One man's resistance against Japan, I mobilized a million people to aid Shanghai.

The mountain city, Huangshan official residence Yunxiu Tower.

Inside the study.

The bald man stood with his back to the door, gazing at the hazy river view outside the window, unconsciously fiddling with a string of prayer beads in his hand.

On the desk in front of him, several war reports from the Indochina Peninsula were quietly spread out.

Each battle report felt like a cold stone weighing on his heart.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Lin Wei, the head of the attendant's office, spoke with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible.

"Sir, Ambassador Walter of the Bald Eagle has arrived and says he has urgent business that requires an immediate meeting."

The bald man paused for a moment as he twirled the prayer beads, then slowly turned around, his face returning to normal.

"Please come quickly."

The U.S. Ambassador to China, Walter, walked in.

He didn't bother with pleasantries, or even touch the polite coffee, and went straight to the point, his tone urgent and forceful:

"Mr. Chairman, I bring you Roosevelt's most urgent request. This is an opportunity that concerns our common destiny!"

The bald man gestured for him to sit down, then took his seat in the main seat himself, his voice steady:

"Mr. Walter, please go ahead."

"The situation is difficult now, and I am willing to listen to any possible turning point."

Walter leaned forward, placed his hands on his knees, and stared intently.

"Chairman, you must know better than we do what that devil Zhu Ganglie did in Southeast Asia."

"Manila, Rising Dragon, Singapore... the speed and brutality of his expansion have crossed the line of human civilization!"

"His ambitions extend far beyond Southeast Asia. Once he has absorbed the resources and consolidated his power there, who will be his next target?"

"Is it the Mughals? Or... will they simply turn north and complete their unification of all of China?"

The bald man's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

This is his deepest fear.

Zhu Ganglie occupied North China and East China, and his military might was so great that even the Japanese pirates were crushed by him.

Confined to the southwest, though protected by mountains and rivers, if the enemy truly seizes the momentum to sweep across Southeast Asia, advancing by both land and sea...

He dared not think about it further.

"The President and His Excellency Prime Minister Chamberlain have reached the firmest consensus."

Walter continued, his tone highly inflammatory.

"We can no longer stand idly by and watch this butcher of the East continue to expand! The time for retaliation has come!"

"And right now!"

He lowered his voice and revealed a huge secret:

"Our Pacific Fleet has completed an unprecedented assembly and reinforcement!"

"Three days, just three days, and the last and most crucial force will arrive at Pearl Harbor."

"At that time, we will possess a powerful fleet capable of overwhelming Zhu Ganglie's naval forces!"

"President Roosevelt has ordered that this fleet, once assembled, immediately head towards the Western Pacific to seek out and annihilate Zhu Ganglie's main naval force and regain control of the sea!"

He observed the bald man's reaction and, seeing the shock flash in his eyes, immediately increased his bet.

"But that's not enough! Mr. Chairman, to completely defeat Zhu Ganglie, we need to apply pressure from both the east and the west!"

"We need to strike him hardest in the most unexpected direction!"

"And this deadly dagger is now in your hand!"

The bald man frowned.

"What the ambassador means is..."

"Three days later!"

Walter said decisively:

"As our Pacific Fleet advances westward, drawing away the vast majority of our naval and air power, we hope that your forces can launch a large-scale strategic counter-offensive in Central, East, and even North China!"

"You don't need to immediately reclaim all lost territory, but you need to go all out and fiercely attack Zhu Ganglie's controlled areas, seize key strongholds, and create enormous pressure on his rear, so that he can't attend to both ends!"

"This will prevent him from fully engaging our naval offensive!"

The bald man fell silent.

My heart was churning with emotions.

A counterattack? He certainly wanted one.

But given the current strength, equipment, and morale of the National Revolutionary Army, is it feasible to launch a proactive attack on Zhu Ganglie's forces, which were capable of defeating even the Japanese pirates?

This is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse:

"Mr. Walter, I understand the strategic intentions of our allies and admire President Roosevelt's determination."

