Chapter 160: Dimensional Immigration (1)

In the summer of 1946, news of the crushing defeat of the British Colonial Army and the French Foreign Legion in Wakanda shocked the world.

Although it was clear to most people after World War II that the United States and the Soviet Union were emerging as global powers, and that the days of British and French world dominance were over, no one expected them to be challenged so openly.

France, in particular, had become a laughing stock after its rapid collapse during the war. However, their residual strength remained, and as long as they maintained control over their colonies, they were still not to be underestimated.

But what was Wakanda? Before this news broke, 99.99% of the world's population had probably never heard of it. On most maps of the world at the time, this small, almost unknown region wasn't even marked.

And yet this seemingly insignificant nation defeated the powerful Anglo-French alliance. The French Foreign Legion sent three regiments totaling 4,000 men, which were joined by British colonial forces and auxiliaries for a total of over 20,000 soldiers. This force included two armored regiments and sixty combat aircraft in four squadrons.

The result was disastrous for the invaders. Both armored regiments and the air force were wiped out. Of over 20,000 soldiers, barely a thousand managed to escape, and almost no prisoners were taken.

Wakanda was far less diplomatic at this time than it would become under King T'Chaka and his son T'Challa. After the attack on King Azzuri, which left him injured and unconscious, the Wakandans were enraged. While a few officers were spared for interrogation, almost no prisoners were taken from the defeated forces.

This war not only shocked the world community, but also plunged Britain and France into further turmoil. In Africa and Asia, their colonies, unaware of the full story, began to question the strength of their overlords. If a small, obscure nation like Wakanda could humiliate them, perhaps they too could fight for independence.

The Asian colonies, cautious for various reasons, were reluctant to act. But African tribes, especially those newly armed with American weapons, were quick to rebel. They didn't just target the British and French; rival tribes also became their enemies, leading to widespread chaos across the continent.

"Did I just make things worse for myself?" muttered Josh, tossing an apple to a small chimpanzee beside him as gunfire echoed outside a courtyard in a small town on Uganda's southwestern border.

After separating from Vito in southern Sudan, Josh and his team headed south into Uganda. They carried American passports—real, but under false identities—which made it easy to move through British and French colonies.

But since news of the Anglo-French defeat in Wakanda broke a week ago, the situation had changed. During World War II, Britain and France had relied heavily on African colonial troops to counter Germany. As a result, their hold on their colonies was already weak after the war.

At first, these colonies, intimidated by the once mighty British and French empires, sought peaceful paths to independence. But the battle in Wakanda revealed the truth of their decline. Ambitious leaders in places like Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Uganda saw their chance.

Not only had Josh sold large quantities of weapons and equipment to local tribal militias and warlords during his travels, but the British and French had also drawn troops from these regions to wage war against Wakanda.

Now, with their defeat, the warlords of these regions found cause to celebrate.

In just over a week, Josh had encountered more than ten instances of local armed conflict. Fortunately, this was Africa, where the scale of fighting was relatively small. The lack of tactical expertise among the local fighters, the absence of urban combat weapons like RPGs in this era, and the fact that Josh had over a dozen well-armed people with him kept them safe.

"Woo-woo, ah-ah!" A small chimpanzee nearby finished its apple, but it wasn't satisfied. It pleaded softly with Josh.

"Tch, you little glutton!" Josh raised an eyebrow and pulled two peaches from his system inventory to tease the little creature.

This was a young mountain gorilla, also known as a silverback gorilla—the largest primate species in existence. In the future, they would be critically endangered, with less than a thousand left.

Josh had come across this little guy a few days earlier at a market in another small town. He was pitifully caged next to a young white lion. Feeling a rare sense of compassion and seeing how adorable they were, Josh had bought them for just twenty pounds—a bargain considering his ability to care for them.

He named the gorilla "Kong" and the white lion "Simba," both familiar names.

In this world, Josh hadn't encountered any stories about Skull Island, although a movie called King Kong had been released in the 1930s, similar to his original timeline. This suggested that Titan-class creatures didn't exist here.

Mountain gorillas, though massive, were known for their gentle nature. Their diet was almost entirely vegetarian, with the occasional insect, bird egg, or young bird. However, their appetite was immense—a fully-grown mountain gorilla could consume over 30 kilograms of vegetation a day.

This may explain why Kong became so attached to Josh, constantly following him around for food. Simba, on the other hand, exhibited the typical aloofness of cats, only seeking out Josh when he was hungry. Most of the time, the lion cub slept in a corner of the yard.

"Boss, Vito and his team are back!" A subordinate rushed in to report while Josh was playing with Kong.

"They're finally back!" Josh sighed in relief, not caring that Kong had snatched the peach out of his hand. He immediately headed for the conference room.

"Boss, mission accomplished!" A few minutes later, Vito respectfully placed a box in front of Josh in the conference room.