Middle Eastern tyrants

Chapter 213 Changes
"Isn't there still you?"

Lu Lin was momentarily dazed. These seemingly light words seemed to contain a thousand pounds of weight. He felt as if he were seeing a grand, hidden blueprint that spanned three generations.

He recaptured lost territory on the front lines and destroyed Zion's defenses, accumulating immense prestige through a series of victories.
However, Muhammad, from the rear, subtly transformed this reputation into something more substantial.

While Cairo was mired in economic stagnation, Damascus had just been liberated, and Tehran was rife with undercurrents, Shuangzhi, through the accumulation of wealth and a peaceful and stable environment, became a "promised land" for young people from other countries.

With the United States backing them up, cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam will gradually have large banking systems, stock exchanges, and even sovereign wealth funds.

They will gradually form a complete industrial chain, such as religion, oil, and modern products, and occupy an absolute upstream and controlling position.

The surrounding countries not only provide Shuangzhi with a continuous supply of labor, but also with downstream markets and raw materials.

Once this dependency is established, the dual-will can formulate rules and solidify this unequal relationship through interpersonal networks.

Policy restrictions and the brain drain
This is different from the original history, isn't it?

Lu Lin felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

The United States allowed him to attack Zion, but made it very clear—don't have any ulterior motives, and don't try to take over the territories of other countries.

This is both a reminder and a warning.

It was Muhammad who agreed on his behalf at the time.

Muhammad also agreed to withdraw troops from the "Nur region," which is now Sumer.

Lu Lin initially thought that Shuangzhi was just a large and powerful company that wanted to accomplish an unprecedented feat and restore the glory of Arabia.

But now it seems that both Shams and Muhammad have greater ambitions than he imagined.

Just then, a series of rhythmic musical instruments and cheers erupted from outside the palace.

Lu Lin walked to the window and saw the neatly arranged Chieftain and Centurion tanks, with Zion's flag flying on them.

It's just that it's completely decreased.

All of these tanks had their firepower deactivated, their gun barrels lowered, and they looked just as dejected as the Zion soldiers behind them with their heads down.

Bandar's troops escorted them in a grand procession, the vast contingent of prisoners stretching as far as the eye could see.

On both sides, tall camel riders carried the army's banners, their blue color seemingly covering the sky.

King Muhammad glanced out the window, then looked at Lu Lin with interest: "Look, this is all the glory you brought."

Lu Lin's gaze didn't linger for long; he looked at it twice and then looked away. The reason was similar to that of the people living in Riyadh.

Seeing such a scene for the first time was incredibly exciting;

The second time I saw it, I felt proud and excited;

Looking at it a third time, it seems rather ordinary.

The common people were more enjoying the excitement and the atmosphere of victory.

The people of Shuangzhi do not harbor the same deep hatred for Zion as the people of Surria and other neighboring countries.

After all, in the past twenty years, the Twins have not been truly invaded by Zion.

The only time he was in Nukoshir, he was beaten back by Lu Lin.

On the contrary, because they had won so many battles, the Zion army's fighting strength was, in their eyes, nothing special.

It's like overcoming some kind of fear.

The young soldiers who were drafted from Shuangzhi actually had a sense of psychological superiority over the Zionites.

Furthermore, Lu Lin broke the unspoken rule of "traditional bloodline promotion"—you need to have military merits, even if you are a low-ranking soldier, you can still become a general.

This also makes the soldiers of the Twins look at the Zionists more like they are looking at walking military achievements.

This shift in mindset is the result of repeated victories, a gradual and subtle influence.

For people in other countries, it's a completely different story.

It can only be described as "shocking".

Muhammad actually used a little trick.

This march happened to coincide with a large influx of laborers from other Arab countries into Riyadh.

Not only did it conveniently conclude the domestic purge, but it also allowed these people to experience how everything they pursued—victory, dignity, wealth, culture—seemed to be taken for granted in this country.

This feeling can be addictive;
And addiction can lead to worship;
Worship will generate followers.

In the procession, Captain Mehre Dorn of Zion stood tall, casting a disdainful glance at the crowd.