"However... you may not fully understand the actual situation we are facing."

"After years of war, our army was exhausted and lacked equipment, especially heavy weapons and air power, which were far inferior to those of Zhu Ganglie's troops."

"Initiating a large-scale offensive would likely be difficult to win, and might instead result in heavy losses and shake the foundations of the nation."

"Chairman, there's no need to worry!"

Walter immediately responded; he had clearly come prepared today, and his skill in making empty promises was unparalleled.

"We fully understand the difficulties your army faces!"

"President Roosevelt has authorized me to inform you that, provided you agree to and execute this coordinated East-West operation, the Bald Eagle will immediately initiate an emergency aid plan!"

His words came out like a machine gun, painting a rosy picture.

"The first batch of aid, including 500 state-of-the-art 75mm mountain guns, 2,000 Browning heavy machine guns, 50,000 M1 Garand semi-automatic rifles, and sufficient ammunition, will be delivered via the Myanmar-Guizhou Highway with the highest priority within the next week!"

"This is enough to arm your five most elite infantry divisions!"

"The second batch is air support!"

"We will provide a batch of P-40 fighter jet parts and trainers to help your military restore air cover capabilities in some key areas."

"At the same time, we quickly deployed our air force in the Mughal direction, which can, as appropriate, carry out long-range bombing support for Zhu Ganglie's rear strategic targets!"

"Finally, President Roosevelt assures you."

"Once our Pacific Fleet achieves a decisive victory at sea, the Bald Eagle will not hesitate to dispatch a powerful expeditionary fleet, accompanied by marines, to land directly on the eastern coast of China at the most advantageous location!"

"Fight alongside your army and completely drive Zhu Ganglie's forces out of Chinese soil!"

"At that time, all material assistance will no longer be assistance, but routine supplies for our allies' operations!"

This series of promises exploded in the bald man's mind like a series of heavy bombs.

Supplies, aircraft, and especially the phrase "dispatching a fleet to directly land and coordinate operations"—this was almost a scene that the bald man dreamed of.

With the help of the overwhelming power of the West, they eliminated the greatest threat, Zhu Ganglie, in one fell swoop, and truly unified China.

But he was, after all, a seasoned politician, and under immense temptation, his reason did not completely disappear.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly said:

"Mr. Ambassador, your country's commitment is inspiring."

"However, war is a matter of vital importance to the state."

"Such a large-scale counterattack would have far-reaching consequences."

"Zhu Ganglie is a cunning and treacherous military strategist, and his strength is unfathomable. What if your fleet's operations are hampered, or... our initial counterattack suffers setbacks? How should we respond?"

Walter cursed inwardly, "Old fox," but his smile remained unchanged, and he spoke with unwavering conviction:

"Chairman, please have faith in America's credibility and strength!"

"Our fleet is assembled, and the president's orders are unwavering."

"As for the follow-up details, my military attaché can immediately begin coordinating with your general to develop a detailed schedule for the handover of supplies and operational coordination."

"We can even ship a portion of the weapons as a deposit!"

He stood up, walked to the map of China on the wall, and pointed forcefully at the eastern coast:

"Chairman, look at this vast land; it should rightfully be entirely under your rule!"

"Zhu Ganglie was nothing more than a warlord who usurped power and acted perversely."

"Now, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is before you. Hesitation and indecision will only allow the devil to grow stronger and cause your chance to slip away!"

"As long as we work together and attack from both the east and west, Zhu Ganglie will be overwhelmed!"

"His battle lines are so stretched out, from the Japanese islands to Southeast Asia, that they're full of holes!"

"As long as we launch an attack, his rear will be engulfed in war, and his rule will be shaken!"

"At that time, not only us, but all the countries in the world that have been threatened by him will stand up in response! He has become the common enemy of the world!"

Walter's words were full of confidence, as if victory was already within his grasp.

He skillfully avoided specific risks, constantly emphasizing the absolute strength of the hawks.

