It had been ten years since He Rui last met Professor Karl. Seeing him again now, although the Professor had aged somewhat, the trace of melancholy that once lingered between his brows had unexpectedly dissipated. This gave the Professor an appearance of great vigor.

Flying tens of thousands of miles to China, the Professor certainly hadn't come merely to see an old friend, nor just for a good meal. As a master of geopolitics, after discussing their respective experiences over the past decade at the dinner table, the Professor spoke of his views on geopolitics. "Chairman, Britain is perhaps the country with the most conservative policies at this stage."

"I wonder if the Professor has heard the latest internal news from Britain?" He Rui paved the way for the Professor to open up.

Professor Karl shook his head. "Studying geopolitics often doesn't require that much classified information. Public information is actually better for avoiding the interference of personal factors."

Most of those attending this banquet were students whom Professor Karl had deemed capable of mastering geopolitical theory back in the day: Premier Wu Youping, General Cheng Ruofan, and Foreign Minister Li Shiguang. The only one who hadn't received Professor Karl's training was the Minister of Propaganda, Li Runshi. Hearing this, the four felt it made sense, yet also felt Professor Karl was being a bit arrogant.

Professor Karl took a sip of lemon tea and said confidently, "In my view, Britain has roughly constructed three circles. The first is the circle of Britain and its colonies. This circle possesses a market of 500 million people. This is Britain's core, and also the foundation Britain uses to cooperate with other countries."

Cheng Ruofan couldn't help but ask, "Among these 500 million people, at least 400 million aren't even treated as human beings. Can this really be called a population of 500 million? The consumption power within it varies heaven and earth."

Professor Karl appreciated Cheng Ruofan. Hearing this, he didn't get angry, but just felt some regret. Cheng Ruofan was too idealistic. It was precisely the distinct love and hate brought by this idealism that made it impossible for Cheng Ruofan to view the real world as coldly as He Rui did. Professor Karl corrected him, "Mr. Cheng, does your consciousness imply that Britain is an economic circle composed of 100 million people and 400 million livestock?"

Cheng Ruofan nodded, feeling this description was very apt.

Professor Karl continued to correct him. "If you can truly view those 400 million people as livestock, you will discover what precious property 400 million livestock with human intelligence are to Britain's core economic circle. These livestock can feed themselves, provide tax revenue, and undertake many complex labors. There is no property more precious than this. But, I know, you won't see it that way."

Cheng Ruofan was a bit puffed up with anger. Even knowing that the internal logic of Professor Karl's viewpoint was self-consistent, hearing of such cruel oppression made Cheng Ruofan extremely unhappy.

Professor Karl was also very moved. Although Cheng Ruofan was no longer young, his views on good and evil were still as simple and direct as a young man's. It was evident that idealists like Cheng Ruofan were protected very well by He Rui.

This was not the time to discuss the morality of colonialism, and Professor Karl wanted to move He Rui, so he continued. "Britain's second circle is the Sterling circle. Those countries that use the pound sterling for international transactions enter this Sterling circle, jointly constructing the market of this circle. The third circle is the so-called traditional friendly nations of Britain. This is the circle where Britain competes with other countries for world influence. The members of the circle are countries with close trade ties to Britain. Relying on the pound's status as an international currency, these countries will execute many policies favorable to the pound, thereby allowing the pound to maintain its status as the world hegemonic currency.

"Compared to Britain, France lacks Britain's strategic concept, and the United States, China, and the Soviet Union lack world influence. Although British hegemony is in a withering stage, British hegemony can still be maintained."

Li Runshi felt unpleasant about Professor Karl's pragmatic indifference toward the people of colonized regions, but was soon attracted by Professor Karl's description. Because what Professor Karl intended to explain was Britain's world hegemony, and he explained very well why Britain could maintain world hegemony with a native population of only 40 million. Li Runshi had to admit inwardly that Britain indeed had a clear and effective strategy.

He Rui spoke up only then. "It seems that to dismantle Britain's hegemony, the only way is to directly attack the British homeland?"

Hearing this, Professor Karl rejoiced in his heart. Before coming to China, Professor Karl was certain that He Rui must have carefully considered how to dismantle the Versailles System. Just as Professor Karl expected, He Rui, this very realistic politician, had indeed thought seriously about it and had found the method to dismantle Britain's strategy.

The Professor wanted to probe a bit, but heard He Rui continue, "Professor, war is impossible between Britain and France. The one that seemingly has the opportunity to do this now is Germany. And I believe Germany knows very well just how difficult it is to completely defeat Britain."

Professor Karl nodded. "If the Chairman really thinks this way, I would feel very gratified."

He Rui chuckled. "Germany's current development is probably carrying out the development route already formulated during the Weimar Republic era. I think very good results will appear in the short term. Large-scale infrastructure construction, forced state investment, starting work. Without enough international hard currency in hand, Germany can also adopt a barter trade method to export industrial products and obtain raw materials. But what about in three years? This kind of economic stimulus policy will encounter a bottleneck in three years. The money invested initially will be due for repayment. Next, what does Germany prepare to use as its economic growth point?"

