Great Power Reclamation

The California farm remains bathed in warm sunshine, but on the strategic chessboard far away in the Horn of Africa, a unique "conquest" is quietly unfolding, using the hearts and minds of the people as weapons and development as the blade.

After successfully resisting numerous interferences from the Three Colored Kingdoms, the Marseille-Soviet Union, led by Ye Rou, Ye Mei, and Yang San, gained increasing prestige. In particular, the tangible benefits brought by the "Hope Grass" project attracted the people of neighboring countries suffering from poverty, drought, and turmoil like a magnet.

Inside the royal palace meeting room, the lights shone brightly all night.

The huge electronic map marked the details of Somalia and several surrounding small countries: the Republic of Adan in the north, which suffers from a long drought and whose herders live in poverty; the Emirate of Risang in the northwest, which is divided among tribes and has a weak central government; and Kibera, a small coastal country in the southwest, which has a small port but a desolate economy and whose people yearn for development.

“Direct military conquest is costly, would subject to great international pressure, and is not in our long-term interests.”

Ye Mei set the tone first, her finger tracing across the map: "What we need is stable depth, a unified market, and win-win development, not a scorched earth and a hostile population."

Yang San crossed his arms, his eyes sharp as a hawk's: "Military force is our backing and deterrent, ensuring a smooth process, free from interference by external forces, and also quickly eliminating small groups of stubborn resistance."

"But the main character should be 'hope' itself." He has recently studied many strategic cases from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, and has gained a deeper understanding of "subduing the enemy without fighting".

Ye Rou agreed: "My father used farms to unite people in California, and we will use development and security to attract people in Africa. Let's name the plan 'Melting the Ice,' which means to expand our territory silently and naturally."

The operation began in the northern region of the Republic of Adan, which borders Somalia and is the most severely drought-stricken area.

An agricultural technology team from Maasai-Soyuz, carrying large quantities of "hope grass" seeds and drought-resistant crop technology, entered villages in northern Aden as part of a non-governmental organization's aid program.

They distributed seeds free of charge, provided planting guidance, and built small-scale water conservancy facilities (utilizing Solomon Islands' relatively advanced water-saving irrigation technology).

Meanwhile, a livestock cooperative funded by Brothers Investment followed suit, promising to purchase dairy products and meat from livestock fed with Hope Grass by local herders at preferential prices.

The effects were immediate. After just one rainy season, the once barren landscape of northern Aden was transformed into lush, green meadows of hope, providing food for livestock and increasing the income of herders.

The Somali aid team was disciplined and respected local customs, a stark contrast to the Adenian government's extortionate practices. Local people began spontaneously referring to the area as "Blessed Land in Northern Somalia," and public sentiment subtly shifted.

The Adenian central government initially did not care, and even welcomed the outcome, as it eased their relief burden.

But when they discovered their influence was being replaced and tax revenue was decreasing, they tried to stop it. However, their decrees were almost ineffective in the north, where local elders and people preferred to listen to the technicians from the Sogdian Kingdom.

A small unit of Adenian government forces attempted to forcibly expel them, but was "politely and firmly" blocked by the well-equipped Somali rapid reaction force, which was "coincidentally" conducting a routine patrol on the border.

Yang San's army demonstrated strong mobility and deterrent power, yet did not cross the line, preventing the Aden government forces from making any rash moves.

Meanwhile, the media controlled by the Sogdians (radio and simplified television) began broadcasting programs to northern Aden, promoting the prosperity and stability of the Sogdians under the governance of the Maasai-Sogdian Union and their inclusive policies towards different tribes.

Ye Mei even personally went to the border region to meet with the elders of northern Adan, promising that if they joined the alliance, they would maintain the autonomy of their traditional culture and invest more development funds.

The people's hopes have always been simple; all they yearn for is a more prosperous life. As for anything else, no one cares.

Ye Mei and her team's series of measures had already won the hearts of the people, and they naturally didn't care about what happened based on the will of the people; they just let things take their course.

In the Emirate of Risang, the strategy was slightly different. This country was divided into numerous tribes, with a weak central authority. Yang San's intelligence agency cleverly exploited the conflicts between the tribes, winning over tribal leaders who were dissatisfied with the status quo and craved strong external support.

Brothers Investment began investing in the construction of roads, schools, and clinics in tribal territories within Risang that favored cooperation.

One of the conditions is that these infrastructures need to use the Solomon Islands' standard teaching materials (including education on the Union's identity) and healthcare system.

