Chapter 578: The War About to Begin Translator: Timothy Editor: GlobeGlotter
“I think General Derrick is right. We shouldn’t have let Luo Yue develop. We should have attacked Sai Na at first notice. I think now our main task is to attack and take back what is ours,” the Minister of Defense said.
Harry frowned, remaining silent, but someone else spoke up. “Harry’s decision was right at the time. We didn’t succeed because those cunning bastards saw through our intentions and used the time we gave them to develop rapidly. That’s what caused our current situation.”
“He’s right. I knew many would see through our plan, but I didn’t expect the merchants from Luo Yue to be so perceptive. That was my error. Since they know our plan, I don’t think we need to wait. I suggest we take action immediately,” Harry said.
“I agree. Sai Na has countless treasures, including the new element we found. I suggest immediate military action to retake Sai Na and expel those criminals. That place doesn’t belong to them. Have we planned for decades only to have them silently take it away?” someone else said.
Eighty percent of those present agreed to immediately declare war on Sai Na.
The President frowned. He didn’t oppose war, but a larger discovery had been made.
“Everyone, I regret Sai Na, and this is our fault. But according to the FBI, Luo Yue is not as simple as we thought. Mr. Leo, please explain.” The President looked at the overweight white man, the FBI head. His presence at this meeting indicated important news.
Leo jiggled his fat and said seriously, “One year ago, we sent five men to China to retrieve a woman from a plane the Black Sun Empire hijacked. Only she knew about our men on the plane, yet a year later, we’ve heard nothing. None returned. The men were four mutants, one a level three lightning mutant.”
Leo looked around and continued, “Then we found the Black Star Island, abandoned by the Black Sun Empire. It seemed like a private island, but it was their main technological base. We found a sealed vault. Tests confirmed it was meant for gold storage, but the gold was gone. We found some of the most advanced technology on the planet, yet all the gold was gone. They didn’t take it themselves—they wouldn’t have had to dig underground and break through walls to access their own gold.”
“Leo, you mean Luo Yue did that?” someone asked, shocked.
Leo nodded. “Yes, we strongly suspect them. That chase from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean also seems to have led to Sai Na.”
The President said gravely, “Many of you may not know that we lost over four thousand tons of gold from our reserves in one night. US banks also lost hundreds of millions. The hole at the site was smooth, identical to those at the Black Star Island vault.”
“What?! Our gold reserves have been robbed?”
The meeting room erupted into chaos.
“If Luo Yue has such a potent weapon, it could inflict a huge blow on our air force and navy.”
Leo said, “Before, it was suspicion. We doubted Luo Yue could create such a weapon—perhaps the chase ending near Sai Na was coincidence. And while we lost gold, it might not have been Luo Yue. Shipping that much gold, especially from a heavily secured fortress, wouldn’t be easy. I interrogated every guard; an inside job is unlikely. The hole was supposedly from underground, so I checked the earth; there was a loosened path. The robbers may have used high-tech methods. In any case, our surveillance was bypassed and our gold stolen.”
“If this technology belongs to Luo Yue, then the weapon that sliced the patrol boat was likely theirs, too. If their weapons are that advanced, we face a very hard battle.”
“Leo, if the FBI suspects Luo Yue, why not investigate? Luo Yue takes in people worldwide; you can surely get in. Perhaps even I could go,” Harold from the NSA said, unhappy.
Leo, understanding Harold’s frustration, said with a wry smile, “Remember what I said? Our mutant department sent five members to China to retrieve that woman. Recently, we sent fifty-seven to Sai Na; again, none returned. Besides a few photos of construction, we got nothing.”
“Aren’t you the world’s most powerful investigation bureau?” a senator sneered.
As the President began to speak, a new report arrived. After reading it, he stood. “Luo Yue is moving to Sai Na, and the citizens of Flowing Snake are also moving there. Everyone?”
“Then there’s nothing left to say. I suggest we immediately deploy our mothership and secure Sai Na,” the naval commander said.
The President agreed, but precise battle plans were needed. It would be best if the Commonwealth Union announced an investigation into Luo Yue and then sent its army. This would be better than the US sending its army directly.
Harry, understanding the President’s intent, also rose. “I agree, but we need to contact Ethiopia and Kenya to seal off Luo Yue’s land retreat. I suggest the Commonwealth Union propose this battle plan, allowing us to form a multinational army. Before fighting, we should tell Luo Yue to leave Sai Na—though they won’t, of course.”
“While I support war, if Luo Yue truly has a weapon of mass destruction, we’re in for bad luck,” someone said.
“If they can produce such a weapon, we should seize Sai Na even faster! It’d be a pleasant gift, like their pills,” Harold smiled.
…
Just after Chinese New Year, in a single night, Flowing Snake reverted to its previous barren state. A new world war erupted. At the US’s urging, the Commonwealth Union assembled a multinational army to expel Luo Yue from Sai Na. The US claimed Luo Yue had seized their land and destabilized world peace by mass weapons purchases. Every Commonwealth member had a duty to maintain world peace and remove Luo Yue from Sai Na. This statement shocked the world.