Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Unexpected Delight

Lin Fan looked at the two people before him, puzzled.

After all, steel was an invaluable resource—twenty billion tons, no less! Especially at the critical moment when the gods were about to descend, steel became even more precious. At times like this, steel meant survival or destruction for a nation.

In his previous life, though Lin Fan never learned exactly how Shang Weitian managed to scrape together the steel, he could more or less guess. The skyscrapers built by the people’s sweat and toil were toppled one after another. The shelves in supermarkets, the pots and pans, the chairs, even metal cups and thermoses vanished without a trace. Private cars became a rare sight—those lifelines for escaping danger and evacuating quickly. In the end, even kitchen knives, iron basins, and the screws from family tables disappeared. A handful of families had to share one iron pot, and a queue was needed just to cook a meal.

At that time, many people cursed Shang Weitian. Yet, no one could deny his achievement: under his iron-fisted methods, the twenty billion tons of steel were gathered in time, and the Iron Great Wall was hastily constructed. Later, the steel was recycled and forged into all kinds of facilities. Underground furnaces, their cores blazing with temperatures of ten thousand degrees, allowed the people of Grand Xia to survive the brutal cold brought by the God of Winter. Thirteen underground survival zones, carved out of steel, sheltered hundreds of millions from the predatory iron falcons ruling the skies.

In truth, Shang Weitian could hardly be blamed for his harshness. Grand Xia had no other choice. The people’s quality of life was sacrificed for one goal: survival.

Lin Fan still remembered, when winter set in, the scenes of citizens huddled in the underground shelters, swallowing handfuls of dry, cold roasted rice. Shang Weitian’s measures were truly desperate ones—had Lin Fan been in his place, he would have done the same. Even the most draconian actions, seemingly taken on a whim, were actually the result of extensive discussions and were secretly sanctioned by Zhang Maoyuan, the nation’s leader. Still, only Shang Weitian bore the people’s curses.

In the history Lin Fan personally experienced, Shang Weitian was a deeply controversial figure—ruthless, squeezing the people’s quality of life, but undeniably, his actions had kept Grand Xia alive.

Compared to other nations, Grand Xia had already done remarkably well.

At the very least, they survived.

Even at the cost of the people’s well-being, they made it to the end. The people rarely complained, but the sight of them swallowing roasted rice cut Lin Fan to the core.

That was why Lin Fan had returned—to change history! Not only to alter Grand Xia’s fate, but also to transform the entire process.

He wanted the people of Grand Xia to watch the raging waves in peace, to eat hotpot and sing songs in warm rooms during the harshest winter, to gaze out at the swirling snow through their windows.

Why was Lin Fan so desperate to gather twenty billion tons of steel? Because once the gods descended, steel would become impossibly scarce. Other nations would strictly control their reserves, and Grand Xia would be forced to scavenge from its own citizens.

He could not allow that to happen.

He was determined to change history, to ensure that the people’s quality of life would not decline. To not only survive, but thrive in comfort.

Lin Fan looked at the two men, their faces bright with excitement, and said with a stony expression, “You’ve found a solution?”

“We have, we have!” Chen Yan replied with a smile. “No wonder you’re the commander—you guessed it right away. We were planning to keep you in suspense!”

Lin Fan’s face darkened. “I can guess what you’re thinking, but I won’t allow it.”

“The lives of the people of Grand Xia cannot be burdened!”

“Grand Xia is vast—twenty billion tons is a large number, but if everyone contributed, it could be done. You’re thinking of private cars, the steel in buildings, the steel in bridges, the pots and pans, kitchen knives…”

“But I won’t allow it!”

“I asked you to find a solution—not to target our own people. Otherwise, what do I need you for?”

“I want you to find another way to obtain steel!”

His words rang out with conviction.

But Chen Lao and Shang Weitian were taken aback.

“That’s… a misunderstanding,” Shang Weitian said awkwardly. “That was my worst-case scenario, but… things have changed.”

“Oh?” Lin Fan was surprised, then burst out laughing. “My apologies, I misunderstood. Quickly, tell me your plan.”

Shang Weitian, though speechless, felt a deeper respect for Lin Fan. He got straight to the point. “Just now, I tentatively sent emails in the name of the Grand Xia Ministry of Commerce to other countries, hoping to purchase steel at the international market price.”

“I didn’t hold much hope—at this critical moment, steel is more precious than ever.”

“But, to my astonishment, they all agreed!”

“What?!” Lin Fan was incredulous, frowning. “They agreed?”

“Yes!” Shang Weitian still looked amazed as he scratched his head. “If it were just the Bear Nation, our ally, I’d understand. But even countries that have been tense or even hostile toward us, like the Free Nation and Turtlefield, agreed.”

“They didn’t even object to the quantities we requested—mind you, those figures were my conservative estimate of their reserves. Even if there’s some discrepancy, it wouldn’t be much.”

“It’s as if they’re handing over all their steel!”

“And at a time like this—on the eve of the gods’ descent!”

Shang Weitian’s expression was complicated.

It was simply too hard to comprehend.

Even Grand Xia would never sell its steel at such a moment. With the gods about to descend, the importance of steel was self-evident.

Yet, these countries were helping Grand Xia so selflessly?

It was a bond forged in life and death—brotherhood could hardly compare.

“I can’t believe it myself,” Chen Lao said, his voice thick with emotion. “Who’d have thought they were all such good people?”

Lin Fan scratched his head, still finding it hard to believe. “Is the news true?”

“It’s true,” Shang Weitian replied gravely. “Our people in the Free Nation have already responded—they’re at the port accounting and clearing shipments.”

“The same goes for Turtlefield.”

“The other countries have also started sending goods, and our personnel stationed there are handling the inventories as we speak.”