Gradually, children in these areas started using Solomon Islands textbooks for schooling, went to clinics built with Solomon Islands aid for medical treatment, and obtained many daily necessities from Solomon Islands markets.

One morning, people discovered that a symbolic boundary marker on the border between Risang and Solomon Islands had been moved several hundred meters into Risang territory by unidentified local residents, "marking" a disputed but unguarded wasteland into Solomon Islands.

The central government of Risang protested, but the residents of the area where the boundary markers were moved claimed that they "voluntarily became part of a more prosperous and stable alliance" and produced what they claimed to be ancestral land deeds (the authenticity of which is hard to verify, but the sentiment is genuine).

The Solomon Islands government appeared "helpless," stating that it respected the wishes of the local people and promised to better manage and develop the region.

This "fait accompli" strategy has been employed at multiple border crossings.

Take small, slow steps, moving only a little at a time to avoid overstimulation.

Whenever the central government of Risang tries to respond forcefully, Yang San's troops conduct a high-profile "military exercise" on the border to demonstrate their precision strike capabilities and rapid deployment capabilities.

The independent tribal armed forces in Risang were powerless to resist, and the central government could only issue verbal protests, which ultimately came to nothing.

Meanwhile, in the northern part of the Republic of Adan and in parts of Risan that lean towards the Union, a referendum movement began to emerge spontaneously.

With the “assistance” of Solomon Islands NGOs, the people organized to demand a referendum to decide whether to join the Marseille-Soviet Union.

The voting process was touted as democratic and voluntary, and despite the lack of international oversight, it was a lively affair that resulted in an overwhelming "yes" vote.

The Ye Rou government, "responding to public opinion," solemnly announced its acceptance of the "return" or "joining" of these regions and people. The annexation process involved almost no large-scale fighting; it was more about demonstrating public opinion and accumulating fait accompli.

Not all the processes were smooth sailing. Attempts to extend influence to the small coastal nation of Kibera encountered a major obstacle.

The corrupt high-ranking officials of Kibera's government have been secretly bribed by the Tricolor Kingdom, resolutely refusing to cooperate with the Solomon Islands and attempting to suppress pro-Solomon forces within the country by force.

"A surgical strike is needed to decapitate their will to resist, but civilians must not be harmed, and no pretext must be left for them to use."

During the military conference, Yang San pointed to the Kibera presidential palace and several key military camps on the map.

One night, several drones equipped with silencers, which took off from a secret base in Somalia, quietly flew over Kibera.

Meanwhile, an elite special forces team under Yang San's command (whose members include "volunteers" from Marseille, Solomon Islands, and even East Asia, making direct tracing of their origins difficult) has infiltrated the country.

Small, precision-guided munitions launched from drones almost simultaneously destroyed the Kibera government forces' communications center, the air force's hangar (containing only a few old aircraft), and the presidential guard's armored vehicle parking lot. The explosions alerted the city, but caused minimal casualties. Almost at the same time, a special forces team stormed the presidential palace, taking control of the uncooperative president and his key aides (who later "voluntarily" went into exile).

The entire process was swift and unexpected; the Kibera government forces were unable to mount an effective counterattack.

At daybreak, the leader of the opposition party in Kibera, under the "protection" of a Somali special forces team, delivered a televised address announcing the takeover of power and promising to initiate the merger process with the Marseille-Soviet Union as soon as possible, calling it "the only path to ending corruption and moving towards prosperity."

Soon, protests in support of the merger broke out in the city streets—people were already disgusted by the corruption and incompetence of the previous government and full of expectations for the development prospects brought by the Kingdom of Solomon.

Yang San's troops then openly and legitimately moved into key facilities under the pretext of "maintaining stability at the invitation of the new government," and quickly took control of the situation.

This brilliant sniper battle, characterized by precision, remarkable effectiveness, and minimal casualties, fully demonstrated the formidable strength and efficient operational capabilities of Yang San's army. It thoroughly deterred all potential rebels and sent a clear signal to the outside world:
The alliance has the determination and ability to overcome obstacles, but prefers to achieve its goals at the lowest possible cost.

Through this series of combined measures—attracting public support with hope and development, softening borders through cultural and economic penetration, and eliminating stubborn resistance with precise military operations—

In a relatively short period of time, the territory and population of the Marseille-Soviet Union expanded significantly.

Large swathes of northern Adan, nearly half of the territory of the Emirate of Rissan, and the entirety of Kibera were incorporated into the Union. The Union gained greater strategic depth, richer resources, access to the sea, and a larger population.

