Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2587 They finally took the trap (First update, please subscribe)
April is the most pleasant time of year for Thang Long, but this year, although the weather is still pleasant, Thang Long has felt an unprecedented chill.

Just over ten days ago, they were attacked by another country, but fortunately the other side retreated in one fell swoop.

Just as Thang Long was determined to deal with both Zhenla and his northern neighbor at the same time, who could have imagined that a new test would come once again.

Inside the conference room, the heavy mahogany table was filled with senior executives of Shenglong Group, and the air was thick with the smell of tobacco and a lingering sense of solemnity.

The wall clock ticked softly, each tick like a hammer blow to everyone's heart, mingling with the English news broadcast on television, weighing heavily on everyone's mind.

"...The SEA government formally demands that the Thang Long forces immediately and unconditionally withdraw from Chenla, end their invasion, and retreat from the Saigon region back to north of 17 degrees latitude..."

On the television screen, the SEA’s official spokesperson appeared serious and rigid, and his words were forceful.

"...The Thang Long side must make a final decision within 72 hours. If it fails to make a clear commitment to withdraw its troops by the deadline, we will take all necessary measures to ensure that Thang Long makes the right choice."

After the news broadcast ended, the conference room fell into dead silence.

Some people looked angry, some clenched their fists, some frowned and tapped their fingers unconsciously on the table; others leaned back in their chairs and stared intently at the ceiling.

But they all radiated an uncontrollable rage.

The foreign minister's face was ashen. He reached out and pressed the remote control, and the television screen instantly went dark, breaking the agonizing silence.

"Extremely rude!"

The defense minister slammed his fist on the table, his voice booming like thunder:

"Why do these SEA guys have the right to tell us what to do?"

We entered Zhenla to rescue the local people, and they welcomed us warmly. Saigon is part of our country; how dare they want us to withdraw from their own soil? They're dreaming!

As he spoke, the veins on his forehead throbbed, clearly indicating that he was extremely angry.

The attendees echoed their sentiments, and their anger was ignited just as it had been moments before, spreading rapidly.

"Do they think they can do whatever they want just because they have some money? Have they forgotten how badly America was defeated on the battlefield?"

"A 72-hour ultimatum? This is a blatant threat! We must not yield!"

"Accepting this ultimatum is a betrayal of the blood of the millions of soldiers who sacrificed their lives over the past 10 years. No one has the guts or the right to do so!"

The man sitting at the head of the table raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. His expression was equally unpleasant, and his anger was equally difficult to conceal.

"I understand how everyone feels, but anger won't solve anything."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present:

"The key now is how we deal with this 72-hour countdown. Accepting it is absolutely impossible; refusing it means facing military pressure from the SEA. We are now facing not only their military pressure, but also... military pressure from another direction. It can be said that they have chosen a time that is extremely unfavorable to us. We must face the threat from the SEA alone."

As soon as he finished speaking, the meeting room fell silent again, and anger was gradually replaced by solemnity.

Everyone knew that the SEA's military strength was not to be underestimated, and more importantly, they had lost a friend who had advised them to do everything in their power to help them.

But retreat was never their choice. Just then, the general slowly stood up; his hair was already gray, but his gaze remained sharp.

"Back then, we were able to drive the Americans out despite our inferior equipment and scarce resources; now that we are stronger than before, why can't we defeat them again?"

The general's voice was steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable firmness:
"It's nothing more than fighting another war. For the sake of national sovereignty and dignity, and for the gains that countless soldiers have won with their lives, we must fight the SEA to the bitter end at all costs!"

"well said!"

The defense minister clapped first, and everyone else followed suit. The applause was loud and firm, dispelling the previous tension. The general's words resonated with everyone. Years of war experience had convinced them that as long as the nation was united, there was no enemy they could not defeat.

"Moreover, we now have the support of Moscow. We have a treaty with Moscow, and Soviet warships are in Cam Ranh Bay. If they want to attack us, they will have to get past Moscow first."

The general's words drew nods of agreement from the crowd. Indeed, their backer now was Moscow.

The man seated at the head of the table looked at the scene before him and slowly nodded:

"The General is right. We have no way out, and we will never back down. If they dare to invade us, then we will make them spend the rest of their lives in regret, just like the Americans."

