Chen Qiong and the Xijiang leader laughed when they heard this, a helpless, somewhat self-deprecating smile.

"It seems you're very wary of us." Chen Qiong could understand Li Tianran's reaction, because in the previous incidents, the attitudes shown by various countries had made it impossible for Li Tianran to believe in their sincerity.

"No, no, no, I'm just too timid..." Li Tianran said expressionlessly.

Li Tianran wasn't afraid of owing favors; he even hoped to have more friends!

But he didn't want to passively owe others favors that had been carefully planned, and he didn't want others to forcibly bind him to the position of "friend" for some purpose.

Chen Qiong and the Xijiang Military Region had used such a massive formation to help Kuangxi Island without asking for any reward, so what they wanted must be a greater return in the future.

And what was the standard for this return?

There was no standard!

It all depended on Li Tianran's own heart!

If he wasn't willing, he could coldly accept everything and not return any kindness.

If he was willing, he might have to devote the entire strength of Kuangxi Island, or even risk his life, to repay them.

There were many changing factors involved.

Li Tianran could calmly and justifiably accept the Xijiang Northern Border Theater's free fire support this time, and secretly call them "naive," but if the Xijiang Northern Border Military Region suffered a devastating blow one day in the future, could Li Tianran really stand by and do nothing?

The human heart was the easiest thing to change. Right now, Li Tianran felt cold enough, but when that day really came, perhaps because of a word, a roar, a scene, or a person's face, he might make a choice that was completely different from what he would do now.

Because, as Chen Qiong and the Xijiang leader had said, Li Tianran was a young man, and he was different from those old political fogeys whose hearts had long been hardened into stone, who wouldn't hesitate to calculate and abandon their friends, relatives, or saviors.

What were young people?

Passion! Fearlessness! Integrity! Standing tall! Requiting hatred! Repaying kindness!

You help me, and I'll do everything I can to protect you!

You destroy me, and I'll risk my life to fight you!

Li Tianran knew very well what kind of person he was, so he couldn't guarantee that if he calmly accepted the help from Xijiang and the Northern Border Military Region now, he wouldn't put himself in an even more terrifying crisis in the future!

He preferred to turn their relationship into the simplest transaction: you provide me with help, and I give you money! We settle accounts clearly and don't owe each other anything! Whether you prosper or perish in the future is none of my business!

"If you're timid, then there's no one in the world who's brave." Chen Qiong said with some emotion, "I know you don't have a good impression of us or the world's great powers, because in the eyes of young people, politicians who only act for profit really don't have anything worthy of your liking."

"But this time is different."

Chen Qiong said very sincerely, "We really want to change."

Change what?

Dare you say that your purpose isn't to obtain greater benefits?

The corners of Li Tianran's lips curled up slightly, and he scoffed at Chen Qiong's statement.

"We will no longer use any calculations or schemes to obtain any benefits from you, and we will no longer use any political tactics on you." Chen Qiong said, word by word, "I admit that the Federation... was wrong in its attitude towards you in the past!"

Li Tianran was silent for a long time, then chuckled and said, "You realized that those methods had no effect on me; you don't really think you did anything wrong."

The Xijiang leader's eyes were complicated. He knew that Chen Qiong had always opposed the Federation's attitude and approach towards Li Tianran, but now that he said it, Li Tianran simply wouldn't believe it anymore.

"Forget it, there's no point in talking about these things now! Let's talk after we've wiped out the beast tide..." Li Tianran was very straightforward. He didn't want to continue talking about this issue with the other party, and he didn't want to listen to their sincerity, which was difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

In the distance, on the sea, a large number of warplanes roared, and the beast tide began to collapse.

Li Tianran left the warehouse. He no longer needed to stay here to prepare to exchange points and manufacture fleets. He could now formulate a counterattack plan against the beast tide.

Watching Li Tianran's back disappear into the distance, the Xijiang leader said softly, "It seems that getting him to accept us won't be so easy."

"It takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice. How easy is it to resolve his wariness towards us... This is not something that can be achieved in a single day." Chen Qiong took a deep breath. "It's easy to destroy a person's trust, but it takes ten times, a hundred times more effort to repair it."

"But as long as we always remember the word 'sincerity,' we will definitely be able to do it."

"What's wrong? Does it sound ridiculous? That's right, for us politicians who are used to playing with power and schemes, the word 'sincerity' is so naive, ridiculous, and stupid, but it is indeed the thing that can most move young people."

"Like today's actions, once or twice, Li Tianran might secretly scold us for being fools; three or five times, Li Tianran would think we have ulterior motives; but what about ten times, a hundred times?"

"Li Tianran isn't a stone; he will be moved," Chen Qiong said.

The Xijiang leader nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "If the Supreme Council doesn't agree, where are we going to find a hundred old fogeys like us who are so hot-blooded? After this time, we might become history..."

Chen Qiong stopped talking.

Yes, in Li Tianran's eyes, their kindness this time was insignificant and carried obvious intentions, but what Li Tianran didn't know was the price these two old men, both over seventy years old, would pay to express this bit of kindness to him...

...

Li Tianran came to the steel walls of Kuangxi Island.

He looked at the distant sea. Under the siege of warplanes and mecha warriors, most of the large-scale beast tide had collapsed. At this time, the original Kuangxi Island pioneer defense line began to withdraw one after another.

Li Tianran saw the first warship entering the port of Kuangxi Island. It was severely damaged at this time, and the hull and deck were covered with traces of being torn apart by teeth and claws. It was also as if it had been painted with blood, and a strong, fishy stench assaulted the senses.

*Plop!* A pioneer warrior jumped off the warship. The silver Tyrannosaurus Rex armor he was wearing was no longer recognizable in its original color. His whole body was covered with a thick layer of blood scabs, and it was impossible to tell whether it was his own blood or the blood of sea beasts!

Li Tianran narrowed his eyes as he watched this scene, and a surge of angry, violent emotions welled up.

The beast tide's invasion on such a large scale this time was clearly not for the three strategic points in the rear, such as Luxembourg. This group of monsters had come for Kuangxi Island!

"The emperor of the sea beasts... harassing me again and again. Do you really think I don't have a temper? This is endless!" Li Tianran's brow furrowed, and he looked at the chaotic sea. Now that the Yanhuang Federation's warplanes had joined the battle, his troops had become idle, and a crazy idea had formed in his mind.

...

This is one chapter for today. I stayed up for a few nights, and now my ears are ringing. There will be four more chapters tomorrow.

...

He wanted to try the method he had once speculated could destroy the entire beast king race!

To snipe the sea sirens and cause the entire beast king race to lose control.

Sea sirens never left the sea easily and stayed in the deep sea for a long time, so humans had no conditions to complete the snipe. But now that Li Tianran had mecha warriors, he could really try it!

"Catch a few overlords and use the intelligent brain to read the location of the beast king emperor!"

"Damn it... sea siren, huh? Mermaid, huh?"

"I'm going to beat you back and make fish head soup!"