"Old Zhang in the cafeteria accidentally got his hand burnt by the oil pot today, so things are a bit slow." Mrs. Lan said with a smile at the corner of her mouth...
"I must say, I think Old Zhang's dishes are the tastiest."
"Yeah! I've been in the military for over ten years, and I've been eating Old Zhang's food for over ten years."
"I especially love this."
"I like this one."
The group chatted away casually, but the two special forces members from Team A didn't join for dinner. They couldn't afford any lapse in vigilance, as Team A had given them an order not to let their guard down. Despite what others did, they had to guard this isolated room to prevent any ill-intended individuals from seizing it.
"Shuang, keep alert," a Team A member said to his partner.
The Team A special forces member named Shuang was none other than Zheng Shuang, Zheng Guang's grandson. Ever since Ye Hao brought him into Team A, his life was becoming busier. Of course, he was very willing to monitor a God crime ringleader this time.
Since they were relatively new members of Team A, they still didn't understand how to handle some international matters and so had to start from the ground up.
"Yeah, stay sharp. I've got a feeling something's off." Zheng Shuang tightened his grip on his weapon, eyes coldly fixed on the crowd.
Yet, when Zheng Shuang carefully observed that middle-aged woman named Mrs. Lan, he had a feeling she wasn't ordinary.
Mrs. Lan smiled at Zheng Shuang and then asked, "Comrade, do you want to eat first? Old Zhang has been cooking for decades, and his food is quite delicious!"
"Haha, no need, thanks." Zheng Shuang politely declined.
"Alright, carry on with your work." Mrs. Lan laughed.
Zheng Shuang nodded, but his gaze was still intensely focused on Mrs. Lan, as if she was hiding something.
His partner's gaze also followed Zheng Shuang's to Mrs. Lan, who occasionally smiled at them.
After the guards finished eating and drinking, they all burped contentedly and then picked up their guns to stand watch.
Mrs. Lan cleaned up the dishes and left the base on the eighteenth underground floor.
After Mrs. Lan left, Zheng Shuang and his partner breathed a small sigh of relief, but their eyes remained vigilant as they surveyed their surroundings.
Even though it's the eighteenth underground floor, where few people can enter, caution is the key, and a single careless mistake could lead to catastrophic consequences.
...
Close to eleven at night, Ye Hao remained calm, sitting silently without making a sound.
Tang Xiangdong finished reviewing the final agreement and wrote his name down before putting the pen aside.
Looking up to see Ye Hao still sitting quietly waiting for him, he silently praised, wondering how many among the younger generation in Huaxia could match Ye Hao's calm demeanor.
Tang Xiangdong smiled and walked over to Ye Hao, who quickly stood up, intending to salute him and call him chief, but Tang Xiangdong gestured to stop him. Tang Xiangdong walked past the sofa and out of the hall, and returned with a bottle of Xiaogan brewed millet wine.
Tang Xiangdong personally unscrewed the wine bottle and poured a small cup for Ye Hao and then for himself.
Pushing the cup over to Ye Hao, Tang Xiangdong smiled and asked, "Did you feel irritated waiting for so long?"
"No, I'm used to it." Ye Hao smiled.
"Oh? Used to waiting?" Tang Xiangdong questioned with curiosity.
"Haha, during over ten years of training, sunbathing for six or seven hours every day, whether at sea, in the mountains, or on snowy ground, always waiting for the instructors to show up. This short wait is something I've long grown accustomed to." Ye Hao replied with a smile.
"A good seedling, not changed by the lures of wine and lights, merely for your persistence and composure, this cup is downed by Tang." Tang Xiangdong tilted his head back and finished his cup of millet wine.
Ye Hao took a similar action, and the two drank several cups plain without any dishes.
After a while, Tang Xiangdong said, "Do you know what documents I was processing just now?"
"Tang is busy with a myriad of affairs daily; even if my little nephew watches while you handle them, I might not understand." Ye Hao answered helplessly.
"Haha, it's not that you don't understand, but you have no intention of dealing with such matters." Tang Xiangdong instantly realized Ye Hao had no interest in official positions; those who did would not answer like him, they would instead talk freely about administration to seek his favor.
"That's part of the reason!" Ye Hao admitted.
"Although you have no wish for officialdom, you do possess a sharp eye. I want you to speak about the current world order." Tang Xiangdong asked with a smile.
His question was not because he was unaware of the world order but wanted to hear Ye Hao's perspective, how he views the world, and what form it currently exists in.
"World order? Difficult to say, but I know our Huaxia is rapidly developing for now. But once the United States catches its breath and gains decisive advantage in the Iraq war, our development in Huaxia will slow down. At that time, the United States will surely team up with Jiepeng to suppress our development in Huaxia to prevent us from growing stronger."
Tang Xiangdong nodded with a smile, signaling Ye Hao to continue.
"Iraq, with the world's second-largest oil reserve, saw successive presidents from the Habs family in the United States find multiple excuses to invade. Even after Abama took office, he couldn't escape the chess game of attacking Iraq. It's not that Abama doesn't want to fight; he very much wants to, but attacking Iraq caused the U.S. treasury to run empty, leading to slower development.
Because of this, Huaxia could keep a low profile, as the United States was overwhelmed and couldn't stop our Huaxia's advancements, allowing us to grow steadily during this period.
Also, during the financial crisis years ago, Huaxia's two leading figures resolved the crisis in just two years. This speed was so fast that Americans couldn't believe it, as they estimated Huaxia would need at least four years to resolve the financial crisis.
This shows that when the United States goes to war, it greatly benefits us. However, if the United States fully plants its flag in Iraq, its next target will be to pressure North Korea, hoping it will act out. Once North Korea acts recklessly, it will definitely fight Jiepeng and neighboring South Korea.
Such conflict brings us no benefit, and remembering how our Huaxia's volunteer army painfully struck the United States during the Korean War, the U.S. wouldn't risk sending actual troops to provoke North Korea. After all, North Korea is a nuclear power, and cornering it could lead to drastic retaliation.
So, the United States will look for ways to incite discord among South Korea, Jiepeng, and North Korea, should North Korea become chaotic.
At that time, the United States will again find excuses to intervene in North Korea as the world's policeman, having strategic bases in Iraq, the Straits of Malacca, and North Korea. It will then begin to gradually consume our Southeast Asian regions."
Ye Hao stated his views on the general trajectory of the world and the changing current situations. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit qidian.com to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)