The entire process was minimally bloody, relying primarily on public support and economic and cultural appeal, with military forces playing more of a deterrent, support, and precise breakthrough role at key points.

Despite international discussion and protests from some countries, a strong opposition has not been formed in the face of the fait accompli and the "voluntary" appeals of the local people.

Upon learning the news in California, Ye Yuze sighed during a video call with Ye Rou:
“You did a better job than I expected. That’s real power – winning people over, not conquering them.”

Ye Rou looked at the alliance's territory, which had grown considerably on the map, her eyes filled with both satisfaction and solemnity:

"Father, with the expansion of our territory comes greater responsibility. The next, more arduous challenge is how to truly integrate these regions, allowing people from different tribes and backgrounds to genuinely blend into the alliance, enjoy the benefits of development, and ensure long-term stability."

Yang Geyong chimed in from the side: "It's alright, we can just raise more cats, or if all else fails, we can airfreight some California peppercorn black tea over to help everyone digest and calm down."

His words drew laughter, easing the serious atmosphere.

Along the new border, the grass of hope continues to grow tenaciously, stretching towards drier and more barren lands, as if foreshadowing the infinite possibilities for this emerging alliance.

Of course, a larger stage also means more complex games, and the Tricolor Kingdom and its allies will never give up easily; new undercurrents are still surging.

Yang San's intelligence network and Ye Mei's diplomatic skills will continue to face severe tests.

The alliance's territory is expanding quietly yet steadily and rapidly.

The arid northern pastures of the Republic of Adan, nearly half of the tribal territories of the Emirate of Risang, and the entire coastline and cities of the Kingdom of Kibera, like streams flowing into the sea, gradually merged into this emerging alliance entity.

On the map, the green area representing the Somali Union has expanded significantly, possessing richer resources, more strategically deep territory, and a valuable outlet to the sea—the port of Kibera.

Merging is easy, integrating is difficult. Ye Rou, Ye Mei, and Yang San knew this well. After the grand celebration, the tedious but crucial integration work immediately began.

In the newly incorporated northern region of Aden, the "Hope Grass" project continues to serve as a pioneer.

The Somali Ministry of Agriculture has invested heavily in expanding the planting area and has established large-scale, modern livestock product processing plants, directly integrating local livestock production into the Somali economic cycle.

The herders have gained much higher and more stable incomes than in the past, and their sense of belonging to the alliance is growing day by day.

In the tribal areas of Risang and Kibera, Ye Mei introduced an innovative "development voucher" system. Each family receives a development voucher in the form of electronic currency, which can only be used to purchase seeds, fertilizers, small agricultural machinery, or pay for skills training at designated Alliance stores.

These stores naturally belong to Junken Supermarket, which has now become the world's largest retailer, with branches all over the world.

As Erhong put it, "Wherever there are people, there is a military reclamation supermarket!"

This is no exaggeration, because the development model of military reclamation supermarkets is simply a series of small-scale convenience stores, which are very easy to establish.

She spared no effort in supporting her own daughter's country...

This tactic cleverly boosted production, stimulated domestic demand, and gradually integrated the economic life of the new region into the alliance's unified market system.

New schools are being established at an astonishing pace, with textbooks uniformly using the version compiled by the Solomon Islands, emphasizing national identity, the superiority of the alliance, and practical skills.

The textbooks include not only Swahili and English, but also simple Chinese lessons.

Teachers from the core area were encouraged, and even mandated, to rotate through new regions, with generous compensation. Radio and television signals provided full coverage of the new territories.

The program content is carefully designed, featuring not only news and entertainment, but also a large number of documentaries and TV dramas showcasing the prosperous life and harmonious coexistence of various ethnic groups in the core area of ​​Sogdiana.

Ye Mei even invited elders and artists from the former Adan and Lisang regions to participate in the program production, demonstrating respect for and absorption of local culture while emphasizing unity.

Yang San spearheaded the integration of the security and administrative systems. The original regional armed forces were completely disbanded and reorganized, officers entered the Solomon Military Academy for "re-education," and soldiers were integrated into various units.

At the same time, a large number of administrative officials were dispatched from the core area to new regions to assume key positions and ensure the smooth implementation of government orders.

They are also responsible for identifying and promoting local pro-alliance elites, giving them positions and honors, and forming new local governance backbone.

The laws of the alliance gradually replaced the diverse and even contradictory customary laws and old regulations of the original regions.

In particular, legislation concerning land, trade, and civil rights was strongly implemented, providing a framework for economic development and social stability in the new region. (End of Chapter)