bacchusnovels Chapter 305 Global Preparations for War, the Value of Merit
Chapter 305 Global Preparations for War, the Value of Merit
"We are ready."
Li Zhenguo's words were transmitted to the Divine Chef's Hall via an encrypted line.
He Yuzhu was sitting behind the counter, holding a rag in his hand, slowly wiping a seemingly ordinary blue and white porcelain bowl.
Upon hearing Li Zhenguo's words, his hands did not pause in the slightest.
"Um."
He simply responded with a faint "yes".
It was as if what was being said on the other end of the phone wasn't a life-or-death battle concerning the fate of the entire planet, but just a trivial matter like what to eat tonight.
"Mr. He," Li Zhenguo paused on the other end of the line, then couldn't help but ask, "Regarding that 'wartime supply pack,' the three martial arts techniques from Kunlun Dao Academy, and the illustrations from the Sky Dome Martial Alliance... how exactly should we proceed?"
He knew that these three "newbie perks" would be the focus of competition for the entire world and all countries.
As the homeland of these three "institutions," China undoubtedly holds an absolute first-mover advantage.
How to make good use of this opportunity to secure the greatest benefit for China is the question he needs to consider most now.
Yes, take the opportunity to raise prices and make a fortune from the war?
Or should we demonstrate China's great power status and leadership position in a more conciliatory way?
Li Zhenguo was somewhat unsure of what to do.
He needs instructions from Mr.
On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu finally put down the porcelain bowl in his hand.
He seemed to stand up, walk to the shop entrance, and glance at the outside, at the somewhat desolate Qianmen Street, which had become because of the "doomsday announcement."
"Minister Li."
After a long while, his voice rang out again.
"Sir, you once said something..."
"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
"Merit and achievements are the same."
"It can be the tool by which we control the world. Or it can be the shackles that drag us into the abyss."
Li Zhenguo felt a chill run down his spine and listened intently.
"This natural disaster is a test for all mankind."
"China, as your homeland, should shoulder greater responsibilities."
"so……"
He Yuzhu's voice became unquestionable.
"The 'Wartime Supply Pack' is priced at 1000 National Merit Points or 10000 Personal Merit Points. It contains one hundred 'Level 1 Qi Recovery Pills,' ten 'Level 1 Healing Pills,' and one 'Basic Amulet' that can withstand one energy impact below Level C. Limited to one hundred packs per country."
"The three martial arts techniques of Kunlun Taoist Academy—'Armor-Piercing Thrust,' 'Soul-Suppressing Roar,' and 'Light of Purification'—will be taught free of charge for three days at the Kunlun Liaison Office in Beijing. However, to obtain the complete mental cultivation formulas, one needs to pay 1 national merit points as 'tuition.'"
"As for the Sky Dome Martial Alliance's 'Cataclysmic Beast' encyclopedia, it will be made available in batches to all 'certified players' who have reached a certain standard of merit points (10 points for the nation and 1 points for individuals), free of charge."
"The price must be fair."
"There must be a threshold."
"We must be saviors, not pushovers."
"We must unite all forces that can be united. But we must also make those with ulterior motives and opportunists pay the price they deserve."
"This is, sir's, rule."
After listening to He Yuzhu's words, Li Zhenguo felt as if he had been enlightened and suddenly understood.
He finally understood.
high!
Absolutely brilliant!
That move by the gentleman was absolutely brilliant!
It neither overcharged nor gave anyone cause for criticism, but instead established clear thresholds, elevating the value and importance of "merit" to an unprecedented level.
You want the best equipment? Sure, you can exchange it for merit points.
You want the strongest martial arts technique? Sure, you can exchange it for merit points.
You want the most important intelligence? Sure, but you'll have to trade it for merits!
Merit is the hard currency of this new era!
Yes, the source of all power!
And China, as the interpreter of the rules and the largest supplier of resources, will firmly control the economic and military lifelines of the entire world!
"I understand! Mr. He! I completely understand!" Li Zhenguo said excitedly. "Please tell him that we will definitely strictly enforce his rules!"
After hanging up the phone, Li Zhenguo immediately convened an emergency meeting with all the core members.
After he relayed the latest instructions from the "Hall of Divine Chefs".
The entire command center was in an uproar.
"Great! Now we're completely invincible!"
"Aren't the Americans clamoring to compete with us for the top contribution score? I'd like to see how much they'll have left after they've used all their merits to buy equipment and techniques!"
