

Kidamba shook his head. Olonge pointed at the monkeys and held up four of his fingers. Then he shook his head. Black Mamba looked somewhere above their heads once more. The four monkeys were kicking up a ruckus.

“What? Is there a rule that you must take a break if four monkeys scream?”

Black Mamba had reached the point of immediately making assumptions after being troubled by the Pygmies’ strange actions several times.

“Kuambi ssana I-say. (You will be stoned)”

What are you saying?”

Black Mamba was frustrated. Black Mamba didn’t understand the Pygmies, and the Pygmies didn’t know Koran.

“You bastards are acting up again. Are you scared of the monkeys’ d*** or something?”

Angered, Samedi took out his MP5sd3. He assembled the gun with practiced hands and pulled the trigger. Bang bang bang bang- The four monkeys fell from somewhere above their heads, to the ground. It was an amazing aim for someone who was trained by Emil for a day, and Black Mamba for a few short sessions.

“Migosi, migosi! (Trouble!)”

Olonge and Kidamba freaked out. They started screeching like monkeys and kicked up a ruckus.

“Hurry up!” Samedi glared.

The two Pygmies were cowed into leading the way, but their advance was slower than before. Suddenly, the mood changed. The number of monkeys increased. Keee Keee- Kuuuh- Screeeeech- They were surrounded by the monkeys’ screeches.

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