Chapter 25: The Great Xia Wants to Purchase Steel from Us?

For a moment, under the deliberation of these self-proclaimed wise men, they believed they had fully uncovered the machinations of the Grand Xia and seen through to the truth!

“In other words,” Pu Chuan said, his face grim and his chubby hands trembling slightly, “the so-called descent of a deity proclaimed by the Grand Xia is nothing but alarmist nonsense!”

“Their call to conscript fifty million soldiers is just for show!”

“They actually want us to fall into panic as well, to follow their lead, and get caught up in their game!”

“If we believe them, then when the Grand Xia claims that our Free Nation is about to face danger, calling for a draft of fifty million and a national mobilization to build something or other… we’ll become pawns at their mercy, our national strength drained by their empty words!”

“So, whatever happens, we cannot trust a single thing they say!”

“As long as we remain skeptical, the Grand Xia will be exhausting themselves for nothing! In the end, they’ll only wear down their own resources.”

At these words, the leaders of the great powers nodded in agreement across the communications conference.

Only Tom, the head of Australis, frowned slightly, sensing something amiss. “But would the Grand Xia really go that far? They are already seriously conscripting fifty million soldiers…”

“Heh, that’s just how they are!” sneered the leader of Kameda. “Never mind harming others to benefit themselves—there’s an old saying over there: ‘If you hurt the enemy by a thousand, you lose eight hundred yourself!’”

“As long as they can undermine our strength, what does it matter if they suffer losses too?!”

“Those people from the Grand Xia are despicable and shameless by nature. Hah, they think such petty schemes can fool us, but in truth, we’ve seen through everything from the start.”

John, the foremost leader of the Britannic Empire, let out a cold laugh. “Exactly, these self-important Grand Xia think they can pull the wool over our eyes, play strategy games with us? Who do they think they are?”

As he spoke, John instinctively flipped through the “Art of War” placed on his desk like a treasured artifact.

One could only say, when it comes to strategy, the Grand Xia are the ancestors of them all…

Pu Chuan pondered for a moment, then knocked on the table for emphasis, speaking with slow deliberation.

“In that case, our general strategy is decided.”

“No matter what the Grand Xia says, no matter what theatrics they put on, we must not believe them!”

“Even if they were to kneel and beg us to believe that a deity is about to descend, we absolutely must not believe!”

“Even if they mobilize the whole nation for war, even if they build anything with all their might, I still won’t believe them.”

“We must always remember, it’s all just an act!”

“Let them keep themselves busy, let them waste their efforts—for as long as we don’t believe, their plans will come to nothing, and in the end, only they will be expending their resources in vain!”

Pu Chuan’s voice brimmed with confidence.

“Excellent!”

“I agree!”

“We just won’t believe the Grand Xia; let them tire themselves out for nothing!”

Just then—

“Chairman Pu Chuan, a message has arrived from the Grand Xia leadership.” An assistant hurried in, whispering tensely into Pu Chuan’s ear.

At the same time—

“Chairman John, a message from the Grand Xia leadership.”

“Chairman Kameda, a message from the Grand Xia leadership.”

In one top-level office after another, the leaders of every nation received word from the Grand Xia!

“What? The Grand Xia wishes to purchase steel from us?”

“How strange—the Grand Xia also wants to buy steel from Britannia, to the tune of eighty million tons!”

“My own Italia has also been contacted—they hope to buy fifty million tons from us!”

All at once, every one of the top leaders cried out in astonishment during the communications conference.