Even now that he has been captured, he still maintains a sense of superiority over the crowd of onlookers.

Mehlai had personally killed more than twenty Arab soldiers, not to mention countless civilians. Therefore, he longed to see pain and hatred in the eyes of the Arabs, as these were proof of his past "achievements".

But in reality, he didn't get what he wanted; the discussions he heard were all rather inexplicable:
“Look at that Zion soldier, he’s quite spirited, unlike the others who are all listless.”

“My brother is in His Highness Amir’s army. He said these prisoners are going to be sent to the Nedev Desert to build railways and do the hardest and most tiring work!”

"Really? Then I think this guy must be a master of body-drying techniques; he might be able to last a few more days."

What are they talking about?
Although Mehlai didn't understand Arabic very well, he could sense the people's eyes and tone of voice.

It didn't seem like hatred or anger, but rather like judging a product with a critical eye.

"Zion pig! Executioner!"

Just then, a dark-skinned, haggard-looking man suddenly rushed out from the roadside.

Judging from his clothing, he was clearly not a local. The man pointed at Captain Mehlai and roared, "You killed my friends, my whole family. Hell will open its gates for you, you infidels!"

The man tried to rush forward, but the soldiers responsible for maintaining order blocked him.

Captain Mehlai finally broke into a satisfied smile. This was the hatred he had craved. He strode forward, as if the camel riders on either side of him were not guarding him, but protecting him.

The Arab man collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably, and the Shuangzhi people around him rushed forward to comfort him.

However, the guards riding on the camels watched this scene with indifference.

When the guard Fahd's gaze fell on the proud and upright Mehlai, a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"Snapped!"

The whip fell heavily, but instead of striking Mehlai, it lashed the back of his companion beside him.

"Stand up straight! Move!" Fahad shouted sternly. "All of you, imitate your 'model'!"

The whips fell one after another on Cohen's comrades, each sharp whip leaving a bloody mark.

A chorus of cheers erupted from the surrounding crowd.

Hearing his comrade's screams, Mehlai instinctively tried to duck down, but the next second, the whip struck the ground beside him, preventing him from making any further movements.

Fahad sneered, "You like walking, don't you? Then walk properly!" Mehlai could only straighten his back, grit his teeth, and continue walking forward.

The whip continued to fall, and each scream of his teammates felt like a steel needle piercing Mehle's heart.

This time, he was not acting voluntarily, but passively.

But what Fahd said next made him break out in a cold sweat. The other man deliberately spoke in Hebrew:
"I remember when we were imprisoning prisoners at night, we locked them all up together."

"From now on, we'll take them out for training every day."

"If one day isn't enough, try two days; if two days aren't enough, try three days."

Mehle was exposed to the sun; his body was unharmed, but his steps began to tremble.

Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge.

He could almost feel the tangible gaze of his former comrades, piercing his pride into countless holes.

Looking out the window at the cheering crowd, Muhammad suddenly asked, "I heard about your two speeches in Damascus. Were those improvised, or were they prepared beforehand?"

"what?"

“You gave two speeches in Damascus. The first time you got the whole city to take up arms, and the second time you got them to lay them down.”

Muhammad paused for a moment: "From this point of view alone, it is truly remarkable."

Lu Lin's answer was: "It was not me who made the people of Damascus take up arms, but their blood and tears from being oppressed for too long. It was not me who made them lay down their weapons, but the conscience that a civilized society should have."

Muhammad stared at him for a while, then said, "Now I believe you do have a talent for improvisation."

Lu Lin slightly twitched the corner of his mouth, but did not reply.

"Don't you want to go out and receive the cheers of the people?" Muhammad looked out the window. "After all, this is a victory that will go down in history."

Lu Lin shook his head: "If I wanted to show my face, I would have stood at the very front of the parade from the beginning, but I just felt it was unnecessary."

Although this was a great victory, almost all the high-ranking officers were killed—Prime Minister Katsav committed suicide out of fear of punishment, Benjamin of the General Staff Reconnaissance Team was crucified by him, and Kustov is probably confessing his crimes at the United Nations at this moment.

The highest-ranking officer in the prisoner ranks was only a brigadier general, which did not interest him at all.