He stood up, gripped the handles with both hands, and then said in an extremely serious tone:

"I propose, firstly, that we formally reject the SEA's ultimatum and issue a statement to express our position; and condemn their interference in our internal affairs."

Second, immediately send a telegram to Moscow seeking military and diplomatic support from our Soviet comrades. Only by uniting all forces that can be united can we overcome this crisis.

"I agree!"

"I agree!"

"Fully support!"

The attendees responded in unison, without the slightest hesitation.

But at this moment, the somber atmosphere in the meeting room had been replaced by a firm determination.

Meanwhile, the 72-hour countdown has begun, the top management of Shenglong has made their choice, and a new storm is quietly brewing.

They all knew that the days to come would be anything but peaceful, and that the shadow of a new war would once again loom over the country. Meanwhile, the authorities issued an ultimatum to the people, igniting a nationwide uproar of anger.

People took to the streets, waving flags and shouting angrily, just as they had done in the past. These people in white shirts vented their anger and expressed their dissatisfaction and rage against imperialists.

Moreover, they all believed in themselves and were certain that they would win the war, just as they had defeated the Americans.

We will defeat them!

Even in Moscow, the same message reached the Kremlin.

"The comrades of Thang Long are in high spirits. They believe that as long as they have our support, they will surely win the final victory."

Gromyko's tone was very light and cheerful when he gave this report, even with an undisguised sense of excitement.

"Back then, we tried to drag them into the quagmire of Saigon in order to restrict its development, just like the Americans did, making Saigon their bloodsucking machine."

Surprisingly—they didn't participate.

Gromyko couldn't help but bring up the old story again. After all, back then they planned to use Saigon to attract Chang'an's attention:
"At the time, we believed that Saigon was more important to Chang'an than the United States. They were bound to get involved."

Ultimately, however, they chose to remain neutral, which was quite unexpected. It was as if, for Chang'an, its strategic security was of no importance whatsoever.

"It's not that it's unimportant."

Brezhnev shook his head, then said:

"Compared to those politicians in the White House, Lee is not an ordinary politician; he grew up amidst the smoke of World War II."

He went from having nothing to creating a country out of nothing; such a person's strategic vision is something that many people can hardly match.

His most notable characteristic is that he never does anything without being certain. Compared to many people, he is more patient; he has the patience to wait. And once he sees an opportunity, he will never let it slip away.

Brezhnev took a drag of his cigarette and then emphasized:

"Now, this is the opportunity he has been waiting for, so he immediately pounced on it without hesitation."

"This is also an opportunity we've been waiting for."

Gromyko said:

"He is likely to get bogged down in Saigon's quagmire, which will hinder his development and deplete his wealth."

"You're right."

Brezhnev nodded, and then said:

"Therefore, we must stand with Shenglong. We must give them more and better support. We must make Chang'an pay a heavy price for their arrogance and their ambition."

Then a smile appeared on his face, and he said:

"Of course, one day in the future, we will help them restore peace. But before that, we must make Lee taste the bitter fruit of his own making."

When talking about the bitter consequences, Brezhnev's face was beaming with a smile.

Even his tone was extremely relaxed, and everyone could feel his joy at that moment.

In fact, this is the general feeling among the Moscow leadership.

Last time, in Saigon, the United States spent 10 years and hundreds of billions of dollars, and learned a painful lesson.

And this time?

Another guy stepped down without hesitation.

Didn't that guy learn a lesson from America?

This is precisely the reason why they appeared so relaxed and cheerful.

Because not everyone can learn from their mistakes.

Now, Chang'an has taken the initiative to intervene. For Moscow, this presents an opportunity—a chance to weaken Chang'an through proxy wars.

It's nothing more than replicating the events of the past.

"Yes, so my suggestion is that we should give Shenglong the greatest support! We must make it clear to them that we will provide them with all the help we can."

Gromyko's suggestion made Brezhnev nod, and then he said:

"Not only that, we also need to provide support to Thang Long in the international community, and we need to mobilize the entire family to provide them with assistance to the best of our ability."

We must let them know that we will always stand by their side. Only then can our friends in Thang Long fight to the very end and achieve final victory.

After taking a drag of his cigarette, Brezhnev said in an extremely relaxed tone:

"It now appears that time is on our side, and we will surely win the final victory in the next 10 years."

(End of this chapter)