At twilight, the setting sun cast its lingering glow over the vast prival forest, where birds and beasts began to return to their nests, occasionally uttering a few strange cries, adding a bit of vitality to the tranquil forest. Luo Zheng and his team ca to a gorge, where they saw a cliff ahead, with a natural cave ford by an inward niche beneath it, the highest point reaching about ten ters, with a depth of about ten ters and a length of over twenty ters, providing a natural hiding place.
Seeing that it was getting late, Luo Zheng ordered the troops to rest in the cave. Without needing Luo Zheng's command, everyone spontaneously collected dry wood from the surrounding forest to make a fire. The bonfire burned inside the cave, so there was no worry of being discovered. Everyone took out and roasted the snakes and wild rabbits hunted along the way, sharing wild fruits as well.
After dinner, everyone spontaneously arranged the shifts and went to rest. Luo Zheng switched on the signalling device to contact the outside world, quickly connecting to the satellite signal. In his earpiece ca Lan Xing's voice: "Brother-in-law, this is a secret call. In the afternoon, a helicopter took off towards the west without carrying any explosives, so Chief of Staff Li did not order an attack. The helicopter landed, and soone transmitted a password, saying that the commander from Sam Country trusts you and wants to et Hook and you."
"What do you an?" Luo Zheng asked in surprise.
"I guess it's for peace talks. They can't fight any longer. Continuing the fight will only lead to a complete trap, which probably doesn't suit their interests," Lan Xing quickly explained.
"Ghost, it's ." A middle-aged man's voice ca through the earpiece; it was Wu Jin.
"Hello, Director Wu!" Luo Zheng responded.
"Hmm, you fought very well. The higher-ups are very satisfied. I'm aware of the situation. The commander from Sam Country is a representative figure. According to the analysis from the expert group, Sam Country probably doesn't want the war to escalate and hopes to resolve the issue through negotiations. Driving Sam Country to the negotiation table is a comndable job. I'll treat you to drinks when you return," Wu Jin said excitedly.
"Negotiations? Sam Country still has the capability to fight and could even annihilate us completely. Why would they want to negotiate?" Luo Zheng asked in astonishnt, curiosity piqued.
"Why have you beco so silly?" Wu Jin teased with a laugh, "War is a continuation of politics. The scale of the war reflects the magnitude of the political interests involved. Initiating a war for a rare tal like tantalum is bound not to have a large scale, given the lack of cost-effectiveness. Haven't you heard? This battle has caused them heavy losses, and they are looking for ways to cover up the truth. If the fight continues, resulting in even more significant losses, even their President wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure, potentially having to step down early or even face legal consequences. Understand?"
"Sowhat, but if they stop fighting, how do they negotiate? They're losers; negotiating from the posture of a loser, what benefits do they gain? Hastily ending the battle without any benefits would be even more of a loss. This doesn't make sense," Luo Zheng queried in confusion.
"Intimidation and threats, perhaps?" Wu Jin laughed, "Using the threat of expanding the war to force Hook into compromise. If Hook doesn't compromise, they will have no choice but to continue fighting. There's no retreat. It's a fact they have to face. If the war can end peacefully, that's good too. Try to make contact first and see what conditions they propose."
"Understood." Luo Zheng replied, adhering to the military duty of obeying orders. If the nation suggested negotiations, then negotiations it is. Continuing the fight might not be a good thing, and things must eventually be resolved. As long as both parties can et their interests, a peaceful resolution is favorable.
After chatting for a bit, Luo Zheng switched off the signalling device, gazing at the night sky in deep thought. This ti, coming to support the Hook Tribe had two purposes: one was to rescue Lan Bo, Ghost Hand, and the others, which was already achieved, and the other was to support the establishnt of a state for the Hook Tribe, striking a blow in Sam Country's traditional area of interest to extract benefits for the nation. This was doing well so far, and if negotiations were to happen, this aspect must also be safeguarded.
At this mont, Lan Xue approached, nodded to Luo Zheng, and softly spoke in the national language: "I heard the situation. Negotiations have two possibilities: one is that Sam Country might use the opportunity to stall for ti, while we also need ti to prepare. This aligns with our interests and can be accepted. The other is genuine talks; after all, the massive losses make it unbearable for Sam Country. In this battle, didn't we kill and injure thousands of their people? Such huge losses could put the ruling party in a problematic position with the people. If they have an excuse, the issue can be glossed over, aligning with their interests. Successfully negotiating aligns with ours as well, worst-case scenario, we fight again."
"You're thinking like I am; our interests must be protected, and Hook's interests must also be maintained. In the face of these interests, is Sam Country willing to compromise?" Luo Zheng asked concernedly.
"The interest for Sam Country is rare tal. I reckon they might propose joint developnt. We'll see the specifics based on the situation. This matter should be discussed thoroughly with Hook before deciding," Lan Xue suggested.
"Alright, I'll talk with him," Luo Zheng agreed, looking at the brothers sleeping soundly by the bonfire. It's good not to fight; they're all young lives. Though dying on the battlefield is a noble end for a soldier, who wouldn't prefer to live if given the chance? Too many have been sacrificed already. Negotiating peace might be for the best. After glancing at Lan Xue, he headed towards Hook.
"Old friend, let's have a talk," Luo Zheng said softly to Hook.
Hook looked at Luo Zheng in surprise, nodded, and seeing Luo Zheng head toward an empty area, quickly followed. The two found a spot, leaning against a giant rock. Hook, surprised, asked, "What's going on? Is there sothing happening that makes it seem so secretive?"
"I just got so intel. Sam Country sent a representative to express a willingness for peace talks, saying the new commander wants to et both of us. This is significant. What are your thoughts?" Luo Zheng asked seriously in a hushed tone.
"Peace talks? Are those bastards too worn out to fight? After killing so many of our people, they want peace talks? They're dreaming too big. If they want talks, they should get out of this forest first," Hook said angrily.
"Think carefully and calmly about whether to negotiate or continue fighting. Once you've decided, let know, and I'll support your decision," Luo Zheng said earnestly.
Hook fell into deep thought, his expression changing constantly. After a while, he looked at Luo Zheng solemnly and asked, "Can negotiations work?"
"Hard to say," Luo Zheng answered truthfully.
"It's not a bad idea to negotiate. We can't block the road to peace completely; it wouldn't be good for us to spread this and might affect internal cohesion. Depends on what conditions they present," Hook said thoughtfully.
"Brother, your political insight is getting sharper. I'm thinking the sa. We should try negotiating first. If it works, great; if not, it will even boost our morale and unity against a common enemy, which benefits us. Either way, it's good to negotiate. I'll go with you; there's nothing to worry about," Luo Zheng said sincerely.
"Alright, let's try negotiating first; if it doesn't work, then we'll fight again," Hook declared seriously.
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