Siheyuan: I, Shazhu, started out as an army and became a general.

The air inside the tent felt solidified, making it hard to breathe.

Menon's hand holding the pen trembled like someone in the late stages of Parkinson's disease; the nib hovered half an inch above the paper, refusing to fall.

Once he signs this document, he becomes a sinner for all time in India. It's no wonder he'll be torn to pieces by the people when he returns.

"What happened? Did you break your hand? Or is the ink clogged?"

He Yuzhu tapped the table impatiently with his knuckles, making a crisp "thump-thump" sound. "Do you want me to treat you?"

Before he finished speaking, he slammed the triangular military dagger that he had carried with him for many years onto the table with a loud bang.

The blade gleamed coldly, its sharp edge aimed directly at Menon's wrist artery, the distance no more than a millimeter.

Menon shuddered in fright, and a large blob of ink dripped onto the paper with a "plop," spreading into a stain.

"Sign! I'll sign! Don't lay a hand on me!"

He closed his eyes, steeled his resolve, and quickly scribbled his name on the document, then hurriedly stamped it with the Ministry of National Defense seal he always carried with him.

At that moment, all talk of the dream of becoming a great power and the leadership of the Third World became a joke.

"That's more like it." He Yuzhu snatched the document, blew on the still-wet ink, and a playful smile appeared on his lips. "Zhang Xiaowu, keep this safe! This is our spoils of war, much more valuable than that pile of yellow croakers."

"Alright!" Zhang Xiaowu was so happy that his back teeth were showing. He took the document with both hands and carefully put it into the file bag, his movements were gentler than if he were holding his own son.

Menon slumped in his chair, looking as if his spine had been removed, his back soaked with sweat.

"General He... can we now discuss the timetable for the withdrawal?" His voice was dry, with a hint of pleading.

"What's the rush?" He Yuzhu was in a great mood, picked up his large tea mug and took a swig. "Now that the deal is done, we still need to consider after-sales service, right?"

He stood up, slowly walked to Menon, and looked down at his defeated opponent.

"Go back and tell Nehru that this 20-kilometer demilitarized zone is my lifeline for you. Don't even think about making any trouble, and don't expect the Americans to back you up."

He Yuzhu bent down, his voice not loud, but each word as firm as iron:

"In this world, truth always exists only within the range of cannons."

Menon shuddered, his scalp tingling.

"Furthermore," He Yuzhu straightened up, pointing his finger northward, "Tibet belongs to our Dragon Kingdom. It did, it is, and it will always be. If anyone dares to extend their claws again, I won't just chop off their claws."

A flash of rage crossed his eyes: "I'll twist his head off and use it as a football."

Menon nodded vigorously; now, even if He Yuzhu said the sun was square, he would absolutely agree.

……

After seeing off the Indian delegation, who looked like stray dogs, He Yuzhu stood at the camp gate, watching the dust kicked up by the jeeps, and the smile in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Mr. He, are we really leaving?" Zhang Xiaowu leaned closer, looking pained. "This place is as hot as a steamer, but it's still valuable territory. If we take it..."

"What's the point of taking it over? To support those hundreds of millions of oddballs that don't even spare lizards?" He Yuzhu rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "Our current national strength can't handle such a huge undertaking. Don't bite off more than you can chew, understand?"

"Besides," He Yuzhu patted his pocket, which contained the complete set of technical blueprints for the Type 055 destroyer that had just materialized, "we've already made enough money this time."

With this huge compensation, coupled with the groundbreaking weapon of the Type 055 destroyer, the path to China's revival has been put on fast-forward!

Just then, a communications soldier rushed over in a hurry, waving a telegram in his hand, his hat askew as he ran.

"Reporting to General Manager He! Urgent telegram from Beijing! Top priority, red alert!"

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat.

Highest level?

Has something happened at home?

He snatched the telegram, glanced at it, and his face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. A suffocatingly low pressure instantly swept through the entire command post.

"Oh shit!"

He Yuzhu slammed the telegram to the ground, stomped on it, and ground it down hard with his military boot, gritting his teeth as he cursed, "You shameless bastard!"

Zhang Xiaowu was startled. He had been working for Boss He for so long, and he had never seen him so angry.

He quickly picked up the crumpled telegram and glanced at it.

There was only one short line of text on it, but every word was chilling:

The US Navy's USS Enterprise carrier strike group has entered the South China Sea, approaching China's territorial sea baseline under the pretext of "freedom of navigation"! The situation is critical!

"Damn it!" Zhang Xiaowu exploded, "Are these Americans dogs? We just beat the Indians into submission, and they're already sniffing out the smell and coming looking for trouble?"

"Looking for revenge?" He Yuzhu narrowed his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through mountains and rivers to look at the vast blue sea, his voice icy cold.

"Do you think our main force is in the southwest, leaving our home front vulnerable? Do you think we're helpless without a navy, only able to be landlubbers?"

"Alright, now that you're here, don't think you'll leave so easily."

He Yuzhu turned around abruptly and strode toward the command tent, each step carrying an intense aura of killing intent.

"Pass on my order! The entire army shall immediately assume defensive posture and prepare to withdraw!"

"Connect me to Air Force Headquarters! Connect me to Marshal Nie! Connect me to...that place!"

Zhang Xiaowu was taken aback and pressed, "That place? Mr. He, which place?"

He Yuzhu stopped and turned around.

A near-mad light gleamed in his eyes, and a chilling smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.

Lop Nur.

"I'm going to prepare a grand gift for the Americans. A gift that will terrify them for the rest of their lives!"