[Japan's Restoration -- One Year Later]

"This is the Pendragon Cable News Centre, and welcome to today's special 'Debate Room'. I'm your host, John Locke, and our guest today is Earl William M. Blair, a Fellow of the Royal Army Academy, who has three decades of first-hand experience at the Centre for National Strategy. and Dr Agatha Turing, who is majoring in international relations at the University of New Wales, and you may have read her new book, Empire and Region 11: Bilateralism 2.0, and this month's sales champion is very insightful. Well, today's headline is also the focus of the world -- the first Sakuraishi Summit after Japan's independence. The meeting will determine the proportion of cherry stone supply in each country over the next six months, but unlike in the past, the summit will be hosted by Region 11. For the first time, our country has sent His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Hunesel as a negotiator, and such a high-level official also demonstrates the importance that the Empire attaches to this meeting. The week-long meeting has just concluded its first day of agenda, and no substantive results have yet been reached. For a variety of complex reasons, the meeting will also take the form of a closed meeting. In other words, no one can predict the final outcome until the summit is over. Okay, the first question I would like to ask Mr. Earl to answer..."

The pale brown big back, the sideburns are white, the skin of a person in his fifties is like his early thirties, blue eyes, white teeth, and crow's feet when he laughs add a lot of points to him. It is not for nothing that John the host has been perennially dubbed "the most perfect Britannian". In fact, he also has the title of count, which saves him from being tied down when interviewing certain high-ranking people.

John has hosted the nation's most-watched news program for fifteen years, and watching his "Commentary of the Week" and "Debate Room" every Saturday night has become a thunderous habit of the nation's middle class. His influence is so great that he can even raise the approval rating of certain government decrees by five percentage points with his mouth.

Pulling out a stack of prepared cards from under the table in the studio, John lightly coded the table and pulled one out of it.

"Ahh His Royal Highness the Second Prince and his entourage went to that turbulent area, how to ensure the personal safety of His Royal Highness? We can stretch on this issue a bit, in other words, why would His Highness take the risk of going to District 11 himself? Bill. ”

"Oh, you're asking the wrong person." Earl William Blair, who was nearly seventy years old, moved Nofafu's body. "Personally, I strongly disagree on this point."

"Why?"

John's signature "WHY" question, concise and to the point.

"This is not just a security issue for His Highness, it actually sends a very negative signal internationally, that the Empire has effectively recognized the independence of Region 11. At present, no country in the world has any intention of establishing diplomatic relations with the 11 regions, and if some of them mistakenly grasp the information of His Highness's behavior, it is very likely that we will soon see the embassies of other countries appear in our numbered areas. ”

That's true, but is there any added value to this kind of behavior on the other hand? His Highness must have his own considerations, doesn't he? ”

Blair shrugged and said he had nothing to say.

"Dr. Turing?" The host turned to look at the other guest, and by the way, showed off his mature man smile again.

"I do not agree with Mr. Earl, and I think that His Highness's visit is the wisest thing to do."

"It's awesome, it seems like we're going to be intense tonight. Please continue. ”

"First of all, we must not confuse the two concepts of 'showing goodwill' with 'showing weakness'."

The female doctor pushed her glasses and said to the camera.

"Since last year, due to the sharp reduction in the production capacity of Sakurashi after the war in District 11 and the cut in half of the empire's share, our country has actually obtained only one-third of the Sakurashi in previous years, which has caused a huge gap in production capacity. Theoretically, from that moment on, more than half of our factories would have to shut down. And what prevented this disastrous outcome was the vigorous policy that His Highness Schunezel had put in place since his return. Weakening heavy industry, the production capacity of the military industry, nationwide rotational holidays, reduction of weekly working hours, development of poor mines in the country, and mergers of state-led small enterprises, etc. Finally, the country as a whole has been maintained in the range of chronic recession. But even those who have not studied economics know that this will not work for a long time. If this trend continues, China's production capacity will be set back by 20 years, and the social unrest caused by the employment problem has recently become prominent. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that his verdict was related to the fate of our country, and the first round of meetings must be personally controlled by the Prime Minister. This is one of them. Second, the representatives of the 11th Region were literally 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United States', but the names of the observers of the meeting were written in black and white with the names of the former Thirteen Princes. It's clear that our opponents are actually the Black Knights, that's clear to everyone. According to reliable sources, the Thirteenth Prince and the Second Prince had a good personal relationship before the treason, and we have an advantage over the EU and the Federation in this regard, and there is no reason why we should not take advantage of this. ”

"In other words, whether it is public or private, it is necessary for the Prime Minister to attend, right?"

