World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"I'm not talking about right or wrong, I'm talking about reality," Thomson said. "The reality is that Lanfang is indeed rising rapidly. Their navy is stronger than we imagined, their industrial capabilities are improving rapidly, and... they seem to have a strange vision. Did you notice that Chen Feng didn't show any short-term anxiety in the conversation? He was talking about long-term planning."

Gerald finally spoke: "Thomson is right. Chen Feng is not an ordinary politician, or even an ordinary businessman. He is a... strategist."

He stood up and walked to the porthole. Outside, the lights of Dubai Harbour were reflected on the sea, sparkling like a galaxy. Further away, construction was still underway at the new city site, searchlights piercing the night sky.

"Ten years ago, this was just a desert," Gerald said softly. "Ten years later, it has become one of the most modern port cities in Southeast Asia. This is not luck, it is planning."

He turned to Harris: "Harris, if you were Chen Feng, would you have considered doing business as a war broker when war broke out in Europe?"

Harris thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Probably not. It's too risky. Offending either side could be catastrophic."

"But he did it, and he succeeded," Gerald said. "He not only did it, but he used the money he earned to develop himself, steal technology, and strengthen the navy. Now, he is so powerful that we dare not make a move against him lightly."

Thomson added, "What's even more frightening is his 'business logic.' He reduces everything to transactions, stripping away politics, morality, and emotions. In his worldview, there is no friendship or hostility between nations, only the exchange of interests. This kind of thinking... is terrifying, but also very difficult to deal with."

"Why are they so difficult to deal with?" Harris asked.

"Because you don't know his bottom line," Thomson said. "Traditional politicians have ideologies, national honor, and historical baggage. These are predictable and negotiable. But businessmen only have one bottom line—profit. As long as they don't lose money, they'll talk about anything. And only he knows what constitutes a loss."

Gerald sat back down at the table and picked up his pen: "So our report must reflect this. Chen Feng is not our ally, but he is not an enemy we must eliminate immediately either. He is... a variable. A variable that we cannot control for the time being, but we cannot completely ignore either."

He began to write. The pen tip scratched on the paper.

"To His Excellency Foreign Secretary Edward Gray and the Wartime Cabinet: The main points of today's talks with President Chen Feng of Lanfang are as follows..."

He wrote slowly, carefully choosing his words. The report was divided into three parts: Chen Feng's statement, Lan Fang's true intentions, and Britain's proposed countermeasures.

In the final section, he wrote:

"...Chen Feng repeatedly emphasized Lanfang's 'merchant-state' nature, claiming that all its actions were driven by commercial considerations. While this explanation is hardly convincing, it provides a framework for dealing with them. The following suggestions are offered:"

"First, we should refrain from taking any radical actions for the time being. The strength of the Lanfang Navy should not be underestimated. Before the German threat is eliminated, it is not advisable to open a second front in the Far East."

"Second, try commercial contact. Since Chen Feng claims to be a businessman, we can use commercial means to deal with him. We can probe whether he is willing to provide certain 'services' to Britain, while at the same time asking him to exercise 'restraint' in certain areas."

"Third, strengthen intelligence infiltration. We need to gain a deeper understanding of Lanfang's industrial capabilities, military deployments, and high-level decision-making mechanisms. We must break through Chen Feng's inner circle."

Fourth, long-term planning. No matter how Chen Feng tries to justify it, Lanfang's rise is unstoppable. The post-war Asian order will inevitably be reshaped, and Britain needs to plan ahead, either by winning them over or by keeping them in check, and must not let them run rampant.

Finally, my personal observation: Chen Feng's danger lies not in his ambition, but in his way of thinking. He has completely instrumentalized and commodified international politics. If this pure pragmatism becomes the prevailing philosophy of emerging countries, the old international order based on honor, alliances, and civilizational hierarchy will face a fundamental challenge. Dealing with this person and this country requires a completely new strategic mindset.

"Major General Gerard, in Port Dubai, January 14, 1916."

After writing the last word, Gerrard put down his pen and let out a long breath.

"Send it out. Use the highest security classification."

Thomson took the report, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "General, do you think London will accept this suggestion? What about Lord Kitchener...?"

"Kitchina wants war, but he doesn't have a fleet." Gerald rubbed his temples wearily. "Admiral Jellicoe knows the limits of the navy, and Foreign Secretary Gray understands the political trade-offs. They'll accept it because it's the only rational choice."

Harris was still unwilling to give up: "Are we just going to let this go? Just watch them continue to help the Germans?"

"What else can we do but forget about it?" Gerald looked at him. "Major, you have to understand, great power politics isn't like children fighting, where you just start a brawl when you're unhappy. It's a complex calculation, a weighing of pros and cons. Taking action against Lanfang now would do more harm than good. So we have to endure it."

He stood up and looked again at the lights of Dubai outside the window: "But remember, patience is not forgetting. Today's score will be settled one day. After we've dealt with Germany..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Harris and Thomson both understood.

There was a knock on the captain's cabin door. A communications officer brought in a newly received telegram.

Gerrard took a look and his face immediately darkened.

"What's wrong, General?"

"Intelligence relayed from London." Gerald handed the telegram to Thomson. "Lanfang has just informed the Sakura Kingdom that it is launching the third batch of troop deployment plans, with prices five percent higher than the second batch."

Harris gritted his teeth: "That bastard! He's slapping us in the face!"

“No,” Gerald shook his head, “he’s telling us that our protests won’t change anything. He’ll continue doing business as usual.”

He walked to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and downed it in one gulp. The liquor was strong, burning his throat and stomach.

"Let's go back to Singapore," he ordered. "It would be a disgrace to stay here even a minute longer."

The HMS Carlisle set sail into the night, departing Dubai harbor. Gerald stood on the bridge, watching the brightly lit city recede into the distance behind him.

He recalled Chen Feng's last words: "In Lanfang's eyes, the whole world is her customer."

How arrogant, how cold-blooded, yet how... real.

In this dog-eat-dog world, morality and justice are luxuries; only self-interest is the eternal hard currency. Chen Feng is simply the first national leader to publicly acknowledge this.

The British Empire, the empire on which the sun never sets, built on colonial plunder and hegemony, now has to endure the humiliation of an Asian businessman.

History is truly ironic.