He Rui returned to his seat. His first sentence was, "Everyone, relax. Today we are discussing strategic issues. If you understand, you understand; if you don't, you don't."

Li Runshi hadn't expected He Rui to be worried about this, and it actually made him look forward to it more. Glancing at the other three, he saw they were all sitting upright with extremely serious attitudes. This made Li Runshi, who had been a teacher, want to laugh a little.

He Rui began to speak: "The imperialist world order is one of unilateral taking without giving back. In the new world to be established by the Socialist Liberation War, the profits China earns from foreign countries will be returned in the form of developing those countries' economies. You can use domestic fiscal transfers as a comparison."

The others pondered this. Xu Chengfeng, who hadn't spoken until now, asked, "Where is our benefit?"

"Chengfeng, you need to consider this with dynamic thinking. First, our goods are sold, employing our workers and circulating materials.

"Second, the goods sold earn profits. From counting the profits to returning them takes anywhere from two to five years. We get a sum of interest-free money to invest in the domestic economy for two to five years.

"Third, China's return is not giving money directly to those countries, but investing in their basic education, infrastructure, and training institutions. To a large extent, these projects provide demand for Chinese goods, and this demand will continuously upgrade. Initially, it might be thatch and wood, where we provide the wire and nails to build thatched huts. Later, it upgrades to brick-making equipment and processing technology for cement and mortar. After that, it might be reinforced concrete and various renovation materials. When those countries develop to a higher level, the equipment they purchase will be even more advanced.

"Fourth, China can obtain large quantities of commodities that are not produced domestically or are of low yield and quality. China does not possess the world's best resources and crops, such as tropical crops.

"Fifth, the dominant position of China's currency globally.

"Sixth, China's technology will fully develop within such a vast world market.

"There are many benefits; I've only mentioned a few. The most important thing is to possess dynamic thinking: in the future new world, will China be a creator of global wealth or a rent-seeker sucking blood from the globe? If China is a wealth creator, a provider of lifestyles, a country that makes huge contributions to the world—a just cause attracts much support—China's status will not be shaken.

"If China becomes a rent-seeker lying on top of the globe sucking blood from other countries, stopping its own progress, China will also be finished due to rot and corruption. Whether it's 'bad imperialism' or 'good imperialism,' as long as the operating logic is that of imperialism, it will be finished regardless of good or bad."

Cheng Ruofan sighed, "To achieve such a future, there are so many things that need to be filled in."

"Ruofan, shouldn't you state your position first?" He Rui laughed.

Cheng Ruofan shook his head. "Chairman, I stated my position long ago. I feel that saying it again makes me look silly."

Li Runshi looked at the other two and saw they weren't agitated; they were frowning in thought. Cheng Ruofan also showed no high spirits; he looked calm, as a general facing serious military issues should. Li Runshi already felt these men were excellent, and his confidence in them increased significantly. As Cheng Ruofan said, such an abstract future design required countless realities to fill it. The job of the people in this room was to be responsible for concrete affairs. When these people completed the plan, that was when the war could be launched.

He Rui asked, "Do you comrades have any questions?"

"If this war starts, how long can our finances sustain it?" Wu Youping asked.

"If the plan can be implemented, at least ten years," He Rui replied. Seeing Wu Youping look a bit puzzled, He Rui smiled, "Then thirty years."

"Thirty years? Heh, are we going to fight a Thirty Years' War?" Wu Youping finished and sighed. "Sigh, I have no further questions."

He Rui looked at Xu Chengfeng. Xu Chengfeng hesitated for a moment and asked, "There was previously a rectification of the Party's leadership over the army. Are we going to further strengthen the Party's leadership over the army?"

"Yes." He Rui nodded.

"Is it a rectification or a purge?" Xu Chengfeng's tone became somewhat suppressed due to the heaviness of his mood.

He Rui looked serious. "Are you worried about problems triggered by the transition between old and new?"

Xu Chengfeng said in a deep voice, "Many comrades believe that war brings glory, and war realizes their dreams. The war the Chairman hopes for may not be the war they expect."

He Rui laughed, "As long as they obey the Party's command, have the ability to complete military work, and do not cause negative influences on the troops. As for what kind of personal satisfaction it brings them—give them that freedom. Moreover, are the supervision departments just decorations now? If someone does something inappropriate during the war, is the supervision department unable to handle them?"

"That's impossible," Xu Chengfeng answered very firmly.

"Then that's fine," He Rui replied.

