I turned off my phone and returned to my office. As a Director, I had little actual paperwork to handle; it was the same routine every day: implementing the central government’s policy regarding the three regions. The comrade just now was right—we’d been chanting slogans for years, but saw little in the way of results. Things had to change, absolutely had to change, or the dream of restoring the territorial integrity of the Huaxia Empire would never be realized.

While thinking, I dialed Chairman Li’s private line. Fewer than two people knew this number, so I wasn't worried about the call failing to reach His Excellency. Looking at the video feed, Chairman Li seemed in much better spirits than before. Hua Qingqing had told me that her research on the Blood Flower had made a breakthrough. If not for that, Xu Jing and the others wouldn’t have told me to stop drinking and prepare for children. As the Head of State, the Chairman would naturally be among the first to benefit from any new medicine. I needed to find an opportunity to discuss the new drug situation with Hua Qingqing.

“Director Zhao, you wouldn’t call me unless something important was up. Go ahead,” Chairman Li said, holding a fountain pen and deeply engrossed in reviewing documents. Li Qi had just told me he had returned from an inspection tour in another region, with many issues awaiting his attention.

“Chairman, I apologize for taking your time, but I wanted to ask: Regarding the matter we discussed previously about recovering our lost national territories—what are your current thoughts? I feel it is time to act on this. If we delay further, some of those territories might permanently become the domain of other nations.”

Chairman Li paused his pen and considered for a moment. “For me, this is a long undertaking that requires immense support. I am old now, but you are still very young. I very much hope that you will be the one to accomplish this task.”

“But if the Red Dragon were to step forward, not only would the people have trouble accepting it, but the nations currently occupying our land would likely refuse to comply. That is, unless we reveal the Red Dragon’s identity. On that point, I have no reservations; it mainly depends on your attitude, Your Excellency.”

“No. The Red Dragon has had deep conflicts with countries like M and R in the past. If they discover the identity behind the operation, it might prove disadvantageous to our nation. However, I believe that with your capabilities, you can completely set aside the current Red Dragon and build a new, invincible modern force. With them, would reclaiming our rightful territory still be difficult?”

“But currently, I am merely the Director of the Department of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; it seems unrelated to the military.”

“But Yao Guangrong, the Commander of the L Province Military Region, and Qin Yicheng, the Commander of the Chengdu Military Region, are both your people. Do you still dare say you have no connection? It seems this was planned long ago, wasn’t it? Your lack of a military post is also not hard to fix. I don’t need to go through the tortuous process you might expect; I’ll find some respectable files for you to fill out, transfer you to the Army to handle some matters first, and then find an opportunity to promote you to the Central Committee. You know most of the comrades on the Military Commission; no one will object to your appointment.”

The L Province and Chengdu Military Regions were the price paid when Deng Qiang tried to forcibly grope Ouyang Qian and Li Qi. After securing those two regions, I placed my own people in command. Because my main base was established underground in the Northwest and Southwest, I always felt uneasy while the surface world remained outside our direct control.

“I was originally an Army man. Have you forgotten that I still possess my hospital work permit?” I said.

“That makes things even easier. Your years of service are established. You can retain your position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I will handle the processing of your military records. I eagerly anticipate you leading a proper force for the nation. Whatever funds you require will be fully allocated by the state. As for weapon systems, it’s best they are slightly different from the Red Dragon’s, to avoid unnecessary gossip.”

I asked Chairman Li, “Are you truly decided on this, Your Excellency? Don't say I didn't warn you beforehand—I’m a troublemaker. It’s possible I might stir up trouble for the Great Dragon Country, and then you’ll be scolding me again and ordering my execution.”

Chairman Li tapped the globe beside him. “Do you know the actual area under our nation's effective control? The official figure is 9,598,077 square kilometers, usually referred to as about 9.6 million square kilometers. But if we subtract the over 90,000 square kilometers south of the McMahon Line (Southern Tibet) illegally occupied by Country Niu, the territory truly under our control is only around 9.5 million square kilometers! And that still includes Taiwan Island, which remains separated by the strait, beyond our reach! Little Zhao, I am also a patriot. I understand the pain of being dismembered and consumed better than you do. It’s just that I lack your capability, otherwise, I would have acted long ago.”

