Stop Fooling the Us, China Really is Doing This!

Chapter 372 Maranli has fallen!After hearing those words from Elder Qin, the high-ranking officials of the Eagle Empire seemed as if they had been struck by a paralysis spell, freezing in place with complex expressions of shock and disbelief etched upon their faces.

In truth, from the very moment they dialed the phone to seek aid from the Dragon Kingdom, they had a vague premonition that the Dragon Kingdom would certainly take this opportunity to make some demands. Given that the Dragon Kingdom currently held the upper hand, it was highly likely that these demands would not be small; they might even open their mouths like a lion.

Yet, even with such psychological preparation, when Elder Qin truly spoke of wanting all of their resources on Blue Star, they were still deeply shaken!

A thought couldn’t help but bubble up from the depths of their hearts: ”The Dragon Kingdom is just too greedy!”

The Eagle Empire—that was once the hegemon on Blue Star, calling the wind and summoning the rain, majestic and awe-inspiring!

Over the years, relying on layout and development in various fields time and time again, it had accumulated deep foundations.

Whether it was in the financial sector, such as Wall Street, which controlled the lifeblood of the global economy, or in terms of industrial chains, from high-end precision aerospace component manufacturing to the production of daily necessities found everywhere in daily life, a complete and massive industrial chain crisscrossed to support the entire nation and even an industrial system with profound influence on many global industries!

Whether it was in energy reserves, with abundant oil, natural gas, and other resources that gave them a pivotal say in the energy market, or in agriculture, where vast, fertile lands combined with highly modernized planting and breeding technologies made it an important global exporter of agricultural products!

Or perhaps their military power or technological talent. Their foundations were enough to make all the countries of the world click their tongues in astonishment.

It was precisely by relying on these astonishingly deep foundations that the Eagle Empire dared to go head-to-head with the Dragon Kingdom on the international stage time and time again, standing firm until the end.

But now, the Dragon Kingdom had set its sights on these foundations they viewed as their bedrock. The intention could not be more obvious; it was clearly to force the Eagle Empire to completely set aside its arrogant posture and submit to the feet of the Dragon Kingdom!

To the high-ranking officials of the Eagle Empire, who had always considered themselves the world’s number one power, this was no less than a bolt from the blue; it was truly hard to accept!

Seeing that there was no response from the other end of the line for a long time, Elder Qin did not mind, still unhurriedly continuing to speak on his own:

”The resources I mentioned are not just empty talk; they naturally encompass every aspect within your country’s territory.”

”I hope your country can be generous and not be stingy in giving them to us!”

”Of course, I also understand that for you, this is indeed an extremely difficult decision, so I will not force you to make a choice; everything depends entirely on your own consideration.”

These words from Elder Qin were like a heavy bomb, exploding in the hearts of the Eagle Empire’s high-ranking officials.

This was tantamount to plundering all the assets the Eagle Empire had accumulated over a long time, everything it relied on for survival and hegemony.

This meant that once they hardened their hearts and agreed to this near-harsh condition proposed by the Dragon Kingdom, after this catastrophe that had plunged the whole world into deep water and scorching fire passed, the Eagle Empire would never have its former glory again!

It would completely fall into becoming a vassal state of the Dragon Kingdom, or to put it more bluntly, just like a slave to the Dragon Kingdom!

It could only follow the lead of the Dragon Kingdom; national sovereignty, the right to independent development, and so on, would all cease to exist.

After clearly thinking through the heavy consequences contained within this, the Secretary of State was the first one who couldn’t sit still!

He was so angry that his face turned red, the veins on his neck bulging, and he immediately shouted excitedly:

”Absolutely not!!!”

”The Dragon Kingdom wants us to be their slaves!”

”Our Eagle Empire is a great power with a glorious history and vast territory; how can we bow down and submit to the Dragon Kingdom!”

”I firmly oppose this condition; this is simply a trampling on our national dignity!”

His voice echoed in the conference room, filled with immense unwillingness and anger. The others heard it, and their hearts felt as if a jar of five flavors had been overturned; various feelings surged into their minds, all hesitant, not knowing what to do.

After all, if they agreed, it would be equivalent to handing over the future of the country. As the country’s high-ranking officials, this was something they could not easily accept under any circumstances!

But if they did not agree, watching the monsters outside, which were becoming more numerous and more ferocious, surging in like a tide, the fall of the nation seemed to be imminent, right before their eyes—and this was a result they were even less willing to see.

Just in this oppressive atmosphere, President Biden, with a gloomy face, slowly spoke up!

His voice carried a sense of helplessness and sorrow, as if he had struggled with difficulty before uttering these words:

”It is better to live on in disgrace than to die.”

”You all should calm down and think carefully. What we are facing now is actually a dilemma.”

”Do you want to watch our country completely perish right now, or are you willing to temporarily set aside your pride and become slaves to the Dragon Kingdom?”

”If you choose the former, once the nation falls, there will really be nothing left. Everything we have worked so hard to build will turn into nothingness, our people will be plunged into endless suffering, and the entire nation will have its traces erased from the long river of history.”

”And if we choose to be slaves to the Dragon Kingdom, at least our country can still be preserved in name. Although we might lose a lot of autonomy, at least there is still a glimmer of hope for survival.”

”Look at Japan; it has always been dependent on us, acting as our follower, and isn’t it living just fine? Although it has to listen to our arrangements in many matters, it has at least preserved its own corner of the world.”

”Moreover, think back carefully; for so many years, haven’t we also, to some extent, been acting as someone else’s ’dog’?”

”As the force controlled by Mr. L from behind the scenes, we have been managing this country for him, but what have we truly gained? In the end, aren’t we still facing such a desperate situation as we are now?”

”In this world, everyone is someone else’s ’dog’; perhaps Mr. L himself, in front of an even larger force, is also someone else’s ’dog’!”

”So what if we become the ’dog’ of the Dragon Kingdom now? Even if others wanted to, they might not necessarily have this opportunity!”

After President Biden finished these words, the conference room immediately fell into a dead silence!

Everyone silently lowered their heads; every person’s face was filled with pain and struggle!

Their hearts felt as if they were pressed by a heavy stone, struggling to weigh the two cruel options of national destruction and becoming a vassal state, yet they still could not make a decision.

Just at this moment, an abrupt telephone ringtone suddenly sounded. In this atmosphere so quiet that one could almost hear heartbeats, it sounded exceptionally harsh, as if it were the funeral bell rung by the Grim Reaper, making everyone’s nerves tense up instantly.

The Secretary of Defense hurriedly reached out to pick up the phone and held it to his ear. After just a few seconds, his body suddenly trembled, the color drained from his face instantly, and it became as pale as paper!

He widened his eyes and shouted loudly with a somewhat trembling voice: ”Maryland State has fallen!”