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

The city of Nanjing was hot and restless. The ripples caused by the shocking kidnapping case on the banks of the Huangpu River did not subside with the crisp sound of several gunshots. Instead, like a boulder thrown into a pond, the ripples continued to spread, increasingly violently impacting the already precarious embankment.

The first to feel the chill were the Nationalist government's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Urgent reports were delivered to the minister's desk, revealing an unprecedented wave of capital flight and loss of technical talent in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and even the Beijing-Tianjin area.

Large foreign exchange transfer applications have surged, and many key engineers and technicians in factories have disappeared after taking leave to go south.

What alarmed the higher-ups even more was that this panic began to seep into the financial markets. The black market exchange rates of the legal tender against the dollar, the Nanyang dollar, and gold experienced an unusual and continuous decline after the kidnapping case was solved.

The market is the most authentic.

Industrialists have demonstrated their attitude through their actions and their capital.

"Look at what you've done. You've ruined a case. You haven't recovered much money, and you've completely lost people's hearts."

The whole world is now saying that our own people kidnapped our own people, and that the Nationalist government is condoning bandits.

What's the point of your secret service? Completely unaware beforehand, utterly helpless during the incident, and unable to even find a decent scapegoat afterward—what use are you?!

Having just become the director of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, and not yet a trusted confidant of Dai Chunfeng, Director Mao's face turned deathly pale, and he bowed even lower, repeatedly saying:

"It is my incompetence and dereliction of duty... The case is too complicated, and there are some clues... I really dare not investigate further..."

He was also full of bitterness. The loss of public support and capital? Those were things for politicians and economic officials to worry about, what did it have to do with him, the head of the secret service?

Of course, he would never dare to say that.

Despite the criticism, the mess still needs to be cleaned up.

The Nationalist government quickly issued a series of strongly worded proclamations and statements to reassure the public.

Newspaper front page full-width headline:

"Nanjing Reiterates Protection of the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Industrialists and Businessmen", "Thoroughly Investigate Internal Bad Elements and Restore a Bright and Clear Society", "Be Vigilant Against Those with Ulterior Motives Who Sow Discord and Undermine the Overall Economic Recovery After the War of Resistance".

However, the business community, having witnessed the entire Rong family kidnapping incident, is no longer someone who can be appeased with just a few nice words.

The panic did not subside; on the contrary, the undercurrents heading south became even stronger.

At the docks, ships bound for Hong Kong and Southeast Asia were becoming increasingly scarce, and at banks, the lines for exchanging foreign currency and withdrawing gold bars were getting longer.

Seeing that internal suppression and public reassurance had both failed, and that the loss of capital and talent was intensifying, the top management of Jinling finally panicked.

In desperation, they remembered the White Eagle father who had generously provided aid during the Pacific War and seemed willing to continue playing the role of "maintainer of order in Asia" after the war.

A note, written in earnest language and listing how Southeast Asia improperly attracts our capital, technology and talent and undermines the economic stability of the Far East, was urgently sent to the United States, requesting that its close ally step in to uphold justice and exert necessary pressure on Southeast Asia.

However, at this point, the White Eagle leadership had long since shifted their focus away from this minor ailment in the Far East.

In 46 years, the world's political climate is cooling down rapidly.

On March 5, former British Prime Minister Churchill delivered his famous Iron Curtain speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri:

"From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent of Europe..."

This is now widely recognized as the public declaration that marked the beginning of the Cold War.

Subsequently, the actual geopolitical conflicts quickly proved Mr. Qiu's prediction correct.

In Persia, the Russian army failed to withdraw on time and supported the separatist forces in the north, putting them in sharp opposition to the Tehran royal family, which was supported by John, the White Eagle, and the South Pacific. A crisis was imminent.

In Turkey, the Kremlin is demanding joint control of the Black Sea straits and the establishment of military bases within its territory, with large numbers of troops from both sides gathering on the border and the shadow of war looming.

On the shores of the Aegean Sea, the Red Army and the royalist army supported by the Johns are locked in fierce battle, with the power struggle between the two major camps of East and West behind the scenes.

As for Hans, the barriers between the occupied territories of both sides became increasingly formidable, and Berlin became the forefront of the confrontation between East and West...

The strategic focus of the White Eagle has shifted entirely to how to contain the red giant rising from the heart of Eurasia.

Truman and his think tank were preoccupied with "containment strategy," the "Marshall Plan," how long the pitiful atomic bomb monopoly could last, and how to deal with a possible direct conflict in Europe.

In contrast, the problem of the corrupt, inefficient White Party in the Far East and its capital drain has been relegated to the bottom of the White House's priority list.

To the White Eagle decision-makers, the White Party's plea for help was more like a poor, disappointing relative coming to complain about their troubles, which was annoying but they had no time to pay attention to it.

Ultimately, the only assistance provided by the White Eagle State Department was to forward a copy of the White Party's protest note to the United States of Southeast Asia through diplomatic channels, along with a bland and almost perfunctory reminder letter, which essentially stated that the Southeast Asian side should pay attention to its methods when attracting investment and talent, so as to avoid affecting regional economic stability.

-----

On this side of the South Seas, as dusk approaches and a gentle sea breeze blows, Zhang Chi enjoys a rare moment of leisure during the day.

In the specially decorated nursery next to the study, Zhang Chi had taken off his serious suit and was wearing only a comfortable shirt. He was kneeling on the soft carpet with an almost silly smile on his face.

In front of him, three-month-old Zhang Pengyi was placed on a colorful soft cushion. He tried hard to lift his head, his big, black grape-like eyes curiously looking at his father, making "ee-ee-ya-ya" sounds, and waving his little arms and legs wildly.

Zhang Chi stretched out a finger and gently touched his son's rosy cheek. The little guy immediately grinned, revealing his toothless mouth, and even tried to grab his father's finger with his little hand.

"Look, Pengyi, this is your father." Zhang Chi's voice was gentler than ever before. He carefully picked up his son and let him lean against his chest, feeling the warmth and heartbeat from that small body.

"Pengyi, like a roc spreading its wings, soaring high and boundless. You must fly higher than Daddy and see farther than Daddy, okay?" he

She spoke softly, her eyes filled with boundless anticipation for the future.

No longer bound by the old-fashioned generational names like "Establish your ambition first, then broaden your horizons through learning and faith," this name embodies his most straightforward and grandest wishes for the new generation.

Beside her, in an even smaller cradle, Zhang Yaoyao, who had just turned one month old, was sleeping soundly.

She was born to Liu Shengnan. Her small face was as delicate as a porcelain doll, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyelids. Her breathing was even and gentle.

Zhang Chi walked over gently, bent down beside the cradle, and watched for a while before very lightly brushing the soft downy hair on his daughter's forehead with his fingertips, afraid of disturbing her sweet dream.

For this daughter, besides fatherly love, he also felt a mixture of guilt and pity for Liu Shengnan, which ultimately transformed into his silent protection at this moment.

Chen Jingshu and Liu Shengnan would occasionally come over to check on him, but most of the time Zhang Chi would enjoy the short time he spent with the children on his own.

"Knock knock." A soft knock sounded on the door.

Zhang Chi frowned slightly, reluctantly handing Zhang Pengyi over to the waiting nanny. He glanced at the sleeping Zhang Yaoyao before getting up, straightening his clothes, and regaining his usual composure.

He walked out of the nursery and gently closed the door.

In the living room, the confidential secretary had been waiting for a moment, holding two documents in her hands.

"President, two urgent documents." The secretary handed over the documents.