“Chairman, rest assured. As long as you have this determination, I will not only reclaim all those areas, but I will also demand the return of the lands once seized by Outer Mongolia and the Old Russians. Otherwise,” I chuckled, “just wait and see what happens.”

Chairman Li was delighted. “Then let me congratulate you on your success in advance. Prepare yourself over the next few days. I will join several other comrades in jointly recommending you directly to the Central Military Commission. We cannot wait any longer. Now that the Red Dragon is blocking the black hand of Country M for us in the Pacific, this is the perfect opportunity to restore our territory.”

It seemed the Chairman was even more anxious than I was. It was time for the slumbering lion to awaken and show those insignificant detractors the strength of the descendants of the Dragon!

If I were the one making the final decision on this matter, the first shot would be aimed at Taiwan Island. Its geographical location and far-reaching impact outweigh other lost territories, though reclaiming it presents a higher difficulty. I should discuss this matter with my wives when I get home.

When the ladies learned that I was meeting the superstar Liu Xue the next day, they were too excited to focus on military matters with me. There was nothing for it but to wait until they had realized their own dreams first.

If I were to take on the protection of Liu Xue, my duties at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be affected. To minimize the impact, Li Qi arranged for Ning Shixuan to assist me at the Ministry. She will review documents and only notify me if they require my direct handling. Although there will be gossip, my position remains unshaken for now.

According to schedule, I arrived at the Capital International Airport at ten in the morning to meet her. Following the agreed-upon measures, I would handle close protection, while Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er would provide underground support, and Xia Huren would remain mobile in the shadows, ready for action. Two squads of Super Soldiers were also on standby for immediate rescue. I was confident that no matter how severe the situation Liu Xue described, our combined force would be sufficient. Of course, an operation of this magnitude would carry a significant fee. Although everyone had joked about trying to woo Liu Xue previously, for now, she was not one of ours, so we couldn’t be lax about compensation.

When I arrived at the airport at nine-thirty, a large crowd of reporters and fans were already waiting, braving the cold wind—it seemed their sources were also well-informed. For security, I brought Taozi, who had been in self-isolation for a long time. Her ability to read human minds would be extremely helpful in protecting Liu Xue. We stood in a corner, awaiting the flight’s arrival.

Seeing the thinly dressed young people shivering in the cold, Taozi was quite perplexed and asked me, “We have to rush around for business, but why are they here? Can an idol truly hold such sway? Why doesn’t anyone worship me?”

I tightened the collar of my down jacket against the biting wind. “It’s not that no one worships you; it’s just that no cats worship you. You wouldn’t understand the complexity of human emotions.”

“I don’t want to understand. Every time I read the filth in human hearts, I feel disgusted. Don’t take offense, Boss; I’m not talking about you. You’re a relatively upright man. If everyone thought like you, the Great Dragon Country would have become a world-class power long ago. Enough talk—the plane is here. Your work is starting.”

A dazzling young woman emerged from the aircraft cabin into the biting cold wind. She waved to the reporters and the assembled fans, then proceeded toward the line of luxury vehicles arranged for the reception, flanked by over a dozen bodyguards. I walked quietly behind Liu Xue. As she was about to board a car, she turned around and saw me. She pointed toward the few accompanying cars behind her and said a few words to her bodyguard, and someone then arranged for me to ride along.

The welcoming party was a motorcade dispatched by the National Television Station. Liu Xue’s trip was not only for her appearance on the Spring Festival Gala; since the Spring Festival was still some time away, she also had several commercials and outdoor filming for a few movies scheduled in Capital City, making her schedule extremely tight.

Liu Xue checked into the Galaxy International Hotel, a world-class establishment in the Capital. Although it was my own property, I had never spent a night there. The so-called Presidential Suite was not as comfortable as my own bed. Perhaps I was simply not destined for a life of luxury.

The first thing Liu Xue did upon arriving at the hotel was not to wash up, but to meet me in secret. It seemed the matter was indeed urgent. However, we noticed no signs of anyone following us on the way over. Could Liu Xue just be high-strung?