"Did you all receive the message too?"

"What? Great Xia is asking you for steel resources as well?"

"What's going on? Great Xia is usually an exporter. They have vast lands and abundant resources, including steel. Why would they..."

For a moment, all the high-ranking officials from various countries attending the meeting were utterly bewildered.

They had all received messages from Great Xia almost simultaneously.

Although the quantities varied, without exception, all were requests to purchase steel!

"This is strange," Puchuan was also baffled by the news. "What exactly is Great Xia up to? I received a message here too, hoping to purchase one billion tons of steel from our Free Nation."

"Such a large-scale purchase of steel... Could everyone report how much Great Xia is asking from you?"

As Puchuan spoke, he picked up a pen and began to take notes.

"Great Xia hopes to purchase six hundred million tons of steel from our Gui Tian Country."

"From us in Italy, it's five hundred million tons..."

The leaders of various countries reported the amounts requested by Great Xia.

After a long while, Puchuan put down his pen, looking at the numbers on the paper in front of him with a complex expression.

"In total, fifteen billion tons of steel."

"And Great Xia's move is certainly not random. These amounts correspond to our national strengths. To be honest, our Free Nation, despite a decline in status in recent years, still has a steel reserve of one billion and one hundred million tons. Yet, Great Xia asks for exactly one billion tons."

"The amounts they requested from you also closely match your total steel reserves."

"What exactly is Great Xia trying to do?" Puchuan frowned deeply.

"Hah, do we even need to think about it?" Gui Tian, the leader of Gui Tian Country, sneered. "We were just discussing Great Xia's intentions!"

"They're just putting on a show!"

"First, they hold a press conference to incite panic, then they search for resources, pretending to prepare for the Descent of the Gods!"

"If we believe them, we'll be dragged along, depleting our national strength!"

"So, Great Xia's massive steel acquisition is just to continue their performance for us! To make us believe!"

As soon as he said this, the other leaders nodded in agreement.

"Indeed."

"Great Xia's ambitious intentions are clear at a glance."

"Hah, they're really putting on a show."

Seeing his view recognized, Gui Tian continued, "In my opinion, we should just ignore them and see how they continue their performance."

"As long as we don't pay attention to them, we're not influenced by them."

"Then the only thing they'll deplete is their own national strength!"

"And they probably know we can't possibly sell them that much steel. They're just trying to heighten our panic!"

For a moment, the high-ranking officials from various countries nodded in agreement.

However, the leader of Great Britannia, John, shook his head slightly.

He flipped through the Art of War on the table, a wise gleam in his eyes, and said solemnly, "No."

"Gui Tian's proposal is indeed very cautious."

"But I think we might as well just sell the steel to Great Xia!"

This statement shocked everyone!

"What?!"

"John, are you crazy?"

"Do you know how much steel Great Xia wants? They're asking for... almost all of our countries' steel reserves!"

"Great Xia claims it's to resist the Deity, but if this steel goes to Great Xia... who knows what they'll do with it! If they use it to manufacture weapons and expand their military industry, their military strength will certainly rise!"

"Then we'll be in real trouble!"

"Steel resources mean everything to a country, John, you must know that, right?"

"If we really give it to Great Xia, it's like handing them the resources to make weapons to attack us!"

For a moment, the meeting was filled with opposition.

John remained silent for a moment, waiting for everyone to calm down a bit, then said in a low voice, "Everyone, I know the importance of steel resources to a country."

"But."

"If we demand that Great Xia must pay with equivalent value at international steel prices, even if we're willing to sell, can they afford it?"

"They will certainly pay a heavy price!"

"Moreover, turning steel into weapons takes time."

"Fifteen billion tons of steel... hah, with Great Xia's production capacity, it would take decades to convert it into military power!"

"So, selling steel to Great Xia, in the short term, won't boost their military strength but will instead cost them dearly!"

"As long as we unite, even if they have this batch of steel, they won't dare to start a war with us in the short term!"

"If they insist on continuing their performance, having the steel we sell them will only further deplete their national strength."

"On the other hand."

"They probably can't even afford it! In the end, they'll just end up shooting themselves in the foot."

Puchuan, feeling somewhat lost, asked directly, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying, if they can't pay the equivalent value, we have a reason to unite and go to war against Great Xia!" John sneered. "By then, other countries, including world opinion, won't say anything."

"After all, as the saying goes in Great Xia, 'A debt must be repaid, that's only right and proper!'"

"Even if they can afford it, in the short term, their military strength won't soar because of this batch of steel. Instead, their national strength will suffer due to the purchase."

"And we, even without a large steel reserve, won't see a decline in our existing military strength in the short term."

"We can also take this opportunity to go to war against Great Xia!"

John, excited, stood up at this point.

"Everyone."

"Steel can always be produced again."

"But the opportunity to attack Great Xia is only this once!"

For a moment, all the high-ranking officials from the powerful nations present fell silent.

After a long while, Puchuan slowly tapped the table, "Everyone, let's proceed according to John's suggestion."

"Remember to warn Great Xia to pay with equivalent resources."

"Otherwise, we won't rule out the possibility of uniting to take military action!"

Saying this, Puchuan chuckled, "Hah, Great Xia's performance is about to blow up in their faces."

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Meanwhile, Shang Weitian, the Ministry of Commerce official who had interacted with Lin Fan, was discussing something with Chen Yan.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated.

"Buzz buzz buzz..."

Shang Weitian immediately answered the call, exchanged a few words, then looked at Chen Yan with excitement, "The countries have responded!"

"They all agreed to sell steel to us at international market prices! And the quantities haven't been reduced!"

"Adding it all up, fifteen billion tons of steel, plus our own reserve of five billion tons, already meets the needs of the Iron Great Wall!"

Hearing this, Chen Yan's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Really!"

"Strange." Although delighted, Chen Yan couldn't help but question, "Why would those countries be willing to sell us so much steel?"

The surprise was indeed a bit sudden.