**Chapter 876: Time for North America (3)**

To He Rui, accustomed to the vast North China Plain, the mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou possessed a sense of desolation that bordered on despair. Mountain upon mountain, river upon river—only someone with immense passion could gaze upon such terrain and feel the heroic urge to "transform heaven and earth."

Looking at the cloud-shrouded peaks before him, He Rui seemingly saw the sheer amount of capital required to carve paths through those mountains. To possess the capability for large-scale infrastructure there, an even greater investment would be required in the early stages.

Withdrawing his gaze, He Rui said to the accompanying secretary, "Let's go back."

"Chairman, back to the provincial capital or to Beijing?" the secretary asked hurriedly.

"To Beijing," He Rui replied. He tightened his coat; even in Yunnan, the February mountain winds were biting. He Rui felt a sense of regret; in his youth, the stimulation of cold or heat had always made him feel his body's vitality. With the aging of his inner strength, every movement of his body made him feel as if he were "fishing by draining the pond"—it took a long time to recover his strength.

The secretary, following beside him, could sense the toll on He Rui's body. Hearing he was returning to the capital, the secretary felt a great weight lift from his heart and immediately issued the notification.

The motorcade hurried to the airport. After a jolting journey, He Rui felt even more exhausted. Yet as soon as he boarded the plane, he opened the newly delivered documents and began to read. The secretary watched his fatigue and wanted to speak but hesitated. He knew He Rui could not simply stop working, especially given the current state of the war.

Ultimately, the secretary only went to the cabin to have the steward add more meat to He Rui's meal. The steward silently obeyed. Watching He Rui eat the large portion while reading the files, the secretary finally felt a bit more at ease.

In the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, when Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang were at a stalemate at Wuzhang Plains, Sima Yi heard of Zhuge Liang's meager diet and laughed: "Kongming eats little yet handles many affairs; his life will not be long."

Setting aside differences in nutrient absorption efficiency and considering only intake, there is a bottom line for the nutrition a human requires daily. The human brain consumes 20% to 30% of the body's daily energy. If one persists in high-intensity mental activity while under-nourished, the body will inevitably fail.

Whenever He Rui's secretaries returned to the Organization Department for training, they received instruction on this. China today desperately needed He Rui's health; the Department even emphasized that if He Rui were unwell, they must persuade him to temporarily cease working.

China did not lack talent to execute policies, but it lacked a leader like He Rui who possessed such immense global influence. As long as he was alive, he was the most powerful deterrent to all other nations.

He Rui wasn't considering those things now. China's future was reflected clearly enough in this report. Reading the Military Commission's discussion, He Rui saw the expectations and worries of his comrades. Their hopes and fears were his own.

Establishing an entirely new world order required bearing immense pressure—the burden a world hegemon must inevitably shoulder. China lacked experience as a global leader, just as it lacked experience in industrialization. If the strategic window weren't so narrow, forcing them to "drive a duck onto a perch," He Rui would have preferred twenty more years for China to learn the art of diplomatic maneuvering.

Having finished the report, He Rui approved the strategic execution route Li Runshi proposed. No one could judge how the US would choose now, and even He Rui couldn't make a precise prediction as he once had. He couldn't even judge whether the US leadership would ultimately decide on "war for war's sake" in their internal struggle.

If Roosevelt could maintain the influence he built through the New Deal, He Rui might believe the US wouldn't act in desperation. But this war was continuously battering the prestige of the Roosevelt administration. This was a total subversion of the American history He Rui knew.

If the Americans could maintain rational thought under the weight of war, they certainly wouldn't choose war for war's sake. But currently, the US faced crushing pressure that would surely warp their thinking. He Rui could not make a precise judgment.

By the time the plane reached Beijing, it was already dark. Stepping off the plane, He Rui found Li Runshi waiting for him. Once in the car, He Rui asked, "Which methodology did the Commission decide upon?"

Li Runshi was momentarily taken aback but replied decisively, "You fight your way, I'll fight mine."

He Rui immediately felt at ease. The world is a complex interactive process, but in the broad direction, either the East Wind prevails over the West Wind, or the West Wind over the East. As long as China could firmly execute policies that allowed its full strength to be unleashed, the question of "correctness" was secondary.

In this regard, Li Runshi possessed an indestructible will, and his health was far superior to He Rui's. Handing things to Li, He Rui was completely at peace.

Seeing He Rui silent, Li didn't speak either. The two enjoyed a rare moment of relaxation in the car speeding toward the Military Commission offices. After a while, Li handed He Rui a cigarette; both smoked, feeling relaxed. Only then did Li ask, "Chairman, is the winter in Yunnan very cold?"