Listening to He Rui's analysis, Professor Karl felt immense pressure. The purpose of studying geopolitics was to find the direction for a country's rapid economic development. Clearly, He Rui had already constructed a development direction that was very effective for China. The East Asian Alliance that China had created was a large market of over 700 million people, and the Soviet Union and France could provide massive amounts of raw materials, technology, capital, as well as a considerable external market.

Germany now, aside from possessing an educated populace and its own abundant brown coal resources, completely lacked China's geopolitical environment. This was also the reality that Professor Karl felt helpless about every time he thought of it.

Since He Rui answered sincerely, the Professor also asked sincerely, "Chairman, where do you think Germany's future will go?"

"Germany's future can only turn to the military industry in two years. By rebuilding the army and producing armaments, it can drastically pull up the economy in the short term. Moreover, although the Treaty of Versailles caused Germany to suffer losses, Germany has no strong powers around it except for France. Furthermore, Western Europe and the United States can absolutely not accept the Soviet Union quickly becoming strong and regaining Tsarist Russia's traditional position in Europe. To deal with the Soviet Union, they might even have to relax the suppression of Germany to a certain extent.

"So, I very much want to ask the Professor one sentence. How do you think a Germany that re-possesses a million-strong army should repay the massive debt incurred from military expansion?"

Cheng Ruofan and Li Shiguang stared at Professor Karl with very sharp gazes. Premier Wu Youping, recalling the process China went through from the Agrarian Revolution to economic cooperation with France, couldn't help but show a smile on his face. Li Runshi flicked his cigarette ash, his eyes full of interest. Discussing at such a direct strategic level from the start truly made Li Runshi feel very comfortable and immersed.

Professor Karl was mentally prepared for this. conducting strategic analysis with He Rui required getting real; trying to fool He Rui with a half-hearted attitude would only bring humiliation upon himself. Professor Karl did not answer He Rui's question, because that question had no good answer, and the Professor was also unwilling to voice the judgment that Germany must go to war externally. Since he couldn't answer, the Professor changed direction. "How does the Chairman prepare to utilize the future situation?"

He Rui smiled. "Heh heh, Professor, as a member of the human race, I am unwilling to start a war, but am willing to propose methods to solve problems. If you go to Korea again, you will be able to see that tremendous changes have occurred in Korea. This country has already shaken off the threat of starvation and is developing rapidly. Korea's development and the rise in Korean people's income are making the 40 million population of Korea into a market with consumption power.

"Although China indeed invested a lot of money in the early stage, with Korea's development, it has also provided a market for our country's equipment manufacturing industry. China did not adopt a predatory method, and the capital repayment period is also between 10 to 20 years. Korea now relies on exporting minerals to obtain revenue that can not only completely pay off debts but also have a surplus. These surpluses are used for education and infrastructure. Professor, as a German, you must be very clear about the important propelling role of compulsory education for a country.

"Ruofan thinks that the 400 million Indian population is treated as livestock. If this population of 400 million were liberated and obtained sufficient development space, how much demand could 400 million people create?

"If all countries in the world could have a common value, which is to develop the economy of the entire human society, and let everyone receive good distribution, and carry out compulsory education so that everyone can continuously improve their own productivity, then Germany's market would not be just one Germany, but the whole world."

Hearing the future described by He Rui, Professor Karl was only slightly shocked, but not bluffed. In Europe, there were also people who proposed such views, only their views did not contain China's proposition that all people in the world are equal. But the concept of a world market was not much different from He Rui's view.

Seeing He Rui speak confidently, Professor Karl simply challenged He Rui. "If the Chairman believes this is the world's future, why not establish such a relationship with Germany first?"

He Rui laughed. "If Germany can abandon racist concepts, truly advocate that all humans are equal, oppose colonial oppression, and agree that colonial peoples should be liberated, and act for such a concept, China would be very happy to cooperate fully with Germany on this stance."

Professor Karl hadn't expected to be counter-challenged by He Rui and was speechless for a moment. If the Nazi Party really did that, then Hitler wouldn't need to eliminate the German Communist Party at all, but could directly merge with them. After pondering for a while, Professor Karl replied, "Does Your Excellency the Chairman not intend to replace the Versailles System, but stand on the position of opposing the Versailles System?"

"No!" He Rui shook his head immediately. "I am proposing a plan to solve the current problems of human society from the standpoint of human society. Professor, I have no malice toward the German people, so I must say, what the majority of German public opinion expects is the restoration of Germany's imperialist privileged status. Therefore, Germany has no choice but to choose a strategy of external expansion.

"The reason I am so certain is that there was also such a country in East Asia not long ago. For its own national interests, it chose a strategy of external expansion. After this country chose the path of peace, this country discovered that the direction I just mentioned could indeed bring true peace and development. Peace and development brought surplus and development that war and plunder could not bring. What I am speaking of is not a hypothesis, but a fact that has already happened. What do you think?"

Professor Karl did not answer. What He Rui said was indeed a reality that had already happened. So Professor Karl pondered how to explain to He Rui that Germany's geopolitical environment did not allow Germany to do this.