Having finished, He Rui scanned the four men again. Seeing that no one really had anything else to say, he ordered, "It is now 1937. I predict the war will start by 1942 at the latest. We have less than five years left. I have only spoken of my strategic concept to the comrades in this room. China's future destiny lies in your hands. I propose that Comrade Li Runshi serve as the secretary of this core member meeting, and he will be responsible for liaison work. What are your views, comrades?"

Li Runshi was stunned, feeling blood rush to his head. Li Runshi had originally thought He Rui's grooming of him would follow a normal path, but he hadn't expected that what He Rui really wanted him to be responsible for was the future global liberation war. This was undoubtedly work Li Runshi genuinely looked forward to undertaking.

Although he was never moved by fame or profit, Li Runshi felt some worry at this moment. He wouldn't oppose others questioning him, but he didn't wish for others to question him.

"Will this team be permanent? Or will it become a leadership institution during the process?" Wu Youping asked a clear and logical question.

He Rui replied, "The work of this team will ultimately be the work of the Central Secretariat. After all, there are still less than five years; let's not expand it to that extent yet. I believe the work should be divided into three levels.

"The first level: Ensure we have the ability to win an imperialist war. This requires sufficient armaments and about five years of fiscal endurance.

"Once the first level is completed, the second level is to ensure we have the ability to win a 'good imperialist' war. Apart from armaments, this also requires cooperation with great powers with whom we have good enough relations, as well as our ability to penetrate colonial regions. This requires diplomatic efforts, as well as how many personnel from colonies we can recruit to study and exchange in China, and how many organizations we have built in various colonies.

"The third level is to prepare to fight a Socialist Liberation War. At this level, we will face a situation where global imperialist countries stand against us. As for military allies we can count on, the Soviet Union probably counts as half. Our true allies are the oppressed peoples of the colonies. We will fight together with the vast oppressed peoples against the current international imperialist order. Can you comrades understand the arduous degree of this war?"

Silence fell in the conference room again for a while. Xu Chengfeng broke the silence, "Chairman, I obeyed your orders before. I will obey your orders in the future as well."

Li Runshi hadn't expected Xu Chengfeng to be so honest. This statement expressed not just loyalty; Xu Chengfeng was implicitly expressing that he might not have the ability to fully understand He Rui's concepts. Of course, this wasn't bargaining; Xu Chengfeng would resolutely execute He Rui's orders to the end.

Seeing Xu Chengfeng state his position, Cheng Ruofan followed, saying, "If I say I'll bear the burden without complaint, will I be stealing Premier Wu's lines?"

Hearing that Cheng Ruofan still had the mood to joke at such a time, Wu Youping was amused. "Haha, whether you say it or not, I am definitely bearing the burden without complaint. I don't have the ability to complete the strategic design, so I ask Premier Li to communicate more."

Li Runshi immediately replied, "I will do my utmost to complete my work."

Everyone having stated their positions, He Rui further arranged the work. "I will elevate Premier Li's clearance level. Intelligence clearance related to these war arrangements will be opened to Premier Li. Next, I'll ask a question. Is there any news on the equipment progress updates?"

Xu Chengfeng was now responsible for the East Asian Allied Forces. Hearing a specific question about domestic issues, he looked at Cheng Ruofan, the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission. Cheng Ruofan immediately replied, "After the last routine update, there have been no sudden situations."

"I have the following assessment of the last routine update content: We must complete the practical combat readiness of nuclear weapons by 1939. The operational concepts and systems for the Army, Navy, and Air Force have already been established. I believe two pieces of equipment still do not satisfy me. The first is the application of computers within the military system. The second is the laser gyroscope, which hasn't been settled after ten years. Investment in this device and related fields has reached the limit, so comrades don't need to increase investment. We just hope for good news before the war breaks out."

Li Runshi listened earnestly. Apart from the laser gyroscope, which was a specific issue he had completely never heard of, the other few words contained a massive amount of information. If Li Runshi hadn't obtained higher clearance, he could only listen to such strategic issues.

After the meeting adjourned, Li Runshi asked Cheng Ruofan, "Can I catch a ride back with you?"

"Go back for what? Come sit at the Military Commission; I'll take care of dinner," Cheng Ruofan laughed.

Bidding farewell to the other two, as soon as Li Runshi got into the car, Cheng Ruofan asked, "Anything you want to ask?"

"Is that device the Chairman asked about very critical?" Li Runshi felt He Rui wasn't a micromanager and wouldn't focus his attention on small matters.

