Why do so many Brazilians volunteer to serve in the French Foreign Legion? Patrick Oliveira, Bruno Silva, and Vando Silva are some of them.

Patrick returns to Brazil feeling frustrated. Bruno undergoes the admission tests. Vando, a veteran, served for five years at French Foreign Legion bases in African countries. He was discharged but remained in France, where he got married and had children. On a long train journey, we hear accounts of his missions. His experiences shift between hope and disillusionment — between an adventurous spirit and the maturity of someone who has witnessed the horrors of colonial war.

In parallel, Seidik Abba, a prominent writer and journalist from Niger, updates us on the current state of former French colonies, now increasingly drawn to the alluring promises of China and Russia. Through Vando and Seidik, we gain insight into the dilemmas of a continent caught in a global power struggle.