The destruction of the multinational fleet in the Strait of Malacca, which had shocked the world, gradually faded from the public eye under a wave of negative opinion suppression led by the United States.
At the same time, the various forces and their backers, having been sobered by the massacre, had stopped their previous sanctions. Instead, they were now scrambling to establish closer ties with Madripoor after its reopening to the outside world.
After their self-conceit and arrogance were shattered and they had measured the power gap, the best way forward was to curry favor. The high-and-mighty approach hadn't worked. Now that they had been defeated, they would kneel and lick the boots of the victor. As long as they could get access to things like health and longevity, a little money and a few resources were nothing.
And what about Madripoor's legitimacy after the change in leadership? Why did it need legitimacy? Did the recognition of other countries matter? It didn't matter at all. The important thing was to reach a tacit understanding.
There was another reason for the rapid change in attitude. The international rescue organization, led by the U.S., had dispatched a large number of personnel and icebreaking equipment to the hundreds of miles of frozen sea.
What surprised and frightened them all was that the structural strength of the ice was far greater than anyone imagined. They tried many methods, such as using large ice-breaking equipment to chisel at it, but they couldn't even break off a piece. Later, they even used laser equipment and missile bombardment, but the effect was minimal.
According to calculations, it would take more than a thousand nuclear bombs to melt the ice, which was immediately and strongly opposed by the countries around the Strait of Malacca. They weren't joking—a thousand nuclear bombs, even if the explosions didn't affect them, the radiation would be unbearable.
What kind of power was needed to create such strong ice? This deepened the fear of those who had participated in the test and sanctions. It simply wasn't worth it.
In less than a week, the president stepped down. It seemed to be a gesture to Madripoor and also a form of explanation. Madripoor, however, didn't respond at all. Any company that wanted to build a factory or cooperate in Madripoor would be approved, and tariffs and commercial taxes would be implemented according to standard. The message was clear: as long as you come with good intentions, Madripoor will accept everything.
The Port of Madrid now holds a very peculiar ecological position.
The number of troops in the Port of Madrid is not large, and the national defense strength is only at the level of a small country. This was a result of Viper's development, but it would have been even worse otherwise.
Economically, it is a top-tier commercial center in Southeast Asia, with one of the world's highest capital flows, but no one dares to threaten it. The surrounding countries are constantly sending delegations to visit, acting very low-key, like younger siblings.
The country that was once full of crime and chaos has become one of the safest in the world. The sensational destruction of over 100,000 criminals and 25,000 soldiers and officers in the Strait of Malacca has made this place a restricted area for criminals. Criminals wouldn't dare to flee here even if they had boundless courage.
The Port of Madrid has entered a period of rapid development. All internal construction and development are proceeding, and the economy has entered a period of take-off. The living standards of residents are constantly improving.
Half a year passed, and everything seemed very peaceful.
In the small town, the exterior of Leon's house wasn't very big, but the interior had new furniture and strange-looking decorations, including bones, sticks, and necklaces with dog heads, giving it a very Gothic feel. Neighbors who came to visit were amazed and thought it was very cool.
In fact, these extra decorations were magical props made by Li Xiang and Amy during their magic studies, which is why they looked a bit strange. Ordinary people wouldn't trigger them even if they touched them.
It was a sunny day. In the backyard, Leon and his father, Li Xiang, sat on beach chairs by the pool in their swimming trunks. His mother, Amy, wasn't at home. She had made plans to go shopping in the city with her girlfriends, leaving the father and son with their two little babies.
The two little ones, who were now five and six, were in kindergarten and had made many friends. Today was Saturday, so they were home playing in the swimming pool with their swimming rings and two big dogs. The crisp sound of the children playing in the water, along with the occasional barks of the dogs, made the whole backyard very lively.
Li Xiang, wearing sunglasses, leaned back on his chair, seemingly basking in the sun. But Leon knew that his dad was thinking about magic. After half a year, his dad's interest in magic had not decreased at all; on the contrary, it had become more and more intense.
With the basic transformation from the Super-Soldier Serum, his dad was definitely among the top magicians in terms of ability.
Kamar-Taj's magicians rely heavily on ability. This kind of ability is not magical talent—after all, they are mortals and don't produce magical energy. Instead, they rely more on comprehension. Doctor Strange's ability is excellent because he is a top talent in comprehension. He can quickly remember the knowledge of magic and perfectly comprehend and display it.
At this point, Leon noticed a blind spot. If his mom and dad were like this, wouldn't all the soldiers who were injected with the Super-Soldier Serum be magical geniuses?
It seemed that a magic army could also be cultivated. The energy source was the key point. He couldn't spend a lot of time making necklaces. However, Leon still took it to heart. Solving the energy source wasn't difficult.
While he was thinking, two little figures, like cannonballs, rushed over.
"Brother, Dean and I want orange juice, and we want it cold."
Little Lily and little Dean scrambled into Leon's arms to act spoiled, their big cute eyes twinkling like little stars.
Facing these two little cuties, Leon had basically zero resistance.
He stretched out his hand, and two empty cups floated in front of him. The cups automatically filled with orange juice, and two ice cubes were added.
The two little ones smiled happily.
(End of Chapter)
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