"This move is absolutely brilliant! It's like we don't have to do anything, and countries all over the world will desperately try to send us credit!"
"Minister, I suggest we immediately announce the redemption rules for these three 'newbie benefits' to the world! I guarantee that within an hour, China's national merit points will double!"
"Yes! We must announce it immediately! Let them all see what a real 'pay-to-win player' is!"
Seeing the excited crowd, Li Zhenguo, too, felt his heart pounding with emotion.
He waved his hand.
"Alright! Immediately, in the name of the China 'Earth Online' Incident Response Committee, issue the first announcement to the entire world!"
……
Washington, D.C., the White House.
Mr. President, you have just finished your impassioned, pre-war national mobilization speech.
"...My fellow citizens! An unprecedented challenge has arrived! But I assure you! We, the great United States of America, will never yield!"
"From this day forward, we will mobilize all our strength to join this sacred war to defend the Earth!"
"We will prove to the world once again who the guardians of this planet are! Who the true heroes are!"
"God bless America!"
His speech won unprecedented support and cheers from the people.
Driven by the immense fear of death and the absurd stimulation of games, a morbid war frenzy erupted throughout American society.
Countless young people flocked to the recruitment office, hoping to join the "Pioneers" force and become heroes who hunt monsters and earn merit.
The president was very satisfied with this.
He returned to the Situation Room, ready to listen to the Pentagon's latest war preparedness plan.
Just then, Secretary of State Blinken, looking grim, strode in carrying a tablet computer.
"Mr. President, something terrible has happened!"
"What's wrong, Anthony? You look like you've just had your wallet stolen," the president joked.
"It's worse than that!" Blinken handed him the tablet. "Look! This is a global announcement just released by the Chinese!"
The president, puzzled, accepted it.
When he read through the announcement, he found out the detailed exchange rules for the "Wartime Supply Pack," "Restraint Techniques," and "Cataclysmic Beast Compendium."
The smile on his face froze instantly.
"Fuck!"
A furious roar echoed throughout the entire command center.
"How dare they?!"
The president, trembling with rage, exclaimed, "A supply pack costs 1000 merit points? A cultivation technique costs 1 merit points? This is simply blatant robbery!"
"We finally earned those 1000 merit points, sacrificing our national dignity, and they're only enough to buy one damn supply pack?!"
"Mr. President, please calm down!" The four-star general said in a deep voice from the side, "I just took a look at the contents of that supply package. One hundred Qi-restoring pills, ten healing pills, and a basic protective talisman... If these things are really as effective as they are described, then 1000 merit points, this price... isn't actually that expensive."
"What?" The president looked at him incredulously.
"Think about it, Mr. President," the general said, his expression utterly serious. "On the impending, brutal battlefield, what is the value of a single pill that could save your life in a critical moment? It is priceless!"
"Chinese people, this is using the lives of our soldiers to set the price!"
"We have no choice."
"We must buy it!"
"Not only should we buy, but we should spend everything we have at the source to buy!"
The general's words were like a bucket of ice water poured over the president's head, instantly calming him down.
Yes.
He had no choice.
He couldn't possibly let his soldiers, armed with ordinary firearms and bare-handed, fight to the death against those unknown, terrifying monsters, could he?
Meanwhile, the soldiers of China were taking pills, using martial arts techniques, and wearing protective amulets.
Then what's the point of fighting?
"These damned yellow-skinned monkeys..." the president uttered through gritted teeth, a vicious curse.
Then, he slumped helplessly into the chair.
"We...we, now, how many national merit points do we have in total?" he asked weakly.
The finance minister immediately reported a figure.
"Reporting to Mr. President, after we announced the provision of the first batch of five core technologies to China and the aid of 10 billion US dollars to Africa, we have now obtained a total of 150,000 points of national merit."
"15 points..." the president muttered to himself.
This amount of merit sounds like a lot.
However, according to the price offered by the Chinese.
One hundred supply packs equal 10 merit points.
Three martial arts techniques, plus 3 merit points.
The remaining merits are probably not even enough to exchange for personal merits for the core members of the "Pioneer" force.
And this is just the appetizer.
The real, big prize is yet to come.
"Pass the word down..." After a long while, the president wearily waved his hand.
"Let's also include our most treasured technologies in the sharing list."
"In addition, inform Congress to prepare additional aid budgets for Third World countries."
"We need more achievements."
"At any cost."