The bald man fell into a long silence.

The only sounds in the study were the soft clinking of his prayer beads and the faint sound of the mountain wind coming from outside the window.

He was torn between his inner thoughts and his own conscience.

Agreeing meant binding the fate of the National Revolutionary Army to the strategic interests of the United States, and embarking on a high-stakes gamble with an uncertain outcome.

If they do not agree, they may miss this only opportunity to use external forces to deal with Zhu Ganglie, and watch him become stronger after digesting Southeast Asia. In the end, they may also be unable to escape the fate of being swallowed up.

Time passed second by second.

Walter waited patiently, knowing that the other party had no better option.

Finally, the bald man raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes, as if he had made the greatest decision of his life.

"It is both to fight against brutality and to recover lost territory, and to fulfill the obligations of the alliance."

"I agree."

"Three days later, our military will launch an offensive in the designated direction as agreed, in support of your navy's operations."

A huge weight lifted from Walter's heart. He stepped forward and firmly grasped the bald man's hand.

"Chairman, you have made a great and wise decision!"

History will remember this moment!

"I will immediately report your decision and our intention to cooperate to the President!"

After discussing some emergency communication and preliminary coordination frameworks, Walter left in a hurry, feeling quite pleased with himself, as he had to send the message to Washington immediately.

The study returned to silence.

The bald man seemed to have all his strength drained away. He slowly sat back in his chair and remained silent for a long time.

Army Commander-in-Chief Gu Zhutong, who had been standing silently by his side the whole time, finally spoke with a worried expression:

"Chairman, the words of the bald eagle may sound appealing, but... they are mostly empty promises with no concrete guarantees."

"Is their fleet truly as powerful and invincible as claimed? Will their supplies arrive on time and in full?"

"What if... what if they suffer setbacks at sea, or see that my land attack is unsuccessful and retreat? In that case, I will have to bear Zhu Ganglie's wrath alone, and I fear... I fear I will face utter destruction!"

"Isn't this like asking a tiger for its skin?"

The bald man slowly turned his head, looking at his loyal old subordinate, a helpless sorrow on his face.

He let out a long, long sigh.

"Mo San..."

His voice was hoarse and ethereal, "How could I not know your concerns?"

"The bald eagle's pie-in-the-sky promises are seven parts empty and three parts real, or perhaps not even three parts real."

"They simply want to use our blood to wear down Zhu Ganglie, buying them time and space."

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the heavy fog outside, as if contemplating his own future and that of the country:

"But, Mo San, tell me, do we... still have a choice?"

"Without external assistance or a desperate gamble, can I, with my current strength, possibly withstand Zhu Ganglie, who has assimilated and consolidated the power of Southeast Asia?"

"At that time, he will advance by land and sea, attacking from both the north and south. Can this southwestern corner truly become our safe haven?"

No, that won't happen.

"That would be a true precipice, where you'd be shattered to pieces, leaving no trace of your death!"

"At least there's still a glimmer of hope!"

"Even if this hope is just a pie in the sky dangled in the air by the Americans, a poisoned bait, we must swallow it!"

"Because this is the only opportunity we can see that could potentially change our destiny!"

"Only by forging ahead bravely, fighting with all our might, and putting all our strength into it, might... might we be able to fight our way out, to find a glimmer of hope!"

He walked up to Gu Zhutong and patted him hard on the shoulder:

"This is the price of weakness, Mo San."

"We have no right to be picky; we can only dance on the edge of a knife, grasping at any straw that might save us, even if that straw might cut our hands, or even... drag us into a deeper abyss."

"But we have no other choice. Send the order to summon Jingzhi and Cixiu and begin planning immediately."

"Three days from now... we must show our strength!"

Looking into the bald man's resolute yet sorrowful eyes, Gu Zhutong felt all his words of advice stuck in his throat.

He finally just lowered his head heavily and said in a hoarse voice:

"Yes... Chairman. I... understand."