"How should I put it... high-altitude regions aren't that hot," He Rui replied lazily. At this, he remembered something and said to Li, "You should take a vacation with the comrades. Since the war started, the US President and their elite have been on vacation who knows how many times. I think I've set a bad example. You must help reverse this bad tendency. Long-term intense work warps the psychology."

"Doesn't the Chairman wish to go on vacation?" Li smiled.

He Rui shook his head with helplessness. "The ideals of my life have already been constrained by the past; no matter how warped I get, it won't go much further. But the comrades are different; they must experience the future."

In the front seat, the secretary felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of sadness. To present-day Chinese, He Rui was undoubtedly a guardian deity. In less than thirty years, he had reversed everything, returning China to its rightful historical place while guarding its sovereignty and interests. He Rui's words struck the secretary's heart deeply.

The secretary had been with He Rui for three years and could feel that the "future" he spoke of was indeed not his own, but that of the Chinese people—even the world's people.

Such a feeling is hard to describe but easy to understand.

Even after lightly wiping the corners of his eyes, the secretary couldn't calm his emotions. He had to press his finger between his teeth and bite down hard. Only through the pain could he suppress the urge to weep.

After a silence, Li Runshi asked, "The 'past' the Chairman speaks of seems to be on a massive time scale."

At this, the secretary could no longer hold back and suddenly burst into tears of grief.

Seeing this, He Rui could only laugh. "Don't misunderstand. The future I speak of is the future where humanity breaks out of the Galaxy. According to calculations, the Milky Way we live in seems to have entered a dying stage. Thus, the heavy metal content in our galaxy is very high. The number of high-mass celestial bodies appears unusually large. Unless a massive change—let's call it a 'transformation' (bian gua)—occurs, these high-mass bodies will eventually turn back into hydrogen and be released into the galaxy where humanity resides. Otherwise, the Milky Way will fall into a state of rigid death.

So, the future of humanity breaking out of Earth, out of the Solar System, and out of the Galaxy... that must rely on you all, comrades!"

This future He Rui described was so bright and so discordant with his own personal future. The secretary listened intently, yet found himself at a loss, unable to figure out why He Rui would make such a joke.

Li, however, did not think He Rui was joking. He asked with some confusion, "Chairman, the universe will not perish."

"The universe will not perish. but humanity in its current form certainly will. What I say is built on the foundation that humanity will likely not undergo a disruptive change in its own structure for the next few millennia. And... look at the ginkgo trees outside." He Rui pointed out the window.

Both Li and the secretary looked at the ginkgo trees lining the avenue. They had been planted over a decade ago and looked robust. Though the heart-shaped leaves hadn't appeared in February, the trees would soon begin a new round of growth.

"Ginkgoes appeared over 300 million years ago. After 300 million years, there are now no bacteria or insects in nature that target them. If you'd seen the ginkgoes near the nuclear test sites, you'd know that even a nuke can't kill a ginkgo. After all, when they appeared 300 million years ago, the radiation on Earth was far higher than it is now. While such longevity is enviable, it would not be a blessing for humanity to be thus." He Rui sighed.

The mention of time measured in hundreds of millions of years made the secretary feel an inexpressible sense of the distant and profound—a scale of time that seemed capable of swallowing a person whole. Yet listening to He Rui and seeing the actual trees, the secretary felt that time was perhaps not so long after all. For He Rui was before him. As long as He Rui was there, even the washing away of eons seemed potentially resistible.

Li Runshi spoke then: "Chairman, the people of the world will surely enter an entirely new way of life. No one can block that."

He Rui nodded. "That is our responsibility. I am also an ordinary person, and I often consider problems with a very realist mindset. So I too cannot figure out when a nation like the United States will choose to accept reality and move toward a new future when faced with a massive threat.

There are two possibilities. One is that the US quickly abandons its past and decides to take another step forward. In the other, more tragic possibility, the US still believes in its past experiences, seeing the new era merely as a cycle of the old. The US used massacres to deal with the indigenous people of North America; now, they fear China will use the same means against Americans.

If it is the latter, the war will be exceptionally bloody. For the US believes that only by returning to the past, to a period where they have nothing left to lose, can they have their own security."

Li knew He Rui wasn't debating, but stating his view. Such an unknowable future indeed contained too many uncertainties—ones that would cause the world to bleed far too much. Li explained his own reasoning: "Chairman, I believe there is nothing to fear in such a future. For without breaking that fear, the US cannot emerge. I too have considered a policy of directly isolating the US, but I believe even if they are ultimately isolated, it must be their own choice. I intend to inform the Roosevelt administration of this possibility clearly in our upcoming negotiations."