“However, we should take a stroll around His Majesty Shams’ tomb,” Lu Lin changed the subject. “He would probably like this good news.”

"I just went there this morning, and this is the route I took back."

".oh."

"You can record another national address later."

Muhammad walked to his desk: "You can add a segment to your national address later. But when it comes to the newly reclaimed territories—"

He took out a document. "The Sumerians have just sent a congratulatory telegram to the royal family, expressing their special congratulations to you. In addition, most of the new recruits are training in Khafbar; you should take some time to visit them. These soldiers will be our most important reserve force in the future."

For Lu Lin, Hafbar was his true base of operations, as the governor of the northern border region.

However, he hasn't been back for almost half a year since the war started.

During these five months, King Muhammad's management of Hafbar never stopped, with infrastructure construction proceeding day and night.

At the same time, thinking about his title of "Sword of Sumer" and the tens of thousands of new recruits who would soon be training there, Lu Lin made a decision.

"I'll go back and check on it in a couple of days."

------

When Lu Lin's private plane landed at Hafbar Airport, he saw an M151 car parked on the runway as soon as he stepped onto the gangway.

Meanwhile, in M151, Yehena, dressed in a crisp military uniform, was smiling at him.

Without hesitation, Lu Lin said, "Yehena, you are the spring in the desert, the flame in my heart."

Yehena's eyes widened in surprise: "I had only heard that you could recite poetry before, but I didn't expect you to be able to do it so fluently."

Lu Lin said, "Actually, I was prepared a long time ago."

"Did you know I was coming all along?" Yehena was even more surprised; she hadn't told anyone beforehand.

Lu Lin shrugged: "That's not it, it's just that I'm always ready."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yehena gently pinched his arm.

Lu Lin opened his arms to give her a hug, but she blushed and dodged away.

Well, young ladies are often shy. In traditional Muslim society, such behavior is indeed quite bold. If it had happened before the influx of Western ideas, she would probably have been considered a lecher.

"How's your injury?" he changed the subject.

"You're only asking now?"

Yehena rolled her eyes, but the upturned corners of her mouth betrayed her good mood: "I'm almost fully recovered, but if I had known you took such a risk in Damascus..."

She gently stroked the scabbed scar on Lu Lin's face with her fingers: "I will definitely go with you next time."

"It's just a minor injury," Lu Lin said dismissively.

The two got into the military vehicle and drove towards the base.

Returning to Hafbar allowed Lu Lin to completely relax—this was his territory, filled with his spies and soldiers, and even Mossad had difficulty infiltrating it.

There aren't many people here, and the buildings are...
and many more?

As the car entered the city, rows of neat tents and simple prefabricated houses came into view.

Further away, high-rise buildings under construction are beginning to take shape. The streets are bustling with people, camel caravans shuttle back and forth, and in the designated market area, people are trading grains, fruits, and various daily necessities.

This was completely different from the poor and backward small county town he remembered.

"Is that right?" Three question marks appeared above Lu Lin's head.

Is this still my poor and backward little county town?

How come my territory leveled up by itself after I went out to fight a round of battles?
Yehena looked out the window and explained to him, "As a key town at the crossroads of three kingdoms, the royal family has decided to develop Khafbar into a metropolis. The expansion project has been ongoing while you were away."

Hafbar truly possesses unique geographical advantages. Once serving as a buffer zone against northern kingdoms, it is now transforming into a large city integrating military, trade, and other functions, thanks to a large influx of population and the opening of highways.

On her way to her post, Yehena deliberately detoured to several recruitment points. Long lines stretched out outside each point, the young people's faces beaming with enthusiasm for joining the army.

"Because of your appearance, everything has changed. Being able to join the army is now seen as an honor by young people."

Yehena said, "In the future, we expect to add 150,000 reservists. These people will complete basic training in six to twenty-four months. Some will be sent to troops across the country, and the rest will be ready to be deployed to the battlefield at any time."

Looking out the car window at the completely transformed scenery, Yehena whispered to Lu Lin:

"You are not only my hero, but also the hero of the entire Arab world."

(End of this chapter)