I built an armada.

It is clear that we absolutely cannot rely on these countries to bring back highly skilled personnel who are stranded abroad.

Imperialists have never given up their desire to destroy us; they are still descendants of pirates and beasts!

After a slight pause, Ambassador Zhao continued, "Moreover, organizing such a mixed fleet, coordinating the orderly boarding of tens of thousands of people, conducting necessary security checks and resupplying them all take time, and we may..."

“The 'visit' time here needs to be extended appropriately, which will add more variables.”

The message was transmitted back to the capital of the Longxia tribe, thousands of miles away, via the highest level of encryption.

Upon receiving the report, Ambassador Chen, the head of the Foreign Affairs Department, attached great importance to it and immediately convened an emergency inter-departmental meeting, activated the national-level emergency response mechanism, and simultaneously notified the Navy Headquarters.

Inside the naval headquarters base, Admiral Liu Huaming and others, feeling slightly relieved after cleverly "handing over" Su Dingping's commendation problem to Marshal Xue, were sitting together, discussing the details of the grand celebration banquet that would be held soon, such as the list of invitees and the level of commendation.

Just then, an urgent report rushed in by the confidential secretary shattered the rare relaxed atmosphere like a thunderclap.

"This is simply unreasonable!"

After reading the report, the hot-tempered Qian Wenbing slammed his fist on the table in anger, making the teacup lid rattle. "When you can't beat them, you resort to these underhanded tricks! They're utterly despicable!"

Although Xu Dongguo, who was relatively calm, also looked serious, he still maintained a calm analysis: "Old Qian, calm down. This is indeed a problem, though not insignificant."

"The other side has chosen a very tricky angle. If not handled properly, Western media will seize on it and make a big fuss, mocking us for being 'willing but unable' and 'unworthy of our reputation,' thus undermining the momentum we've built up through our strength. But..."

He then changed the subject, a glint of wisdom in his eyes, "If we handle this matter well, and bring back all our compatriots who are willing to go home without fail, even beyond what is expected."

"Therefore, this crisis can become an excellent stage to showcase Longxia's outstanding comprehensive national strength, efficient organizational and coordination capabilities, and high sense of responsibility to the people!"

"Its propaganda effect may be no less than winning a naval battle!"

Liu Huaming remained silent, his fingers unconsciously and rhythmically tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop, his brows furrowed into a deep "川" shape.

His thinking goes on a deeper level than others.

"Old Xu is right. Crisis is crisis, but there is opportunity in crisis."

Liu Huaming finally spoke, his voice low, "But the key issue now isn't the ideology, but the most practical thing—the ship!"

"In a short period of time, on someone else's territory, far from home, where can we acquire enough large passenger ships that are fast enough and safe enough? This requires real money, and even more so, international cooperation. The most crucial thing is..."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every general present. "At this sensitive juncture, when it is clear that European countries are uniting to trip us up, which country would dare to risk offending the major European powers at the same time and stand up to openly and vigorously help us?"

His question went straight to the heart of the matter, instantly suppressing the optimism that had just begun to rise in the meeting room.

The reality of the international community is often more ruthless and complex than that of the battlefield.

Due to the scale of the people involved and the dramatic nature of the conflict, this news could not be kept completely secret and quickly spread among the high-ranking officials and intelligence circles of various countries on Earth. The reactions of these high-ranking officials were varied, a true reflection of the fickle nature of human relationships.

High-ranking officials from some countries with close ties to Europe or accustomed to following the West's lead were privately discussing:

"Britain's move was a bit underhanded and petty, but... it's understandable. After all, the Dragon Summer Fleet has been too prominent this time, so they have to find a way to get back at them and save face."

"Heh, this is going to be interesting. Tens of thousands of people have to eat, drink, relieve themselves, and sleep on warships whose primary mission is combat?"

"Just imagining that chaotic scene is enough to give me a headache. It seems that the Longxia Navy is destined to make a fool of itself this time. No matter how strong they are, they will be bogged down by these mundane matters."

"Help? At this critical juncture, who would dare to openly help Longxia? Wouldn't that be blatantly slapping the faces of core European countries like Britain and the Frankish Empire? They'd be waiting to be isolated and subjected to economic sanctions and reckoning!"