Agatha nodded.

"Okay, Bill?"

The Count looked embarrassed.

As the backbone of the previous generation of the empire, his thoughts are still solidified in the pattern of the supreme glory of God Bless Britain. Compared with the pragmatism of the younger generation, any show of weakness is intolerable.

There was really only one argument -- how could the empire bow its head? I had to say a bunch of nonsense and official accents.

The host saw that he was short of words, and drew the next card very knowledgeably.

"The next question, 'Well, very professional, 'What will the Empire do if it succeeds or loses a negotiation?' How will attitudes towards District 11 change? I think Dr. Turing has already given us some hints in the first half of this question, exactly? ”

"If you succeed, it's easy to say. If it doesn't work, it will have to reduce production capacity even further. The doctor sighed. Sakurashi is the root of the disease, and any other countermeasures can only alleviate the disease. You can't expect a person to have enough to eat and still have the strength to work, can you? At that time, it will be possible to start cutting down on several major points -- shutting down some overseas military bases, postponing the replacement of weapons, saving money to subsidize civilian use, and so on. ”

"Don't we have any initiatives?"

"It's difficult, we only have to save in China, and if we want to open source, our only breakthrough in the world is EU."

“EU？”

The host touched his chin with interest and motioned for her to continue.

"The EU, unlike our country, is arguably the biggest beneficiary of the Ten-Day victory. The three-equal division policy of Zone 11 has increased the EU's Sakurashi harvest by nearly 50% compared to the pre-war period, and the EU's production capacity is not enough to absorb this part of the balance, so it can only be sequestered as a strategic reserve. ”

"You're saying we can buy from the EU?"

"Yes. The federal share could not be given to us under any circumstances, but due to the loose system of the EU, it is possible to buy and sell Sakurashi between member states. In other words, we can bypass the EU system and go directly to certain member states to buy their shares. But it's inevitable to be knocked off..."

At this, Agatha's brow furrowed even tighter.

"But I'm afraid that the benefits of doing so will not be able to make ends meet. The previous empire was a seller of cherry stones, and if you don't get a penny, you can make a fortune from the other two poles. But now my country's identity is a buyer, and I want to throw money into it. It's like being cut off a piece of meat, and the blood can't be stopped・・・・・・ I hope Your Highness can surprise us." ”

"These are the countermeasures that follow the bad outcome. Bill, what countermeasures do we have against District 11? ”

"This possibility is basically non-existent, and the doctor is too pessimistic." The Count smiled and waved his hand. "District 11 has taken advantage of it, and now is the time to sell it. Now they are the ones who want to have a good relationship with the empire the most, and the empire's overly active posture has given them the opportunity to gain an inch. ”

"I want to hear about it."

"It's very simple, the Empire's military superiority is still unshakable, even if the whole world unites us, we have a better chance of winning, as long as people who don't lose their minds can't be enemies of the Empire."

"Sorry to interrupt." Agatha cleared her throat. "Military superiority in the traditional sense is no longer there for District 11, you won't fail to understand this."

The earl was robbed of white, and the nobleman's temper suddenly came up.

"Doctor, I've been in this business much longer than you. The book of Revelation is nothing but an ornament, and I have seen the craziest barbarians in the world, and I have never seen anyone dare to bite back when the gun is actually on their heads. It is human nature to survive, and as long as there is a way to live, no one will want to die together. ”

"Have you ever met a barbarian like ZERO?"

The count's face flushed.

Just kidding, ZERO, a terrorist who can open a book in the history books, has only been such a single one in a thousand years.

Blair pounded the table with his knuckles frantically.

"I have repeatedly stated that ZERO is not as divine as the media has reported, and that his momentary gain is based on the strict mistakes of the Empire. He may be smarter than most terrorists, but he's just a human being, and he won't have nine more lives with a helmet. For the sake of ratings, some media have reported on him endlessly, using half a bucket of knowledge analysis to make an accidental coincidence inevitable, increasing the people's unnecessary fear. Remember that the victory of the empire is inevitable because our army is strong and our people are excellent; No power can be the enemy of the Empire, not the Federation, not the EU, not even ZERO. ”

A small sigh came from the other side.

