In the apocalypse, I hoarded goods and handed over my storage space to the government.

The leader's voice became very calm.

"Our nation has been struggling in the mud for five thousand years. When the Yellow River flooded, we controlled the water; when the sky broke, we mended it!"

What kind of human tragedy haven't we endured?

"Do you really think that ordinary people only care about their wives, children, and a warm bed? That they only think about their own peaceful life?"

The leader shook his head repeatedly, his eyes suddenly becoming incredibly sharp.

You're wrong.

"The people of Great Xia don't just think about their own peaceful life. They think about creating a peaceful world for their descendants!"

The leader turned around and looked at the bright red flag on the wall.

More than seventy years ago, we faced a foreign enemy armed to the teeth.

Our ancestors, dressed in thin clothes and eating frozen potatoes, fought desperately against enemy tanks in the snow.

What are they after? Do they want a better life for themselves?

"What they're after is a future where their descendants won't have to fight anymore!"

The old man suddenly turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over every official present.

"This is the resilience of the Great Xia people! This is the gene etched into our bones!"

"One generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade. One generation suffers the hardships of five generations, one generation fights the battles of five generations."

The people are not ignorant; as long as the bloody truth is laid out before them and the reasons are explained clearly, they will be satisfied.

"Just let them know that if they don't cross the border to kill these monsters today, their children will become monster food tomorrow!"

The leader's tone was firm and resolute.

"Believe it or not, you don't need to point a gun at their heads; those retired reservists will write their own names on the expeditionary force's pledge to fight!"

Quiet.

Utter silence.

The leader's words were like a resounding bell, striking everyone and making their eyes well up with tears.

Su Ran sat in her seat, her heart pounding.

This is the profound heritage of the Great Xia Dynasty.

This was something he cherished until his death in his previous life.

This kind of national cohesion is a force that no alienated being can comprehend.

"I see."

After listening, a resolute glint flashed in Sun Desheng's eyes, and he nodded forcefully.

"Our Home Affairs Department will work with the publicity department to revise the mobilization plan overnight."

"We've reached a consensus."

The leader returned to his seat, placed his hands on the table, and issued the final order.

"Military, immediately formulate an overseas operational plan! Armored groups and aerospace forces, prepare to move in!"

"Research Department, Zhou Jian's team's biological defense system is to be mass-produced immediately and rapidly deployed along the national border!"

"Propaganda Department, do a good job of guiding public opinion, without any embellishment, and prepare the real videos from overseas!"

The heads of each department stood up in unison, straightening their backs.

The heels collided, making a crisp sound.

"Yes!" The roar shook the heavens.

The leader then turned to Su Ran and spoke.

"Xiao Su, you are in full charge of your 'Global Resource Plunder' plan! I will authorize you with the highest authority in the name of the Great Xia Central Government."

"yes!"

Su Ran suddenly stood up and responded loudly.

His expression shifted slightly; the leader was using the entire Great Xia Dynasty to vouch for him.

The leader nodded and turned his gaze to Sun Desheng and Lin Changqing.

"As for how to explain this to the public..."

His tone became extremely solemn as he looked at the clock on the wall.

"Tomorrow at noon, I will give a national address. I will explain everything to the 1.2 billion people of Great Xia."

End of the meeting.

With the leader's pronouncement, the massive state machine of Great Xia, which had just stopped for less than 24 hours, roared back to life.

The heads of each department stood up one after another, pushed open the heavy alloy door, and hurriedly left.

The huge command center room suddenly became empty.

Li Guodong did not leave.

He rubbed his temples, which were sore from extreme fatigue, and walked over to Su Ran's side.

He pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. He took one out and handed it over.

Su Ran did not refuse, took the cigarette, and casually put it in her mouth.

"Clatter".

The lighter flame shot up.

Li Guodong lit one for Su Ran, and then lit one for himself.

He took a deep breath, the thick smoke swirling through his lungs before he slowly exhaled.

The two stood side by side in front of the holographic sand table, neither of them speaking first.

After a long while.

"Little Su..."

Li Guodong looked at Su Ran through the swirling smoke, his tone tinged with a mix of emotion and reflection.

"I feel like you've changed a lot lately."

Su Ran's fingers, holding the cigarette, paused slightly. "Old Li, what's changed?"

"It's like he's gone crazy, and become ruthless."

Li Guodong gave a wry smile, turned his head to look at him,

"Do you remember the last meeting? It was in this room."

Wang Jianjun proposed a plan to bring 30 million people back to the ground. You thought 30 million was too many, and you said that keeping it under 5 million would be the safest option.

Back then, you valued the lives of ordinary people very much, afraid that taking too big a step would hurt your back, afraid that someone would die.

At this point, Li Guodong pointed to the scarlet global map in front of him with his cigarette between his fingers.

"But what about today? You not only rejected my compromise plan that would preserve 20% of the production capacity for people's livelihood without any mercy."

They even actively pushed an army of tens of millions across national borders to fight a war without fronts!

Li Guodong took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly began to speak.

"Xiao Su, you've changed so much..."

Su Ran did not refute Li Guodong's question.

He just quietly smoked his cigarette.

Amidst the swirling smoke, a flicker of disorientation crossed his eyes.

Has he gone mad? Has he become ruthless?

maybe.

"Old Li."

Su Ran finally spoke, turning her head to meet Li Guodong's gaze.

"I might just have figured something out."

"What did you figure out?" Li Guodong pressed.

Su Ran raised her head, her gaze passing over Li Guodong's shoulder to the empty chair in the main seat.

The image of that old man in the worn military overcoat, who once stood here and roared those words, flashed through my mind.

He stubbed out the half-burnt cigarette in the ashtray and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"In the apocalypse, no one will escape death."

Li Guodong was jolted, and the fingers holding the cigarette suddenly froze.

Su Ran didn't offer any further explanation. He turned around and strode out.

The combat boots stomped heavily on the alloy floor, echoing loudly.

He understood the horrors of the future better than anyone else, which is why he was determined to personally push the Great Xia chariot to its most insane speed.

However, at the moment of walking towards the gate...

In her heart, Su Ran silently added a sentence in a voice only she could hear.

"But I still hope that in the future, fewer people will die in the Great Xia Dynasty."