I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

"Furthermore, sir, I don't know if you're aware, but Xia Country is currently undertaking a nationwide steelmaking campaign. They have a slogan that goes something like this: 'Three years of hard work will change our face; five years of hard work will allow us to surpass Britain and the United States.' What kind of confidence do you think allows them to disregard even people's livelihoods, just to compete with us in steelmaking?"

"Surpass us in five years?"

Mike looked utterly incredulous, shaking his head repeatedly. "How could this be? Just from a poor, backward agricultural country? This is impossible, absolutely impossible!"

The colonel did not refute, but looked at Mike with a serious expression: "Yes, sir, I also think it's impossible, but that's what they did! So I now highly suspect that in order to confront us in a Cold War on the international stage, the United States is likely preparing to form an unprecedented deep alliance with China. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to send tens of thousands of top experts to support other countries."

"You have to understand that China is a country with a population of 700 million. Once Canada establishes a deep partnership with China, just like we have with the United States, do you think America will still have its current advantages in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe?"

Upon hearing this, Mike was first taken aback, and then couldn't help but shudder.

"You're exaggerating! So what if the Great Egret is deeply intertwined with the Xia Kingdom? It's just a few hundred million people. We can easily support India. India has thousands of years of civilization, doesn't it? With India's population, can't they keep the Xia Kingdom in check?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present lowered their heads, and no one responded, making the atmosphere in the meeting room awkward once again.

The colonel who reported the news had a strange expression on his face and hesitated before speaking: "Sir, please forgive my abruptness, but were you serious about relying on India to counterbalance China? Leaving aside the fact that India's relationship with China is far better than with us, you're just talking about relying on them? Relying on what? Sacred cows? Or so-called 'holy water'? Can a country that can't even regulate its own waste disposal really shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

These words made Mike's face turn pale and then red. He suppressed his anger and shouted, "How can you, as a colonel in our beautiful country, view the issue so one-sidedly? Let's not talk about anything else, just consider nuclear weapons alone. China has no means of countermeasures! What do they rely on to resist us? With those outdated millet and rifles?"

The colonel shook his head slightly, his voice growing even lower: "Sir, this is precisely what I'm most worried about. Not long ago, we received intelligence that the Great Goose is preparing to send a team of nuclear physics experts to visit Xia Country."

"Imagine if even Goose's own precious nuclear physics expert team can directly assist China, and even share the technology and physical components of strategic weapons like nuclear weapons with China, then what difference is there between the relationship between Goose and China and the relationship between our America and England?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present could no longer remain calm. Everyone knew that back then, Xia Guo was able to fight against the Allied forces in North Korea with only "millet and rifles." If it received aid from Taiwan regardless of cost, or even a strategic alliance, the level of threat it posed would be unimaginable.

Mike pondered for a long while, then squinted at the colonel and suddenly asked, "After all this talk, why did you have to report this to me at this time? I need a reasonable explanation!"

The colonel smiled slightly: "Sir, I actually wanted to report this matter to the President's Office, but my appointment is scheduled for a week later. Coupled with the attack on our navy by the USS Canada five days ago and the recent loss of contact with three naval vessels, it made me think of a most terrifying question: Do you think the Xia Kingdom will hand over its airspace and even its territorial waters to the USS Canada? If they can even share territory, how long until these two behemoths truly form a strategic alliance, or even a 'strategic merger'?"

These words instantly evoked obvious fear on the faces of everyone present. The deterrent power of the Red Bolsheviks was already formidable enough; if the two largest "red forces" in the world were to completely unite, and if they were to gradually expand and erode their power over the long years to come, would it one day...?

The thought of such consequences immediately sent shivers down many people's spines and filled them with fear.

Seeing the commotion, Mike suppressed his surging emotions and said in an icy voice, "Colonel, since your analysis is so insightful, you must have some ideas about the situation. Tell me your plan."

The colonel's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes flickered with hesitation.

Mike, ever astute, immediately said in a deep voice, "Colonel, face the problem."

Under pressure, the colonel straightened his back and answered loudly, "Yes, sir! In view of the current situation, I propose two plans, which, in Xia Guo's terms, are 'thunderous suppression' and 'winning over and dividing'."

"Oh?"

Mike's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he raised his hand to indicate, "I want a detailed explanation; not a single step can be missed."

"Yes, sir! The core of Plan One is 'swift, accurate, and ruthless': To prevent Xia Kingdom from becoming deeply intertwined with Taiwan, or to completely stifle its development momentum, we must take advantage of the fact that Taiwan does not yet possess nuclear weapons and use a sufficient quantity of nuclear weapons to launch a devastating attack on Xia Kingdom's core cities, destroying its industrial and population potential at its root. If the plan is approved, it is recommended to execute it immediately. The loss of contact between our fighter jets and ships is the best pretext for war. After the nuclear strike, immediately form a coalition with Taiwan, quickly occupy the coast, and then gradually erode it until we have complete control."

"hiss...."

Gasps of shock rose and fell, and the officials, their faces ashen, stared at the colonel with horrified eyes, as if he were a mad warmonger.

Only Mike's eyes flashed with admiration, but a moment later he sighed helplessly. He knew all too well that Congress would never pass such a proposal.

"What about 'winning over and dividing'?"

Mike abruptly changed the subject, his tone full of suspicion, "Our relations with Xia are extremely tense, while they're in a honeymoon period with Daegu. They can't very well offer nuclear weapons as a pledge of allegiance, can they?"

The colonel nodded: "Sir, the honeymoon period isn't a solid wall. We don't need to get too close right away. We can establish initial trust and lay the groundwork first. Whether we actively create conflict between them and the Goose, or wait for internal rifts to develop, we can deepen our contact whenever the opportunity arises. Conflicts can be artificially created. As long as they stop opposing us, we can adjust our diplomatic stance, secretly contact their high-ranking officials, and lend a hand in areas that don't matter much."

"If we sense that their attitude is softening, we can gradually try to cooperate in the fields of economy, people's livelihood, medical care, and technology. After long-term infiltration, we can get the people of Xia Kingdom to accept our daily necessities and even household appliances, and eventually fully accept our technology and civilization, until they regard us as the 'beacon of civilization.' At that time, they will be 'fat meat' that we can take at any time. Whether they are vassals or buffer zones is entirely up to us."

"We need to make them understand that following us will ensure they have enough to eat and wear, while following the Great Goose will only leave them with useless weapons, and they might even be coerced by its hegemony. Therefore, the core of Plan Two is to win over the Xia Kingdom, sow discord between it and the Great Goose, and, if necessary, actively create conflict for them."