Chapter Sixteen: The World Watches!
An uncanny silence lingered for three whole minutes.
Elsewhere, three minutes of quiet might have passed unnoticed. But here? This was no ordinary occasion. These were the so-called great powers, nations with lofty postures, all assembled to interrogate Grand Xia over its plan to conscript fifty million men!
They had arrived brimming with hostility, prepared for a fierce confrontation. Yet, with just a single glance from General Jin, they were struck dumb, unable to utter a word!
For a brief spell, the people of Grand Xia, watching the broadcast at home, burst into laughter.
“Haha, why are they suddenly tongue-tied?”
“Isn’t it obvious? They came ready to accuse us, but then saw General Jin! His presence is on another level!”
“General Jin? Isn’t he the supreme commander of the Luzhou Military District? I heard he almost shelled Turtlefield Nation back in the day!”
“Who would dare cross General Jin? These diplomats wouldn’t, not even with ten lives to spare! This is a veteran who wouldn’t hesitate to draw his gun!”
“I expected a heated war of words, but this is unexpectedly hilarious. Reminds me of when my teacher would call on us as children…”
“Look, that guy’s shaking—wait, did he just wet his pants from fright?”
The camera zoomed in on the Italian ambassador. The middle-aged man was visibly trembling, and a spreading wet stain was forming on his trousers…
This display only deepened the terror among the other diplomats. There was no denying Italy’s proud tradition of inadvertently lending a hand—albeit in reverse.
Meanwhile, the foreign internet exploded. Crowds abroad watched in disbelief.
“OMG, why are these guys such cowards?”
“Exactly! Weren’t they ranting online about Grand Xia? Now they’re so scared they’re literally wetting themselves?”
“Didn’t they say they’d grill Grand Xia mercilessly? How did things turn out like this?”
At the lectern, General Jin stood ramrod straight, raising his eyes to the distance. Beneath his calm expression, his heart surged with emotion.
He knew his firmness wasn’t due to his own prowess alone, but because of the nation standing behind him—Grand Xia.
What these diplomats feared was not himself, but Grand Xia. Thirteen hundred million Grand Xia citizens.
The contempt and derision these powers once showed to Grand Xia had, in this moment, been transformed into awe and fear.
The dragon had risen!
That unbending spine belonged not only to General Jin, but to Grand Xia itself, standing tall at last.
Looking at the diplomats, their faces etched with dread, bodies trembling, General Jin’s eyes grew hot.
“Grandfather, are you watching?”
“We have risen!”
“No one can force us to bow again!”
“This prosperous era is as you wished! Grand Xia, as you wished!”
General Jin maintained a frosty exterior, but inside, the tide of emotion nearly overwhelmed him. But for the discipline honed over the years, he might have been brought to tears.
Just then—
His phone rang shrilly.
General Jin glanced at the screen, then turned aside with an exasperated look, nodding toward Lin Fan seated in the backstage corner.
Lin Fan had texted him: “The Chairman just called. He says tone it down a bit. Don’t be so intimidating—you’ve scared them so much they’re wetting themselves.”
General Jin replied wryly, “I wasn’t trying to intimidate anyone. I was just being myself. Who knew these guys were so brittle? They showed up all self-righteous—thought they’d be fiercer.”
“But all it took was one word from me and they’re already terrified. Is that my fault?”
“Please… try to rein it in a little,” Lin Fan replied, equally helpless. “Grand Xia has always been peaceable, avoiding conflict where possible. Our diplomats are always courteous with them.”
“And that’s spoiled them, made them think we’re soft.”
“But then you come out roaring… I suppose it’s our own fault for coddling them so long.”
The aura General Jin projected was forged in the crucible of war—a presence that commanded respect without anger. Even Lin Fan, supreme commander of the Asian Alliance upon returning from the apocalypse, felt anxious facing him.
If this old man truly erupted, he’d dare level arms at gods, let alone these diplomats who did little but bluster.
General Jin could only rub his face in exasperation and finally softened his tone, “Ahem, don’t be afraid. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I simply mean to say—if you have questions, ask them. Grand Xia will answer you. Is there anything that can’t be said plainly?”
At this, the scene grew even more absurd.
General Jin resembled a stern teacher, trying to console students he’d just frightened to tears…
At home, viewers exploded with mirth.
“Look at that—now he’s coddling them!”
“What was supposed to be a debate has turned into a kindergarten teacher soothing children!”
“We know the real drama is yet to come, but this is lively enough already!”
“I can’t hold it in anymore, even though it’s inappropriate—hahaha!”
“Best comedy sketch of the year!”
But what left the audience even more speechless was that, even after such reassurance, the diplomats still dared not be the first to speak.
At last—
“Idiot!” barked a voice in the earpiece of the Turtlefield ambassador. It was the nation’s leader, Turtlefield himself, shouting, “Are you trying to disgrace Great Turtlefield in front of the world?”
“Did you forget what I told you? Hurry—ask your question! If you don’t, you’d better commit seppuku on the spot!”
The Turtlefield ambassador, Matsuinu, took a deep breath and, under General Jin’s gaze, finally stood up.
Before he could speak, applause broke out.
Matsuinu looked up to see General Jin smiling encouragingly at him, clapping his hands.
For a moment, Matsuinu was utterly lost. Was he a kindergarten child answering a teacher’s question?
“Well done, well done!” General Jin happily applauded. “At last, someone has a question! The rest of you, take note—if you’re too afraid to speak, learn from this gentleman!”
Matsuinu: “???”
This really was a kindergarten! Was General Jin the headmaster now? Was this supposed to be praise?
Matsuinu burned with shame, but mustered his courage and said through gritted teeth, “General Jin, please answer my question.”
“Is Grand Xia’s conscription of fifty million men intended to provoke international conflict?”
“Or, to put it bluntly, is Grand Xia preparing to wage war against us?”
The question was direct, cutting to the heart of the matter.
Every ambassador turned to General Jin, waiting for his response. All domestic and international journalists focused their cameras on him.
In that moment, the entire world held its breath, awaiting Grand Xia’s answer.