Because for Mann, he was engaged in a great undertaking: overthrowing the rule of a tyrant and establishing a new, harmonious, and progressive nation—what a monumental cause, one worthy of the sacrifice of his life, his family, his friends, and his like-minded comrades!

But for Wang Zhuo, it was nothing more than a game akin to SimCity or a real-time strategy title; failure meant losing some money at worst, and success, reaching "game completion," would only grant him the status of a free man.

So, when Mann asked Wang Zhuo, "What is your purpose in funding us?" Wang Zhuo could only adopt an air of righteous indignation, his expression filled with compassion for all living things, telling him, Brother, I am an envoy of peace and justice, unable to bear watching a million Swazi people suffer oppression and bullying, so I offer aid unconditionally. But the devil himself wouldn't believe such an answer. So, Wang Zhuo added a postscript, leaning in mysteriously to Mann and saying he hoped, upon success, to receive high honors in the new nation of Swaziland and become its dearest friend.

Mann immediately "understood"! So, the King of Wealth had come representing his own country; his demand was none other than to contest diplomatic relations with Swaziland away from Taiwan! With this realization, Mann’s thoughts veered wildly. Understanding African politics and geography intimately, he was well aware of China’s diplomatic maneuvers across the continent. Although Swaziland was small, it still held an independent vote in the United Nations, and crucially, it was one of the few African nations that had not established diplomatic ties with China—a prize China must strive for. He instantly pinned the label of "diplomat" onto Wang Zhuo, convinced that behind him stood the Red Dragon of China!

Once this possibility clicked into place, Mann was so elated that every pore on his body seemed to open in relief. Before the coup, the leaders of the various factions had analyzed the situation and concluded that because the Swazi monarchy had such close ties to the United States, China would certainly not interfere in Swazi political affairs during this sensitive period, perhaps only issuing superficial verbal concerns through the news reports. He never imagined that this mysterious and powerful Eastern nation would make contact in this manner, and that the parties meeting would be the King of Wealth and himself.

"There must be an angle to this…"

Mann’s excited expression shifted rapidly. Wang Zhuo observed this and chuckled internally. Of course, he would not shatter this misunderstanding he had intentionally manufactured. He merely smiled slightly. "General Mann, you are a clever man; you should be able to grasp my meaning."

"Understood, understood! I grasp it completely!" Mann beamed, nodding repeatedly.

"Then you should also understand that I currently need a spokesperson very much, someone to handle many matters for me." Wang Zhuo smiled thinly, glanced briefly at Mann’s follower, and asked Mann, "Some things involve extremely sensitive secrets... can you fully trust him?"

This was an opportunity offered to buy loyalty from Mann’s subordinate. Mann, at only twenty-eight years old, was already a faction leader; his understanding of command structure was naturally astute. He immediately nodded firmly and stated, "This is the subordinate I trust most in the world. Please have no concerns, Sir; even if he were beaten to death, he wouldn't let a single word slip!" The follower immediately thumped his chest, swearing his loyalty. Wang Zhuo offered a few cheerful words of encouragement, and the man instantly swelled with the heroic ambition that a servant should lay down his life for a true master; his loyalty to Mann deepened, and his reverence for Wang Zhuo grew immensely.

"I hear that your rebel forces are riddled with various factions now, and your contingent ranks in the second tier?" Wang Zhuo inquired.

"That is the situation," Mann nodded, answering earnestly. "However, we share a common goal: to overthrow the wicked monarchy and lead the people in establishing a democratic and lawful state, achieving a just society."

"That is not what concerns me," Wang Zhuo said lightly, his gaze fixed intently on Mann. "What I want to know is, which faction will ultimately seize power? And if you gain powerful support, how far can your faction advance?"

Mann blinked, a flash of fanaticism crossing his eyes. His follower hesitated, biting his lip, though the excitement brimming on his face was difficult to conceal.

"Mr. Wang, to be frank," Mann composed himself, choosing his words carefully, "our rebel force numbers just over ten thousand men, with armed strength making up just over half. The three largest factions control the former Government Army, the former Police System, and the assembly forces of the Opposition Party. My troops are drawn from the former Defense Force. Though we number only a little over a thousand, our training is the most rigorous, but our equipment lags behind theirs."

Wang Zhuo nodded slightly, thinking to himself that in a small, anal-shaped country like Swaziland, a single modern battalion could conquer it in three days; the Defense Force was clearly just for show. The Government Army, the state's instrument of force, was often used to suppress protests and riots, so its combat capability must be decent. The Police System required manpower and weapons to handle public order and criminals, making them a relatively capable force in such a nation. As for the Opposition Party, it seemed political parties were prohibited in this country, so they must be underground—and probably not very powerful.