"The things that pair with this component are basically all completed. To pair with this component, the technological achievement certificates in related fields could pile up to fill two rooms. But for ten years, it's said to be stuck on some basic problems. For this, we even spent a considerable price a while ago to get a few people from Germany." Speaking of this, Cheng Ruofan looked as if there was no greater sorrow than a dead heart.

Li Runshi felt that to force a guy with Cheng Ruofan's enthusiastic personality to this point, he must have heard "good news" very, very many times over ten years, only to be disappointed one by one. He even felt a little sympathy for Cheng Ruofan in his heart.

Not waiting for Li Runshi to ask again, Cheng Ruofan lowered his voice, "You can think of it this way: this device is to be used on all valuable equipment. With this equipment, it's like adding wings to a tiger."

Li Runshi still didn't know what a laser gyroscope was. He asked, "Is there a substitute now?"

"Yes," Cheng Ruofan answered very crisply.

Li Runshi felt that "adding wings to a tiger" could probably be calculated as increasing the combat effectiveness of valuable equipment by 5%. Such equipment indeed had value to be placed in strategic considerations. Li Runshi was conversely unwilling to ask further; he prepared to look at the materials himself when he had time. What needed to be done right now was to first understand China's long-range projection capability.

Arriving at the Military Commission, Cheng Ruofan introduced the National Defense Force's current long-range projection capability and military systems to Li Runshi. They talked until midnight. While eating a late-night snack, Li Runshi recalled Cheng Ruofan's description of the laser gyroscope. The laser gyroscope wasn't mysterious; it was said to be not very big, just a core device for inertial navigation. If a large aircraft installed this device, coupled with the yet-to-be-completed transistor computer, as long as there was enough fuel, the plane could turn on unmanned autopilot to fly a lap around the globe, and upon returning to the starting point, the distance from the starting point would be within about 20 kilometers.

Ships, aircraft, torpedoes, and the ballistic missiles now basically finished development all needed laser gyroscopes to provide more precise operational control. Especially for fighter jets—the cabin is cramped, and pilots operating the plane for hours on end have extremely harsh physical demands. If there were the assistance of laser gyroscopes and future new-type computing devices, pilots could set the plane to autopilot during cruise time, saving a large amount of energy. This would undoubtedly be a huge help to China's long-range projection capability.

Li Runshi didn't drink alcohol, and his mind remained very clear. He quickly digested the content Cheng Ruofan had introduced. In the more than ten years since liberation, China hadn't engaged in militarism or built up military equipment; instead, it had disarmed and reduced personnel. An 800,000-man standing army really wasn't much for a major country like China with such a long land border.

Similarly, China hadn't put the weapons in the armory and the horses on the southern hill; on the contrary, it took the opportunity of disarmament to invest a large amount of saved funds into researching and preparing for the next war. The greatest result was that the Army, Navy, and Air Force had all established their own operational systems.

The Navy had an aircraft carrier combat system; the Army had a ground-air integrated system; and the Air Force, besides coordinating with the Army and Navy, had its own strategic air force system. From Cheng Ruofan's simple introduction, he also learned that China was developing rockets and would launch artificial satellites orbiting the earth in the future, some of which would be geostationary satellites. These technologies were currently only in the research phase, but plans had already been mapped out for satellites to send signals to the ground in the future, providing global positioning for military and civilian ships, aircraft, vehicles, and other carriers. These technologies couldn't be used in the next war at this stage, but the next generation of the Chinese military would be able to use this equipment.

Under He Rui's leadership, China's short, medium, and long-term plans were all constantly being pushed forward, which conversely reduced Li Runshi's interest in equipment a lot. Li Runshi loved to read, and in history, there had indeed been a very few instances where strategic disadvantages were reversed by accumulating tactical victories. But the reason these cases made it into history books was that they were too rare. To date, there wasn't a single case of reversing strategic failure by relying on tactical victories.

The work He Rui handed to Li Runshi was to be responsible for strategic planning. This was also why Li Runshi hadn't understood initially why He Rui would care about a few pieces of equipment. Now Li Runshi understood: the high-speed calculation capability of computers provided computing power for the operational systems of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The function of the laser gyroscope was to solve the huge disadvantage of China's lack of overseas bases. These weren't tactical issues; at the very least, they were important fulcrums required for external wars.

Now Li Runshi looked forward to assessing the strategic thinking for China winning the imperialist war through extensive reading and exchange. The road had to be walked step by step; rice had to be eaten mouthful by mouthful. Li Runshi didn't feel unhappy because the minimum goal was an imperialist war. If they couldn't even win an imperialist war, on what basis could they win the global Socialist Liberation War which had even greater strategic height?