World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

Wilson closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was a look in his eyes that Chen Feng had never seen before—the calm that came after a decision had been made.

“Mr. Chen,” he said, “your logic is rigorous. If this were merely an academic discussion, I would completely agree with your point of view. But this is not an academic discussion. I am a mortal who has been thrust into this position, and I must make choices in this imperfect world. And today, my choice is…”

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

"My choice is that Miraika will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens and interests. If that means war, then..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was already very clear.

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

Chen Feng looked at Wilson, at this president who came from a scholarly background, at his struggle between ideals and reality, and at his ultimate choice to bow to reality. He felt no anger, no disappointment, only a deep, heavy understanding.

Politics is the art of compromise. And sometimes, compromise means giving up a better option and accepting a less bad one.

"Mr. President," Chen Feng's voice remained calm, but with a hint of something different, "If you have already made your decision, then I have only one question: After Meilika enters the war, what do you think Lanfang should do?"

The question is simple, but the meaning behind it is complex.

Wilson paused for a moment. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated this question.

Lansing reacted even faster: "Lanfang is a neutral country and can continue to remain neutral. As long as it does not provide military aid to Germany, Meilika respects the right of any country to remain neutral."

It was a very official answer, but Chen Feng knew it wasn't the truth.

"Is that so?" he said softly. "But if the war expands globally, if the Pacific becomes a battlefield, if Merika's fleet needs to blockade Germany's global trade routes, will Lanfang's neutrality still be respected? Will our merchant ships still be allowed free navigation? Will our oil in the Persian Gulf still be able to be exported smoothly?"

He wasn't asking about hypothetical scenarios, but rather about the reality that was about to unfold.

Lieutenant General Rodman coughed softly beside him. As a soldier, he understood the logic of war better than any politician—once war breaks out, all the rules are reinterpreted.

“Mr. Chen,” Wilson said, “Merica will not attack a neutral country without authorization. This is a fundamental principle of international law.”

"International law is often just a piece of paper during wartime," Chen Feng bluntly shattered this illusion. "In 1914, Germany invaded Belgium under the pretext of 'military necessity.' Britain blockaded the German coast, also under the pretext of 'military necessity.' When survival is threatened, a nation will do whatever it deems necessary. And if Meilika were to enter the war, Lanfang's trade with Germany—including the arms trade—would become problematic."

He paused, allowing everyone to process what he had said.

"The bigger question is," he continued, "if the war continues to escalate, if Britain asks Milica to pressure Germany and its allies in the Far East, if the balance of power in the Pacific is broken... then how will Milica view a rapidly rising nation in Asia with a powerful navy and close ties to Germany?"

The question is no longer a hint, but an explicit statement.

Lansing's expression changed. He realized what Chen Feng was talking about—if Meilika joined the war, Lanfang might be forced to choose sides. And choosing either side would come at a huge cost.

"Are you threatening me, Mr. Chen?" Lansing's voice turned cold.

"No, I'm stating the facts," Chen Feng replied calmly. "Politics is like physics; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When Meilika makes a decision, the world will react accordingly. I'm simply describing those possible reactions."

Wilson stood up and walked to the world map. His finger traced the Pacific Ocean, from Hawaii to the Philippines, to Singapore, to the Indian Ocean, and finally stopped at the Persian Gulf.

"Mr. Chen," he said without turning around, "you're right. Once the war escalates, all relationships will be redefined. But I want to ask you: what does Lanfang truly want? What is your ultimate goal in this global crisis?"

Finally, they got to the core question.

Chen Feng also stood up, walked to Wilson's side, and looked at the map side by side with him.

"Mr. President, what Lanfang wants is very simple: the right to survival and development. We want to protect our people, develop our economy, and gain the respect we deserve on the international stage. We do not seek hegemony, nor expansion, but only a fair chance."

"But in a world torn apart by war, fair opportunities are hard to come by."

"So we need to make a choice," Chen Feng said. "And now, you're forcing us to make a choice."

He turned to Wilson: "Let me put it more bluntly. If Meilika remains somewhat neutral, or at least doesn't directly participate in the war, then Lanfang can continue to play the role of mediator, can try to promote peace negotiations, and can become a bridge for the new post-war order. But if Meilika enters the war, if the world is completely divided into two camps, then Lanfang... will have to consider its own survival."

"Would you choose Germany?" Wilson asked.

"I will choose the side that benefits Lanfang," Chen Feng corrected. "If Britain and France think they can take advantage of the situation to suppress Lanfang's development in Asia after Meilika enters the war, if they think they can seize our market, our resources, our influence... then yes, we will consider all options to protect ourselves. Including closer cooperation with Germany."

This isn't a threat; it's a showdown. It's laying all your cards on the table, showing the other side the worst-case scenario.

Vice Admiral Rodman's breathing became heavy. As commander of the Pacific Fleet, he understood the weight of Chen Feng's words better than anyone. If Lanfang truly sided with Germany, and if those six Bismarck-class battleships actually appeared in the Pacific or Indian Ocean, Britain's Far East colonies—India, Singapore, and Australia—would face a tremendous threat. And the United States would have to confront challenges simultaneously in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Wilson stared at the map, silent for a long time. He was calculating, weighing options, and imagining the possible world: Merika and Germany fighting a bloody war in Europe, while Lanfang challenged British hegemony in Asia, the world divided into two or even three camps, and the war evolving from local conflicts into a true world war.

That would be a disaster for civilization.

"Mr. Chen," he finally spoke, "are you telling me that if Mica joins the war, you would consider an alliance with Germany?"