The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

There were only a few people sitting around the round table. Prime Minister Qiu was slumped in a high-backed leather chair, his huge head lowered, shadow covering most of his fat face. Only the fingers holding the thick cigar were trembling slightly in the dim light, and the ashes fell on the dark carpet, but no one paid any attention.

Yalta...that damn Yalta.

Commander Luo's face with a hypocritical smile, the cold and calculating eyes of the Man of Steel, and that damn, dazzlingly young yellow monkey Zhang Chi... swayed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

He was forced to sign a humiliating treaty, and the interests of the great British Empire were used as bargaining chips and cut at will.

What’s even more hateful is that he had to stand with Zhang Chi, the anti-colonial pioneer, and force out that damn smile that symbolizes “alliance among the allies” in front of the camera.

That photo is the greatest humiliation to me!

Shame! An unprecedented shame!

Prime Minister Qiu suddenly raised his head, his cheeks flushed with excitement, his eyes bloodshot, like a wounded lion:

"It's fine that the White Eagle and the Great Russia are joining forces to dismantle Europe, but now even those yellow-skinned monkeys in a barbaric place like Southeast Asia, who only stood up thanks to the White Eagle's charity, dare to ride on the neck of the British Empire and show off their power?!

He openly supported the local kings of the five northeastern states of Sindhu. He opposed us in Malaya, Singapore, Sumatra, and every colony.

He took over those damn Italians and the technology from Fiat and Ansaldo.

What does he want to do? Want to replace our position in Asia? Want to become a new colonizer? And he wants to step on our corpses?

There is a saying in Europe that controlling the Netherlands is like pinching the testicles of the United Kingdom.

Sumatra is a former colony of the Netherlands. The oil fields there were jointly developed by the Netherlands and John's capital group. Even the royal families of the two countries have shares in it.

Now Zhang Chi commanded the Nanyang National Defense Army. Taking advantage of the Yalta Conference, he directly landed and took control of Sumatra, which was occupied by the Japanese...

Prime Minister Qiu knew with his butt that once the meat entered someone's mouth, it would be impossible to spit it out easily.

Because if it were him, he would make the same choice.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He suddenly grabbed the expensive crystal ashtray and threw it to the ground.

The bodies of the people present subconsciously tensed up.

The naval representative, Admiral Andrew Cunningham, an equally hot-tempered veteran sailor, immediately straightened his back:

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, your anger is completely justified. Zhang Chi and his Nanyang are the greatest threat to the Empire's interests in the Far East. We must fight back and show these monkeys who is the master of the ocean!"

"Fight back? What can we use to fight back?" A calm voice sounded.

The speaker was Sir Kingsley Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

He pushed the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, his face showing deep worry and helplessness.

Picking up a document casually, he looked at everyone and said:

"Prime Minister, General Cunningham, please take a look at this latest financial report. The war has emptied our treasury, the credibility of the gold pound is at risk, and our debt to the White Eagles has piled up.

The domestic rationing system has caused widespread public discontent. The Nazis are about to be destroyed. Factories need to switch from wartime to peacetime. The food problem is becoming more serious... Every penny needs to be carefully calculated. Now is not the time to act rashly.

Prime Minister Qiu subconsciously retorted:

"Food shortage? Just transfer them from the Sindhu colony. Wasn't that guy on a hunger strike last time? I guess everyone there needs to eat..."

His humorous look, as if he would not stop until the last Sindhu person was starved to death, eased the atmosphere a little.

However, Sir Kingsley still refused to give in. He glanced at Prime Minister Qiu and Cunningham and said in a more serious tone:

"Send a fleet? To the Far East? How many?

At least 2 battleships, 2 fleet aircraft carriers and some support ships are needed, right?

Fuel, ammunition, personnel allowances, ship maintenance... the cost will be astronomical."

Cunningham was speechless. The current United Kingdom is not yet the decadent state it will be in the 21st century with more generals than warships.

But facing the Nanyang with its modern air force, at least 2 fleet aircraft carriers and 4-6 light aircraft carriers are the bottom line in Cunningham's mind to prevent the "Z Fleet" incident from happening again.

(Referring to the battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse, which were completely destroyed by the Japanese attack due to lack of air cover)

Sir Kingsley pursued the victory:

"We can't afford this financially right now. The Nanyang United States is not the same native people we used to be who can be intimidated by sending a couple of cruisers!

Moreover, any direct military conflict with Nanyang, regardless of scale, would completely infuriate the White Eagles. The man in the wheelchair would not allow us to undermine 'Allied unity' on the eve of victory, especially when the Nanyang Army still needs to tackle tough challenges in the Pacific. This would completely isolate us!

He said earnestly:

"Prime Minister, please stop. It's painful to admit reality, but the Empire... needs a break. We should focus on rebuilding Europe and stabilizing our base in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It would be wise to temporarily shrink in the Far East..."

"Wise? Back down?" Prime Minister Qiu stood up suddenly like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, pointed at Sir Kingsley's nose, and spit almost sprayed in his face. "Kingsley, you call this wise? This is cowardice and capitulation."

"The empire is being eroded step by step by 'wise men' like you. Zhang Chi now dares to support the independence of the Sindhu state. Tomorrow he will dare to extend his hand to Borneo and all our colonies!"

He waved his stumpy arms excitedly, and the smoke from his cigar danced wildly with his movements:

"We must fight back, in all directions! We must teach Zhang Chi a profound lesson, making him understand the price of provoking the empire. Even if we are temporarily weak, we are not someone an upstart like him can humiliate at will."

Admiral Cunningham became excited again:

"The Prime Minister is right. We don't need an all-out war. We just need a precise, powerful, and stealthy strike. Let Zhang Chi and his minions suffer, let them know the Imperial Navy's might still lingers, and make them be wary of the iron fist from the sea even in their dreams."

"secret?"

The speaker was the new head of MI6, Sir Stuart Menzies.

He sat in the shadows like a stone statue, with only the cigarette between his fingers flickering a faint red light.

"Prime Minister, what kind of 'secret' do you need?"

A hint of ruthlessness and madness flashed in Prime Minister Qiu's eyes. Since the financial situation did not allow him to send a fleet in a grand manner, he would resort to underhanded tactics.