It's not loss, it's helplessness and disdain.

"Doctor, do you have any opinion?"

This is already quite unkind, and it is the result of Blair's efforts to control the situation.

To be looked down upon by a commoner on such a national television show, and to be despised in his own profession, for the aristocracy it is already the equivalent of being stripped naked and paraded in the streets.

How dare this woman...

"Please be realistic, Your Excellency the Earl, it is easy to break and take a step back. The empire has been tough for too long, and it's not a good thing to take a step back. ”

"Can anything else?"

Blair snorted heavily, and his mean expression couldn't help but seep through.

"Tokyo Concession, 1.3 million people. They should have come back a year ago, but what now? ”

The doctor grew excited.

"Our servicemen have all come back and left civilians behind. Do you know what this kind of behavior is called internationally? District 11 has long agreed to release the people, and all they want is a name -- Japan, and these two words can be exchanged for 1.3 million living people! To borrow your words, 'no reasonable person' will refuse this sale! The military's duty is to protect the people, so if you can't do that, what's the use of the military?! ”

The Count was speechless, his neck was thick, and his mouth opened and closed but he couldn't spit out a word.

The host was also a little nervous at this time.

The dialogue has entered deep waters, and if it continues like this, there may be a danger of landmines. The director of the headset told him to pay attention to the field, but his instinct as a journalist stopped him from interrupting the debate.

"My daughter just celebrated her eighteenth birthday ・・・・・・ in Tokyo..."

The host was stunned for a moment, and then got up very professionally and hugged the woman's shoulder.

"Oh my God, Agatha, I'm so sorry. If you don't want to continue this topic, I totally understand..."

"Nope."

The woman took a few deep breaths, pinched the bridge of her nose, and collected her feelings.

"No, it's that I'm not professional anymore, and I shouldn't talk about personal matters on such occasions. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not an extreme affirmative action activist, I'm long past the age of impulsiveness. I'm proud of the empire, and I put my fist to my heart when I sing the national anthem. But what happened to my daughter is not an isolated case, it is 1.3 million people. They have at least five million families in their home country, and those five million people have 50 million friends, which is a large group. The voices of protest could no longer be suppressed, and it was only a matter of time before a large-scale incident erupted. If we don't make concessions on this issue, it will be the popular will of the military that will eventually collapse.

I must make it clear this time that the current policy of the Empire is not 'tough', but a dead duck's mouth.

You must have seen a lot of new youth groups in the news, the 'Black Sons' - admirers of ZERO, the 'Xinmin Society' - the equalizers in the numbered districts, and even many spontaneous organizations directly under the name of the Black Knights.

Don't think that these are just the nonsense of young people, they represent this other voice, and behind them is an idea that the empire has begun to weaken.

This is a chain reaction that has been proven countless times by history. Rising youth unemployment, social unrest, the formation of associations, the birth of new ideas, demonstrations of protests, repression, separation of the people from the superstructure・・・・・・ the end result is understood by everyone, and I don't want to say those two words.

This qiē is completely avoidable, as long as we let go of our inherent prejudices and don't let arrogance blind us.

Take a step back, these can all be passed.

I am convinced that the empire is invincible. But I am also convinced that we are the only ones who can defeat us. ”

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"It's getting more and more peaceful in my country during this time."

"Thanks to the emperor's brother, it is true."

"Both public opinion and the economy are in decline."

"Japan, on the other hand, is thriving, and it is a miracle that it has achieved self-sufficiency in basic industry and agriculture in just one year. is also the second-in-command, the foolish brother's statecraft is really embarrassing. ”

With a spring-like smile, Schunezel picked up the white porcelain teacup and took a sip elegantly.

"Hmm... Qi Hong?"

With polite doubts, Schunezel looked up at the third person in the room.

"It's Qimen Hong, I don't want His Highness to understand the local products of the Federation."

"Souvenirs?" Schunezel converted into Chinese very naturally, and listened carefully to some accents, but the fluency was no less than that of any Han Chinese. "Da Honglu is too modest, if this kind of tea is also a local product, then isn't what I usually drink all grass root bark?"

Li Xingke clenched his fists and smiled.