Most countries held this wait-and-see attitude, or even gloating. They generally believed that even with its superior military strength, the Longxia Navy would find it difficult to resolve this seemingly simple but extremely difficult logistical problem, and would inevitably find itself in an awkward predicament.

However, on this vast blue planet, there are always nations that can see further into the future and dare to make different choices.

In a sun-drenched, oil-rich Middle Eastern country, amidst opulent palaces, a young crown prince, wielding real power, listens to a detailed report from an intelligence officer. His deep eyes gleam with a shrewdness and decisiveness beyond his years.

"Where have the negotiations progressed with Longxia to purchase new destroyers and supporting air defense systems?" The Crown Prince suddenly interrupted the report, asking a seemingly unrelated question.

"Your Highness, the technical details have been largely agreed upon, with some disagreements remaining mainly on price and delivery time," the Minister of Commerce quickly replied.

The Crown Prince gently swirled the crystal glass in his hand, the amber liquid inside shimmering with an alluring luster: "Then, isn't now the perfect opportunity for us to express our utmost sincerity to Longxia and offer timely assistance?"

"Militarily, we have observed and confirmed their strength. Now, it's time to demonstrate our wisdom and courage politically!"

One of the advisors immediately expressed concern: "Your Highness, please reconsider! Intervening at this juncture will undoubtedly deeply offend the European countries, especially some of our traditional partners in the energy sector, and may affect future developments..."

"Europa?"

The crown prince chuckled, interrupting him, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of disdain, "Their influence, like the setting sun, is irreversibly waning. Constant internal strife and bound by the Eagle Tribe, how much substantial benefit can they still bring us? And the rise of Dragon Xia…"

He stood up, walked to the huge world map, and pointed precisely at the rooster-shaped map in the east. "It's an unstoppable trend!" "They have the technology, equipment, and independent foreign policy we need, and they can provide us with stable energy export markets and strategic support."

"This is a very simple choice—to cling to the old ways and hold onto declining relationships, or to embrace the future and invest in a thriving new force?"

On the other side of the British tribe, Gu Changfeng sorted through his luggage, keeping only the items he had brought with him when he arrived, and left with a room full of his hard-earned documents.

Although he was reluctant, he made the choice because of his firm belief. The curly-haired man, William, witnessed his departure and realized that someone would give up fame and fortune for their beliefs.

Some of the high-ranking Longxia talents who had obtained British tribal citizenship were upset because the Longxia tribe abolished the dual citizenship law last year. On this day, many Longxia people from all over the British tribe went to the port. Among them were not only high-ranking talents who wanted to return to China, but also ordinary Longxia people.

At the British Royal Navy base, after speaking with Zhou Qinglei, Blackett escorted him to his rest area. Ambassador Zhao followed and informed Zhou Qinglei that an accident had occurred.

While the British tribes and other countries outwardly agreed to the request to receive people, they secretly used various means to register a large number of people. The number of people registered in the British tribe alone has reached more than 2,000, and it is estimated that the number of people in this area alone will reach tens of thousands in a day and a half. The number of people in other places has not yet been counted, and there are concerns that the warships will not be able to accommodate them.

Zhou Qinglei discussed solutions with Ambassador Zhao, but mobilizing passenger planes would violate commitments and would be difficult to implement in a short timeframe, and the airport, being a non-home base, would introduce many variables.

It's too late to allocate ships from our own territory, and it's difficult to allocate ships from neighboring countries. First, it's hard to allocate them; second, it needs to be done quickly; and third, everyone should be allowed to travel by ship, not on warships, to avoid causing resentment among the remaining people.

Ambassador Zhao proposed arranging for a naval escort, which Zhou Qinglei agreed to. Ambassador Zhao said he would immediately contact the relevant authorities to find a solution, as he was concerned that if the countries in the European maritime region reached a consensus with their neighbors, the visit might need to be extended.

When the news reached Ambassador Zhang, the head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Longxia Tribe, Ambassador Zhao took it seriously and notified Liu Huaming. Liu Huaming and others were just glad that they had left the matter of finding Su Dingping for the commendation to Xue Shuai. After receiving the news, they were worried. Xu Dongguo thought that this was a problem that was neither too big nor too small. Liu Huaming wondered which country would dare to help the Longxia Tribe.

