Chapter Fifty-Six: It’s Also Quite Simple

At that very moment—

A thunderous roar erupted, the engines growling like muffled thunder.

It was as if the entire surface of the sea trembled.

The stunned ambassadors of various nations instinctively turned their heads to look out the window.

Outside, an unbroken line of warships surged forth from the Great Xia, roaring across the blue waves like silver streaks painting the sea. Each vessel bristled with missiles, and fighter jets stood poised for takeoff.

It was a sight akin to a horde of furious beasts, charging and howling with wrath.

On the lead battleship, Old Jin, holding a radio, let out a hearty laugh. “Kid, can you handle it? If not, I’ll take over!”

“The situation is under control,” Lin Fan replied casually, picking up his radio.

“Ah, too late... Well then, I’ll head back and wait for you to return.”

Old Jin sounded almost regretful. At his command, the seemingly endless fleet of warships turned and sailed away once more.

At this moment, staring at that vast, unending armada—an ocean of steel stretching beyond sight—all the foreign ambassadors stood rooted to the spot.

Since when did the Great Xia possess such military might?

Decades ago, hadn’t they struggled to produce even basic rifles in quantity?

Ambassador Matsushita of Turtlefield suddenly gave a long sigh.

In that instant, despair gripped him.

This young man before them seemed powerful, yes.

But if it truly came to war, with all their nations united, he would surely perish!

Matsushita had even planned it out: no matter how arrogant this youth appeared now, once the ambassadors returned home, Great Xia would face unbearable consequences.

Yet—

Having witnessed the military strength just displayed by Great Xia, he abruptly realized that the nation itself was far mightier than this youth alone.

Even if they joined forces against Great Xia, the price would be steep—perhaps too steep.

They might not even prevail.

A bitterness spread across the faces of the assembled ambassadors.

“Now then, do you all know what you’re supposed to do?” Lin Fan asked, his expression unreadable as he looked at the surviving ambassadors.

Blood still dripped from his blade.

Any ambassador who met his gaze fell to their knees without hesitation.

Within the hall, only Lin Fan and Shang Weitian—the representatives of Great Xia—remained standing.

Shang Weitian let out a long breath, overwhelmed with emotion.

A century ago, the lofty foreign ambassadors had forced Great Xia to sign humiliating treaties, ceding land and dignity.

But today—

Before Great Xia, none dared stand.

Lin Fan’s voice was cold as death itself. “If it were up to me, every one of you would be dead.”

“But—”

“Mr. Shang here pleaded for your lives, citing international consequences…”

“So,” Lin Fan’s lips curled into a warm, gentle smile, “I’ve decided to uphold our Great Xia tradition of valuing peace and let you go.”

The ambassadors stared in disbelief.

Valuing peace? That gentle smile—was he serious? His knife was still dripping blood! Gil’s head was still lying over there!

If not for the grisly proof, they might almost have believed him.

But even so, they all expressed their gratitude with trembling voices. “Thank you, thank you…”

“So, does anyone object to Great Xia’s payment terms?” Lin Fan suddenly asked.

“No objections!”

“The sovereign bonds from the Free State fully cover the cost of this steel!”

“If the Free State doesn’t pay us, we’ll take it up with them. Our dealings with Great Xia are settled!”

“We never had any complaints, really. It was all Gil’s idea… Damn that Gil!”

“As long as there are no objections,” Lin Fan nodded, “you may leave.”

“But remember this—” His dagger trembled, scattering drops of blood onto the expensive suits of the foreign ambassadors.

Lin Fan enunciated each word: “No matter how far, we will strike down any who provoke Great Xia.”

The ambassadors shuddered, glancing at the cold gleam of the blade, the youth’s icy gaze, and Gil’s severed head.

Yet still, they lingered.

“Why are you still here?” Lin Fan’s eyes grew cold again.

The ambassadors looked conflicted, as if wishing to speak, but the murderous aura he radiated kept them silent.

At last, Shang Weitian intervened, tugging Lin Fan’s sleeve. “Ahem, it’s just—the ship belongs to them…”

Lin Fan, so imposing a moment before, paused, scratching his head sheepishly. “Ah, my mistake. We’ll be on our way—no need to see us out.”

Polite, wasn’t he?

Yet he’d just killed a man outright.

But not impolite, either—

He even apologized.

Amidst the odd, awkward silence of the ambassadors, Lin Fan and Shang Weitian left the hall, boarded a small boat, and set off toward Great Xia.

The ambassador from the White Elephant Empire whispered, “If we launched a remote strike on that boy now…”

“Smack!” The Britannian ambassador slapped him hard, eyes full of terror. “If you want to die, don’t drag us down with you!”

On the small boat—

“A strike against me?” Lin Fan muttered darkly.

Shang Weitian, not quite catching it, asked, “What?”

“Nothing.” Lin Fan dismissed the matter, gazing at the distant, bustling coastline where the Iron Wall was under construction. Suddenly, he said, “You once advised me: before the descent of the gods, we should unite several nations for mutual protection, but I refused, and you were not convinced.”

“But after today, you must understand why I declined.”

Shang Weitian sighed.

“Yes. There is no true friendship between nations.”

“When they see you’re weak, they only want to carve you up.”

“When they see you’re strong, suddenly they’re all respect and deference.”

Scenes from the conference replayed in his mind—coercion, humiliation, even violence. But the moment Lin Fan appeared in all his might, the ambassadors scrambled to curry favor with Great Xia.

And after Lin Fan beheaded Gil, they knelt to beg for mercy.

Such is the true nature of relations between nations.

The weak are prey.

But then, Shang Weitian gathered his thoughts, his tone complex. “But you killed Gil. That might be troublesome.”

“Don’t worry.” Lin Fan smiled. “If this were a hundred years ago, killing Gil would have brought disaster upon Great Xia.”

“If it were fifty years ago, I would die for it.”

“If it were twenty years ago, the Free State would make sure the whole world heard about it.”

“But now… do you think the Free State dares speak of this?”

Shang Weitian paused, then laughed. “I understand now.”

Some matters are terribly complex.

But sometimes, they become strangely simple.

It may seem incomprehensible—but it’s easy to grasp.

As long as you are strong enough, no matter how complicated the matter, it is simple.