Although he is now a great member of the Federation, a high Jiuqing, and a civil official has reached the top, it is still the courtesy of a military attaché who goes down in private.

Ilan looked at the two guests and looked at each other, but as the host, he was left aside, and he couldn't help but roll up his dead fish eyes in his heart.

The first day of the closed-door meeting was coming to an end, and there was nothing to worry about. These three small groups, with an average IQ of 200, discussed their own behind closed doors.

There has been no substantial progress.

White fur is irritable.

The second brother gave him nowhere to exert his strength, no matter how he knocked on the side, Xiu Naizel replied calmly with a breezy look. It's all about what I already know -- the empire is having a hard time right now. When it comes to issues specifically related to the policy of numbered districts, the second child spreads his hands.

The button of the apocalypse is in your hand, isn't it just what you want?

Come, the seven-day meeting should be a reunion between our brothers, if you want to talk about business, you can talk about business, and if you want to talk about private things, you can talk about private things. When was the last time you played chess? I don't know how much the imperial brother has grown.

Sakuraishi, well... Give the second brother a face, don't let the brother go back and don't explain.

Ilan was forced to scratch her ears and cheeks and want to hit the wall.

Please, look at my ill-intentioned look, look at the posture of this Hongmen banquet, I almost sharpen my knife in front of you! Would you like to give me a reaction?!

I'm a mortal enemy of the Empire! I'm the man who made the Proclamation to destroy Britannia! The root of the Empire's bad life is right in front of you! Why does this guy look like he doesn't understand?

This "Kill me?" Okay, I'll take a shower later, and you'll be cleaner. What does the posture mean?!

What the hell is this guy thinking?

"Really, it's time in a blink of an eye." The second prince looked up at the wall clock in the conference room and looked at Yilan for advice. "That's it for today?"

"Aren't you going to have a late-night snack?"

White hair lay sullenly on the table.

"Tomorrow, I've got something to do next."

"...

"Mr. Li, thank you for your tea, can I bring some back to China?"

"It's an honor."

"Elan, Lai."

Schunezel owed a debt to the two of them, turned and walked out of the conference room.

"・・・・・・ of Schunezel Ei Britannia"

Xingke looked at the figure of the man who disappeared behind the door, the smile on his face disappeared, his brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes.

"This person can keep the empire safe. Ten years earlier, if he had been in power, there would have been no Confederation on the map. ”

"I raise twenty hands in agreement." Ilan said muffled as he leaned on the table. "It's a disaster to stay for an extra day, but there's no way to kill him."

"It must be eradicated, once this child is boarded, the Federation has no chance of winning. At that time..."

Before he finished speaking, Xingke suddenly covered his mouth, his chest rose and fell violently, and he swallowed something forcibly.

"Hey, are you alright? You don't die suddenly, do you? You know how much money I've spent on you, right? ”

"Master Lao is worried that Li can still protect the federation for ten years."

Xing Ke wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gritted his teeth and said.

"Huh~~~~~~?"

Ilan dragged out a long nasal voice, rubbed his head from the table and looked at him, with a deep inscription on his face, "I believe you have ghosts".

"Forget it, since you are a civil official, rest more, don't toss yourself anymore."

Unwilling to ・・・・・・

Unwilling...

Eastland.

Schunezel.

The new generation of the enemy nation has grown up to be incredibly powerful.

They have what they don't have.

Time.

I'm dead, and who else in the Federation can compete with them?

Decade?

That's just a scene to prosper, whether you can survive this year is a matter of two words.

Unwilling to ・・・・・・

Unwilling to !!

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As he walked out the door, he beckoned his entourage.

It was a black box in the hand of his bodyguard, and when it was opened, there was a one-line telephone inside. The signal is processed by a complex encryption device in the box, and it is easy to intercept the signal, but it is theoretically impossible to decipher it.

"Kano?"

Schunezel lifted the phone, and the bodyguards around him watched their surroundings alertly.

"Your Highness."

"That Agatha Turing..."

"The show is done, do you want to do it now?"

"No, that's too obvious, wait for public opinion to ferment for a while."

"Yes."

"What about the killer?"

"The candidates of the three military departments, all with mental problems and a history of drugs, mad militarists, are easily incited."

"Very good. You can see the specific timing, I have to accompany the imperial brother here to catch up. ”

"Yes, please be safe, Your Highness."