He Rui shook his head. "I think you should find a way to inform the 'masters' of Congress. How much longer the Roosevelt administration can exist is a difficult thing to determine. Even if Roosevelt dies, it doesn't mean the US will change its attitude. After all, the US may well have its way of looking at problems warped by fear."

Returning to the Military Commission headquarters, they found the Five Tiger Generals already waiting in the meeting room. Seeing He Rui return, everyone was delighted. After the pleasantries, He Rui waved a hand. "I am very tired, so this time I will be brief. I fully agree with the meeting's report."

At this, Xu Chengfeng's face turned pale. He Rui had been tired before, but he had never used fatigue as a reason. This break from custom gave Xu a very unsettling feeling.

Zheng Silang, with his intense personality, replied with an uneasy face: "Since the Chairman is tired, let us wait a few days to discuss it."

He Rui shook his head. "Silang, work cannot be delayed. I've also looked at the Red Army's counter-offensive; its standard, while what one would expect of the USSR, still allows America to harbor a sense of luck—thinking we might choose to support the Soviets first.

Only by starting the plan immediately can we make the situation develop as quickly as possible. So do not worry about me; just execute according to the report."

Zheng Silang shook his head vigorously. "Chairman, I think it really can wait."

Hardly had he spoken when Zhong Yifu said, "Silang, we do whatever the Chairman tells us to do!"

Cheng Ruofan followed suit: "Silang, we should be sharing the Chairman's burden now." Turning to He Rui, he said, "Chairman, I will launch the general offensive in the spring according to the plan. Until all of Africa is liberated! I even feel that perhaps before the American problem is solved, Africa will already be liberated!"

He Rui looked at Cheng Ruofan's mature face, yet could still see the beautiful-featured youth he once was. The Cheng Ruofan of then was little different from the one today—at least he was still as clumsy in expressing his unease.

Turning to Zheng Silang, He Rui patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't die. At least not yet. I will surely see the arrival of the new era."

He Rui gave him another pat. "And since the comrades in the Party are all shouting about having a 'showdown' after total victory, I certainly can't die yet. I *must* see how exactly that showdown is handled after victory!"

At this, the atmosphere grew awkward. Even among these old comrades who could be said to be very frank with one another, their stances on the economy had diverged significantly.

Only Cheng Ruofan straightened his back at those words. For he indeed had spoken of having a "showdown" in a moment of emotional heat. Cheng didn't refuse to accept that his thinking might be problematic, but he couldn't accept a version of himself that hid or held back.

"That's all. Dismissed," He Rui ordered.

"Don't dismiss yet. I have a question," Cheng Ruofan said.

Zhong Yifu, fearing Cheng might say something excessive, immediately objected: "Say whatever you want after you've liberated Africa!"

Cheng shook his head. "I'm not talking about the showdown. I want to ask: when will the promotions to Marshal occur?"

*Pfft!* Zheng Silang was amused. Though he knew Cheng wasn't a man who craved power or rank, this was just too "cute." For everyone's sake, he'd rather be misunderstood.

He Rui, however, would not misunderstand. Seeing that Cheng didn't intend to change the North American landing report, he pointed to the seats and took his own at the head of the table. Once the comrades were seated, He Rui said, "My view is that once our negotiations with the Roosevelt administration conclude, we can decide whether to land in New Zealand. After all, the Roosevelt administration believes they have built New Zealand into an impregnable fortress. It should hold for at least two to three months, I'd say."

Xu Chengfeng gave a light laugh. "The General Staff assessment is that New Zealand won't last a month."

He Rui waved a hand. "The question holds little discussion value. If the Roosevelt administration decides to withdraw from the war, that would be best. But the probability is low, so once the New Zealand campaign is over, we will conduct the promotions. That way, the commander landing in North America will be a Chinese Marshal. *Cough, cough...*"

He Rui coughed for a moment, then caught his breath and smiled. "Heh, I imagine none of you wants to be a defeated Marshal."

"Victory and defeat are common in war. I don't... ah!" Cheng Ruofan suddenly called out in pain, as Xu Chengfeng had kicked him under the table.

He Rui knew Cheng was trying to lighten the mood and didn't pay any mind to an overly-tense Xu Chengfeng.

"Comrades, to date the world's configuration is essentially determined; the nations blocking the world's liberation have all jumped out and stood against the people of the world. I also hope you future Marshals will let these nations feel the power of a just war. Therefore, it would be best if the forces that capture those capitals are not the Chinese military, but the World People's Liberation Army." Having spoken, He Rui fell into another uncontrollable fit of coughing.

This time it was quite severe, and it took him a while to stop. Waving his hand to calm the room, he used the table to pull himself to his feet. "I'm going back to rest now. You are all busy; do not come to visit me. I don't want to infect any of you."