Chapter Eleven: Are You Truly Blind?

“In the end,”
“There’s still no way to escape!”
“In the previous life, the Free Nation was just like this. Despite being a powerful country with formidable military strength, they gave way inch by inch without any backbone. At last, they had lost all qualification to fight against the gods!”
“Rather than being slowly devoured and stripped away, it’s better to defend every inch of territory while our strength is at its peak!”
The middle-aged man’s pupils contracted sharply, as if he suddenly understood, and he nodded deeply.
“But what you say also makes sense.”
“When the Iron Wall begins construction, you, as the head of the Ministry of Transportation, must spare no effort to cooperate with the eastern population relocation plan, in case... anything unforeseen happens!” Lin Fan looked gravely at the middle-aged man before him. “Any difficulties?”
“No difficulties!” The middle-aged man clenched his fist. “The transport network of Great Summer has not been built in vain all these years! This is nothing more than a larger-scale operation than the Spring Festival travel rush!”
“Good!” Lin Fan swept his gaze around the room and stood up. “The first meeting of the Supreme Command Center is officially concluded. Everyone, get to work according to the current decisions!”
In the next moment, everyone rose to their feet.
With a crisp salute, they replied in unison, “Yes!”
After speaking, they immediately dispersed.
Chen Yan, holding the preliminary design plan, stood up to leave. He needed to hurry back to the design institute and lead all the researchers to work through the night, aiming to perfect the design within three days!
“Now that everything’s arranged, I’ll return to the Luzhou Military District and personally oversee recruitment matters,” said Elder Jin, rising from his seat.
Lin Fan nodded. “This time, Luzhou is a top priority. I’ll accompany you shortly.”
Just then,
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in!” Lin Fan called out.
A security officer strode in, his brows knit tightly. “Report to the Commander-in-Chief: just now, several foreign diplomatic spokespeople called, hoping to discuss Great Summer’s conscription of fifty million troops. The Head of State asked me to consult with you—should we reply?”
“Heh, those people...” Lin Fan smiled and shook his head helplessly.
“Hmph, are they even worth a response?” Elder Jin snorted coldly. “If you ask me, don’t tell them anything. When the gods descend, let them take a real hit!”
Elder Jin was not a bad person, but given his position, he had long seen through the faces of those countries, having openly and secretly contended with them for many years.
Not to mention—

Just the Indus White Elephant alone, weak as they were, always schemed about the border. Elder Jin, in his youth, had stood with a rifle on the border, confronting those White Elephant soldiers, and had even been injured.
“Elder Jin, it’s not right to say that,” Chen Yan, about to leave, paused, looking at Lin Fan and Elder Jin. “Though I don't think much of them either, looking at the bigger picture, the gods are about to descend. Not only Great Summer is in danger; they are too. The entire Blue Star faces the threat.”
“This is a crisis for all humanity on Blue Star. Now is not the time for infighting.”
“Only if we share this information, unite, and work together will humanity’s hope multiply!”
“It’s not just for them—it’s for ourselves, for all humanity, for Blue Star! Helping them is helping ourselves.”
Elder Jin did not object, for Chen Yan’s words were indeed reasonable.
Lin Fan took a sip of water, his expression complicated. “Counting on them? In the previous life, we tried to help them, and nearly brought disaster upon ourselves... Forget it. Whatever happens, we Great Summer people are honest and kind, taught by our ancestors to unite and repay grievances with virtue. If we can help other countries, we should. Elder Jin, please go deal with those diplomats.”
“Just tell them—the gods are about to descend, and Great Summer will fight them.”
“This way, Great Summer will have fulfilled its duty. If they believe it and prepare in advance, they’ll reduce losses, and perhaps join us against the enemy, sharing the burden. If they don’t believe, we’ve said enough.”
“Also, contact major domestic media. Let’s use the press conference to tell the people why Great Summer is conscripting fifty million, and what war we will face. By the way, you can call on engineering teams to enter the site. Though the plans aren’t finalized, the groundwork can begin.”
“We must race against time now, making the most of what little remains.” Lin Fan exhaled deeply.
Elder Jin nodded. “Alright, I’ll head over... Wait, you’re not going yourself?”
Lin Fan smiled.
Indeed, it would be easier for him to communicate directly.
And as Commander-in-Chief of the Supreme Command Center, he was more suited to appear in public.
But—
“I’m just a young upstart. Though my position is most suited for public announcements, some will inevitably distrust me.”
“For now, someone as respected as you is most suitable.”
Elder Jin was momentarily surprised. “Then you won’t always...”
“Don’t worry, my chance will come.” Lin Fan’s voice was complex. “Once I’ve proved myself to the people, I’ll address them. Of course, aside from that, I have matters of my own to handle.”
“In the meantime, I must trouble you, Elder Jin.” Lin Fan smiled at him.
Elder Jin understood and nodded. “Alright.”
He strode out, briskly instructing the staff, “Reply to all foreign diplomats: in ten minutes, Great Summer will hold a diplomatic press conference in the Hall of Highest Assembly! All diplomatic questions will be addressed!”
“At the same time—”

“Notify domestic and international media. This diplomatic press conference will be broadcast live, both at home and abroad!”
Having said this, Elder Jin suddenly turned to glance back.
He saw Lin Fan still seated, eyes gently closed, arms folded across his chest.
An invisible field seemed to spread out, the teacup before Lin Fan quivering, tea rolling and surging as if boiling!
Even the air around Lin Fan twisted at that moment.
Even Elder Jin, who had never witnessed such a strange scene, could sense a vast power brewing within Lin Fan, unlike anything he had ever seen.
...
Elsewhere—
The Free Nation.
“What, Great Summer agreed to negotiate?” The Free Nation’s chief, Pruchuan, gripped the phone, his corpulent body suddenly rising in an attempt to appear imposing, but instead looking somewhat comical.
On the screen, Turtle Nation’s chief, Kameda, replied respectfully, “Yes, my dear Pruchuan. They’ve just responded...”
“Good!” Pruchuan’s shrewd little eyes blinked rapidly. “This conscription by Great Summer must be a plot against us—perhaps even preparation for war!”
“Our diplomatic spokespeople must unite and expose them!”
“Do everything to prevent Great Summer’s conscription and keep their threat at bay!”
Pruchuan’s voice trembled—whether from rage or fear of that eastern nation was unclear.
The other Western leaders in the meeting nodded in agreement.
As the chiefs discussed strategies—
The last participant on the conference screen, Indus White Elephant Nation’s chief, Indasan, suddenly sneered, “Ha, you’re not really buying Great Summer’s story, are you—conscripting fifty million?”
“My Indus White Elephant Nation, the world’s largest, couldn’t manage that! We have more people than Great Summer, but fifty million... If we suddenly conscript that many, the populace would revolt in minutes.”
“Great Summer is definitely bluffing! They love to boast! Last time, they claimed to build a hospital in ten days—that’s the proof of their boastfulness.”
His words made the video conference fall into a brief silence.
“Wait, I thought you were joking... Allow me to ask: are you Indus White Elephant leaders truly blind?” Kameda, Turtle Nation’s chief, looked at Indasan on the screen in bafflement.