The news spread across the planet Earth. High-ranking officials from various countries lamented that the British tribe's actions were unethical, but also felt that it was reasonable for them to seek revenge. They were worried that helping them would lead to retribution from the countries surrounding the European Seas. Most people felt that the Dragonxia tribe's navy was going to make a fool of itself.

Some high-ranking officials in various countries have different ideas. Some have suggested buying warships from the Longxia tribe, believing it to be a timely opportunity to help after observing the situation militarily. Others are worried that getting involved will lead to repercussions and have proposed to unite and make a choice. Most high-ranking officials have indicated that they will consider it.

The crown princes of oil-producing tribes such as Laxi and Fuyou led the way in expressing their support, proposing that ferries and cruise ships wanted to travel to the waters of Dongzhou to accompany the Longxia Navy. Other hesitant countries responded one after another, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Blue Globe became a stage for countries to express their attitudes.

After all, Liu Huaming's concerns were not unfounded.

On the ever-changing international stage, any country must weigh the pros and cons when making major diplomatic decisions, especially when dealing with a traditional group like the European maritime nations that still wield considerable economic, political, and public opinion influence.

Openly and heavily supporting Longxia would undoubtedly be seen as a challenge to Europe's authority, and would certainly be remembered, potentially leading to overt or covert retaliation in many areas in the future.

Therefore, although the Longxia Foreign Affairs Department and relevant naval departments searched the world for potential partners to lend a helping hand, most of the responses were ambiguous or the conditions they proposed were extremely harsh.

While involving large domestic ferry companies ensures the highest level of loyalty, it also carries the risk of future difficulties in international shipping operations due to interference from European powers, and such efforts are ultimately insufficient to address immediate needs.

Several major oil-producing countries that performed well in the evacuation of their citizens from the East China Sea have close ties with Longxia, but this time they are directly offending the entire European bloc, not some non-state actor or evil force. Their willingness and strength to take action are questionable.

Other regional powers with considerable strength are mostly intertwined with the West by interests or rely on the Western powers for security, making it difficult for them to make independent choices.

Those weaker nations are even less able to withstand the potential wrath of the Western alliance.

Although the Longxia tribe is rapidly rising and its strength is now far greater than before, objectively speaking, its comprehensive national power and global influence are not enough for most countries to completely ignore the potential threat from the Western bloc in order to provide a single humanitarian aid transport assistance.

Faced with this realistic and cold international landscape, Liu Huaming and others were anxious, but also more clear-headed.

They deeply understand that in international relations, it is easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow.

To truly break the old order dominated by the West, reduce enemies, and increase friends, the most fundamental thing is to rely on our own continuous strengthening.

Only by possessing formidable hard power and a vast market appeal can more countries, when weighing their options, place their bets on Longxia.

Otherwise, if Longxia were to lose in the long-term competition with the Eagle Tribe, its fate would likely be even more dire than that of the Eastern Wilderness Tribe now.

The formidable military power of the Eagle Tribe and its core allies, especially their global network of bases and powerful naval projection capabilities, still hangs like a sword of Damocles over the heads of many countries. Even outside the Eastern Continent's maritime territory, the Eagle Tribe's military deterrence and political influence remain considerable.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming somewhat somber, and everyone was racking their brains for other backup plans, including less efficient and potentially chaotic options such as emergency modifications to some large merchant ships or transporting goods in batches, there was a knock on the meeting room door.

Zhang Zhaoxin walked in hurriedly, carrying a newly deciphered telegram, his face showing barely suppressed excitement.

"Sir! Good news! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has forwarded an urgent message: several countries have expressed their willingness to assist us in this operation to repatriate our compatriots through various channels, both overt and covert!" Zhang Zhaoxin's voice broke the silence in the conference room.

"Oh? Which countries? And what are their specific attitudes?"

Liu Huaming immediately pressed for more information, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes.

"The leader is the Laxi tribe!"

Zhang Zhaoxin read the telegram aloud: "They informally indicated through their shipping association and diplomatic channels that several large ferry and cruise companies in their country 'happened' to have several large vessels that had finished their operating season in the Mediterranean and were waiting empty, and were 'very interested' in going to the waters around the East China Sea for commercial exploration or to open new routes."

"They 'hoped' for the opportunity to travel alongside the heroic fleet of the Longxia Navy for a period of time to 'ensure the safety of navigation,' and expressed their willingness to provide passenger services at 'very reasonable market prices.'" (End of Chapter)