The Defense Force under Mann’s command was likely just a pretense, used perhaps to play the supplicant to the US or Taiwan for "military expansion" funds that were actually diverted to buying the Queen’s cars or maintaining gardens. So, it was probable Mann’s force consisted mostly of lightly equipped, bare-chested skirmishers armed with bows and arrows. His admission that their gear was inferior to the other three powers was likely quite honest.

After a few more questions, Wang Zhuo was delighted to discover that Mann had led this Defense Force for five full years. After graduating from a military academy in South Africa at twenty-three, he became the unit's chief instructor. Six months later, the former Defense Minister retired, and a Prince took the position, but he became a figurehead, leaving all affairs to Mann. When the coup struck, King Mswati IV ordered the Prince to rally the Defense Force to the King’s defense. The Prince called Mann, only to discover his troops no longer answered to the Crown, but to the Rebellion!

What pleased Wang Zhuo most was that because Mann had received formal military education, he placed immense importance on regular training. When Wang Zhuo posed questions, Mann could answer them fluently, displaying commendable military acumen. While this level might not impress a Chinese observer, in a small nation like Swaziland, he was undeniably a rare talent.

This convinced Wang Zhuo of Mann’s potential. If Mann's thousand-plus "brothers" possessed relatively high combat standards, then with adequate weaponry, they could indeed, as Mann claimed, potentially overpower any of the three major factions.

Wang Zhuo had largely decided to sponsor Mann as his agent of interest, but there were matters requiring further preparation, such as employing certain specialized tactics to ensure Mann achieved victory in this contest of strength and profit.

Three days later, General Mann and his three companions quietly departed Johannesburg, returning to the diplomatically besieged Swaziland.

King Mswati IV was currently active in the United States, attempting to lobby the Americans for a restoration army to help him return to his territory. The American response, however, was ambiguous; they placated the exiled monarch while secretly engaging with the leader of the largest rebel faction, the Government Army.

Maximizing self-interest is the creed of all politicians, even in the world’s least developed, anal-shaped little country, which receives such stringent treatment.

Wang Zhuo’s quiet meeting with Mann could not be concealed from the intelligence agencies of various nations. This news quickly spread to the US, UK, China, Russia, Japan, and others. Coincidentally, a certain department in China had also dispatched personnel to Johannesburg, though they were secretly meeting with the head of the former Police System.

It was at this juncture that Wang Zhuo’s strategy of "feigning one thing while doing another" began to take effect.

Mann received a substantial sum of money from Wang Zhuo. After distributing portions to the various factions, he led his troops to play the part of a benevolent benefactor in key cities, cultivating an image of a citizen concerned for the nation’s welfare yet detached from political struggles. His actions brought about an exceptionally positive effect on national stability, quelling several riots sparked by food shortages, while simultaneously covertly expanding his force by nearly a thousand reservists.

While the major powers scrambled to seize authority and territory, he was establishing a favorable reputation among the populace—precisely one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems Wang Zhuo had taught him: To Cross the Sea Under False Pretenses.

This stratagem also incorporated another: Wait at Leisure for the Enemy to Tire. While other factions spent money they begged or borrowed on weaponry and bolstering their strength, he secured the most valuable resource: popular goodwill.

Mann’s actions fooled the rustics of Swaziland, but not the intelligence operatives of the world’s nations. When they observed Mann quietly recruiting experienced personnel, such as retired veterans and discharged police officers, their reactions varied.

Some intelligence personnel paid little heed, analyzing it as a minor warlord maneuvering to increase his leverage in factional disputes. Others took it more seriously and relayed the information up the chain, where subsequent superiors varied in their level of concern. After this information passed through layers of screening and filtering, only the American lieutenant colonel in charge of the matter relayed it to the head of the Government Army, who, this corpulent warlord, completely and spectacularly ignored it!

This illustrates the importance of information in modern warfare. By the time Mann had accumulated a strength sufficient to overturn the entire regime, some who saw the situation failed to analyze it correctly, others analyzed it but chose silence, and some who spoke were not heeded by the principal actors. As a result, Wang Zhuo and Mann exploited this precise vulnerability!

After Mann and his entourage left Johannesburg, Wang Zhuo lingered for another full day. On the following night, he flew directly to Cape Town, where he received a warm reception from the President. Of course, he also managed to negotiate some commercial collaborations and made some generous donations, further burnishing his reputation for benevolence.

After that, he acted as if he were addicted to the game, flying back and forth across the African continent. Wherever Jin Xiangyun landed, he was met with enthusiastic welcomes from both the populace and the government. Political figures in various nations privately dubbed the aircraft the "Flying Gold Mine"—the King of Wealth was simply too generous, showering money everywhere he went!

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