Chapter 1 The Dragon City's Predicament

Hua District, a little after one o'clock in the afternoon, in the Qin residence's dining room.

Qin Yu, Jiangzhou, Xiao Yuan, and Su Tianyu were sitting around a traditional eight-immortal table. Six dishes and a soup were laid out on the table, nothing too extravagant, but the dishes were prepared with great care, some famous Northern Hua District cuisine.

Steward Feng stood to the side, serving tea and wine to everyone.

The atmosphere in the dining room was slightly tense. Jiangzhou and Xiao Yuan were somewhat more relaxed, but Su Tianyu seemed a little awkward.

Qin Yu looked at Su Tianyu, who was sitting in a wheelchair and looking a bit weak, with the loving gaze of a senior towards a junior. He said softly, "I've been wanting to meet you for a while, but considering your situation, there hasn't been an opportunity. Sigh, it's not easy for you guys, especially someone as young as you."

With that, Qin Yu took the initiative to raise his glass. "Come, Xiao Su, I welcome you on behalf of our hometown."

Hearing this, Su Tianyu felt a sense of grievance in his heart, as well as a tingling sensation on his scalp. It was difficult to express this strange emotion clearly in words, but it was definitely flowing through his heart.

When he first arrived in The Dragon City Rises, starting a company and forming an association, he only wanted to find something to do and investigate the cause of his father's death. He didn't have any particular feelings about the so-called hometown.

Frankly speaking, Su Tianyu's impression and feelings towards Hua District had been vague before. He wasn't born here, nor did he grow up here.

It wasn't until the association grew larger and the responsibilities on his shoulders became heavier, coupled with the influence of Li Mingsheng, An Zecheng, and others, as well as the heavy pressure from District One, which made the situation in The Dragon City Rises precarious, that he understood the meaning of the word hometown.

It was an innate sense of kinship, as if it flowed in his blood, something that couldn't be obtained through later interactions.

When Qin Yu said these words, this emotion was naturally triggered. It was an emotion that Su Tianyu had never experienced in all his years of living in other districts, and it was very profound.

Thinking of this, Su Tianyu took a deep breath, adjusted his emotions, and very solemnly raised his teacup. "Thank you! I also extend my sincerest greetings to you on behalf of The Dragon City Rises!"

Jiangzhou and Xiao Yuan also raised their glasses, and everyone drank together.

After Qin Yu put down his cup, he said with a smile, "Xiao Su, let's be casual. Come on, eat."

With that, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating naturally.

Everyone smiled and followed suit, relaxing a little as they began to eat.

After a few rounds of wine and several dishes, everyone had eaten their fill. Qin Yu then put down his chopsticks, turned to look at Su Tianyu, and asked, "Xiao Su, what do you think The Dragon City Rises should do to get out of its current predicament?"

Hearing Qin Yu's words, Su Tianyu also put down his teacup. He knew that the other party was testing him, so he thought for a moment and said the answer that had been on his mind these days: "Actually, I'm quite pessimistic about this matter."

Hearing this answer, Qin Yu looked at him without expression, waiting for him to continue.

Su Tianyu paused and continued, "With the strength of The Dragon City Rises, even with the addition of the old Mo government army and Panama City, gathering all the energy we have, we still cannot compete with District One as it is now. After all, the gap between us is there. Frankly speaking, not only militarily, but in any aspect, we are not on the same level of competition as District One."

Qin Yu nodded slowly, ate something, and remained silent.

Su Tianyu frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "After waking up, I also thought carefully in the hospital about how to break the situation. After thinking about it, the only way to get out of the predicament is... to let the current predicament continue!"

Jiangzhou and Xiao Yuan were slightly surprised and couldn't help but exchange glances.

Hearing this, Qin Yu looked at Su Tianyu with some surprise. "Continue."

Su Tianyu said with a solemn expression, "Faced with District One's repeated oppression, I asked myself a question: How many years does it take to completely conquer a nation? Regarding this point, Old Mo has already given us the answer. Even ten or twenty years, you cannot conquer a nation! Old Mo is very poor, and doesn't even have much decent infrastructure! The weapons used by their soldiers are still old equipment from more than a decade ago. Even so, with District One constantly providing support to the rebels, they still haven't been able to make them submit. On the contrary, the power of the old Mo government army has become stronger and stronger, and its territory has become larger and larger, unstoppable."

Su Tianyu sat there and spoke eloquently, as if a surge of strength had come over him, sweeping away his fatigue. "The Dragon City Rises is the same. For us, our current capabilities cannot solve the predicament brought about by District One. But as time passes, our predicament will become District One's predicament."

Qin Yu didn't say anything, but Xiao Yuan couldn't help but ask softly, "Brother Su, ten years? Twenty years? Have you thought about the people of The Dragon City Rises for such a long time? Soldiers can grit their teeth and fight, but the people can't?"

Su Tianyu looked directly into his eyes and said very firmly, "There will always be an era when a group of people have to bear the burden of moving forward. If all the people cannot endure the consequences of war and are willing to suffer oppression and unequal citizenship... then, our People's Army will naturally cease to exist, and we will also die. This is a matter of national character, not something we can control."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan nodded thoughtfully and said nothing more.

"Let's take Old Mo as an example. Their people also hate war and oppose war, but... more than that, they hate the oppression and invasion of foreign races." Su Tianyu continued to add, "There will be complaints, but history will prove what is right and wrong. The fact that The Dragon City Rises People's Army has been able to rise up is enough to show the wishes of more people."

Although Qin Yu didn't show it on the surface, he felt that this young man from The Dragon City Rises was very mature in his analysis, completely out of line with his age.

If Su Tianyu were sitting here today, only talking about diplomacy, demanding support from Hua District, and urging Hua District to express its position, then Qin Yu would be disappointed. With such a military and political mindset, the hope of survival would be very slim.

Thinking of this, Qin Yu looked at Su Tianyu and said faintly, "Xiao Su, we in Hua District also have difficulties in supporting The Dragon City Rises..."

Everyone was stunned when they heard this. Qin Yu continued, "The journey is long, and the roads are not smooth... distant water cannot quench immediate thirst!"

Su Tianyu's heart also skipped a beat, and he stared tightly at the old commander in front of him, his heart already in his throat.

After a slight pause, Qin Yu changed the subject, his voice pausing. "However, difficulties can be overcome. Back then, when the Three Districts were unified, our navy had just been formed, the soldiers were tired, and the horses could not fight. But the expeditionary force reached Xia Island in less than a year. Almost thirty years have passed in a flash, and we have solved many problems. The four oceans cannot stop us, and my tens of millions of people have returned home!"