Chapter 307: The Return of the Bronze Age _1

Just back in the office, Jiang Yu received a report from the administrative officer of Earth's Northern Desert Farm:

"The Deterrence Control Center is completed, and Wallfacer Logic has been invited to the control center to continue deterring the Trisolarans.

"Before Teacher Logic left, he left his family at the North Mo Farm, urging the Solar System State to take good care of them.

"However, just now, both the PDC and Fleet International sent people, wanting us to hand over the mother and daughter."

Jiang Yu immediately became so angry that the veins on his forehead burst out: "Dogs can't change eating shit! They're thinking of using women and children as hostages again?

"Are these people kidnappers or politicians?"

Hearing the noise, Number Three hurried in, and after Jiang Yu cursed twice more, he seemed to calm down a bit and let out a long sigh: "Teacher Logic's hard days have begun."

Number Three was taken aback: "But I heard the Deterrence Control Center is very safe!"

Jiang Yu slowly sat down in his chair: "It is safe! Others can't get in, but Teacher Logic can't get out."

He took a deep breath: "A few years ago, Teacher Logic handed over the launch switch for a cosmic broadcast, but immediately the PDC and Fleet International returned the deterrent power to Logic like a hot potato.

"Throughout the process, the PDC and Fleet International completely excluded the Solar System State, as if they were afraid I would snatch their deterrence power.

"In the end, they were still incompetent!"

The more Jiang Yu spoke, the more agitated he became: "They want Logic to be a Deterrer! And yet, they are wary of Logic at every turn!

"What kind of shit do these people have in their heads?"

Number Three smiled and said: "Haven't you analyzed this with the researchers from the Strategic Department before? Logic holds in his hands the power over the survival and destruction of two civilizations, and historically, no one has ever been able to concentrate the power of all humanity in one person's hands.

"But now the PDC embodies the power of capital, and centralization and capital are natural enemies, so capital regards Teacher Logic as an enemy, but now they have no choice but to rely on Teacher Logic."

Jiang Yu pinched his forehead: "That's true, but how come they haven't progressed at all?"

Number Three continued: "You forget, as you once analyzed, first of all, humanity is very forgetful. Most people have already forgotten about the tragic defeat in the Uranus Campaign during the peaceful years of the past decade.

"Additionally, only the ruling class of The East have fought for the benefit of the entire nation and people, while the ruling classes of other nationalities and countries are generally shortsighted.

"Yet they completely deny The Eastern civilization..."

"I remember!" Jiang Yu said impatiently: "Can't I just vent a little?"

Number Three poured Jiang Yu a cup of tea and handed him a cigarette: "It's no big deal, since these people are sick in the head, we just don't have to stoop to their level."

Having smoked a couple of puffs, Jiang Yu finally cooled down completely.

After another puff, Jiang Yu replied to the administrative staff of the Desert North Farm: "Tell the people from the PDC and Fleet International that Zhuang Yan and her daughter are my guests.

"Have the Desert North Farm secure Teacher Logic's yard, don't let these politicians trouble the mother and daughter. If the PDC dares to make any trouble, then we'll play hardball with them."

Then Jiang Yu gave orders to the Solar System State's Earth Corps: "Be on high alert, and at all costs, protect Zhuang Yan and her daughter; we can't allow them to fall into the hands of the PDC and Fleet International!"

In the past decade, Jiang Yu had leveraged his control over industrial strength to double the power of the Solar System State!

The current Fleet International is no match for the Solar System State; the current political situation has Fleet International and the PDC growing closer, essentially forming an alliance to contain the Solar System State.

Jiang Yu had long been guarding against this move. Over the years, the Solar System State's interests had become entangled with those of the PDC and Fleet International, rendering this alliance constrained and ineffective.

Jiang Yu had emphasized more than once, "History has repeatedly proven that isolationism is the worst policy!

"We must not lock ourselves within our own tiny plot of land! Only through ample exchange can we broaden our horizons!"

The so-called exchange involved tying some capitalist powers to the Solar System State. Their profit-driven nature would make them the first line of defense against the PDC and Fleet International.

Thus far, the Solar System State had only opened a quarter of its cities, with most cities still only accessible to citizens holding its own nationality.

In these places, capitalist powers could not hope to gain a foothold.

Since the Solar System State came into Jiang Yu's hands, it had seemed to possess a force capable of standing firmly against the PDC and Fleet International.

Jiang Yu seldom used military force, as economic bonds were more effective than the deterrence of arms.

However, to protect Logic's wife and child, Jiang Yu was prepared to make clear just how resolute his stance was from the start.

Just as tensions suddenly escalated on Earth, "No.1 Command Center" announced, "Bronze Age is back."

Fleet International played the mediator, inviting representatives from the PDC and the Solar System State to discuss details for dealing with "Bronze Age."

Representatives of the PDC and the Solar System State had a very cordial meeting at the Asian Fleet's military stronghold and ultimately signed an agreement through negotiation:

1. Zhuang Yan and her daughter could continue to reside at Desert North Farm without interference in their lives from anyone;

2. Zhuang Yan and her daughter must remain on Earth;

A not-so-insignificant standoff dissipated like smoke and clouds.

There was already a contingency plan on how to deal with "Bronze Age." Since "Bronze Age" belonged to the European Fleet, it naturally had to land at the European Fleet's fortress.

After the landing, they would use a fake welcoming ceremony to lure everyone off the warship and then immediately arrest all the officers and troops!

Jiang Yu was invited to observe the execution of the plan onsite. Also present to watch were the fleet commanders and heads of commerce from the three major fleets of Fleet International.

The three major fleets were comprised of the military and commercial powers of three continents at Jupiter, and in this political entity that had been established for less than a century, the fleet commanders and heads of commerce were the supreme military and administrative chiefs.

There was no clear chain of command between the two departments. Instead of a government, it was more like a company jointly run by the military and merchants.

Dealing with such a system was Jiang Yu's forte. Because there existed a formidable enemy like the Solar System State, the military and merchants of the three major fleets would unite against the Solar System State.

But as soon as this threat diminished, they would most certainly start to thwart each other.

So whenever Jiang Yu saw a fleet with the potential to grow, he just needed to extend enough goodwill, and they would let themselves miss the optimal opportunity for development.

This method never failed.

"Wallfacer, what do you think motivates them to attack their own kin?"

This question from the European Fleet commander brought Jiang Yu back to his senses, and he smiled, "To survive."

The European Fleet commander frowned, "But at that time, the first Waterdrop didn't catch up! Besides, their enemy was the first Waterdrop, so why attack 'Quantum Vessel' to survive?"

"You wouldn't understand," Jiang Yu paused and then added, "I can't fully understand either, because I wasn't on 'Bronze Age' at the time."